Cornerstone Church December 18, 2011
“JESUS – THE ONE AND ONLY”
John 1:14-18
INTRODUCTION:
The following happened one Sunday morning on a subway in New York:
“People were sitting quietly -- some reading newspapers, some lost in thought, some resting with their eyes closed. It was a calm peaceful scene.
Then suddenly, a man and his children entered the subway car. The children were so loud and rambunctious that instantly the whole climate changed.
The man sat down next to me and closed his eyes, apparently oblivious to the situation. The children were yelling back and forth, throwing things, even grabbing people’s papers. It was very disturbing. And yet, the man sitting next to me did nothing.
It was difficult to not feel irritated. I could not believe that he could be so insensitive as to let his children run wild like that and do nothing about it, taking no responsibility at all. It was easy to see that everyone else on the subway felt irritated, too. So finally, with what I felt was unusual patience and restraint, I turned to him and said, ‘Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn’t control them a little more?’
The man lifted his gaze as if to come to a consciousness of the situation for the first time and said softly, ‘Oh, you’re right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don’t know what to think, and I guess they don’t know how to handle it either.’”
pg. 30-31, Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
The man in the story experienced a paradigm shift. The new facts changed his outlook on what he was experiencing.
“Suddenly [he] saw things differently, and because [he] saw differently, [he] thought differently, [he] felt differently, [he] behaved differently.”
Christmas is about to be celebrated globally!
Since Halloween the focus for many has been shopping, decorating and more shopping.
Yet the real focus of Christmas should be on The LORD Jesus Christ.
For over two Millennia the world has sought to celebrate the Birth of the LORD Jesus Christ.
* Celebrating God becoming man!
* Celebrating the first Advent of Christ and looking forward to His Second Advent.
Our world needs a paradigm shift!
The Body of Christ in America needs a wake up call!
As each year passes The LORD Jesus Christ is marginalized more and more and takes a backseat role to lesser things and lesser priorities.
Crowded out by:
* Materialism
* Decorations
* Santa
* Expanding influence of false religions in our world
* Improper views of Jesus Himself left as a babe in the manger
Who is Jesus?
Why did He come to Earth?
Is the God of the Bible the One True God?
If all we see at Christmas is a baby in a manger we will miss the Real Jesus!
Jesus is either God the SON – the One True God come in the flesh or He is not.
The Author of each of the four Gospels in the New Testament all wrote about Jesus, His Life and Ministry but also wrote specific themes to different groups of people living at the time all for the purpose of proving that Jesus is the Messiah – The Christ!
The Apostle John wrote his Gospel record last. By that time more and more attacks were coming against the early church and Jesus.
Here is the goal of his message:
John 20:31 NIV But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
“…that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,”
“…by believing you may have life in his name.”
Throughout the Gospel of John the Apostle John seeks to prove this to all through the miracles and information he included such as the Seven “I AM” Statements of Jesus:
I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE
I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
I AM THE DOOR
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD
I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE
I AM THE TRUE VINE
“…that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,”
“…by believing you may have life in his name.”
This message is so important to John that he doesn’t want anyone to miss it. So he stated near the end of the Gospel for those who like to skip to the ending to find out what is going to happen and places it clearly at the beginning of the book.
The Prologue found in John 1:1-18 is what we have been studying for the past several weeks.
is all about the Incarnation of Christ.
“Whose Child Are You?
“People Get Ready”
“With or Without You”
“Jesus – The One and Only” - today
Today we are looking at the last section of John’s Prologue
OUTLINE (by Dr. John MacArthur – The Gospel of John):
THE NATURE OF THE INCARNATION – John 1:14-15
THE WITNESSES OF THE INCARNATION – John 1:16
THE IMPACT OF THE INCARNATION – John 1:17-18
I. THE NATURE OF THE INCARNATION
John 1:14-15
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
John 1:14a NIV
The Incarnation defies our explanation.
God became man!
“Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter.”
Max Lucado – “God Came Near”, pg. 9
We comprehend the concept of a One True God!
We can grasp the concept of a moral individual, prophet, and teacher.
Our world is filled with the writings and teachings of such individuals who have lived.
But a GOD/MAN! Now that is much harder to wrap your mind around!
It is true!
It must be believed by Faith that what the Word of God teaches is true!
This is what the Incarnation of Jesus is about! This is why we recognize Christmas!
Jesus is God the SON – the second member of the Triune God!
Truly GOD and Truly Man
100% GOD /100% MAN
The Council of Nicaea AD 325 strongly affirmed that Jesus was homo-ousios (of the same substance and essence of God).
“And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.”
Nicene Creed
The One True God who is Spirit (invisible) and eternal (never a time when He did not exist) took on flesh and lived on earth amongst His people.
“…made his dwelling among us”
Literally: “Set up His tent among us.”
“He tabernacled among us”
The Jews would have understood this symbolism clearly.
God’s people – the Hebrews - during the their 40 Year Period of wandering in the Wilderness and until the Temple was built for Israel in Jerusalem built a Tabernacle as a place where God could meet with His people and where sacrifices could be made.
Tabernacle:
Outer Courtyard – Where the Priests got ready
Outer Room (The Holy Place)
* The Golden Candlestick
* Altar of Incense
* Table of Showbread
Inner Room (The Holy of Holies)
* The Ark of the Covenant
* The Mercy Seat
God lived in the midst of His people in a humble tent called the Tabernacle. It was not like the pyramids and elaborate altars of the false gods of the people throughout the land and world.
The Shekinah Glory of God was present (dwelt) in the midst of His people.
