In our Bibles, please, to Genesis chapter 1.
We have two readings today, and the first one is in Genesis.
Genesis.
Genesis chapter 1.
We are starting a new series, The Gospel of John.
You may be wondering why we're starting in Genesis.
Well, you'll see in just a minute, so be patient.
But there's a little booklet here which will give you a summary of the whole gospel.
So you don't have to read it all at once, but you can take your copy on your way out,
read a section at a time, and dip into it at any time through our series just to remind
ourselves of what the big picture is, what it's all about.
So that's John's Gospel.
It'll be sitting on the table as you leave this morning.
So Genesis 1, you'll see the connection in just a minute.
We're going to read the first few verses.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty.
Darkness was over the surface of the deep.
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, let there be light.
And there was light.
Now let's turn to John's Gospel, Chapter 1.
John's Gospel, Chapter 1, starting at verse 1 through to 18.
And see if you can make the connection.
In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him, all things were made.
Without him, nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life.
And that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness.
And the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
Now this John is not to be confused with the writer of John's Gospel.
John's Gospel, the writer, was a disciple of Jesus.
This John here in verse 6 is John the Baptist.
The last prophet who came speaking about Jesus.
Verse 7.
He came as a witness to testify concerning that light,
so that through him all might believe.
He himself was not the light.
He came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
He was in the world.
And though the world was made through him,
the world did not recognize him.
He came to that which was his own,
but his own did not receive him.
Yet to all who did receive him,
to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God.
Children born not of natural descent,
nor of human decision,
or a husband's will,
but born of God.
The Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory,
the glory of the one and only Son
who came from the Father
full of grace and truth.
John, that's John the Baptist,
testified concerning him.
He cried out saying,
This is the one I spoke about when I said,
He who comes after me
has surpassed me
because he was before me.
Out of his fullness,
we have all received grace
in place of grace
already given.
For the law was given through Moses.
Grace and truth
came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God,
but the one and only Son
who is himself God
and is in the closest relationship
with the Father
has made him known.
Well, let's pray.
Our Father God,
we ask for one simple thing,
that through your Word now
and by your Spirit,
you would reveal afresh to us
who you are,
how we can know you
and what you have done for us.
Be our teacher
and help us, we pray.
Amen.
I want you to think
and imagine with me.
Suppose for a moment
you don't know me.
You don't know
there is a Johnny Grant.
Think about it.
You could spend
your whole life
oblivious
of my existence.
Now, some of you
might be thinking
that's a wonderful thing.
I would disagree.
As far as you are concerned,
I'm just not here.
You see,
the only way
for you to know me
is if I am to
introduce myself to you,
to tell you something
about myself.
I reveal myself
to you
by my
word,
by what I
say.
Now, think about this.
Is there a God?
If there is a God,
how do you know?
Is it possible
to even know
this God?
And is there any way
at all of finding out
anything
about God?
Well, John helps us
because he begins
his gospel
by introducing
God
to us.
Look at verse 1.
In the beginning
was the word
and the word
was with God
and the word
was God.
Now, it seems
a little complex.
Why does he keep
saying word?
Why couldn't John
just simply say
in the beginning
was God?
Well, the word
is God's
self-revelation
of himself.
God makes
himself known
to us
through his
word.
And that word,
the word
that he speaks,
is not just
spoken word
or speech
or language.
That very
word
is a person.
Verse 14.
The word
became
flesh,
became a
human being
and made
his dwelling
among us.
Who is
that word?
Well, look
at verse 18.
No one
has ever
seen God
but the one
and only
Son,
that's Jesus
Christ,
who is
himself God
and is in
the closest
relationship
with the
Father,
has made
God
known.
You see,
God introduces
himself to
us by
introducing
himself to
us through
Jesus,
who is
the word.
So three
things we're
going to look
at through
this introduction.
Jesus is
our God,
Jesus reveals
God to
us,
and Jesus
makes us
children
of God.
God.
