JESUS: THE WORD OF GOD
John 1:1-5;14
Today we will consider the first 5 verses of John's Gospel. This amazing Book of the Bible is like none other. John's Gospel is all about Jesus and His saving work. It focuses on the last three years of Jesus’ life. In this Gospel account, John the Apostle goes into great detail concerning Christ's Death and Resurrection. He states the ultimate purpose of this book in Chapter 20:31. It is written to help people believe on Christ and have eternal life. John 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John was an eye witness of the life of Jesus. He mentions this in the opening of his first Epistle. 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
John knew Jesus personally, he was chosen, called and commissioned by Him. This man lived with Jesus, he laughed and cried with Jesus and he walked with Him daily for a period of three years. Along with James & Peter, John was part of Jesus' inner circle. John is the man who laid his head on Jesus' shoulder at the last supper, he is the only disciple seen at the Cross, he was one of the first to witness the empty tomb and the resurrected Christ. Throughout this Gospel, John refers to himself as "the Disciple whom Jesus loved".
As you read this amazing book you will see Who Jesus is. In order for us to be more like Jesus, we need to grow closer to Jesus. To grow closer to Jesus, we must seek to know Him better. I believe that you can learn more about Jesus from John's Gospel, than in any other book in the Bible. We learn much about the personality of our Savior in John's Gospel. We see the passion of Jesus as He gets angry and casts the money changers from the Temple. We see the boldness of Jesus when He tells the unbelieving Jews that Satan was their father. We see the humanity of Jesus in the fact that He got tired and hungry. We see compassion of Jesus as He reached out to the outcasts of society. We see the emotional side of Jesus as He wept at the grave of Lazarus. We see the humbleness of Jesus as He bows and washes the feet of His disciple. We see the forgiveness of Jesus as He forgives and restores Peter for his denial.
The Gospel of John also records what Jesus had to say Himself about who He is.
- I am the bread of life. (John 6:48)
- I am the light of the world. (John 8:12)
- I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)
- I am the good shepherd (John 10:11)
- I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. (John 11:25)
- I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
- I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (John 15:1)
There are many names and titles of Jesus recorded in the Book of John, but in the very first verse of this Gospel, John refers to Jesus as "The Word". The reason for this is that Jesus existed before He was born. "God the Son" existed long before His incarnation there in Bethlehem. The name 'Jesus' was only given to Him when He was born as a human being. Matthew 1:21 ...thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Here, John uses the Greek word 'Logos' or "The Word" to describe Him. If you want to express yourself to someone how do you do it? You use "words". God used "The Word" (Jesus Christ) to express Himself to mankind. As "The Word" Jesus was God's message to mankind. When Jesus walked the earth as a man He expressed what was going on in the mind of God. Jesus revealed the thoughts of God to mankind. This is just one more of the evidences of God's love toward us! Through "The Word" God sent us a message of love, hope, forgiveness, salvation and so much more. I would like to take some time and consider the importance of "The Word". So let's walk through the first 5 verses of the Gospel of John and examine "Jesus: The Word Of God"
Let's start by:
I. IDENTIFYING THE WORD OF GOD
We have already stated that "The Word" is none other than Jesus Christ. But I want to dig a little deeper on that subject, in verse 1, John has something to say about:
A. HIS EXISTENCE - "In the beginning was the Word"
The words “in the beginning” sound familiar...right? There is an important reason for that. Without a doubt, the Bible is the most famous, longest lasting and most important Book in History. And the very first words in the Bible are "in the beginning (God created the Heavens and the Earth". The first thing that John tells us about Jesus is that He created the universe. - v3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
The phrase "in the beginning" tells us that Jesus existed before there was a world. Paul echoes this in Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. This means that before light, before darkness, before the Sun, moon, and stars, before the earth and the galaxies... Jesus existed. Before there was any time or any matter, there was the Word.... Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus was there when God moved to make man in His image. - Genesis 1:26 "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness". Jesus was there in the beginning and He was there before the beginning!
As we move a little further we will see that John also mentions:
B. HIS INDIVIDUALITY - "and the Word was with God"
Jesus was present before the foundation of the World. The fact that He was "with God" shows us that He is, was and always will be a distinct person. He is co-equal in the Trinity along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was not someone that God created when He realized the World needed a Savior. God knew that we would need a Savior before the Word was ever created and He knew that Jesus would be that Sacrifice before the foundation of the World. Revelation 13:8 describes Jesus as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." The fact is, there never was a time when He... THE WORD, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST DID NOT EXIST!
