introducing the light

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

First: That Jesus Christ is eternal

Second: That Jesus Christ was face to face with the Father

Third: That Jesus Christ is God

1 john 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

ps 33:6 “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.”

eph 3:9 “and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;”

col. 1:16-17 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Col. 3:3,4. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Now John writes that this life was the light of men.

john 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.””

5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

1:5 “The light shines in the darkness.” Jesus Christ came into the world to reveal God to men. “The darkness did not comprehend it.” This could mean either that the world did not understand Christ, or that the darkness could not overcome Him. Here, the darkness of the fallen world is seen to be hostile to the light of God.

Man did not understand, did not comprehend, and would then reject.

Summary of the first five verses of John’s prologue.

1. The Word is Christ and He existed, as God from eternity past.

2. Christ is God and equal with the Father, the Savior was ever existing God who came to earth.

3. It was Christ who caused all things to become, He is the creator of all things.

4. In Christ is life and this life is revealed to man.

5. And yet, while this light shines brightly even today, man does not understand and man rejects this light.

john 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

Romans 1:18-25 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is b…”

7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.

1:7 “To bear witness.” The mission of John the Baptist was to proclaim to men that Jesus was the promised Christ (see 1:23, 29, 32, 34, 36). “That all through him might believe.” Every member of the human race is included in the love of God, the saving work of Christ, and the opportunity to believe (John 12:32; Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2). Rejection of Jesus Christ is the only basis for eternal condemnation (John 3:16–19).

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

1:9 “The true Light which gives light to every man.” The coming of Jesus Christ into the world has brought a “light” that is available to all and will never be extinguished (2 Cor. 4:6; 5:14–21).

6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

John sets up a paradox: Christ was in the world - here is not a God who is absent, indifferent to the affairs of His creation. He was in the world as an active, concerned, gracious creator.

acts 13:27 “For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.”

11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

In this verse John gives a sad commentary that summarizes the first thirteen chapters of Matthew. The rejection of the King and his kingdom. The full weight of the Old Testament prophecies, principles, and promises of the Messiah came bear at the incarnation. The seed of Adam, the descendant of Noah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the son of David came to His own . and they did not receive Him. The sadness of this verse is later recorded as Jesus approached the Holy City of Israel. Luke 19:41 And when Jesus approached, He saw the Jerusalem and wept over it.

isa 53:3 “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”

luke 19:14 “But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’”

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

1:12 “As many as received Him … who believe in His name.” John shows that we receive Him, and His gift of eternal life, simply by believing in His name, that is, His true identity as the Son of God. The “right to become children of God.” signifies both the power and the authority from God to become His children.

We have in these verses man’s part and God’s part. Man’s part is to receive and then to believe. We receive when we listen to the Gospel, we believe when we trust in Jesus as the Savior we so desperately need. God then gives us a right, an authority, to become children of God which is accomplished not by our receiving or believing but by the will of God

gal 3:26 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

1. “Not of blood,” not by lineage to Abraham (John 8:39; Matt. 3:9),

2. “Not of the will of the flesh,” that is, not by human effort (Mark 10:17; Luke 10:25; 18:18),

3. “Nor of the will of man,” that is, by the efforts of anyone else (Luke 16:27–31). Each person must choose to either receive or reject Jesus Christ.

james 1:18 “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

1 peter 1:23 “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,”

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

1. Overflow with blessing: Romans 15:29

2. Overflow with Joy and Peace: Romans 15:13, I John 1:4

3. Overflow with the application of doctrine in the sphere of divine power: II Thessalonians 1:11

4. Overflow with joy even in the midst of affliction: II Corinthians 7:4

5. Overflow with obedience: II Corinthians 10:6

6. The fruit of Righteousness: Philippians 1:11

7. Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding: Romans 15:14, Colossians 1:9

8. Even with material things: Philippians 4:18-19

9. And we can overflow with all the fullness

of God. Ephesians 3:19

eph 1:23 “which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

eph 3:19 “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

eph 4:13 “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;”

17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

1:17 “The law … grace and truth.” The Law was a revelation of God’s righteousness and man’s sinfulness, but the full revelation of God’s grace and truth came through Jesus Christ alone (Rom. 3:19–31; 5:20–21; 6:14; Gal. 3:21–29).

The Old Testament Law was given to point to the need for a sinless Savior and direct man to Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.

But as important as the Law was, there was one thing it could not do. Romans 3:20 Because by the works of the Law no flesh will by justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Galatians 3:11-12 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, The righteous man shall live by faith. However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, He who practices them shall live by them.

THE LAW

 Could not justify

 Could not save

 Could not deliver

 Could not bring a man into fellowship with god, neither in time nor in eternity.

LOVE fills up and overflows the LAW. Romans 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Galatians 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

PRINCIPLES.

 God chose as His policy towards man, grace.

 Grace is all that God is free to do for us through Christ’s death upon the Cross. . . it is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

 Grace is revealed through Jesus Christ, Grace is demonstrated by Christ, and Christ is our pattern and example of grace.

 We find out about grace when we find out about Christ, grace and truth through Jesus Christ.

 But grace is not a mere system, it is God’s policy, but for us it creates a system of freedom in which we can know truth and with that, have spiritual love. John 17:26 I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love me may be in them, and I in them.

 And this love fulfills the law and goes far beyond any system, and religion, any legalism, any ritual of man. If you get no other point of application today I want you to see how meaningless it is to live the Christian life by some system of legalism. Galatians 5:4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. What Jesus Christ our Lord has for us is so much greater than the Law which has served its purpose or the legalisms of men which have no purpose to begin with. And the last point is seen in the next verse: This love brings us face to face in fellowship with Jesus Christ. . .

18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

1:18 “No one has seen God.” God is Spirit and no man can behold Him (Exod. 33:18–23; John 4:24; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17). “In the bosom of the Father.” Jesus Christ lives in perpetual intimacy and fellowship with the Father. “He has declared Him.” The word “declared” means “to fully expound or explain.”

john 3:18 ““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

1 john 4:9 “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”