Let me begin by letting you know that I think, Pastor Saul, we have about 100 Gospel of John's that I want to encourage you along with our study in the book of John that you carefully and prayerfully consider adding to your pocket wear.
Pardon?
They're at the visitor center.
Now what we're going to do when we were working our way through the book of Ephesians, one of the blessings that we enjoyed was that periodically we relied on different ones of you to recite one of the chapters in the book of Ephesians.
And we are not going to do the same thing with John necessarily.
There are going to be different times perhaps where we may have some recitations from the book of John.
But one of the things that I want to encourage you to do is I want you to prayerfully consider taking one of these Gospels and putting it in your pocket and carrying it with you and praying about the Lord giving you an opportunity to share the Gospel and encourage someone.
Hey, by the way, why don't you read this book?
And periodically, every couple months or so, we are going to have various ones of you that have been praying and looking for the opportunities as God gives that opportunity for you to share that and say, hey, here's how God answered that prayer.
Okay?
I don't want you to go out there and grab nine or ten Gospels at one shot unless you are anticipating using all ten of them here in short order.
But you prayerfully consider if I take one, then I am making a commitment that I am going to pray and ask God to give me opportunity.
And I will be one of those that God uses as He answers prayer and gives people opportunity to use you to kind of touch them with the Gospel.
Okay?
Let's keep that in mind as we work our way through the Gospel of John and you continue being in prayer.
Lord, give me the opportunity.
Use me to draw attention to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's take a moment and pray.
Our Father God, this morning as we come
with a glad dependence upon your sufficiency and your word,
we're mindful
that the word that we have and will handle this morning is that which you have declared
from all eternity,
true, settled,
unchanging, sufficient,
all that we need for life and godliness.
And we are thankful that not only have you given to us the word,
but you have also given to us the indwelling spirit
spirit.
And those of us that are here this morning
may rely upon the ministry of the Spirit of God
to give us hearts to hear
and apply
and enjoy
and delight in the sweetness of the truth
that is found in these verses.
And that as it says in 2 Corinthians 3,
verse 18,
we beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the Lord are being changed
from glory to glory.
And we're reminded that that is the work of the Spirit of God.
And so this morning we,
without hesitation,
call upon you to work in us
as a fellowship
and in me
as a preacher of the gospel
to make the word clear
and to allow it to impact our lives
for the glory of Christ.
And we ask this in Jesus' name
and because of His glory.
Amen.
I want you to take your Bible.
If you haven't already turned to the book of John,
there was a,
it was interesting to listen to Tom in Sunday school
give us a great overview of salvation.
And I have to tell you
that Tom did a great,
a great ministry
of laying out
the broad scope
of what comes
when a person comes to faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And in that flow,
Tom alluded to the fact
that we're probably going to be
in the book of John for,
I think he used the word forever.
That is not true at all.
Okay.
And then John Kroll,
I can't believe you did that.
He made a very similar,
did you guys kind of collude together
and say,
all right,
we're going to ding pastor with this.
Hey, listen,
I want to tell you something
in the evening sermon.
I am going to take Deuteronomy
and I'm going to cover
in a broad flow
from chapter one to 31.
And it can be done.
You're going to see it happen.
So show up
and see how it actually happens.
There's going to be
a broad overview.
In fact,
listening to you guys,
I'm thinking
one of these days
I'm going to preach
all 66 books of the Bible
in one sermon.
And you guys will walk out of there
and say,
if he could do that once,
why doesn't he do it twice?
Now,
listen,
there is a beauty
and there's a satisfaction
in the word,
isn't there?
And every time we open it up,
we see the glory
and the significance
and the supremacy of Christ.
And if that is true
in any place,
it is particularly true
in the book we're in right now.
And I want you to listen,
follow along
as I read to you
verses one through five
to kind of just set
in your mind
the glory
of the introduction
of John
to us.
In the beginning
was the word
and the word
was with God
and the word
was God.
He was in the beginning
with God.
All things
were made
through him
and without him
was not anything
made
that was made.
In him
was life
and the life
was the light
of men.
The light
shines in the darkness
and the darkness
has not
overcome it.
