THE ONE AND ONLY
Proposition: God’s Word is more convincing than any other person, or philosophy, or thing this world has ever known. The Bible says that it is “…living and more powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword…” There is ONE AND ONLY one Word of God, and there is ONE AND ONLY One Jesus Christ.
Question: How convinced are you of Who Jesus is?
Text: 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:
Prayer:
Illustration: There is the true story of a Japanese man who spent 28 years of his life in prison. It was not a prison of bars & locks & wardens, but a self-imposed prison of fear. He was a Japanese soldier on the island of Guam during WW2. And when the American forces landed, he fled into the jungle & found a cave in which he hid for 28 years because he was afraid of being captured by the Americans.
He learned that the war was over by reading one of the thousands of pamphlets dropped into the jungle. But he was not convinced. So for 28 years he lived in the cave, coming out only at night to look for roaches & rats & frogs & mangoes on which he survived.
Finally some natives found him & convinced him that the war was over and that it was time for him to come out of his jungle prison.
We may think, "What a waste! Imagine, spending 28 years living as a prisoner because you are not convinced there is a better life waiting for you." Yet, there are a lot of people who are prisoners of doubt and disbelief.
Transition: If we are to be completely convinced of Who Jesus is, then we must first understand the impact of God’s Word on each of us.
I. Father God was very convincing with the Words He spoke.
A. In the process of creating everything we know and see with our eyes, God relied heavily on the power of His spoken words.
1. Father God spoke the words:
a) “Let there be light…” (darkness disappeared)
b) “Let there be a firmament…” (Earth was given an atmosphere with perfect levels of oxygen and nitrogen)
c) “Let there be dry ground…” (fertile soil was ready for planting)
d) “Let there be vegetation…” (a tropical array of plants and trees decorated the landscape)
e) “Let there be stars, moon and sun…” (the vast heavens were filled with beautiful solar systems and galaxies)
f) “Let there be birds, fish, animals…” (a variety of creatures that have puzzled man ever since)
g) “Let Us make man…” (the Trinity of God created the complexity of human life)
h) God’s Word did it all. His Word was The One and Only Word ever spoken so powerfully.
i) “God saw everything that He had made (with His Word), and indeed it was very good.
B. Likewise - our words (that we speak) will also determine for us what is to become of us. We have one of two choices to make with the words we speak:
1. We can decide if we live as many of our friends and relatives do by not speaking the words of the sinner’s prayer of repentance.
2. Or, we can repent of our sins and confess Jesus as being our Lord and Savior.
Transition: Not only did Father God speak His word, but..
II. All of creation was convinced and still declares God’s Word (Isaiah 55:11 – 12)
11 It is the same with My word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. 12 You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
A. Many people are convinced of the strength and power of Mother Nature, but refuse or reject Jesus as the Lord, Master and Savior of the world.
B. Jesus is the Word of God.
C. The Word of God reaches and impacts everything and everywhere it goes.
1. produces fruit; accomplishes all God wants it to; prospers everywhere it goes
2. as a result, you are able to live in joy and peace
3. as a result, the mountains and hills will “burst into song, and the trees will clap their hands!”
Transition: Creation loves and declares the Glory of the Lord because Jesus is also the
III. “Supreme over all Creation” (Col. 1:15 – 17 NLT:)
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. 16 Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see – kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. 17 He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.
A. God is “invisible”
1. for many people, this makes God hard to believe.
2. nevertheless, there are those who have seen and even ate with God
B. Jesus became the “image” of God
1. man was able to physically touch and personally know Him
2. hundreds (if not thousands) have seen and touched Jesus Christ and have testified on His behalf.
Transition: The entire universe is convinced of the supreme power of God’s Word as being made flesh, and (now) so must all of mankind.
IV. The Apostle John was very convinced that Jesus was The One and Only. (John 1: 1 – 5, 14)
1. 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. 3 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 shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
14 And 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.
A. Jesus was the Apostle John’s cousin by birth and marriage.
1. John was an average man just like you and me. He
2. John had talked and played with Jesus off and on during his life. Perhaps this only happened at family gatherings during special holidays.
3. There was only a casual acquaintance between them.
a) This was never enough for Jesus; He longed for a more meaningful and lasting fellowship with John.
b) This is never enough for Jesus with anyone else, either…
c) This will never be enough for eternity, Jesus will forever be close to the saints of God in heaven.
B. John knew of the person of Jesus of Nazareth, but for many years did not know Jesus as his personal Savior; until…
1. One day he heard the power and authority of the Words of God..
2. One day he saw the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.
3. One day he sensed that this Man, the Son of God, sent from heaven was “full of grace and truth”.
C. John’s personal relationship with Jesus changed suddenly and instantly.
1. John wrote down the Word(s) that testified of Who Jesus was, is and always will be.
2. John experienced (first hand) THE ONE AND ONLY
V. We must become convinced that Jesus is THE ONE AND ONLY Savior and Lord and Master of our lives.
A. If we are convinced, we will have to confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior. (Matt. 10:32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
B. Being convinced, we will confess with our lips “…if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
C. There is coming a day when all of mankind will be convincedThat at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:10 –11)
Conclusion: The Apostle John was an average everyday kind of person just like you and me. He did walk and talk with Jesus for a period of time, but there was a point in his life in which he had to make a very important decision.
Even John had to decide to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. John was one person of millions, if not billions of people who knew he had to allow Jesus to possess his everyday life. Every thought John had and everything he did had to be centered and focused on Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
As a result John was a committed and convinced disciple of Jesus Christ. And so must we!
