Clear The Way, Part 1 Series

John, Part 1

Series: Clear the Way, Part 1

John 1:1-5

- This morning, we are going to kick-off our study into the Gospel of John

- I never want to assume that we all have the same knowledge … intro:

• A young Jewish man; referred to as youngest Apostle (late teens / early 20s)

• He was the son of Zebedee and Salome; his brother James was 1 of the 12

• Salome was devoted follower (req. sons sit at Jesus’ left/right; at the cross)

• John wrote 5 books in NT: 3 epistles, Revelation, and this Gospel (~90 AD)

• Along with Peter and James, he was considered part of Jesus’ ‘inner circle’

• He witnessed 3 miracles others did not see (raising of Jairus’ daughter, Jesus’ Transfiguration, and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane)

• The book that bears his name focuses on 4 things: Doctrine of salvation, Eschatology (doctrine of the final destiny of the soul and of humankind), the Holy Spirit, and the Identity (personhood) of Jesus Christ

• “If Matthew, Mark, Luke are books, the Gospel of John is the movie.”

• Gives no account of several things: baptism, Lord’s Supper, parable teaching

• EX: John gives longer, theological discourses (sermons), of Jesus’ response

• Yet, he writes of Nicodemus, raising of Lazarus, the woman of Samaria

• John centers on the truth of Christ: He is the Messiah sent from God to save

- John’s recollection of Jesus’ ministry is crucial for us: teaches us WHO Jesus Is!

-- CH: Over the course of this we will challenge several perceptions you have

-- Hang with me and seek the Lord – God’s Word should change us as we study it

- To make it easier to digest: the entire book will be broken up into smaller series’

-- This will allow us to unpack, to explore, and not to lose the focus of the passage

-- Today, we begin the series titled: “Clear the Way” (it -Ch 1- has 7 messages)

- BIG: Believe that God wants us to see, to know, and to truly see: Jesus!

-- Why? Many subscribe to legalistic, non-scriptural, opinions of who Jesus is

-- We believe in traditions that are molded by our feelings vs. God’s actual word

-- From the writings of someone who was with Him, we can see this very clearly

-- My simple challenge to you: Once you know the truth, what will you do with it?

- In honor of God’s word, would you stand with me as we read John 1:1-5 / Pray

Point 1 – Christ is Eternal

- Understand: precise Greek word John uses: logos; the word, account, message

-- Early readers saw this as an indicator of more than letters that have a meaning

-- They understood this as the physical, creative, power of God – they were right!

- John saying: the Word is the apex of completeness - encapsulated in One person

-- As John knew Him, Jesus Christ embodied it: God acting on the world in Him

-- Because of this, we have the incredible truth John presents of who He really is!

-- (teach) I want us to attempt to grasp what John knew as the truth (3 things):

1. Christ pre-existed the creation of time (v1)

- In the beginning (Greek: en arche) He was not created during it; but PRESENT

• Moses wrote: Psalm 90:2, “Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.”

-- John expressed that Jesus is timeless – that He is the physical Word of God

2. Christ was the fullness OF God - in the form of a person (v1)

- John’s expression is that Christ was THE Word – the spoken existence of God!

-- John did not say that “the Word” was “the God” – NO: the Word was God!!

-- Greek: Theos; one true God, divine, supreme, the One who created everything

-- APP: The Word is the person from God (the Father) to the Creation (us)

- When we see Christ – we see a distinct person; we see the very character of God

• Paul: Colossians 1:15, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation”

• RE: Paul wrote to Colossians due to infiltration of false teaching! Level-set

3. Christ was coexistent WITH God (v2)

- He was face-to-face with the living God; more than a created being

-- More than a figurehead of who God is … but God in a person; the Son

-- SEE: was ‘with’ (Greek: pros; alongside) God: as 2nd person of Trinity

-- Immortal, outside of time, before Creation, deserving of all praise and honor