I remind you
that John
explained to us
when we began
our study
in this book
that his objective
is to give us
a clear picture
of who the Lord
Jesus Christ
is.
In John
chapter 20
verse 30
and 31
he talked about
the fact that
there was an awful lot
that could have been written
but the things
that he chose
to write about
all focused in
on giving us
information
to bring us
to faith
to bring us
to life.
And as we begin
the book
of John
the thing
that John
the apostle
wants us to understand
very clearly
about Christ
is that he
indeed
is God.
He is
God
the son
the second
person
in the trinity
and he
in his
entire
capacity
as God
the son
is supremely
important
and supremely
equipped
to be the one
who makes
God
known
to us.
As we look
at this
second lesson
I want you
to pick up
with me there
in verse 2
when John
says this
he was in
the beginning
with God.
We can
understand
from that
that he
is making
a statement
about the
fact that
Jesus Christ
is face
to face
with God.
His opening
statement
that we
looked at
last week
reminded us
that for
one
the word
was eternal
from the
beginning
the word
was secondly
with God
or face
to face
with him
as I've
referenced
already
and he
is equal
to God
in communion
and person
and he
is entirely
equal
in all
aspects.
Furthermore
as we
see at the
last part
of chapter
1 verse
1
it says
that Jesus
Christ
is God
he is
divine.
So in
one sense
what we
find in
chapter 1
verse 2
is a
repetition
of what's
already been
said.
Now why
do we
repeat
things?
Why do
you repeat
things as
parents?
Or why
do you
repeat
things when
you sense
that there's
a need
to do so?
It's not
just to hear
yourself talk
it is to
hammer the
point home
and make
it clear.
Sometimes
I remember
I think
about some
of the
experiences
of raising
children
and there
were some
things that
you thought
were fairly
important and
you would
emphasize it
again and
again.
And so here
is John
at the
very
beginning
at the
outset
he says
listen if
there's
anything I
want you
to understand
I want
you to
grab the
reality of
who the
Lord Jesus
Christ is
and the
Holy Spirit
instructs
John and
John writes
this verse
and blesses
us with a
repeated
reminder of
who our
Savior the
Lord Jesus
Christ really
is.
I want
you to
understand that
Jesus deserves
more than a
glance or a
hurried nod.
He came to
be the
Lamb of
God.
He came to
be our
Savior.
He came to
die for our
sins.
And at the
very outset as
we begin to
think about who
Jesus is and
what he has
done for us
it's appropriate
for us to
recognize the
magnificence of
his person.
You know to
kind of stop and
think about so
he died.
That really
doesn't have any
resonance or any
significance unless
you stop and
realize who he
is and why he
did it.
And so as John
starts out here
and presents his
gospel to us he
wants us to get
this idea firmly
fixed in our
mind that the
Lord Jesus Christ
our Savior is
God and
eternal and
with the
Father face to
face and
entirely equal
to the
Father.
And I want to
tell you something
if you are not
gripped this
morning by the
reality of who
Christ is it is
an indication of
one of several
things to consider
carefully.
For one you may
be sitting here and
the truth of the
matter is the
Holy Spirit has
never touched your
life drawn you to
the cross and you
are by nature at
this point dead in
trespasses and sin.
And who the Lord
Jesus Christ is to
you is maybe a
word that you've
heard used or you've
used it yourself but
he's not significant
to you.
It may be that you're
here and you know
Christ as your Savior
but the reality of it
is as it says in
the book of
Revelation your
love has grown
cold.
You've lost your
first love.
He's no longer
significant to you
and I want to
remind you that
that love is to be
rekindled by an
understanding of who
he is and what he
does.
And so as you look
at this verse you're
reminded he was in
the beginning with
God.
The one that you
have a relationship
with is not just
some kind of person
who came along and
is moderately
significant for the
moment.
He is God the
Son eternal and
significant.
There's one other
little piece that I
want us to recognize
here.
Verse 2 doesn't
silence the heretic.
Many of us here at
one point or another
have either had a
Jehovah's Witness or
perhaps maybe a
Mormon or somebody
else show up at our
door and talk to us
about Jesus and
they've been willing
to say well he's a
pretty important person
but he's not God.
