People all over the world already had the accounts of the life of Christ as recorded by Matthew, Mark and Luke. These first three Gospels are called the Synoptic Gospels. The word "synoptic" means "to see together." This means that the first three Gospels contain many of the same stories and teachings, but told from a different angle. Yet, each is fully inspired by the Lord.
However, John's Gospel is different! In the pages of this wonderful book, we see a side of Christ that the other Gospel writers do not touch on. John was part of that blessed inner circle. That handful of Disciples that was with Christ during some of His most intimate moments. In this Gospel John gives us 21 blessed chapters. Chapters that, as each unfolds, presents a new facet of His divine character.
This week, we shall examine John 1:1-18. And, in the opening chapter, John paints a picture of Jesus: The Word Of God, and it is that image that we want to focus in on. Now, three truths are revealed in these verses about the Word of God. The first is that Jesus is the preexistent Word (John 1:1-3). Here we see that:
1. He Is The Constant Word. According to this verse, Jesus has simply always existed! He didn't come into being in Bethlehem, but He has been here throughout all the endless ages of eternities past.
2. He Is The Communing Word. This phrase says that Jesus "was with God." That is, He was present in the heavenlies in the presence of God, yet He stood as a distinct Person. This verse teaches us that Jesus is God, yet He is still a unique being.
3. He Is The Controversial Word. When Jesus came preaching repentance (Mark 1:15) men thought He was strange. When He began to heal and perform miracles, men thought He was a prophet sent by God (John 3:2). When He spoke the Word of God with power, men thought He was amazing (Luke 4:36). However, when Jesus claimed equality with God, men thought He was crazy (John 19:7). He stopped being a blessing and became a controversy when He claimed to be God (John 14:9).
4. He Is The Creative Word. This verse (John 1:3) tells us that Jesus was the energy behind the creation of the universe. He spoke and it was! He stood on the edge of nothing and spoke all this into existence (Colossians 1:16-17).
These four truths, taken as one give us the clear teaching that Jesus is the pre-existent Word of God. He has always been and He always will be! Thank God, there will never be a day throughout eternity that doesn't include Jesus! No matter where we wind up, or what we have to face as we travel through this world, we can rest assured that the pre-existent One is, and always will be, there for us. He is the pre-existent Word of the Living God!
The next truth is that Jesus is the personalized Word (John 1:4). This verse is one of the clearest in all the Bible regarding the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Incarnation simply means "the bodily manifestation of a supernatural being." In this verse we see:
1. The Manner Of His Incarnation. Verse 4 tells us that "The Word became flesh and dwelled among us." The manner of His incarnation is a mystery. How could God become a man? The answer to this question lies in the mind of God alone. All we know is that God chose a virgin named Mary and caused her to miraculously conceive and bring forth a baby. I do know that on that night when Jesus was born, God had come to earth.
Somehow, the Word, became flesh! While Jesus himself had existed from all eternities past, He took up on Himself a robe of flesh there in Bethlehem. The Creator was born to the creature. God placed His life in the hands of mortals. Wow! What a scene that must have been!
2. The Mystery Of His Incarnation. The word was "made" flesh. This word carries the meaning "to appear in history, to step onto the stage." There in Bethlehem, God stepped out of eternity and onto the stage of human history. He came a tangible proof of the existence of God and of God's willingness to save mankind. When He was here on earth and through the record left to you and me, we can see that Jesus came to this world to reveal God to man. He did this through the medium of His flesh (1 John 1:1).
3. The Majesty Of His Incarnation. John actually saw the glory of Jesus in a very real sense. In Matthew 17, John, along with James and Peter accompanied Jesus upon a mountain side. There Jesus allowed the veil of His flesh to be pulled aside and He revealed the glory that was concealed beneath. Jesus concealed His heavenly fame within an earthly frame. However, His greatest glory was revealed the day He allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross and died for sinners. On Calvary, the glory of God was in sharp focus!
After all, That was the reason Jesus left the halls of Heaven and came to live among men. He took upon Himself a robe of flesh so that He might be able to die for mankind. That is what He did for each and every one of us this evening. To me the greatest evidence of the glory of God is the broken body of Jesus Christ having demonstrated His love for me in the clearest of terms (Romans 5:8).
Finally, the third revealed truth, Jesus is the proclaiming Word (John 1: 18). According to this verse, Jesus came to reveal God to man. The word "declare" means "to unfold." Every thing the Lord did was simply in an effort to unfold more of the revelation of God to man. Men needed to see God not just as a Lawgiver, but also as a lover. Not only as a judge, but as a justifier. Not as some stern, hateful being, but as a saving, caring God. Jesus did just this by His life (John 14:7-9; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3).
Jesus came to put God on display before men; and He did this in two primary ways:
1. He Came To Proclaim Light (John 1:4-9). He came to a world in spiritual darkness and opened the curtains of grace revealing the truth of God to men wandering in darkness. Jesus came to illuminate the pathway of men toward God. This light will accomplish one of two things. It will either cause men to repent of their sins and run to the opened arms of the Lord, or it will cause them to reject the light and continue on their course of darkness. One will lead to salvation, the other will lead to damnation! (John 3:36)
2. He Came To Proclaim Life (John 1:10-13). Jesus came to His people, who had His Word and were living in His promised land. He came to tell then that there was a way to come to the Father and to experience eternal life. In what may be the saddest verse in the Bible, they refused this call from the sinner's friend to come to Him. However, verses 12-13 make is clear that anyone who will respond positively to the light of God, and will come to Jesus and receive Him into their heart and life; will experience the new birth and will enter into eternal life.
Let me reiterate, John makes it clear in verse 13 that this life comes not by our natural birth (not by blood), not by our own good works (not the will of the flesh), not the work of another, (the will of man), but only through the will of God. And, just what is the will of the Father (John 6:36-40)? There is only one entrance into life and that is through the Son of God. He is the Door (John 10:9); and He is the Way (John 14:6). If anyone will enter into life, they will enter through Jesus!
Scripture: John 10:30; John 8:58; Colossians 1:15-17; Philippians 2:5-7; Exodus 3:14; Mark 12:29; John 10:28-30
Now, let's pray...
O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen
Until next time...
Have a blessed week!
Bibi
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