The Word Was With God

[0:00] If you could turn with me then in John chapter 1 and we'll read again verses 1 and 2.

[0:13] In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

[0:25] He was in the beginning with God. I want to explore with you three things from these two majestic verses that opens John's Gospel.

[0:45] I want to explore with you firstly the infinite origin of Jesus Christ. And secondly the intimate relationship of Jesus Christ to God.

[1:01] And thirdly the incredible identity of Jesus Christ articulated and stated in these opening sentences of John's Gospel.

[1:17] My purpose in bringing these messages from the first 18 verses of John's Gospel.

[1:28] This is the second one. Although it really ought to have been the first one. But that's the way it happened the last time that I decided to bring what would have been the third message in fact.

[1:45] Because I felt it was appropriate for the communion. But my purpose and hope is to enable us to lift up ourselves to see the glory of God and the glory of Jesus Christ.

[2:01] I think often our narrative in ministry can often be in a way about ourselves.

[2:12] And even about ourselves as the people of God and all the benefits and blessings that we have as the people of God. Or if I could put it another way.

[2:24] It often can be like the work of Christ. And not so much on the person of Christ. And I want to encourage us in, as it were, something like the Mount of Transfiguration.

[2:43] That we might be lifted up higher than ourselves. To see the God whom we adore. Now before I go into those three areas.

[2:56] I just want to make some introductory remarks. People have always been fascinated with origins. Haven't they? For example, cosmologists.

[3:09] Historians. Anthropologists. About human nature. Our own origins and family history. Not only do we search online ancestry sites today.

[3:23] But some people also pay for a DNA profile. To understand better their origins. The gospel writers were also very interested in origins.

[3:38] Particularly the origin of Jesus Christ. In the first three gospels. Matthew, Mark and Luke. They explore the origins of Jesus through history.

[3:52] And through his family tree. But does that exhaust his origins? Have we got to the absolute roots of the origins of Jesus Christ.

[4:04] By possessing even a complete family tree. As far back as the first human beings. Not so says John. John takes us beyond creation.

[4:18] He takes us into the mists of eternity. To trace the origins of Jesus Christ. Indeed, John wants us to read his gospel.

[4:31] And understand what we read there. In the light of these opening statements. Not just of verses 1 and 2. But of verses 1 to 18.

[4:43] The statements before us. Are like three great mountain peaks. Or summits. And let's climb this first summit.

[4:54] Shall we? With the infinite origin. Of Jesus Christ. This remarkable and profound statement begins with these words.

[5:07] In the beginning was the word. And I'm sure those of us that are somewhat familiar with the Bible.

[5:18] Will recognize here an echo of Genesis. These three words in the beginning. They're the very three words of course. That begin the Bible.

[5:29] In its first book. A book of origins. In the beginning. But you see. John takes us back to another beginning here.

[5:41] Not simply to the beginning of creation. As in Genesis. No. He takes us back beyond space and time. Into the infinite and eternal existence.

[5:55] Of the word. We might have expected John. In a way. To have began his gospel. By echoing even more fully.

[6:08] Genesis. In the beginning. God. But John begins his gospel. By saying. In the beginning. Was the word.

[6:21] John's subject. The word. Which is the clear subject. Not only of this. These two verses. But of the entire. Prologue. John's subject.

[6:34] Is the eternal origin. Of the word. Jesus Christ. Last Sunday. I mentioned. About verse 14. The word. Was made flesh.

[6:45] Or the word. Became flesh. That word. Eginetto. And that's a word. That means. To begin. To exist. But that's not the word.

[6:57] That John uses. In the beginning. Was the word. John uses this verb. Which means. To exist. And John is saying.

[7:11] Whatever you. Whatever you think. When we think of the beginning. He was there. He already existed.

[7:22] He already existed. And it's a past tense verb. He continues to exist. And was always existing. And that little verb.

[7:35] In the Greek language. Only has two letters. One of the things that's remarkable. About John's gospel. Is the simplicity. Of his language. Definite articles.

[7:48] Conjunctions. Pronouns. Verbs. Simple verbs. If you like. There's another.

[8:03] Interesting little word here. When John says. In verse 2. He. Was in the beginning. With God. That is a very forceful.