So first,
Jesus
is our
God.
John gives
us four
stunning
truths about
Jesus for
us to
reflect on
together.
First,
Jesus is
our eternal
God.
John begins
this gospel,
doesn't he,
with the
familiar phrase,
in the
beginning.
He's taking
us right
back,
all the way
back,
to the
very first
words of
the Bible,
which we
read just
a moment
ago,
Genesis
1,
verse 1,
in the
beginning,
God.
Now as
mind-boggling
as that is,
the Bible
is telling
us straight
out that
before
anything
existed,
there was
God.
God
simply
exists.
There was
never a
time,
no matter
how far
you could
travel back,
that God
was not
there,
that God
did not
exist.
He has
always
been.
Now John
wants us
to know
that that's
exactly the
same with
Jesus.
Look at
verse 1,
in the
beginning
was the
word.
Jesus
isn't
created,
he
exists,
he has
no beginning
and no
end,
he is
our
eternal
God.
But he's
not just
our
eternal
God,
he's
also
our
creator
God.
Genesis
tells us
that in
the beginning
God
created the
heavens and
the earth.
He brought
things into
existence by
speaking his
word.
Remember
what we
read,
God said,
let there
be light.
And there
was light.
light.
Now John
makes it
clear that
the word
that God
spoke at
the very
beginning of
creation is
not just
language,
but is
also a
person.
Verse 3,
through
him all
things were
made.
Without
him nothing
was made
that has
been made.
Now it's a
bit mind
bending,
isn't it,
all of this
thought?
Jesus
designed and
shaped and
formed all
things.
Jesus created
the vastness
of the
universe.
The sun
that we
feel,
that object,
burning object
behind the
clouds that
we get to
experience once
a month,
is only
one of
a hundred
thousand
million
star-like
suns
in our
galaxy.
Wow!
In fact,
our galaxy
is only
one of
a hundred
thousand
million
galaxies.
Now I know
that's blowing
your mind.
We can't
comprehend the
vastness,
but God,
Jesus,
spoke it,
brought it
all into
existence.
humans.
But he
also created
the invisible
to the
naked eye,
tiny
algae-like
creatures.
If you
were to
take a
teaspoon
from a
lake of
water,
you would
count one
million
algae
in that
little
teaspoon.
And yet,
gather them
all together
around the
world.
they
produced
35%
of the
world's
oxygen.
Jesus
made the
planets,
and he
made the
unseen
algae.
He's our
creator
God.
And he's
our life-giving
God.
Verse 4,
in him
was life,
and that
life was
the light
of mankind.
Light is
needed for
life.
Without
light,
everything
falls apart.
So,
when Jesus
is described
in verse
4 as
life and
light,
it's telling
us that he
is the
source of
all life,
that in
him is
life,
and that
he sustains
all of
life.
Jesus
doesn't
just create
everything,
he also
keeps
everything
going.
He is
the one
who created
the sun,
that great
ball of
fire way
out there
that provides
just the
right amount
of light
to keep
the algae
producing
the oxygen
that you
and I
are breathing
right now
to live.
if Jesus
stopped,
the
universe
would
collapse
into
nothingness.
You and
I would
cease
to exist.
But more
than this,
and perhaps
more amazingly,
Jesus is
our relational
God.
Look at
verse 1
with me
again.
in the
beginning
was the
word,
and the
word was
with God,
and the
word was
God.
It's telling
us Jesus
is God,
and yet he
is also
distinct
from God.
But yet at
the same
time, he
is with
God,
verse 2,
he was
with God
in the
beginning.
There is
only one
God.
But here
we're told
that Jesus,
who is
God,
enjoys a
relationship
with God
the Father.
We see
that explicitly
in verse
18.
Read with
me verse
18.
No one
has ever
seen God,
but the
one and
only Son,
who is
himself
God,
and is
in the
closest
relationship
with the
Father,
has made
him known.
