Starting off on the Right Foot
John 1:1-18
INTRODUCTION:
When I arrived at the Gray Avenue Christian Church in Yuba City, the summer of 1990, as the new Youth Minister, I did not start off on the right foot with the youth. I don’t know why, I just didn’t. I had a great interview. I was chosen from among over 20 different prospective youth ministers. I was even encouraged to apply for the position by a couple members of the church as well as an elder and a deacon of the church.
But kids were not so happy that I was there. I am happy to say that that did not last long. Why am I bringing this up in today’s sermon? Well, looking back on that experience, I now realize that it wasn’t as much as what I said or did, but what I failed to do and say.
I didn’t take the time to explain to the kids why I was there and what I expected to be able to accomplish. Oh I did this for the selection committee and for the Congregation (which was mainly the adults of the church). But with those whom I was hired to minister to, I did not start off on the Right Foot by why I was there and what I hoped to accomplish as their minister.
I am happy to say that John does not make that mistake when he wrote the Gospel of John. Right off the bat, he starts off on the right foot. He starts off laying the groundwork for the rest of what he has to say. For this Gospel is about Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Instead of easing into the topic of Who Jesus Is, he starts out telling us who He is.
So . . . . .
Who is this Jesus?
Do we really understand the awesome, splendor of our Lord Jesus?
Have we really considered the magnitude of our Lord?
Though the whole Bible preaches Jesus, identifies Him as the coming King, one scripture truly encapsulates His identity.
To get a revelation of His glory brings us into a place of holy fear and reverence
John in is introductory statements of his gospel, shows us who Jesus Really Is
1 - Jesus is The Word
READ vs. 1-2, 14
In the Beginning – Gen. 1:1
During Creation
Jesus – The word – was with God in the beginning
The Word – Today we connect “The Word” to being scripture
The scripture is God’s written revelation of Himself to man
And guess what, Jesus is God’s physical revelation of Himself to man
Jesus said in John 12: 48-49,
“For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
He is God’s Messenger. What he says, what he teachers is from His Father, our Heaven Father, God Almighty
But Jesus is more than just the messenger. . .
2 - Jesus is God vs.
READ 2 – 5,10 - 13
AND THE WORD WAS GOD!
John is making sure that his readers, from the start, are on the right foot. That they understand the Jesus is GOD! Everything we read in John’s gospel has to be filtered through this statement!
Everything that makes God, God is present is Jesus
Jesus is “all knowing”
Jesus is “all powerful”
Jesus is “everywhere”
And Jesus is “always” -Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever!
Jesus is Love . . . I could go on, but I think you get the point!
Jesus is the Creator vs. 3-5,
I love this part, not only was Jesus in the beginning, He was active in the whole creation project.
Last week when we were looking at Psalm 150, I mentioned that everything we see and everything we don’t see, God created!
And guess, what, Jesus was involved in creating it also!
And we have to admit, What God created is not only beautiful, but very complex.
An engineer in one of America’s largest companies has described a human being this way:
"Man is a complete, self-contained, totally enclosed power plant, available in a variety of sizes, and reproducible in quantity. He is relatively long-lived, has major components in duplicate, and, science is rapidly making strides toward solving the spare parts problem. He is water-proof, amphibious, operates on a wide variety of fuels, enjoys thermostatically-controlled temperature, circulating fluid heat, evaporative cooling, has sealed, lubricated bearings, audio and visual communication, and is equipped with an automatic control called a brain."
Jesus is God’s physical revelation of Who God is because He is God Himself. Separate from God the Father and the same. We won’t go into that, because that would take at least 2 sermons to just scratch the service of that Idea.
Which brings us to the third thing John want to make sure we understand as he introduces us to Jesus:
3 - Jesus is the Light
READ vs 4-13
A. Jesus is Light
- in that It is he who came to show the world Who God is.
- John is the forerunner, not Christ. (vs. 6-8)
B. The World did not recognize Him.
- Throughout John’s gospel, Jesus over and over explains to the people who he is, but they just won’t believe him.
- And it is because of who Jesus says he is that the Jewish Rulers plot to kill Him.
- That and the fact that there are some who do believe and they are afraid of the power they may lose.
C. Which brings us to Why, Jesus came, what is it that this light shows us?
- READ again vs. 12-13
- Jesus came so we can become children of God.
- “Some people change their ways when they see the light, others only when they feel the heat.”
And now John places that final foot in its place.
4 - Jesus is Flesh
READ vs. 14-18
-- C. S. Lewis wrote the following:
Lying at your feet is your dog. Imagine, for the moment, that your dog and every dog is in deep distress. Some of us love dogs very much. If it would help all the dogs in the world to become like men, would you be willing to become a dog? Would you put down your human nature, leave your loved ones, your job, hobbies, your art and literature and music, and choose, instead of the intimate communion with your beloved, the poor substitute of looking into the beloved’s face and wagging your tail, unable to smile or speak? Christ by becoming man limited the thing, which to Him was the most precious thing in the world; his unhampered, unhindered communion with the Father.
Jesus – God’s physical revelation to us – The Word
Jesus – God as himself
Jesus – God’s light shining on the World so we can become His children
Jesus – God in physical form.
Read vs 14 again.
In past times God spoke his Word to human beings. He gave his law through Moses. It was a self-revelation, a communication about himself. As good as that was, it wasn’t enough. To truly relate, God put on flesh. He revealed himself to us by living and dying among us.
Jesus was God’s way of meeting us where we were to take us where we could never go. Jesus is the word of God. He is one with God, but also distinct. He is the eternal Creator. Just to reach puny little human beings, he put on human skin and everything that comes with it. After all, it was only God himself who could thoroughly express who he was. Only God could make himself fully known. And that’s what he did in the person of Jesus Christ.
God meets us where we are to take us where we cannot go. He relates to us so that we might have a relationship. God makes his Word relevant.
CONCLUSION
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that who ever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
Here comes the “so what” factor:
Jesus gave up so much just because He loves you!
Many of you have already taken the first step that needs to be done in response to His love; you have given your heart over to Him and gave become a Christian,
Some of you have taken the second step that needs to be done in response to His love; you have given your life over to him and try to live that life the way He desire you to do each day. One day at a time.
And a few have taken the third step that needs to be done in response to His love; you have turned your life over to him in service. You are using the gifts, talents and opportunities that He gives you serving God and His Kingdom.
What I want to challenge you to do is to move forward one step from where you are to where H wants you to be.
