Thursday, January 26, 2023

The Light Shines in the Darkness, John 1:1-5

 


We just finished a year long, journey through the book of Revelation.

“Where do You want us to go next?” was my prayer. Repeatedly. Even before we finished.

After we said the closing prayer at the end of our study of Revelation, I was asked, “Where will we be next week?”

“Good question. I’ve been asking Jesus the same thing…ask Him.”

The following week, that question played on a loop toward heaven. I had all kinds of ideas, but none rang True. Until a couple days before our next service.

John.

John? Okay…but, um, we just finished Revelation. John wrote that, too. Shouldn’t we broaden and balance our teaching? 

Afterall, Revelation is about the revelation of, well, You, Jesus. John is about the deity of Jesus, and on Sundays we’re in Joshua, who is a shadow and type of, Jesus. You know, Joshua is even the same name, as Jesus, in Hebrew.

Exactly.

Huh?

Jesus is coming for a Bride, that loves Him, intimately—not a business partner that has a broad and shallow knowledge of Him, intellectually.

Know the Author, deeply, and a wealth of understanding His Story, will blossom.

So, John it is…are You sure?

Wednesday morning, 1.25.23, I walked out the front door to load the golf cart and head up to the clubhouse to prepare for service. There in the driveway, lay, the Highlands News-Sun, in its usual spot. However, something unusual caught my eye. First page, front and center, a Bible verse:

“The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

Wow. That’s part of our opening scripture, John 1:5. 

A moment later, I was on my knees, by the bed, tears in eyes, thanks on lips.

NOTE: The article was in memory of the five who were slain, in a senseless mass shooting at the SunTrust Bank on Jan. 23, 2019.  We pause, in honor of their memory, and ask Lord Jesus, God of all Comfort, to continue to heal and comfort their family, loved ones, and community.   

 

So, John it is.   

John in Greek: Ióannés; in Hebrew: Yochanan; meaning, God is Gracious. The last verse in our study of Revelation, read: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

And of His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16.

John is the last surviving disciple, and eye witness, of Christ. Most scholars agree it was written around, 85-90 AD. However, others claim it was written as early as 55 AD.

It’s only about thirty pages, includes twenty-one chapters; shares just eight miracles, compared to nearly twenty in each of the other gospels. Yet, movies, books…and multitudes of souls have been saved through the inspired pen of John.

The prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon, said of the first chapter of John:

“Now, the first chapter of John was the means of the conversion of a celebrated writer, Junius the younger, one who did good service in the Church. His father, perceiving him to be an ungodly young man, put in his way as much as possible the New Testament, and the following is an extract from Junius's ’s account of his own life

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God.’ I read part of the chapter, and was so affected that I instantly became struck with the divinity of the argument, and the majesty and authority of the composition, as infinitely surpassing the highest flights of human eloquence. My body shuddered; my mind was in amazement, and I was so agitated the whole day that I scarcely knew who I was; nor did the agitation cease, but continued till it was at last soothed by a humble faith in Him who was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

     One of the Platonic philosophers, who considered all Christian writers to be but barbarians, nevertheless said of the first chapter of John, “This barbarian hath comprised more stupendous stuff in three lines, than we have done in all our voluminous discourses.”

And we will to this day glory in the power of the Holy Spirit, that an unlearned and ignorant man like John, the son of Zebedee the fisherman, should be enabled to write a chapter which excels not only the highest flights of eloquence, but the greatest divings of philosophy. ~ Charles Spurgeon.

 

John and Genesis, both begin with the words, “In the beginning.” The simple, yet eloquent excellence of John 1, reflects that of Genesis 1:1-2:3; which is written with such profound simplicity, that it could only have been written, by the finger of God.

In the first chapter of John, there are three, simple, yet stupendous, four-word sermons:

The Word was God; John 1:1

In Him was life; John 1:4.

The Word became flesh; John 1:14.

This short book has some of the most famous scenes and verses. Among these are:

John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever, believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 4:24. Woman at the well. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

John 10:10. The thief comes to steal, kill, destroy, I have come that they would have life, and life more abundantly.

John 13. Jesus washes disciples’ feet. Even Judas.

John 14:6. I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life. No one comes to the Father, but by Me.

John 16. In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I’ve overcome the world.

John 17. Jesus prays for disciples…and you and me.

John 21: 25. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

 

The Purpose of John is stated in one verse:

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 20:31

 

The emphasis of the book is on the Divinity of Jesus. Who Jesus is. Whereas, the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), focus on what He did.

 

John

John 1:1
 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

Our first four-word sermon: THE WORD WAS GOD.

In the beginning, caught the attention of the Jews, they knew Genesis 1:1. Just three words triggered in their memory, the entire creation story, and painted a picture of the Creator. Which set the stage for what was to follow.

Was, εἰμί, eimi. This word, “was” in the original text, means more than, was, as in past-tense. It incorporates all tenses at the same time; past, present, future. It means I exist, I am, ongoing, being.

Moses asked God, “Who should I say sent me?” God said, I AM, Exodus 3:14. In multiple places in Revelation, Jesus lets us know, He is, and was, and is to come, the Alpha, Omega, First and Last, Beginning and End.  

With just four words, John has already painted a picture of Deity and Eternity.

The Word (logos), caught the attention of the Greeks. They were familiar with the word, logos. They liked that word. It carried the idea of, intelligent reasoning. A word, (as embodying an idea), a statement, a speech. If you are asked to, “give us a word,” you wouldn’t simply say, one word, but would expound upon an idea, or a particular subject matter. Greeks related to intelligent, reasoning, deity. Albeit, impersonal.  

Straight out of the gate, John repeats the simple words, was (eimi), and word (logos). And just like that, his entire audience, immediately pictures; intelligent, eternal, deity.

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Our second four-word sermon: IN HIM WAS LIFE.

Just to be sure that no reader is left behind, he loops in all who may not have pictured the Creator, in the beginning.

He clarifies, in triplicate. 1. All things were made through Him. 2. Without Him, nothing was made that was made. 3. In Him was life. Period.  

Now, with majestic authority our text soars to the highest flights of eloquence; speaking of the Almighty Creator. Yet with words, so simple, a child can understand, he gives personality to the Creator; by repeating the personal pronoun, “Him.” 

Even deeper, more personal, the inspired Word, associates, “Him” with being the life and light of men.

The message is driven home. The Almighty Deity, is not something far off to behold, and fear; but Someone, who draws near, with life and Light, and...

“The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

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