Text: John 1:1-5 The Gospel According to John
John the beloved disciple who belonged to the inner circle of Jesus’ followers.
In a broad sense, John wrote this gospel to provide Asia Minor a fuller understanding of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
More specifically, he wrote to lead his readers to a settled faith on the basis of the words and works of Jesus, with the result that they “may have life in His name.”
John divides the ministry of Jesus into two distinct parts: Chapters 2-12 His public ministry. Chapters 13-21 relates to His private ministry unto His disciples.
The gospel of John was written about A.D. 85. The theme of this book is, Knowing God by believing in Jesus Christ. Key words are: Believe, Bear witness, Life.
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
The book presents Jesus as the only begotten Son of God who became flesh. The Holy Spirit is revealed as the continuing work of Jesus.
Verse 1 in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.
Of course this verse, and Genesis 1:1 are closely linked together. Jesus the word, and the God of creation together!
This event, along with the creation of the earth have great significance. Out of the Word arises The Word — Jesus Christ — the Word which became flesh. As E. Stanley Jones writes: “Out of the Gospels arises the Gospel. Jesus is the Gospel — the Gospel lies in His Person. He did not come to bring the Good News — He was the Good News.”
In Luke 23: 34 Jesus cried out while on the cross, 34). Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.
This was God the Son, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit speaking. This was God’s word-Jesus saying, “Forgive them!”
John 1:1 ...and the word was God.
Verse 2 He was in the beginning with God.
Who? Jesus, the word, the Holy Spirit.
The most important words in the entire Bible are these: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).
This is the great truth that sets Christianity apart from all other world religions. Our God has not remained remote and unapproachable, he has come to us in person. He did not just write us a letter. He did not just send us a representative. He did not just speak his laws from a mountain. He came to us as one of us. The Infinite became an infant. The Eternal One became a wee one.
The Bible describes the miracle of what Christ accomplished when it says: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8).
The Message puts it this way: “He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.”
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
John declares, that Jesus Christ was the divine agent who was responsible for the entire creation.
Verse 4 In Him was the life, and the life was the light of men.
Here we read the very reason God’s word became flesh: 1. To give mankind His life. 2. To give mankind His light.
It is impossible to overemphasize how important God’s arrival on earth was. Because of Christ you and I have direction, someone to emulate, Talk and listen like.
John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Comprehend: Darkness could gain control. Verse 5 could read, “The darkness is unreceptive and does not understand it.”
The Christian’s joy is in knowing that light is not only greater than darkness but will also outlast the darkness.
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Booker T. Washington was born a slave and later became one of the great educators of our country after the emancipation. He headed the Tuskegee Institute, which flourished under his leadership. In his autobiography, Up from Slavery, he tells a story about his brother: “The most trying ordeal that I was forced to endure as a slave boy. . . was the wearing of a flax shirt. In the portion of Virginia where I lived, it was common to use flax as part of the clothing for the slaves. That part of the flax from which our clothing was made was largely the refuse, which of course was the cheapest and roughest part. I can scarcely imagine any torture, except, perhaps, the pulling of a tooth, that is equal to that caused by putting on a new flax shirt for the first time. It is almost equal to the feeling that one would experience if he had a dozen or more chestnut burrs, or a hundred small pin-points, in contact with his flesh. . . . But I had no choice. I had to wear the flax shirt or none. . . .
My brother John, who is several years older than I am, performed one of the most generous acts that I ever heard of one slave relative doing for another. On several occasions when I was being forced to wear a new flax shirt, he generously agreed to put it on in my stead and wear it for several days, till it was ‘broken in.’”
Jesus, the word of God wore and bore our sorrow, sickness and sin!
