Who Is This Jesus?

Kent Pletcher

The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

John 1:1–5

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John 1:1–5 (ESV)

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. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Opening Prayer

Intro

Matthew and Luke start their gospels by giving us genealogies.

Matthew takes us back to Abraham.

Luke takes us back to Adam.

Mark starts with John the Baptist baptizing in the wilderness...

And, Jesus being baptized by John.

John, unlike the other gospel writers, gives us a prologue to his gospel.

This prologue is John’s way of answering the question...

Who is this Jesus?

What we see in the prologue of John’s gospel is expanded upon in greater detail throughout his gospel.

I want us to keep in mind the reason that John gives us for his writing this gospel.

John 20:30–31 (ESV)

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are [this gospel is] 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.

So, over the next few Sundays we’re going to investigate John’s prologue.

We’ll explore His question, “Who is this Jesus?”

And, as we go through John’s gospel, we will see that Jesus is...

the Christ, God’s anointed King of Psalm 2.

the Son of God, the truly obedient Son.

God the Son, incarnate.

the Savior of the world.

Introductions

So, when we want to know about someone...

A question that is usually one of the first to be asked is something like...

Where are you from?

Are you from around here?

Where did you come from?

And, so John is answering this question.

A lot can be told about someone when you find out where they are from.

John opens up his gospel by first telling us about the Word...

In Relationship with God

John goes back further than Mark, who starts his gospel with the forerunner of Christ...

John the Baptist.

John goes back further than Matthew and Luke...

Further back than the birth of Christ.

Further back than Abraham.

Further back than Adam.

Before creation.

Before anything existed.

When there was only God.

John 1:1 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John uses the Greek word logos to describe the Son of God.

The Word (logos)

There are thoughts on why John used the word logos...

the Word.

Some think John is correcting the Stoics who thought of the word as an impersonal rational principle by which everything exists.

Others think John is combating gnosticism, but gnosticism was not yet formed when John wrote his gospel.

Yet, at this time, there were already seed forms of what would become gnosticism.

Some think John is borrowing from Philo, who makes a distinction between the ideal world, which he calls the logos of God and the real world, which is it’s copy.

A better, and I believe a more biblical approach, is to understand logos as the OT uses the word.

Considering how frequently John quotes and alludes to the OT, this seems the better answer for why John has chosen to use the word logos to describe the Son of God.

Additionally, the biblical use of the word in the OT also corrects all other misuses of the word, such as Philo, Gnosticism, and any other thing that comes along.

In the OT hebrew, the word (dabar) of God is connected with God’s powerful activity in creation, revelation, and deliverance.

When God speaks to one of His prophets we are told that the word of the Lord came to the prophet.

It was the word of the Lord by which the heavens and earth were made.

God speaks and His powerful word creates.

God’s Word is recorded to have gone forth and healed people from their death bed.

We are told in the OT that God’s Word rescued people from illness and from the grave.

There is a personification of God’s Word in the OT that cannot be ignored.

And, so John dives in to tell us of this Word, this logos.

In the OT, we observe that God speaks to express Himself.

He speaks and brings things into existence.

Creation is an expression of God.

It reveals to us the nature of God.

God speaks and creation does His bidding.

God speaks to reveal Himself, His nature, His will.

The Word of God is God’s self-expression.

God’s self-revealing.

And, the NT tells us that Jesus Christ is the perfect expression of God...

As the God-Man…God incarnate.

As a matter of fact, later in John’s gospel we will be told that if someone has seen Jesus he has seen the Father.

John’s use of the OT understanding of the logos Word of God confronts & corrects...

Prevalent Jewish Thoughts Regarding the Logos

Apocryphal writing and Jewish thoughts of the day were that the wisdom of God…the logos

Was in the beginning with God...

But was created first.

John is telling us that the Word was with God in the beginning...

But, in contrast with popular opinion...

The Word was not created by God.

To believe rightly is to believe what is true.

So, John tells us, not what people think, but what is true about the Word.

John 1:1 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

If the Word existed in the beginning one would logically suppose that the Word is either:

with God —OR—

nothing less than God, Himself.

