The Pre-Existence Of Christ

The Pre-existence Of Christ

John 1:1-5

INTRODUCTION

1. The gospel of John was written for a simple purpose...

a. To produce faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God

b. To share the "life" that comes through such faith

2. To encourage us in such a faith in Jesus Christ John begins his

gospel with a encouraging prologue with solid claims

READ JOHN 1:1-18

3. The very first claim pertains to the pre-existence of Christ...

a. That He existed in the beginning, long before being born of

Mary - Jn 1:1-2

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with

God in the beginning.

b. That His work in the beginning has great significance for us today– Jn 1:3-5

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him

was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has

not understood it.

**John is not alone in proclaiming "The Pre-Existence of

Christ." Elsewhere in the Scriptures we find...

I. EVIDENCE FOR THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF CHRIST

A. FORETOLD BY THE PROPHETS...

1. Micah prophesied of the pre-existence of the Messiah to

come - Mic 5:2

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will

come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

2. Isaiah spoke of the King to come as "Everlasting Father" – Isa 9:6-7

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he

will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the

increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and

over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on

and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

3. Zechariah recorded the Messiah’s own promise to come

- Zech 2:10-11

"Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming and I will live among you," declares

the Lord. "Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will

live among you and you will know that the Lord almighty has sent me to you.

B. AFFIRMED BY JESUS HIMSELF...

1. In His claim to have existed in Abraham’s day - Jn 8:56-58

Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad. "You are

not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham"

2. In His prayer shortly before His arrest and crucifixion

- Jn. 17:4-5, 24

I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father,

glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

3. In the revelation He gave to John - Rev 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

C. DECLARED BY HIS APOSTLES...

1. By John in his gospel, and also his epistle

- Jn 1:1-4; 1 Jn 2:14

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. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

2. By Paul in his epistles

a. To the church in Corinth - 1 Cor 10:1-4; 2 Cor 8:9

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the

cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and

in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they

drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he

became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

b. To the church in Philippi - Phil 2:5-8

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 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!