You cannot get through
the two verses in
John without coming
to grips with the
fact that the
Bible if we are to
rely upon it to
speak accurately and
honestly the Bible
makes it clear that
Jesus is God.
He's not some kind of
special person alone.
He's God.
So I want you to
understand that at the
very outset at the
beginning the
scripture wants you to
understand that the
one we are dealing
with and all that
John is going to
write about is God
the Son who came to
be our Savior.
There's another fact
that we want to pick
up there in verse 3
and let me read it to
you.
It says all things
were made through
him and without him
was not anything made
that was made.
Let's stop just for a
moment and do a
little bit of a mental
exercise.
So why is it there?
That's a fair question.
And when you are doing
your own reading of the
scripture when you're
studying at home by
yourself one of the
things that will help
you is asking yourself
the question over and
over again as you're
reading as you're
studying.
So why is that there?
What's it saying?
What's its value?
Why did the Holy Spirit
choose to put that
information there?
Well I want you to
understand that the
statement that we are
looking at here in
verse 3 is that Jesus
is the creator.
John moves from that
statement about the
glory and transcendent
beauty of the Lord
Jesus Christ being God
the Son.
He kind of comes down
into a more practical
relationship with us as
created beings.
And he announces in
essence that we owe our
existence to him.
Everything was made by
Jesus.
Look at that statement
again.
All things were made
through him.
It's interesting if you
kind of skip down the
page just a little bit to
come to verse 10.
He was in the world and
the world was made
through him.
How is it that we enjoy
the creation that we
exist in and that is all
around us?
It is not because it came
about kind of some you
know.
Yeah evolution.
Thank you.
It wasn't a matter of
chance.
It was a matter of
creation.
I love the fact.
I'm trying to think of
the name of the
missionary who can help
me.
The last missionary we
had is going to be a
missionary in Toronto,
Canada.
Who can give me the
name of them?
Kruger.
Ben Kruger.
He shared when he was
here with us he shared
the fact that he has had
this ministry with
Chinese up there in
Toronto and one of the
Chinese students that
they had been ministering
to said that they came
to realize that if they
could look at an artist
picture they had to
realize that there was an
artist who did that.
And they had to
recognize the reality
that somebody else
made that.
And this Chinese
student came to
Christ by recognizing
that when they looked
out at the creation
they had to admit
somebody else brought
that into being.
It just didn't happen.
The Bible is
undeniably clear about
the fact that Christ is
the creator.
I want you to look at a
couple other passages
kind of solidify this
in your thinking.
Turn if you will to
Colossians chapter 1.
Colossians chapter 1
and we're going to look
at verse 15 through 17.
Very interesting to find
how often this issue of
Christ being the creator
comes forward and is
presented for our
attention and our
thought.
Colossians chapter 1
verse 15.
He is the image of the
invisible God the
firstborn of all
creation.
For by him all
things were created in
heaven and on earth
visible and invisible
whether thrones or
dominions or rulers or
authorities all things
were created through him
and for him and he is
before all things and in
him all things hold
together.
Let me draw attention to
yet another text that I
want you to mark and it
might be one of those that
I you might find benefit
in underlining in your
Bible.
Turn if you will the
first Corinthians chapter
8 verse 6.
You have people who come
to you and say well
Jesus is a very very
important person but he's
not God.
If A equals B and B
equals A are they the
same essentially?
Okay let's look at 8
1 Corinthians 8 verse 6.
Yet for us there is one
God the Father.
Stop.
That's monotheism isn't it?
Agreed?
One God the Father.
And it goes on.
From whom are all things and
for whom we exist.
Stop right there for a
second.
Good declaration that
sounds very much like what
we have in Genesis chapter
1 verse 1.
In the beginning God
created the heavens and
the earth.
Now let's go forward with
the remainder of what the
apostle has to tell us in
verse 6.
And one Jesus the Lord
Jesus Christ through whom
are all things and through
whom we exist.
What's it saying?
How is it that I exist?
I exist because of the
Lord Jesus Christ who is the
creator of the universe.
Furthermore as you go back to
John we see it stated first of
all positively that he is the
creator of all that exists.