Jesus came into our world and took on flesh. It would be easy to miss Jesus – God the Son come in the flesh if we do not carefully listen to what He taught and carefully observe the miracles He performed and life He lived.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
Speaking of Aragorn “All that is gold does not glitter”
a poem by J.R.R. Tolkien
Isaiah the Prophet said this about Jesus’s first Advent on earth:
Is. 53:2 NIV He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
Average Joe! Just a guy on the street!
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
“Hark the Herald Angles Sing” - Charles Wesley
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 b NIV
The Apostle John doesn’t want us to miss who Jesus really is!
Col. 2:9 NIV “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…”
John 1:1-3 NIV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Gen. 1:1 NIV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
John in his Epistle wanted everyone to know that Jesus was not a spirit, phantom or ghost. Jesus – GOD the SON lived as a real man with flesh and bones.
1 John 1:1-2 NIV That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
II. THE WITNESSES OF THE INCARNATION
John 1:15-16
John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was
he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
John 1:15 NIV
The Apostle John reintroduces further testimony from John the Baptist continuing with what was stated in John 1:6-9.
John the Baptist ministry is to shine the spotlight on Jesus!
John 1:7-8 NIV He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
Jesus surpasses John the Baptist because He existed before John! Eternally Existed!
Holy Spirit also focuses the light on Jesus:
John 16:14-15 NIV He [The Holy Spirit] will bring glory to me [Jesus] by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
We are called to shine the light on Jesus as well:
2 Cor. 5:20-21 NIV We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
From the fullness of his grace we have all received
one blessing after another.
John 1:16 NIV
Grace = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense!
All who live in the world live under the shelter of God’s common grace!
Matt. 5:45b NIV He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Lam. 3:22 NIV Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
God would have been just to destroy the entire world. But He did not.
His Love, mercy and grace hold back His wrath at this time.
This allows all people live out their lives each and every day under His grace.
He provides sunshine, rain, and food and gives health, abilities and skills and talents to provide for you and your family.
He is a good God and wants everyone to turn to Him and to receive His grace for Salvation.
The greatest illustration of Grace:
John 3:16 NIV “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
His grace is immeasurable!
“…we have all received one blessing after another.”
Literally: Grace Upon Grace / Grace following Grace / Grace heaped upon Grace
Grace for Salvation
Daily Grace for the journey
Grace and help to transform our lives and character to be more like Christ
Grace and empowerment to serve Him
Dr. Kent Hughes penned:
“When grace flows into one’s life, grace also begins to flow out…As the grace you receive flows out to others, more grace will come, and then more grace, and then more grace.”
Dr. Kent. R. Hughes, pg 38 – “John That You Might Believe”
A new supply is available each day from an endless reservoir of grace!
Examples:
Operation Christmas Child
REST Ministry
Angel Tree
God touched your heart with the need, it then went from your heart and God used your hands and money He has given to you to provide these gifts and acts of service to, which flowed out to others, and literally has touched our community and world.
Yet the LORD brought it back full circle back to your heart filling it with His joy and peace!
It is true with any service for the Kingdom. We may grow tired and weary but Christ renews our strength!
God said it is more of a blessing to give than to receive!
God doesn’t want to see the resources He has given to us (our resources and talents) stored up in a dead stagnant pool growing algae!
God wants to use us to pour out His grace through us to make lives better!
“Choosing a better life to make lives better”
III. THE IMPACT OF THE INCARNATION
John 1:17-18
“For the law was given through Moses;”
John 1:17a NIV
The Law reflects God’s standard of Holiness, Righteousness, and Justice!
Each of these is an attribute of God.
Gal. 3:24 NIV So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
God is the Creator we are His creatures!
In our own flesh we could never fulfill the holy standards that God demands!
Only Jesus could! That is what the Incarnation of Christ is all about!
John 1:29b NIV “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
God wants us to look to Jesus as our only solution!
“…grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
John 1:17b NIV
The truth of the Word of God is a solid rock upon which you can build you life.
If you believe that Jesus is not true, not God and merely a good man, prophet or teacher then how you live matters very little.
The claim of the entire Word of God throughout all 66 Books, written over 1,400 years by 40 different authors all state that Jesus is GOD the SON God come in flesh!
Acts 4:12 NIV Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
John goes on to say:
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
John 1:18 NIV
Jesus – God the Son, God in Flesh explains to us all we need to know about God!
The Greatness of Christ – explains the Greatness of God
The Greatness of Christ’s love – explains the Greatness of God’s love
The Greatness of Christ’s Grace – explains the Greatness of God’s Grace!
Why?
Jesus is God in the Flesh!
God who is Creator of all
God who is the sustainer of all
God who is Sovereign over all
Is also God who is the Savior of all who put their faith and trust in Him!
Salvation cannot be achieved through Works and keeping the Law
Eph. 2:8-9 NIV For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
2 Cor. 4:3-6 NIV And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
CONCLUSION:
As born-again Christians
We see Him by faith now
We live for Him by faith empowered by His Holy Spirit
We long to see Him – Face to Face!
We need to share this with others!
One warning. Something happens to a person who has witnessed His majesty. He becomes addicted. One glimpse of the King and you are consumed by a desire to see more of Him and say more about Him. Pew-warming is no longer an option. Junk religion will no longer suffice. Sensation-seeking is needless. Once you have seen His face you will forever long to see it again.”
Max Lucado, “God Came Near” , pg. 4
If you are a non-believer and do not yet know Him as Savior:
Trust His Word! It is true!
Trust His message!
Trust His plan for your redemption and the transformation of this fallen world!
Trust Him as your Savior
You live presently under His common grace. One day that will end.
The Return of the King will come! Are you ready?
Rev. 22:17 NIV The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
John 20:31 NIV But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Jesus is the One and Only
