An Introduction to the Christ
Text: John 1:1-18
I. The Word - John 1:1-2
A. Words are the vehicles which transport a thought from one mind to another.
1. The Bible is medium that reveals the mind of God to man
a. The Apostles taught the words of God, which came from the Spirit of God and not from man - I Corinthians 2:11-13
b. The Thessalonians had accepted Paul’s teachings as the word of God and not the word of man - I Thessalonians 2:13
c. All Scriptures (written words) come from the mouth of God - II Timothy 3:16
2. Who is this Word?
a. Hinted at in John 1:14
b. The only begotten of the Father (i.e. the son of God)
3. Jesus revealed God in his teachings and his deeds - John 14:7-11
a. Jesus is the fullness of God - Colossians 2:9
b. He is the exact representation of God - Hebrews 1:3
B. He existed at the beginning
1. He had the Father’s glory before the world existed - John 17:5
2. The world was made through Jesus - Hebrews 1:2
3. All things were created by Jesus and for Jesus - Colossians 1:16-17
4. When we read the account of creation in Genesis 1, where do we find the son of God? (God spoke)
C. He was with God
1. Jesus is a distinct personality from the father.
2. With indicates an equality with God - Philippians 2:6
3. Jesus said they were one - John 10:30
4. It indicates a unity in purpose and work, not a single personality - John 5:17-18
D. He was God
1. This counters many beliefs
a. He was just a good man
b. He was a political revolutionary
c. He was the first created being by God
2. Some go so far as to alter their Bible text to say “a god”
a. Same word is used in John 1:6. Was John sent by a god?
b. Same word is used in John 20:28. Did Thomas declare Jesus to be his Lord and a god?
II. All things were created by him
A. The Bible does not say Jesus was created, but that he was the creator
B. Revelation 3:14 - He was the beginning of creation. He started the creation.
III. In him was life
A. A theme that is mentioned frequently in John - John 5:26, 14:6
B. Jesus brought life to a dead world. Dead because of our sins.
C. The Bread of Life - John 6:35, 48
D. The source of eternal life - John 11:25
IV. That life was the light to men
A. Another theme in John - John 1:9
B. Light is something that illuminates. It reveals what is hidden
1. What happens when we turn on the light in the middle of a dark night?
2. Why does the light bother us? (Because we had become used to the dark.)
3. Jesus was such a bright light in this dark world of sin, that the world could not comprehend him. (See John 1:10, 11)
C. Jesus is the light of life - John 8:12
D. Jesus is the light of the world - John 9:5
E. The light is righteousness and the dark is sin - I John 2:8