But in order to emphasize it
John turns around what he has
already said positively and he
says it in a negative way not
negative in terms of he is not
the creator but he reverses the
logic a little bit to force us
to think deeper about the
reality of Christ and his
significance in creation.
Let me read it to you back
there in John chapter 1.
And without him was not
anything made that was made.
Whoa.
He made it all.
In fact there is nothing that
exists that he didn't make.
The apostle wants us to
understand very clearly the
reality of the fact that the
entire creation that we enjoy
that we marvel at that we are in
wonder when we consider all of
that came into being because God
the son created it and made it
exactly the way he made it.
The diversity of the universe the
the diversity of each of us
individually we are the express
creative power of the Lord Jesus
Christ who made us for his
pleasure and for his glory.
I want you to stop and recognize
another little piece in that
verse.
It says that he made all that was
made out of nothing.
He made all that was made out of
nothing.
The other day we're in the
process of doing a little bit of
cooking in our home and if you're
going to cook guess what you have
to have.
You have to have the stuff to
cook with is that right.
And so if you're going to make
macaroni and cheese guess what.
You can't start with hamburgers and
rice.
You have to have macaroni you have
to have cheese and and for us what
does it mean.
If we don't have it in the pantry
what do we have to do.
We have to make a list we have to
go to the store we have to buy it
we bring it home we do something
with it.
But when we make something in
essence what we are doing is
relying upon various pieces that
are already in place and putting
it together.
And we can make something a little
different.
It's not just dry old macaroni
noodles and it's not just old
plain old cheese it's mixed
together and a little bit of
spices and it comes out pretty
good.
That's not what happened with
Christ.
I want you to recognize that when
God created the universe when
Christ created all that we see he
made it out of nothing.
He made it out of nothing.
I want you to stop just for a
moment and ask yourself that
question as I did earlier.
So why is this here.
What's the significant of the
fact that Christ is the creator of
the universe.
Well because he is our creator he
owns us and he has the right to
determine our purpose.
Do you follow that.
As I was thinking about a way to
illustrate that I thought of maybe
taking a balloon and blowing it up
fairly large and then letting it go.
And you know what would have done
around here and so landed in one of
your laps and you think well okay
pastor blew it up he can let it go
and go where it wants to.
And so another thing I could have
done is I've blown that balloon up
and then taken my pen out and
popped it because I blew it up.
It was my right to do with it as I
chose.
I want you to understand that God is
the one who made you and he made you
for his glory and Christ intends for
you who he created to be a value and
bring glory to him.
I want you to turn back if you will
just for a moment to a passage in
Psalm 8.
Go back to Psalm 8 and listen to
what the psalmist has to say in
relationship to the issue of
creation.
Psalm 8 verse 3 and 4 it says when I
look at your heavens the work of your
fingers the moon and the stars which
you have set in place what is man that
you are mindful of him and the son of
man that you care for him.
You know sometimes we get overwhelmed
with our own significance and it's an
entirely deceitful thought.
What I mean by that is we kind of
obsess about who we are.
We get all bent out of shape about what
other people think about us.
We're kind of all wigged out about how
it's working out for us and the truth
of the matter is is that in the scope of
the glory of God and the person of
Christ we are really pretty relatively
insignificant and the psalmist says what
in the world are we that he actually
cares for me personally and for you
personally.
The majesty of that equation lies in his
significance and the absolute stunning
reality that we who are nothing we're
just a breath we're just a moment.
He thinks about us and cares about us and
has chosen to become our Lord and our
Savior.
Have you look at another passage if you
will over in Psalm 19.
Psalm 19.
The heavens declare the glory of God and
the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
When you look at what you see around you
and you really take some time to look at
it fairly carefully you have to admit it's
pretty stunning isn't it.
I remember looking at my neighbor's oak
tree and there it kind of stands and it has
these massive limbs that are stretched out
into just all over the yard and I think
to myself that is amazing how that's all
done.
The root system underneath supports this
gargantuan tree and the weight that is
there and it all is held together because
he designed it that way.
You look at the stars and we sang this
morning about the creating God that we
worship and enjoy and we remind ourselves
he's the one who did all that.
I want you to recognize that the one who is
the creator is the one who designed creation to
point attention to God.