[8:14] Pronoun. It's a demonstrative. Pronoun. What I'm talking about here. Is the language. That John is using. To convey. The most profound. Thought. About the origin.

[8:26] Of Jesus Christ. I've said. He uses a two letter. Verb. That indicates. That he has always. Existed. I've now seen. That he uses.

[8:37] A demonstrative. Pronoun. As if he's saying. That very one. Because he wants. To emphasize. It in verse 2. What he already. Said in his.

[8:47] Opening words. Was in the beginning. With God. And the first. Great truth. Then. Regarding.

[8:58] The origin. Of Jesus Christ. Is that he. Has existed. From. All. Eternity. That beginning. Is not the beginning.

[9:09] Of creation. It is. It is. Referring. To his. Origin. With God. The father. And this.

[9:21] Brings me. To my second point. We might call this. The second summit. And this. Is. The. Intimacy. Of the word. Within.

[9:33] The being. Of God. I think. This is important. And the reason. I think. This is important. Is. Sometimes. I wonder. If we have lost.

[9:44] Some of our. Confidence. In the truths. Of Christianity. Even. In the fundamental. Truths. Of Christianity. And.

[9:55] It is. It is. Good. To. Have an exercise. Like this. To see. Are we justified. In how we. Interpret. The. The. Scripture. Well.

[10:09] John. Not only. Tells us. That Jesus Christ. Existed. In the beginning. In the mists. Of eternity. But. He tells us. That the word. Existed.

[10:19] With God. God. Notice. That. In his. Second. Statement. And he's. Building. Something. Up here. He builds. It up. This is him. Going to his. Second.

[10:30] Peak. When he says. In the beginning. Already. Existed. The word. He wants. To say. I've got. More. And. The word.

[10:40] Was. With. God. Now. That's. A. Most. Interesting. Statement. The word. Was. With. God. This is another.

[10:51] Pronoun. In fact. That can be. Interpreted. As. With. Or. Towards. God. Or.

[11:02] Besides. God. Beside. God. In fact. That probably. Literally. Means. Towards. Although. Obviously. You've got the.

[11:13] Implication. There. Of. With. As. Well. We're. Now. Entering.

[11:24] Into. Not. Only. The. Mists. Of. Eternity. When. John. Says. And. The. Word. Was. With. God. But. We're. Entering. Into. The. Mists.

[11:35] Of. The. Being. Of. God. Himself. The. Great. Statement. In. The. Deuteronomy.

[11:45] For. The. People. Of. Israel. Was. Hero. Israel. The. Lord. Your. God. Is. One. And. Yet. Here. Is. John. Saying. That.

[11:55] This. Word. That. Already. And. Always. Existed. Is. Also. With. God. The. Picture. Is. Of.

[12:06] Two. Lovers. Gazing. Into. Each. Other's. Face. Of. Exquisite. Delight. And. Satisfaction. In. One. Another. Of. A. Profound.

[12:17] Harmony. Of. Being. Purpose. Will. And. Character. Of. A. Love. That. Is. Always. Mutual. And. Reciprocal. And. Outflowing.

[12:30] God. Is. Love. The. Roots. Of. Our. Redemption. Lie. In. The. Eternal. Nature. And. Being. Of. God.

[12:44] This. Love. That. God. Is. Himself. Is. The. Nucleus. Of. Our. Redemption. Love. Love. And. And. This. Statement.

[12:55] That. John. Is. Making. Is. Telling. Us. Something. About. That. Love. Is. Also. Telling. Us. That. Within. The. Being. Of. God. That. There.

[13:05] Is. So. To. Speak. A. Circle. Of. Love. There. Is. A. Reciprocity. Of. Love. Between. The. Father. And. The. Son. And. It. It. Something.

[13:15] That. Love. Within. The. Being. Of. God. And.

[13:28] Furthermore. It. Also. Tells. Us. That. There. Are. Distinctions. Within. God. And. Within. His. Being. If.

[13:39] I. Say. To. You. That. I. I. I'm. Visiting. Glasgow. With. My. Brother. Or. My. Friend. Or. Or. My. Wife. That. Suggests.

[13:50] There's. Two. Entities. There. Over. Over. Against. Each. Other. And.