So,
from before
time began,
before there
was anything,
God the
Father,
was in
enjoying a
relationship
with God
the Son.
They lived
in communion
with each
other,
relating
to one
another.
Jesus
is our
relational
God.
You see,
the word
is the
eternal,
creating,
life-giving
God.
He's not
just a
thought or
an idea
or the
result of
our
imaginations.
He is
God who
has always
existed and
the God
who made
you and
I.
But more
wonderful than
all of these
big ideas
is that God
is both
personal
and relational.
He's not
some distant
way out
there force.
He exists
in community
with himself
and amazingly
invites you
and I to
say,
come and
be part
of that
relationship
with the
Father and
with the
Son and
as we will
see in
time,
by the
Spirit.
So first,
big idea
that John
wants to
get across
to us is
Jesus
is our
God.
And related
to that,
second,
is Jesus
reveals God
to us.
You see,
the wonderful
truth is
God doesn't
wait for us
scurrying
around here
on planet
earth to
come up
and find
God.
No,
he's the
God who
made us
and takes
the initiative
to come
to us
so that
we can
be in
relationship
with him.
three things
show this.
First,
light for
the world.
Verse 9,
the true
light that
gives light
to everyone
was coming
into the
world.
A couple
of years
ago,
I had the
great experience
of going
caving in
the Burren,
led by an
experienced
guide.
as we
descended
down into
that cave,
the light
became less
and the
darkness
became more.
And once
we were in
the belly
of the
cave,
what we
had to
do was
turn off
our torches
and it
became
pitch
black.
You
couldn't see
your hand
in front
of your
face.
You
couldn't
guess
who
anyone
was.
We
would bump
into each
other and
touch and
feel.
Who is
this?
We
didn't
know.
We
became
disorientated
walking into
the sides
of the
cave and
into each
other.
But then
turning on
the torch,
ha,
I can
see.
Now we're
all in the
dark about
God.
None of us
can know
him unless
he gives
us light.
without
the light
coming,
we just
stumble
about in
the darkness,
trying to
figure things
out.
We become
disorientated.
Well,
God provides
the light
that we
need so
we can
know him.
And what
is that
light?
Well,
it becomes
clear in
verse 14,
doesn't it?
Second,
God becomes
man.
Verse 14,
the word
became
flesh
and made
his dwelling
among us.
The word
that spoke
the light
into existence
is the
light that
now comes
into the
world.
Jesus is
the light.
He reveals
God to us.
He is
God in
human
form.
God
One writer
put it
like this,
the word
became
flesh,
a real
human
baby.
He had
not ceased
to be
God.
He was
no less
God than
before,
but he
had begun
to be
a man.
He was
not God
minus
some elements
of his
deity or
his
godness,
but God
plus
all that
is
humanity.
It's
extraordinary,
isn't it?
The eternal
God
enters into
the history
and time.
The creator
God
becomes a
baby
in the womb
of his
mother
Mary.
The
life-giving
God
cries out
for food
and water.
The
relational
God
becomes
one of
us.
He
moves
into
our
neighbourhoods.
And as
the word
became
flesh,
so God
was on
display
in human
form.
Verse
14,
the word
became
flesh
and made
his dwelling
among us.
We,
says John,
have seen
his glory,
the glory
of the
one and
only Son
who came
from the
Father,
full of
grace
and truth.
God
became
one of
us.
Flesh
that you
could poke
and feel
in the
person of
Jesus so
that we
could see
God
and know
him.
God
and
God
and
God
was
alive
when
Jesus
walked
the
earth.
He
could
sit
down
and
have
a
meal
with
him.
He
could
go
swimming
with
him.
He
could
have
food
with
him.
But
I
mean,
what
about
us
today?
How
do
we
get
to
see
God?
How
can
we
know
God?
Well,
I've
jumped
ahead.
You
can
see
it
there
on
the
screen.
We
see
Jesus
in
the
scriptures.
We
can't
see
God
in
the
flesh.