John tells us both are true in three phrases...

In the beginning was the Word

We’re immediately swept back to the opening words of the OT.

Where we are told that One has always existed.

One existed before creation.

One has always existed.

A distinct person was in the beginning.

beginning (arche) – meaning the absolute beginning of the universe, the beginning of all things that have been made.

So, John is telling us at the origin of everything the Word already was…the Word has always been.

the Word was with God

Distinct person was with God.

with (pros)– used in person to person, toward positively, relating with positively

So, John is telling us that the Word is a person with God, yet distinct, and enjoying a relationship with Him.

And, we see this theme expand.

I and the Father are One.

I only do what the Father tells me to do.

I did what you sent me to do, now glorify Me with the glory I had with you before the world existed.

The Son has always existed...

And that existence has always been in relationship with the Father.

John goes on to add another truth and shed more light on who the Word is, by saying...

the Word was God

The Word, a distinct person was God.

John didn’t say God was the Word.

John said the Word was God.

Subtle but important.

God isn’t showing up in different modes.

God is God, eternally existing.

The Word is God eternally existing.

Both existing as God, distinct persons, but God.

And, John isn’t denying monotheism.

But, John is giving us a glimpse that he will expand on in His gospel of the very Triune nature of God.

Which we see in seed form in the very opening chapter of Genesis...

Where we are told, “Let us make man in our image.”

John isn’t merely saying the Word has divine qualities.

There’s a perfect word in the Greek for being divine in quality…theios (the–ose).

But, the Word John uses is theos (the–ahs)

John is holding nothing back and explicitly teaching that...

the Word was God all the way back before creation.

the Word has always been God.

One theologian puts John’s statement in v.1 as this...

“The ‘Word does not by Himself make up the entire Godhead; nevertheless the divinity that belongs to the rest of the Godhead belongs also to Him’”

The Word has always existed.

The Word has always existed in relationship with God.

The Word is God.

The Word was not created.

John will expound upon this and show us that the deeds and words of Jesus are the very deeds and words of God.

John says further, rather than being created, He was the personal agent of all creation.

And, John teaches us in vv.2-3...

John 1:2–3 (ESV)

2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Now John shows us the Word...

In Relationship to Creation

The pre-existent Christ created everything.

Every single thing that was ever created was created...

By Him, for Him, and through Him.

John is making it clear that the Word is not to be included among created things.

The whole of creation owes its existence to the Word.

John adds...

John 1:4 (ESV)

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Life & Light

As John expands upon these truths in his gospel there will be a shift to the meaning being salvific.

Here John is using it as life in creation.

Later it is used as life for the new creation.

The life that all creation enjoys is due to the life giving power of the Word.

The light that broke into the darkness of creation...

Was from the life giving power of the Word.

And, there is more...

John 1:5 (ESV)

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

God spoke light into existence.

In terms of creation, darkness is the absence of light.

Light removes darkness.

Darkness cannot overcome it.

As John develops this theme it will be more about darkness being positive evil...

And the light will be salvation in Christ from evil & its consequences.

John Begs Us to Think...

Who is this Jesus?

He is the eternally existing Word.

Who is the Word?

He is God.

He is the perfect revelation of God.

He is the reason that all things exist.

For by Him and through Him and for Him do all things exist.

Questions to ponder:

Why are these truths good to know?

How does the deity of Christ impact our living?

If Christ can create all things, how can He change your life?

If Christ can create all things, can He be trusted to make a New Heavens & New Earth, a new creation?

What impact should it make upon our thoughts of Jesus?

What impact should it make upon our thoughts of God?

How should it shape our thoughts towards our need of Jesus?

How should it shape our thoughts in the promises of God?

John is writing this gospel so that you may believe [the truth regarding the Word, Jesus]

that Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God,

and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Let’s get excited to see before our very eyes the proof of these things written & recorded in the gospel of John.

Let’s pray that God will deepen our faith in Him.

That God will help our unbelief.

And, that God will awaken sinners to the glory and treasure that is found in Jesus Christ.