Jesus is the Light

Jesus is the Word Sermon

John 1:1-9, 12-13

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 anything 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. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. – 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

Who is Jesus, Part 1

 

Intro

• When God introduced himself to Moses through the burning bush, Moses asked Him his name.
  • God replied in Exodus 3:13-14 13Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”a And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 
  • Much like the story of Moses, John pens the first 16 verses of John about Jesus Christ, Son of the Most High God without naming the name that Philipians 2: 9 says is the name above all names, the name of Jesus by which every knee should bow in heaven and on earth, the name that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…
    • Instead the author names Him by His attributes of being the Word & the Light
      • Finally in verse 17 it says, for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ…
      • Today we will look at who is Jesus, through the lense of his divine attributes of being the Word and the Light

 

Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Word.

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 anything made that was made.

• In the beginning

• Genesis 1:1-3

1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

• • • • • Check out the Trinity working in concert
          • Where is ‘The Word’ or Jesus?

• Verse 2- He was in the beginning with God

• Verse 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

• All things (Genesis 1:4-26)

• • • • • The light
        • Heaven & earth
        • Vegetation, fruits, trees & seeds
        • Sun, moon, stars
        • Birds, sea creatures, livestock, creeping things (insects)
          • The whole opening scene of the ‘lion king’
        • Finally God made man
          • Verse 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them

• All things were made through Him, and without him was not anything made that was made

 

**This truth of the everything being made through ‘the Word’ is throughout the scripture**

 

• • 1 Corinthians 8:6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

• Colossians 1:13-17 13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For byf 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. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 

• Hebrews 1:1-2 1Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. 

 

• • It is clear that through Jesus, AKA, the word, The father created the world.  This is where the name, the Word comes from, because God used the Word to create everything….Let there be light….
    • Jesus is the divine communication and articulation of the will and thoughts of the Father

• Hebrews 1:3 3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. 

• This is why we as Christians are to be Christ-like, or followers of Christ, because by following Jesus, we too are walking according to the will of God.

• This is why we read and obey His the word of God, because it is the mind and will of God for us.

• So who is Jesus?  He is the Word, and verse 1 says “The word was God”
  • We celebrate Christmas as the celebration of when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…

 

***Who is Jesus?  Jesus is the light***

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

• In him was life

• • • In Jesus there is life, because before Him, Colossians 2:13-14 says 13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
      • By giving His life, He gave us life, now we are alive 
        • Romans 6:11 we are dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus

• The life was the light of men

• • His life brought light to us, but what is light without darkness?
    • If I turned on a flashlight, you would barely see it right now
      • But if I turned out all the lights, the light will burn bright
  • Iow, Jesus is the light that we follow amongst the darkness of the world
    • When we are lost, He is the light that guides
    • When we are depressed and in a funk, He is the light that guides us
    • When there is sin in our life, he is the light that guides us
    • When our marriage is in trouble, He is the light that guides us
    • When we need wisdom for some occurrence or season of our life, He is the light that guides us
    • Regardless of who you are, who you think you are, how smart, how rich, how mature, how together you are, you need Jesus to be your light and He is to be followed!

Jesus is the Word

Jesus is the Light Sermon

***somebody say, Jesus be my light!***

 

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

• The darkness has not overcome it

• • There is nothing that can hold back the light of Jesus! Nothing!
  • Death couldn’t hold it
  • Pilot’s plot couldn’t hold it
  • It has thrived for over two thousand years, the Light of Jesus, shining in this dark world will not be stopped
  • This gives us hope for our culture that is so anti-christ!
    • Anti-christian values
      • Abortion
      • The ray
      • Music video-trippie redd-Topenga
    • census for cook county
      • 2000 20%
      • 2010 40%
      • 2020 who knows?
    • Regardless of these facts, the promise is that darkness has not over come it and will not over come it!!!
    • Church, this is why we are so important!
    • Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so thatb they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

*praise team*

 

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  

• Jesus is the light that guides us to the Father

 

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

• He gave the right to become children of God

• • Sin separated us
  • We were far from God
  • We were dead in our sins
  • Through Jesus our relationship can be restored to a loving God and Father