We're
not
going
to
meet
Jesus
if
we
went
down
to
Barry
Collins
for
our
shopping.
But
we
can
and
we
do
meet
him
in
the
Bible.
Jump
with
me
please
to
chapter
20.
Towards
the
end.
here
Thomas
who
was
to
become
one
of
Jesus'
disciples
has
known
and
heard
that
Jesus
has
died
and
some
have
come
to
tell
Thomas
that
Jesus
has
risen
and
here
Thomas
has
an
encounter
with
the
risen
Jesus.
chapter
20
verse
28
and
upon
seeing
Jesus
verse
28
Thomas
said
to
him
my
Lord
and
my
God
then
Jesus
told
him
because
you
have
seen
me
you
have
believed
blessed
are
those
who
have
not
seen
and
yet
have
believed
so
there
were
some
who
saw
and
believed
and
now
he's
saying
Jesus
saying
well
look
there
are
those
who
won't
see
me
but
they
also
will
believe
how's
that
possible
well
read
on
verse
30
Jesus
performed
many
other
signs
in the
presence
of his
disciples
which
are not
recorded
in this
book
but
these
are
written
and
have
been
recorded
that
you
may
believe
that
Jesus
is
the
Messiah
the
Son
of
God
and
that
by
believing
you
may
have
life
in
his
name
John
was
one
of
the
first
eyewitnesses
of
Jesus
who
wrote
down
what
he
saw
and
what
he
heard
so
that
you
and
I
here
today
could
know
God
you
see
everything
that
God
has
to
say
about
himself
is
revealed
in
the
person
of
Jesus
and
everything
that
we
need
to
know
about
Jesus
has
been
recorded
in
scripture
in
other
words
there's
nothing
more
we need
to
know
about
God
than
what
we
see
in
the
person
of
Jesus
and
there's
nothing
more
to
know
about
Jesus
than
what
we
read
in
the
Bible
so
Jesus
reveals
God
to
us
he
comes
in
the
flesh
and
his
account
his
story
who
he
is
written
down
so
that
you
and
I
today
can
personally
and
relationally
know
God
well
how does
all that
happen
how can
I know
God
in a
personal
and
intimate
way
well
imagine
if Jesus
did
turn up
in
Carragaline
this
afternoon
imagine
that
Jesus
moved
into
number
12
to drive
water
park
imagine
if
Jesus
was
your
next
door
neighbour
that
he
lived
next
door
to
you
imagine
he
was
one
of
your
work
colleagues
that
you
took
the
bus
with
every
day
imagine
that
he
was
your
football
coach
every
time
you
saw
him
you
would
be
looking
at
God
every
time
you
talked
with
him
you
would
be
hearing
God
would
you
would
you
welcome
him
would
you
believe
in
him
would
you
treat
him
as
God
of
your
life
well
as we
know
from
John's
gospel
Jesus
did
once
2000
years
ago
come
into
this
world
he
was
somebody's
neighbor
he
did
sit
and
talk
and
chat
and
eat
with
people
and
yet
shockingly
and
surprisingly
people
refused
Jesus
look at
verse 9
again
the true
light
that gives
light to
everyone
was coming
into the
world
but surely
if God
came to
the world
everybody
would want
to follow
verse 10
he was
in the
world
and
though
the world
was made
through
him
the world
didn't
recognize
him
they
didn't
want
him
he
came
verse 11
to that
which was
his own
that is
to his
own race
to his
own
people
but even
his own
people
didn't
receive
him
how could
that be
possible
as Jesus
walked the
streets of
Nazareth
as he
performed his
miracles
as he healed
the sick
and raised
the dead
as Jesus
called people
and said
believe in me
and you will
have life
in all its
fullness
they didn't
recognize
Jesus
they didn't
receive him
as God
well it's
still the
same
today
people are
not bothered
with the
person of
Jesus
even when
they're
confronted
with his
claims
they do
not want
Jesus to
be God
of their
life
and I'm
no different
and you
are no
different
look at
chapter 3
verse 19
we'll get to
this later
in our
studies
but just
very quickly
chapter 3
verse 19
this is
what he
says about
us
this is
the verdict
light
has come
into the
world
but people
loved
darkness
instead of
light
because their
deeds were
evil
it's a
damning
verdict
isn't it
we actually
prefer to