[14:00] Therefore. When. John. Says. The. Word. Was. With. God. Is. Also. Flagging. Up. That. There. Are. Distinctions. Eternal.

[14:11] Distinctions. Within. The. Being. Of. God. The. Son. Has. Always. Been. Son. From. All. Eternity. And. The. Father. Has. Always. Been. Father.

[14:22] From. All. Eternity. Again.

[14:35] I. Want. You. To. Notice. The. Emphasis. John. Says. That. In. The. Beginning. Was. The. Word. And. The. Word. Was. With.

[14:46] God. But. Notice. He. Repeats. That. Second. Statement. Again. In. Verse. Two. Yes. He. Says. That. One. Was. In. The. Beginning. With.

[14:56] God. He. Doesn't. Want. Us. To. Miss. This. Jesus. Christ.

[15:07] Let. Me. Sum. Up. What. We've. Learned. So. Far. In. Exploring. The. Infinite. Origin. Of. Jesus. Christ. And.

[15:18] The. Infinite. Intimacy. Of. Jesus. Christ. The. Son. With. God. His. Father. Let. Me. Sum. Up. What. We've. Learned. So. Far. The. Origin.

[15:28] Of. Jesus. Christ. Is. Eternal. Jesus. Christ. Has. Eternally. Existed. In. A. Communion. Of. Exquisite. Love. Of. Father. And. Son. There.

[15:42] Being. Of. The. One. God. Finally. Let's. Climb. The. Third. Peak. And.

[15:52] The. Final. Summit. Let's. Look. At. John's. Third. Statement. Regarding. The. Identity. Of. God. Well. Says.

[16:02] John. I. Begin. With. This. Amazing. Statement. In. The. Beginning. Already. Existed. The. War. But. There's. More. And. The. Word. Was. With. God. Eternally. But.

[16:13] There's. Even. More. And. By. This. Time. Our. Heads. Are. Getting. Pretty. Dizzy. He's.

[16:24] Just. Told. Us. That. The. Word. Was. With. God. And. Now. He. Tells. Us. And. The. Word. Was. God.

[16:37] How. Can. The. Word. Be. So. Identified. With. God. Pure. And. Simple. If. You. Like. And.

[16:48] Yet. Be. The. Word. That. Is. With. God. At. The. Same. Time. But. That's. The. Paradox. And. The. Mystery. Of. The. Being.

[16:58] Of. Almighty. God. And. We. Sometimes. I. Think. Need. To. Be. Careful. That. We. Don't. Convey. Or. Give. An. Impression.

[17:09] That. We've. Got. In. Terms. Of. Being. Able. To. Carry. An. Understanding. Of. The. Being. Of.

[17:19] God. In. Our. Minds. Listen. Carefully. To. What. John. Is.

[17:30] Saying. As. We're. Up. In. This. Third. Summit. John. Is. Not. Saying. That. Jesus.

[17:40] Is. Another. God. He's. Not. Saying. That. Jesus. Is. Part. Of. God. One. Third. Of. God.

[17:52] He. Is. Saying. That. The. Word. Is. God. Pure. And. Simple. Possessing. The. Essential. And.

[18:03] Same. Nature. Of. God. He. Is. Saying. That. He. Is. One. With. God. That. There. Is. One.

[18:14] God. This. If you like. Could. Be. Concluded. From. What. I. Might. Call. The. First. Two. Premises. You.

[18:27] Know. What. They. Say. If. The. Premises. Are. True. Then. The. Conclusion. Must. Be. True. Inevitably. And. Logically. Follows. But. By. The. Way. Notice. That. What.

[18:37] True. You. Can. Have. A. Valid. Syllogism. That. Is. Completely. Untrue. All. Horses.

[18:48] Have. Three. Legs. Red. Rum. Rum. Is. A. Horse. Therefore. Red. Rum. Has. Three. Legs. Quite. Syllogistic.

[18:58] And. Logical. But. Completely. Untrue. What. I'm. Suggesting. Is. From. The. Two. Premises. That. John.

[19:09] Has. Made. In. The. Beginning. Already. Existed. Eternally. Was. The. Word. And. The. Word. Was. With. God. Implied.

[19:23] In. That. Is. That. The. Word. Was. God. And.

