Will The Real Jesus Please Stand Up? Series

JOHN 1:6-18

• There are lots of images of Jesus out in the world today. You could fill a room with all the ideas people have of who He is. It would be nice to be able to ask, ‘Will the real Jesus please stand up?’ John, the last living Apostle tries to do just that.

• First John recognizes who John the Baptist truly was and emphasizes that.

BRIDGE: You need to understand through all the contradictions who this real Jesus is and what that means for your life. John knew what the world of his day needed to know and understand about Jesus and he tried to communicate that. We need to understand ourselves so we can be effective in our witness and our own person walk with Him.

JESUS IS THE ONE WHO CAME AS PREDICTED:

1. PREDICTED BY JOHN THE FORERUNNER OF THE MESSIAH: 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

• John the Baptist was given his name in a special way by his father who was approached by Gabriel in the Temple. John’s better description was ‘a man sent from God’: Great MOVIE TITLE.

• John’s life had a very distinct purpose: ‘testify about the light’.

• John knew that it was not about him but about his work of pointing others to someone else.

2. PREDICTED TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD: 9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

• John pointed us to the TRUE LIGHT: This light ENLIGHTENS every man.

• John makes an amazing statement: Jesus was with us, made us(and the world) and yet was unrecognized by most.

• Jesus even came to His own: Those He had promised to come to for centuries and they even missed it. I AM COMING…I AM COMING….HERE I AM..Who are you?

• The major point is that they did not RECEIVE Him: He proved over and over who He was but RECEIVING Him demanded something of them they chose not to give.

AMAZING VERSE: Simple verse that describes the childlike nature of those who respond to the Gospel. What is becoming a Christian really all about? RECEIVING HIM>

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

RECEIVING HIM MEANS:

1. Being given the AUTHORITY/RIGHT to become God’s child

2. It means believing in His AUTHORITY/NAME

3. It means being BORN ANEW not of blood or flesh but of God.

JESUS IS THE ONE WHO CAME IN THE FLESH:

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

• WORD BECAME FLESH: The Word was God so GOD BECAME FLESH. WHY DID GOD CHOOSE TO BECOME FLESH? Like us?

1. To DWELL among us:

God "dwelled" among us. It literally means that Jesus pitched His tent here. He lived among us, worked among us, prayed among us, suffered among us and died among us. God walked upon the earth and was unrecognized by many who came into close contact with Him. What a tragedy that men came in contact with the Savior and still failed to recognize Him.)

• The concern of God was so huge that He was willing to actually enter this world and sinful human life in order to address man’s need of salvation.

1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

• Jesus responded to Philip’s request to see the Father with, ‘He who has seen ME has seen the Father’.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us to declare to us the father – show us God

1) Idea is Face to face contact – Closeness intimacy

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU ALLOW TO TOUCH YOUR FACE? Blind people touching face to determine identity

The Word became flesh – touch his face – see His heart – Have that intimacy

Paul declared in Philippians 2:7 – Jesus made himself of no reputation –

Literally He emptied himself in becoming a man.