LIFTING UP JESUS
John 1:1-6
The study of Christ is called Christology. The branch of Christian
Theology, relating to the person, nature, and the role of Christ.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
(1) What beginning is the verse referring to?
The Greek word for beginning is arche which is translated “ High Priest, He above all others was honored, Jesus Christ”
The word beginning means creative power. When something
first begins. Christ is the beginning of the Church.
The Beginning is not talking about time but the first High Priest
Christ is before time as we know it.
Therefore in the first High Priest was the Word
The Word is the logos, the divine expression
All wisdom and all knowledge is Jesus Christ.
THE FIRST HIGH PRIEST IS THE DIVINE EXPRESSION
THE WORD AND CREATION
(2) The Word was with God
The Greek word for God is Theos
The word with is “pros” in harmony with God
The Logos is in harmony with the Theos
The Logos has a special relationship with Theos
John 1:2. He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning
Jesus was High Priest with God first
John 1:3-6
V:3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Jesus is a co-creator with God the Father,
Look at Genesis 1:1
Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
The word beginning means first in time, place, or rank
Jesus, the logos, the divine expression, the co-creator,
The High Priest is first.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be with the first place
Holder.
To deal with Satan is to deal with the Loser
THE WORD INTERPRETS ITSELF
The Word confirms itself
Jesus is consistent in His testimony Colossians 1:16
Jesus existed before time Colossians 1:17
Jesus was not created, He was before the creation
JESUS IS THE LIFE OF THE WORLD
V:4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
Everything that was made was made with the life of Jesus.
We are walking lives of Jesus. The Birds, the plants,
The fish in the water, and all mankind live because of
Jesus
There are two meanings, for life. There is the natural life
And there is eternal life.
We were born into natural life. We are chosen for eternal
Life. Natural life has a beginning and an end. Eternal
Life has no beginning and no ending.
Jesus is the source of natural life and is eternal life.
The natural life in you was imparted to you at conception.
When the egg from your mamma met the sperm of your
Daddy, Jesus created life in you.
Life is the energy, the force, and power of being.
THE LIGHT OF MEN
Jesus is the light of men
There are two types of light. There is physical light
And there is spiritual light.
Light illuminates the darkness. There can be light in the midst of
Darkness. For example, a flashlight, a physical light lights up
A small area,
Sunlight shines all the time. It is the rotation of the earth away
From the sun that gives us darkness.
The focus in John is spiritual light.
Spiritual lights illuminate the darkness of one’s soul.
Spiritual light refers to knowledge of God
1 John 1:5-6
God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
Light in the text refers to divine knowledge, the truth
1 John 1:6-7
If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
DARKNESS IS NATURAL
V: 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
Jesus is the fountain of intellectual light and spiritual understanding
Jesus saves us from ignorance and sin which is darkness.
It is easy to live in darkness. You don’t have to do anything to be
In spiritual darkness. We were born in spiritual darkness.
We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity.
The good news is Spiritual Light is present and available to everyone.
The proclamation of Jesus is all around us. The only way to miss
Jesus, the light of the world, is to tune any mention of Him out of
Your mind.
If you use any media source you will bump into Jesus.
Those in the Light were chosen to be in the Light. Ephesians 1:4
Some in darkness will stay in darkness even though light is
All around them. John 14:17
THE WITNESS, YOUR JOB
John 1:6-9
V:6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
There came you sent from God, your name is___________
You are commanded to be a witness of the light Matthew 28:19
You are not the light, but a witness that draws others to the true
Light.
John 6:44
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.
You are the servant that God uses to bring light to the world
Matthew 5:14-15
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Don’t turn your light off.
Anytime you refuse to proclaim Jesus, your light is off.
You may say I live a good life for people to see. People may not
See, if they are not looking.
THE WORLD WAS NOT DESIGNED TO RECEIVE CHRIST
John 1:10-11
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
We serve a good God. He is a merciful God, He is a forgiving God.
He can do no evil. He is a Sovereign God. Yet He did choose
Everyone to receive the light.
Jesus the co-creator of the world was rejected by His own people
Most of the world will be left condemned,
CHOSEN BY GOD
V:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God
You were chosen before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 4:1
God’s mercy was present for you before you were born
THE COMPASSION OF JESUS
BECAME YOUR SALVATION
V:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Before the foundation of the earth, the mercy of Jesus was planned
For you. Before the foundation of the earth, you were favored by Jesus
IN SUMMARY, THIS IS WHAT JESUS DID FOR YOU
He submitted Himself to the will of the Father
Philippians 2:6-7
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
Took off His robe of Glory, stepped down from His throne
Took on Human flesh
Established the Church
Died on the cross, raised on the third day
Received all power over heaven and earth
Seated at the right hand of the Father making intercessions
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