[19:33] It's. Emphasized. By. The. What I. Call. The. The. Well. Well. The. The. Arrangement. Of. The. Sentence. The. Syntax. Of. The. Sentence. It.

[19:43] Literally. Reads. In. The. Original. God. Was. The. Word. That's. What. It. Literally. Reads. In.

[19:53] The. Original. Theos. Or. Theon. I. Can't. Remember.

[20:03] Now. Hologos. But. The. Subject. Is. Not. God. The. Subject. Is. The. Logos. The. Word. And.

[20:16] People. For. Instance. Like. Jehovah's. Witnesses. Have. Noticed. That. The. Definite. Article. Isn't. There. And.

[20:26] They. Try. To. Argue. Therefore. That. What. This. Conclusion. Is. Saying. Is. That. The. Logos. Was. There's.

[20:36] No. Indefinite. Article. In. The. Greek. It's. Supplied. And. In. Fared. So. Jehovah's. Witnesses. In. Their. New. World. Translation. Would. Say.

[20:46] Something. Like. It. It. It. It. Saying. Logos. The. Word. Was. A. God. How. Could. We. Respond.

[20:57] To. That. Well. The.

[21:08] Whole. Of. The. Gospel. Of. John. Suggests. Otherwise. That's. The. First. Thing. Secondly. It's. Inconceivable.

[21:20] That. The. Jewish. Author. Of. This. Gospel. And. Would. Have. Portrayed. The. Idea. That.

[21:30] There. Is. One. God. And. But. There's. Another. God. But. Why. Did. John. Not. Use. The. Definite.

[21:41] Article. And. People. Could. Argue. There's. A. Grammatical. Reason. But. I'm. Wondering. If. There. Is. Also. A. Theological. Reason. And.

[21:52] I'm. Wondering. Is. If. John. Wants. To. Preserve. The. The. His. Previous. Statement. That. The. Word.

[22:03] Was. With. God. Because. If. He. Had. Made. The. Definite. Article. It. Would. Have. Said. Something. Like. This. The. Word. Was. The. God. God. But.

[22:16] When. He. Says. The. Word. Was. God. Without. The. Definite. Article. It. Perhaps. Is. Suggesting. It. Is. Remembering. That.

[22:26] He's. Already. Told. Us. That. Also. There's. A. A. Profound. Mystery. Here. And. A. Paradox. That. Our. Minds. Canna. Unravel. And. Cannot. Hold. Really. But. It.

[22:36] It. Is. A. Truth. About. God. And. Of. Course. Of. Course. There. Is. Mystery. In. God. He's. The. Infinite. Eternal. Being. Uncreated. And.

[22:49] Therefore. It. Might. Be. Something. To. Do. With. The. Fact. It.

[23:02] Would. Tend. To. Obliterate. If. He. Had. Given. The. Definite. Article. That. Distinctiveness. That. That. Diversity. That. Is. Part. Of. The. Character.

[23:13] Of. The. Being. Of. God. That. He. Had. Stated. Previously. And. So. God. Without. The. Article. Helps. To. Preserve. Those. Distinctions. And. At. The. Same. Time. To.

[23:23] Preserve. The. Unity. Of. Israel's. Creed. Hero. Israel. The. Lord. Our. God. Is. One. Lord. The. Hymn. Writer.

[23:33] Has. Said. What. Language. Shall. I. Borrow. Another. Hymn. Writer. Has. Said. Tis. Mystery. All. Immense. And. Free. Let's.

[23:44] Accept. That. There. Are. Mysteries. That. There. Are. Paradoxes. Let's. Accept. That. Our. Little. Minds. Cannot. Unravel. Such. Things.

[23:56] And. Let's. Fall. In. Wonder. And. Amazement. Before. The. Throne. Of. Our. Majestic. Savior. And. Lord. I. Want. To. Finish. Now. And. I. Want.

[24:06] To. Come. Down. From. The. Peaks. And. The. Summit. A. Little. And. I. Want. To. Finish. With. A. Couple. Of. Comments.

[24:17] On. The. Title. That. John. Uses. To. Convey. Those. Remarkable. Truths. About. The. Origin. Of. Jesus. Christ. The.