live in our
own darkness
wandering
around as it
were in the
belly of a
cave
bumping into
things trying to
figure life
out
disorientated
living life as
if I
am God
back to
chapter 1
but
not everyone
rejected him
verse 12
yet to all
who did
receive him
to those who
believed in his
name he gave
the right to
become children
of God
many of you
here today
have believed
and trusted
and you
have come to
experience life
with Jesus
a life that
is satisfying
and fulfilling
that you are
his child
and you have
that relationship
with the
father
but how did
it happen
well let's be
clear it's not
something that we
just decided for
ourselves I
didn't wake up
one day and
decide you know
what I think
today I'm
going to become
God's child
or I'm
going to become
part of God's
family
no becoming a
child of God
is something God
does for us
look at verse
13
pick it up
rather at the
end of verse
12 he gave
the right to
become children
of God
children born
not of natural
descent so
not of our
own well
being or
our own
ancestry or
anything else
nor of human
decision or
a husband's
will but
born of God
just as I
had no say
in my
parents decision
to have a
child so I
had no
influence in
becoming God's
child
child we
must be
end of verse
13 be
born of
God God
must give
us a new
spiritual life
I cannot
just make it
happen
on the
14th of
December
1971
a most
marvelous thing
happened
I was
born
long before
I had a
conscious
thought or
made an
audible
sound my
parents had
decided to
have a
child from
that very
first moment
I was loved
and cared
for they
provided for
me they
made decisions
for my best
they sacrificed
and served
they gave me
a name
Jonathan
and they
delighted over
me I was
treasured
and nurtured
and blessed
I experienced
their warmth
embrace
I was
their child
and I
received the
rights and
privileges of
the family
I belonged
never to be
disowned
I was safe
and secure
now tell
me
what part
did I
play
in making
any of
that happen
what did
I bring
to exchange
for such
love
well it
was all
freely
given
and all
freely
received
it was a
gift of
grace
and that
is just
a tiny
glimpse
of what
God does
for us
so if it
is God's
work
that I
become a
child of
God
well then
how do I
how do we
become
children
well it's
simply
admitting
that I
cannot
become
God's
child
by my
own
effort
and
desire
I
must
come
in
humble
dependence
on
God
and trust
that he
alone
makes me
his
own
there's
no pride
no arrogance
no superiority
you see
left to
ourselves
we would
never know
God
we would
be stumbling
about in
the darkness
but in
love
God came
to us
in the
person of
Jesus
Christ
the
lights
shone
so that
we could
see and
believe
and have
the joy
of being
called
children
of God
children
who are
loved
by an
eternal
God
children
who are
treasured
by a
creating
God
children
who are
blessed
by a
life-giving
God
and children
who are
secure
and full
and complete
forever
by our
relational
God
do you
know him
I hope
you do
and if
you don't
ask him
to show
you
so that
you too
can become
his child
let's pray
father your
good word
has taken
our minds
to mind
blowing
places
of
vast
expanses
of space
and time
and yet
it all
boils
down
to a
personal
God
who has
come to
us
that I
that we
could become
your
children
a relationship
with our
eternal
God
life
with him
forever
and ever
thank you
God
for coming
to us
for making
yourself
known to
us so
that we
can be
in your
family
thank you
amen
we're going
to sing
what is it
we're going
to sing
there we
are
here's a
great song
to
bring our
minds to
the great
creator God
but the
creator God
who came to
die for us
to give his
life for us
so that we
could have
life for him
if you know
him you'll
want to sing
this out
in praise
and celebration
I invite you to
stand if you
can
sit
and
be
live