We will hear from the disciple that said, "Jesus loved him." A disciple that was so close to Jesus , that he leaned against Him at the last supper. This was one of the last N. T. books to be written. John's Gospel differs from the other Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. They record the events of Jesus earthly ministry with out giving
a lot of details to the meaning of the events.
John, on the other hand often explains and applies the events. The other Gospels are more biographical than John. John
focuses largely on what happened in Judea. He zeros in on the events of approximately 30 days. Two themes flow through this Gospel: Faith and Unbelief.
And the purpose of this Book is clearly stated in chapter 20:30 &31;
"30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."
John wanted to convince his readers that Jesus was the Messiah, that He was the Son of God, Very God Himself.
This morning we'll look at the Word that Was God. We'll see how God communicated through His Son, and How God wants to communicate through us.
Bible Text: Turn to John 1:1
Jn. 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. 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 did not comprehend it.
1, In the beginning was the Word,
God Communicates Through His Son.
Explain & illustrate -Spoken Word
Things that communicate without a word: Horrible pain, uncontrollable laughter
As I speak to you this morning: what was in my mind is now in your mind.
How did you know I was thinking about Horrible pain? Because I expressed it, I Communicated it through the Spoken Word.
Communication expresses personality.
Phone call illustration: You don't know the person. Yet you can tell something about the person by the way they talk, by what they talk about things...
God Declares His Person and His mind through the Word (His Son).
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Jesus reveals the mind and personality of God to Man.
Heb. 1: 1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2. has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3. who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person,
What does this passage tell us about God's communication with man?
In the past God spoke through prophets. They expressed with God given ability "Who God was" and "What He desired of man."
But NOW, God speaks through the Son of God.
Who is the Ruler of all Creation
Whom God Created through
Who has the same Glory as God
Same attributes, Character
Who is the Express Image of God.
Perfect Reflection of God.
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
By Spoken Word, By Living Example
illustration:
Father & Son business
Son is sent to a far country -Heavenly Father & Son
God Revealed Himself through His Son. All that God wanted man to know about Himself He communicated through Jesus Christ;
The Very Thoughts and Character of God
Godıs characters: Holiness, Love, Power, etc.
Godıs Truth
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
To listen to the Son was to hear the Father.
To Know Christ is to know the Father.
Jesus did not just Tell the Truth, He was the Truth.
God Speaks and His thoughts "Take Place".
Gen. 1: 14, Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; Sun, Moon , and the Stars"
Mr 4:39 Jesus arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
Jesus /the Word, was and is the perfect Expression of God.
God has always desired to Reveal Himself to man.
Prophets, Jesus, Apostles, Now Us
God Communicates Through Us.
God sent His Son, His Son sends Us.
Titus1:1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
How is God's Word Revealed today?
By His Word
The Written Word
The Spoken Word
We need to Declare His Word.
By our Life
We are witnesses, We are ambassadors, We are Children of God
Eph. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
Lu 6:36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
1Pe 1:15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
1Jo 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
By our Speech:
Do we communicate the Words of life? Do we reveal God - by our words?
God gave us a powerful weapon to reach the lost,
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
To fight the enemies:
Eph 6:17 the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
Use it against the enemy, Satan, the world, the flesh
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
God's Word Can Not be held back.
2Ti 2:9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.
Conclusion:
God sent His Son to Communicate to man who He was. Jesus was the perfect reflection of God. The mind and the Character of God was seen in Jesus Christ. God now uses us to Communicate His Word to man.
What does your life communicate?
What does your speech reveal?