Turn over in your Bible if you will we are
there in Psalm 19 but I want you to go if you
would to Romans chapter 1.
Romans chapter 1.
I want you to listen if you would to what we
find there in verse 20 it says for his
invisible attributes namely his eternal power
and divine nature have been clearly perceived
ever since the creation of the world in the
things that have been made.
You know what it's saying?
It's saying that that which has been created
is an undeniable signpost pointing to the
reality of Christ as the creator and because he
is the creator we are without excuse to listen to
the other things that he has to say and that's
the argument that the apostle makes in Romans
where Paul says let me tell you something he
who created us is someone to be listened to and
attended to.
And so I want you to recognize this morning as
you look at this passage going back to John
chapter 1 verse 3 it says all things were made
by him.
He's our creator and because he is our creator he
has a right to tell us what to do and how to live and
he has a right to the outcome and glory from our
life.
I want you to look now if you will also at verse
3 and 4 or 4 and 5.
In him was life and the life was the light of men.
That little statement in him was life is kind of a
very interesting declaration of the reality that is
in Christ Jesus and in particular was in Christ Jesus
at the beginning of recorded history.
In the garden when mankind enjoyed communion with the
father with the son we have to understand that that that
was a blessed state to be in.
And as you look at the Lord Jesus Christ being light and
life I want you to understand that through his creation he
granted to us an existence that allowed us to have communion
with him.
And we are given understanding particular that this
business of life and light is not just physical existence but
also a spiritual relationship and a spiritual communion with
him.
And in the garden you'll remember that as the day unfolded and
man and woman had been involved in whatever they were involved in in
that in that Edenic state in the evening what did they do?
They enjoyed fellowship with the father with the Lord Jesus and in
the cool of the evening he would walk with them and be in communion.
It says and in with him was life and light.
I want you to turn if you would again back to Psalm 36 verse 9.
Psalm 36 verse 9 as we think about the relationship we have with God the
father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 36 verse 9.
For with you for with you
is the fountain of life in your life we do see light.
For with you is the fountain of life in your light we do see light.
So what is it that we enjoy apart from Christ?
Not life.
We enjoy hardship and difficulty.
We enjoy no lasting purpose.
We suffer under the the delusion of our brief state and we are deceived to
think that we are far more significant than we really are.
And the fact of the matter is that apart from the Lord Jesus we live in
darkness and suffer.
In John chapter 1 verse 4 it says the light is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The life is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now I want you to recognize also one other little piece of information that we
find here and we mark it in particular there in verse 5 it says the light
shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.
What's this world like?
How many of you find yourself on occasion as you listen to the news getting a
little depressed?
A little discouraged?
Whether it is what is going on in Iraq or what is going on in Israel or what it
is going on or whatever is going on in Washington.
Whatever it is that's going on in your community around you.
The lives of people that you know.
Some of the messes that you're involved in and aware of.
You look at these things and say man this is a dark dismal world.
John says this.
The light shines in darkness.
And the light will not be overcome by the darkness.
You know we live in a very dark world.
This is a dark world.
It's filled with the blackness of sin and that is a terrible reality.
When you stop and realize it you look around and you recognize this world is a
poor poor place because of what sin has brought in to the lives of people.
I want you to recognize that not only is the world a dark place but people choose that
darkness and they prefer it.
Darkness as we are looking at here in the scripture is not just talking about the
absence of the lights being on but it's really talking about the spiritual condition
of man's heart.
And one of the sad sad realities is that the world is in a dark position but the world
also chooses to stay there.
I want you to turn your Bible if you would to John chapter 3.
We're there just a chapter or two away.
But look at John chapter 3 verse 19 and 20.
And this is the judgment.
Let me go over that again slowly and just listen as you hear it.
This is the judgment.
The light has come into the world and people have loved the darkness rather than the light
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light lest his
work should be exposed.
Let me give you an illustration.
I love the fact that every politician in the early going promises that they are going to
do a better job than the previous administration.
And when election time comes around we're going to hear another set of promises.
Isn't that right?
This will be the most illuminating administration that we have ever had in the history of mankind.
And what happens after individuals get into place?
Not just on one side of the aisle but on every side of the aisle darkness descends.
