John 1:1-3
1/10/16 A.M. FBC Amite
Introduction: Please take your copy of God’s word and turn the Gospel
of John. We will read in just a moment from John chapter one. John is
one of four books, which are known as the Gospels. The three other
gospel books Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the synoptic
Gospels. Synoptic simply means to see together or to share a common
perspective. Matthew writes primarily to a Jewish audience and
presents Jesus throughout his writings as Jesus of Nazareth, the long
awaited savior of Israel. Mark writes to a gentile audience and
specifically to those within the Roman Empire. Luke also directs his
writings more to a gentile audience in a broader sense and appeals to
those gentiles who would have been educated. He being a doctor, writes
from that educated perspective. All three share common stories and
perspectives. All three are focused on Jesus ministry in Galilee. All
three contain parables, which were a popular teaching message of Jesus
while on earth. John however; focuses on Jesus Judean ministry. John’s
gospel account was the last of the four to be written. He would have had
available to him the other Gospel accounts and so His perspective is
unique to the other three. The only stories that John included in His
writings that is also found in the other Gospels are Jesus feeding the
5000, and Jesus walking on water. John directs his writings towards
both Jews and gentiles specifically emphasizing the deity of Jesus.
John’s Gospel is the most theological in nature. He would have written
these words some 50 plus years after the resurrection and ascension of
Jesus. He writes from a personal perspective as a witness and disciple
of the person and work of Jesus. There are 8 signs that John structures
His gospel around.
1. Jesus turning the water into wine. Ch. 2
2. The healing of the official’s son. Ch. 4
3. The healing of the lame man. Ch 5
4. The feeding of the multitude Ch. 6
5. Jesus walking on water. Ch 6
6. The healing of the man born blind. Ch. 9
7.The raising of Lazarus from the dead. Ch. 11
8. The miraculous catch of fish after His resurrection. Ch 21
John also includes 7 I Am statements made by Jesus while on earth.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
I am the bread of Life
I am the light of the world
I am the door of the sheep
I am the Good shepherd
I am the resurrection and the life
I am the way the truth and life
I am the true vine
As we read through this Gospel account you will see three words appear
numerous times. They are signs, believe, and life. It is through these
words that John reveals to his readers the purpose of His writing. John’s
purpose is found in chapter 20 verses 30-31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are
not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life
in his name. John 20:30-31
Today we will read the first three verses of John chapter one as John
begins by focusing on the eternal nature of Jesus. Please stand as we
honor the reading of God’s word.
Read Text
Pray
The central truth and statement made in these three verses is Jesus is
the eternal God through which everything was created.
John begins his Gospel account with the words in the beginning. He
begins his writing of 1 John in a similar way. That which was from the
beginning, which we have heard, which we looked upon and have touched
with our hands, concerning the word of life. 1 John 1:1
It is also a parallel to the very first verse in the bible Genesis 1:1 In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Johns point is simple
and yet profound. Jesus is the eternal God.
1. Jesus is the eternal God.
When he writes the words in the beginning he uses an expression in the
Greek that would have been understood to mean that the God known as
the word Already was in the beginning. The word, which he will soon
declare as Jesus Christ, is not only in the beginning but was existent in
the beginning with God and as God. The term that John uses for the
word is a Greek word known as Logos. It would be this word that John
would later use in Revelation 19:11-16.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting
on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and
makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many
diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He
is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called
is THE WORD OF GOD. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen,
white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth
come a sharp sword with which to strive down the nations, and he will
rule them with a rod of iron. He will read the winepress of the furry of
the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh has a name
written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revelation 19:11-16
The Greeks would have understood the word to imply divine reasoning
and have an impersonal context. John takes the word that would have
been used in society as an expression of impersonal thoughts or ideas
and places the name of Jesus as the personal word. Jesus is the eternal
God. To the Jew this would not have been familiar with the concept of
God being spoken of as the eternal word. Such as is found in Psalm 33:6.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of
his mouth their entire host. Psalm 33:6
Although the concept was familiar the reality that Jesus was the eternal
word was hard for them to accept. It was just fifty some odd years from
the time that Jesus was crucified as a blasphemer. John writes to open
the yes of both Gentiles and Jews to the understanding that Jesus is the
eternal Word of God, and God himself.