[24:28] Intimacy. Intimacy. Of. Jesus. Christ. With. The. Father. And. The. Identity. Of. Jesus. Christ. As. God. So. I. Want. To. Come. Down. From. These. Peaks. And.

[24:38] Make. A. Few. Comments. About. The. Title. And. Of. Course. The. Title. Is. The. Word. Many.

[24:52] People. Have. Wondered. Where. John. Got. His. Ideas. From. And. Why. He. Casts. His.

[25:05] Story. Of. Jesus. Christ. In. This. Particular. Way. And. Some. People. Wonder. If. He. If.

[25:16] He. Was. Catering. For. A. Multiple. Audience. Hellenized. Jews. Jews. That. Had. Imbibed. A. Lot. Of. Greek. Ideas. And. Were. Familiar. With.

[25:26] The. Greek. Vocabulary. and. Concepts. And. Ideas. And. Other. People. Would. Say. Not. Really. I. Think. It's. Sufficient. It. Is. Got.

[25:36] Plenty. Old. Testament. Material. From. Which. It. May. Have. Got. Some. Of. His. Ideas. That's. Why. I. Read. From. Proverbs. Eight.

[25:48] Verses. 22. To. 31. Because. That. Personification. Of. Wisdom. Is. One. Of. The. Places. That. People. Reckon. That. John. May.

[25:58] Well. Have. Got. His. Ideas. And. Some. Of. His. Ideas. Anyway. But. It. Doesn't. Matter. Because. The. Spirit. Of. God. Was.

[26:08] Guiding. John. Wherever. He. Got. His. Ideas. From. And. These. Are. The. Ideas. That. He. Has. Been. Given. As. Well. As. As. As. Finding. And.

[26:19] And. Here. They. Are. And. He's. Got. A. Rich. Resource. In. The. Concept. Of. The. Word. We've. Already. Noted. One.

[26:30] Genesis. It's. Opening. In. The. Beginning. God. Created. The. Heavens. And. The. Earth. And. God. Spoke. And. Said. Let.

[26:40] There. Be. The. Whole. Tradition. Of. The. Prophetic. Word. And. The. Whole. Understanding. Of. The. Word.

[26:51] Of. God. As. A. Living. Thing. The. Whole. Understanding. Of. The. Word. Of. God. As. A. Dynamic. And. Powerful. Thing. And.

[27:05] The. Whole. Understanding. Of. The. Word. Of. God. As. Something. That. Reveals. Something. Of. God. And. So. I. Believe. That. John. Is.

[27:18] Thinking. Of. All. Those. Things. As. He. Uses. That. Title. For. Jesus. Christ. In. The. Beginning. Was. The. Word. God. Because. In.

[27:28] Old Testament. Theology. In. Old Testament. Thinking. The. Word. And. God. Were. Virtually. Unseparable. In. The. Minds. Of. People.

[27:38] God.

[27:50] In. The. In. The. Eternal. Word. That. Became. Flesh. He. Is. Disclosing. His.

[28:01] Himself. In. The. Most. Full. Fashion. And. He. Is. Saying. This. Is. Who. I. Am. And.

[28:13] It. Is. A. Revelation. Of. Hope. It. It. A. Revelation. Of. Redemption. It. A. Revelation. Of. Salvation. It.

[28:23] A. Revelation. Of. Forgiveness. It. A. Revelation. That. Is. Saying. God. Wishes. To. Reach. Out. To. A. Prodigal.

[28:34] Human. Race. And. Ask. Them. To. Share. In. His. Life. And. His. Glory. And. His. Greatness.

[28:45] And. His. A. Purpose. And. His. Plan. So. There. It. Is. I. Hope. That. This.

[28:55] Has. Enabled. Us. To. See. Something. Of. The. Glory. Of. Our. God. In. The. Face. Of. Jesus.

[29:05] Christ. Our. Lord. And. Our. Savior. May the. Lord. Bless. These. Thoughts. To. Each. One. Of. Us. Things. He wanting to do.

[29:16] Has. Peace. To. He needs. Three. Eve. folk. Her.

[29:29] Hi. People. Peace. His. His. Two. Li. Holy.IM. Jesus. His. His. Meanwhile. He.