Do you know why it descends?
Because of the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.
And here in John the apostle says let me tell you something.
Then the characteristic of the heart of the unregenerate man is that he prefers the darkness
because he doesn't want to have his sin exposed.
Romans chapter 1 verse 21.
Not only do men choose the darkness but there is a consequence that comes with choosing the
darkness.
And it says this for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks
to him but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Now that's a pretty frightening thought.
I want you to think with me about it.
It's saying that when men choose darkness it gets darker.
Think about that.
When you refuse the light you're given things get worse.
And going back to John chapter 1 it says this.
The light shines in the darkness.
The light shines in the midst of that.
Men who want to suppress the truth.
Men who want to deny the goodness and glory of God.
Who want to turn their back on all that is part of God's blessing and his character for us.
It says this.
Men choose the darkness because that's the way they want to be.
Does that mean that the world is shut out then from the light?
No.
That's not what it says.
Because what it says there in the latter part and the darkness has not overcome it.
I want you to recognize this morning that the reality of it is this.
Is that despite the world that we live in.
The light of the Lord Jesus Christ and the sweetness of his gospel.
Is something that will outshine the darkness of the world that we live in.
And it will not be suppressed.
Wherever it is that darkness exists.
We can count upon Christ to bring light through the gospel and the truth of his salvation.
And I want you to understand that we who have received the light.
Who have had our sins forgiven through the blood of Christ.
Live to make the light known to those who are in the condition that we once were.
Do you recognize that?
One of the things that you and I carry with us is we remember what it was to be in the darkened room.
Of our own sinfulness and the blackness of our heart.
And we have received the light.
The blessing.
The forgiveness of Christ.
And we know the sweet privilege it is to be delivered from the burden of our sin.
And it is our privilege.
To lift up the light and say listen.
I want you to know that there is hope for you.
In the darkness of the moment of your life.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.
He came to pay the penalty for sin.
And the scriptures make it clear.
Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be what?
Shall be saved.
So as you look this morning at this passage.
I want you to understand.
Here's the sweet truth.
God in his mercy sent his son the Lord Jesus Christ.
He who was the creator of the universe.
And that is the absolute baffling reality.
That God himself was willing to step into our brutal and ugly mess.
For the sake of redemption and for us.
He invaded our darkness.
And he came here to invade the darkness.
To rescue sinners from the pit.
And that's me.
And that's you.
And I want to encourage you to recognize.
That if you are sitting here this morning.
And you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is hope in the corner of darkness that you are.
And that hope is in coming to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who is the light.
And the truth.
And the life.
And you may have deliverance from the darkness of your sin.
Through one simple fact.
Through the fact of coming to grips.
I am a sinner who stand justly condemned before a holy God.
I would deserve eternity in hell.
Because of the darkness of my heart.
But God sent his son the Lord Jesus Christ to die in my place.
And the scripture says.
Whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Shall not perish.
But have everlasting life.
And let me encourage you to understand this morning.
That we who know the light.
Guess what our business is.
It is to be pointing our finger towards the one who is the light.
And letting other people know.
He is the one who can bring light into the darkness of their life.
And those who sit here today who do not know Christ.
Today is the day.
Let me make it clear to you.
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
And you're one of them.
Let's close our eyes as we pray.
Our precious Father in God.
This morning we rejoice in the beauty of the scripture.
And the reminder that the Lord Jesus Christ.
The creator of the universe.
The one through whom and by whom all things exist.
And by whom all things are sustained.
Is also the one who came into the world.
To bring light into darkness.
And to bring salvation.
Where there was brokenness and sin.
And Father my prayer would be this.
That if there are those who are sitting here today.
Who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.
That today by the power of the spirit of God.
They would be drawn to recognize.
That the despair of their soul.
The burden.
The shame.
The guilt.
May be relieved.
By confessing their sin.
And believing on what Jesus Christ.
Has done to save them.
Thank you for the sweetness of the gospel.
That reminds us.
That our salvation is not a matter of our own works.
But the work of Christ.
Who came to die and rise again.
And to be our savior.
To all who trust in him.
And that's our prayer this morning.
We ask in your precious name.
Amen.