If I can I would like to provide a modern day illustration to help explain
what I have just said. We all at some point in our lives have watched an
athletic event. Its basketball season so I will use basketball as the
example. When you watch a basketball game you see ten guys or girls
on the court all of which have numbers. To you number 10 for the
opposing team is just that, number 10. To number 10’s parents he or
she is much more than just number 10. For you your child, grandchild,
or friend is much more than a number. Why? You and I see them
differently because we know them personally. We watch the game
completely differently than our opponents. So it is with the
understanding that John is conveying. When you understand that the
eternal word spoken of in the Old Testament is not a concept but a
person then you realize what John is saying in verse one. Just as you
would watch a basketball game differently because of your personal
connection to who is playing so it is with our lives. We view them
completely differently when we acknowledge and place faith in the
eternal word of God; Jesus.
John’s use of words in verse one are used to express to His readers that
Jesus is the person that is the eternal word.
He then begins to build the bridge from the beginning of the world to
the humanity of Jesus and ultimately the salvation Jesus provides. In
verse two John connects the Logos to the He of Scripture, which is Jesus
himself. He writes He was in the beginning with God. He (Jesus) is the
creator of all things.
2. Jesus created everything. (Verse 3)
The phrase John uses would have been understood differently from
Greek readers. Whereas 1:1 would have expressed that Jesus already
was in the beginning, 1:3 expresses the truth that creation came into
being. In other words the creation was an actual event in history. God
the father, God the son, and God the Holy Spirit created everything. We
see this truth in Genesis chapter one in two verses.
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of
the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the
waters. Genesis 1:2
Then God said, “Let us make man” in our image, after our likeness.
Genesis 1:26
Jesus came to earth as man in the flesh just as we are in the flesh.
Therefore from the beginning of creation until the end of the age God
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will always be credited for creating,
sustaining, and saving humanity. We were created in the image of God,
the very image that God himself came to earth as, Human.
If Jesus is eternally God, and if Jesus created everything would he
not be to blame for evil?
A god of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Deuteronomy 32:4.
Therefore hear me you men of understanding; far be it from God that he
should do wickedness, and from the almighty that he should do wrong.
Job 34:10
I am a feeble source to explain evil in the world. However I know the
Bible is the Truth of God. Our God cannot commit evil. Our God, Jesus
cannot commit sin. Our God is not evil.
I use that as a preface for the next few moments of preaching, simply as
a reminder to you that I cannot explain to you all the why’s and how’s of
scripture, but we can get a glimpse of it and join Martin Luther in saying,
“Let God be God”. After all his ways are higher than our ways. Most of
what I am about to say is a compilation of thoughts from theologians
much more adept than I. I use there work and will give them credit only
as a perspective and not as inherent or infallible truth.
R.C. Sproul one of the greatest theologians of our day has said,
“ To this date I have yet to find a satisfying explanation for what
theologians call the mystery of iniquity.”
Wayne Grudem: Systematic Theology
First, we must clearly affirm that God himself did not sin, and God is not
to be blamed for sin. It was man who sinned, and it was angels who
sinned, and in both cases they did so by willful voluntary choice. To
blame God for sin would be blasphemy against the character of God. His
work is perfect; for all his ways are justice.
( Wayne Grudem pg. 492 Systematic Theology)
In a series of sermons on the sovereignty of God over sin John piper
explains it in three statements.
1. God created Satan and his demons knowing what they would
become and how, in that very evil role, they would glorify Christ.
Knowing everything they would become, God created them for the
glory of Christ.
2. God is sovereign over Satan, and therefore Satan’s will does not
move without God’s permission. And therefore every move of
Satan is part of God’s overall purpose and plan.