Let's also take a moment and consider:
C. HIS AUTHORITY- "and the Word was God"
The Word, who became flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus Christ, was and is God. Because of this, we worship Jesus Christ as God. Just as Thomas fell before Him in John 20:28, we fall before Him and confess "My Lord and my God". Jesus is, our Savior, our Lord, our God.” Because He is God... He possesses all authority! When giving the Great Commission to His Disciples Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
Jesus did not receive His authority at his incarnation or His ascension. Jesus... the Son of God has always possessed total authority in heaven and on earth. Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. - Jesus is truly the Word of God! Now that we have identified the Word of God, let's take a moment and consider:
II. THE WORD AND HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE FATHER - v1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
The Word... Jesus Christ was with God, and He was God. This means that Jesus is God and it means that He has a relationship with God. To clarify, He is God the Son and He has a relationship with God the Father. This passage of scripture points us to the Doctrine of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons:
1) God The Father
2) God The Son
3) God The Holy Spirit
There is no way to fully understand or explain the Doctrine of the Trinity...but there are 3 facts that we must make clear. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, each Person is fully God, and there is only one God.
1. The Bible speaks of the Father as God - Philippians 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. The Bible speaks of Jesus as God - Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
3. The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit as God - Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
There is Biblical evidence to support the fact that these are 3 distinct personalities. Since the Father sent the Son into the world, he cannot be the same person as the Son. After the Son returned to the Father, the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. On one occasion we see all three present at the same time.
Mark 1:10 (as Jesus was Baptist) and straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Here, we see Jesus being baptized by John, we hear the Father speaking from heaven and we see the Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove as Jesus comes out of the water.Again I declare unto you... The Word (Jesus Christ) is 100% God! As we continue I would like to also consider:
III. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORD TO MANKIND - v3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Down in verse 14 John tells us that "the Word was made 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." - Mankind needed a Savior. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". Because of this, we could never be reconciled to God on our on. For this reason, we need a Savior. In His love, God sent His only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
"The Word"... (Jesus Christ) willingly left the glories of Heaven and took on a robe of human flesh. Philippians 2:6 (says that Jesus) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
There in Bethlehem the precious Son of God was born into this World. Mary's Baby Boy grew up and became a man. For over 3 years He traveled this earth and taught with great authority. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind. He made the deaf to hear, the mute to speak and the lame to walk. He cast out demons, cleansed lepers and He even raised the dead. The precious Son of God loved us all. In fact He loved us so much that He went to the Cross to save us from our sins. There on Calvary He died for us, they placed His body in a borrowed tomb and three days later He rose again and He lives forever more. After His resurrection He was seen by many witnesses and in due time He ascended back to Heaven. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father and He is making intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)
I know we have covered some things today that are difficult to comprehend. But the most important truth in the history of the world is the easiest to understand. Jesus Christ, "The Word Of God" came to this earth to save you from your sins. He came to make a way for mankind to have eternal life.
Why would the Creator become part of His creation? Why did Jesus take on that robe of human flesh? Why was He willing to suffer and die? You must understand that what He did, He did for you and for me. Jesus came to die so that we may live eternally! Listen to what He said in - John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Jesus came in order for us to have life and to have it more abundantly! (John 10:10) Jesus came to bring life where there was death, and John also tells us that Jesus came to "bring light into darkness". - John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Jesus came to deliver lost mankind from the darkness and to bring them into His glorious light: He said in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life,”
Jesus came into this world to bring light into our spiritual darkness. But verse 5 says that "the darkness comprehended it not." When the "Light" (Jesus) came into this dark world, the wicked people of this world despised and rejected him. (John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.) The same is true today. The majority of mankind continue to reject Jesus, the darkness refuses the light! Sin blinds the mind to the beauty and excellency of the character of the Lord Jesus. Jesus spoke of this in - John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” - If you die lost in your sins... this will be the reason for your demise! You do not have to die and go to Hell. That is the last thing that God wants for you! You mean so much to Him that He left the glories of Heaven and came to this earth for you! Truly, "the Word became flesh".
Jesus did what we could never do, and because of this, we have the opportunity to receive eternal life. I hope you understand that you can be saved today... you can be born again, and it is all possible because of "Jesus: The Word Of God".
