Better understand the nature of Christ.
Text: John 1:1-5.
Introduction.
1. Our study in the Gospel of John begins with an introduction to its main character, Christ.
2. In their intro, John sets forth several attributes of Christ
3. Let us notice them.
a. The Word is referring to Christ.
b. The Word is Deity.
c. The Word is Eternal.
d. The Word is Light and Life.
Body.
I. The Word is referring to Christ (John
1:14)
A. Why call Him the "Word"?
1. Thoughts are expressed by words (1 Corinthians
2:11-13). "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."
2. Christ is the expression of God's grace to us (Titus
2:11). "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all
men"
B. Christ has always been the "doer" of the Godhead.
1. God plans it.
2. Christ does it.
3. The Holy Spirit organizes it.
II. The Word is deity.
A. The Word was God
1. Some translations translate this "The Word was a God."
a. They argue the Greek article "ho" is not in front of "theos" so it must be translated this way.
b. When we translate Greek we sometimes insert the indefinite article to make the verse read smoothly.
c. But we never do this if it changes the meaning of the verse.
d. Technically there is no indefinite article in the Greek.
B. Other places in the Bible call Jesus God as well.
1. Acts
20:28. "Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made
you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his
own blood."
2. Hebrews
1:8. "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."
3. Philippians
2:5-6. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God"
4. Hebrews
1:3. "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on
high"
C. Christ claimed that He was deity.
1. John
5:17-18. "But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I
work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God."
2. John
14:6-9. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen
him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth
us. Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?"
3. Luke
22:69-70. "Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of
God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am."
III. The Word is Eternal.
A. He was in the beginning with God.
B. He created all things.
1. Colossians
1:16-17. "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
2. Impossible to create Himself.
C. He calls Himself "I AM".
2. Exodus
3:13-14. "And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
3. The Alpha and Omega (Revelation
1:8). "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."
IV. The Word is Life and Light.
A. The Word is Life.
1. John
11:25. "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"
3. Through Christ we do not have to suffer spiritual death (Romans
6:23).
4. We no longer have to suffer the second death (Revelation
20:14-15).
B. The Word is Light.
1. Jesus describes Himself as the Light of the world (John
9:5). "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the
world." Also, (John
8:12) "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
2. Light gives guidance.
3. Light destroys darkness.
4. We are to walk in the Light (1 John
1:7)
5. We are to be a light ourselves (Matthew
5:14).
Conclusion.
1. Jesus Christ IS God.
2. All Christianity is based on this belief.
3. Do you believe?
-- Ralph Price, December 2001 -- |