3. Everything that exists including evil is ordained by and infinitely
holy and all wise God to make the glory of Christ shine more
brightly. Adam’s sin and the fall of the human race with him into
sin and misery did not take God off guard and is part of his
overarching plan to display the fullness of the glory of Jesus
Christ. (Does God ‘Author’ Sin? By David Mathis @ www.desiringgod.org)
We can see throughout scripture that God permits and even ordains
certain actions that seem foreign to us, but always for the purpose of
glorifying himself. God uses evil to glorify himself (How could a good God Allow
Suffering and Evil? By Andy Naselli)
In Him (Jesus) we have obtained an inheritance having been
predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things
according to the counsel of His will. Ephesians 1:11
Throughout scripture are perplexing stories that our minds have
trouble digesting. One is the story of Joseph found in Genesis. Josephs
brother sell Him into slavery in which he finds himself in Egypt some
years later. There is a famine throughout the land and his brother’s
journey to Egypt to get some food for them and their families. In a
sermon entitled Is God less glorious because he ordained that Evil to be?
John Piper explains the story this way.
In Genesis 50:20, Joseph says to his brothers when they fear his vengeance,
“as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order
to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
Some try to say that God can use the choices that people make foe his own
purposes after they make them and then he knows what they are.
But this will not fit what the text says or what psalm 105:17 says “you
meant evil against me” Evil is a feminine singular noun. Then it says “God
meant it for Good.” The word “It” is a feminine singular suffix that can only
agree with the feminine noun, evil. And the verb meant is the same past
tense in both cases. You meant evil against me in the past, as you were
doing it. And God meant that very evil, not as evil, but as good in the past
as you were doing it. (Is God Less Glorious because he ordained that Evil? John Piper Message
www.desirinnggod.org)
We must be careful that we do not explain away God so that our logical
finite minds can understand Him and all of His ways. The best
explanation I have read recently was as follows.
Consider that Christ’s crucifixion was a certainty, which God planned in
eternity and prophesied, would come to pass in the Old Testament. But
also consider that men would freely choose to crucify the Son of God. Acts
2:23 brings these two together. This man, delivered over by the
predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by
the hands of godless men and put Him to death. This concurrent series of
events taking place simultaneously is called compatibilism, which is how
the scripture really answer this question.
So God foreordained the most evil event in history, the crucifixion, yet He
lays blame for it completely on the choice of godless men, according to this
passage. You must embrace the teaching in scripture that God ordained
an innocent man’s death at the hands of sinners, yet they freely did so
because they wanted to. (Did God’s decree Bring About the Fall,
www.monergism.com)
I will close with one final quotation from R.C. Sproul
One thing is certain: since God is both omnipotent and good, we must
conclude that in His omnipotence (all powerful) and goodness there must
be a place for the existence of evil. We know that God himself never does
that which is evil. Nevertheless, He also ordains whatsoever comes to
pass. Though He does not do evil and does not create evil, He does ordain
that evil exist. If it does exist, and if God is sovereign, then obviously He
must have been able to prevent its existence. If He allowed evil to enter
into this universe, it could only be by His sovereign decision. Since His
sovereign decisions always follow the perfection of His being, we must
conclude that his decision to allow evil to exist is a good decision.
Evil always and ever serves the ultimate best interest of himself. It is God
in his goodness and in his sovereignty who has ordained the final conquest
over evil and its riddance from His universe. In this redemption we find
our rest and our Joy and until that time, we live in a fallen world. (The
mystery of iniquity, R. C. Sproul www.ligonier.org)
Jesus is the eternal God through which everything was created and
the one all creation glorifies.
Jesus created everything, which includes you. He created you for the purpose of
Glorifying himself in your life. The primary God glorifies himself on earth is through
the salvation of people.
Have you trusted Jesus with your life?
Is your commitment to him and to his word increasing?
In just a moment we will stand and sing to a sovereign Holy God, and while you sing
would you declare to the Lord that you trust Him?
Would you declare that you want to press deeper into His ways?