The Incomparable Christ

THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST

John 1:1-5;10-14

Dorn Ridge September 19, 2010

I. JESUS IS THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST BECAUSE OF HIS IDENTITY WITH GOD.

1.) In the beginning was the Word. (John 1:1a.)

A.) To see Jesus as there when this world began puts him in an entire different light..j

2.) He was with God. (John 1:1b.)

A.) The Genesis account of Creation testifies to the presence of Jesus even at creation.

aa.) Gen. 1:26

ab.) When God says “Let us make man in our

image, who is the us and our He is speaking of?

ab-1.) Some have tried to answer this question with angels of heaven, etc.

ab-2.) I believe a more correct understanding of this passage is God speaking of Himself, Father, Jesus the preincarnate Son, and the Holy Spirit.

ab-2i.) Certainly, I do not have a handle on how God can be One, and yet have three parts, but I acknowledge it.

ab-2ii.) Some of our Charismatic friends would look at this as one person whose name is Jesus

-- Their argument is that today a man can be a Father, a son, and a husband all at the same time.

-- The weakness of that argument is seen here in Genesis where God speaks of himself in the plural,

-- The weakness is also seen at the Baptism of Jesus where the three persons of the Godhead are clearly revealed, or again on the Mount of Transfiguration where two of the three are revealed.

ab-3.) The best way of understanding this portion of Scripture is to see both John and Genesis together and Jesus present with God at Creation.

3.) Not only was He with God in the beginning, but He himself was God. (John 1:1c.)

A.) All things were made by Him. (John 1:3)

B.) In Him was Life (John 1:4)

C.) That life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

II. JESUS IS THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST BECAUSE OF HIS IDENTITY AND ROLE WITH MEN.

1.) As the light Jesus has a role to shine in the darkness of this world.

A.) But the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:5)

B.) Having created the world, the world should have been receptive to Him.

ba.) The world did not recognize Him. (John 1:10)

ba-1.) Even today, the world is not receptive to Jesus Christ.

ba-2.) Often you will hear in surveys that perhaps 70% of surveys believe in God.

ba-3.) That is just a basic low level faith answer by masses of people.

ba-4.) When that answer is brought down to a more personal level of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour that figure drops very small in number.

ba-4i.) It is an easy thing to speak of a generic faith in God.

-- James tells us that even the demons of hell believe in God, but they shudder at the knowledge they have.

ba-4ii.) Putting faith in Jesus Christ for your salvation is a much different matter.

-- In fact many in those surveys who profess belief in God would be very indignant to hear of Jesus Christ

ba-5.) If we take away the divinity of Christ from the gospel, we are left with no reasonable hope of salvation whatsoever.

bb.) Even His own people, the Jews did not receive Him. (John 1:11)

bb-1.) If Jesus had been willing to be the military leader the Jews had wanted, they would have accepted him.

bb-2.) But that would have been a man or leader comparable to others.

bc.) The Jews rejected Jesus continually.

bc-1.) John 8:31-59

2.) As the Light of the World Jesus is incomparable because He gives light to all who will receive Him.

A.) Jesus can make us the very Children of God, and none other can compare to that.( John 1:12)

B.) Light Brings Sight and Understanding.

ba.) If you look in the dictionary, the first definition for “light” is “something that makes vision possible.“

bb.) In other words, light makes it possible for us to see. Without light, we are hopelessly blind - blind to our surroundings, blind to our situations and circumstances, blind to even ourselves.

bc.) Did you know that an absence of sunlight causes blindness?

bc-1.) Animals that live out their lives in a complete absence of light are commonly blind, even eyeless.

bc-2.) Mules kept in mines also become blind. Horses kept in dark stables and denied sunlight become blind.

bc-2i.) Those who live in dungeons, cellars, prisons, mines, and similar places that are denied sunlight lose their sight.

C.) Before Jesus, most of the world was spiritually blind. It was unable to see spiritual reality. The world had become blind because it had rejected God.

ca.) Mankind lost sight of who we are, where we come from, why we are here, and where we are going.