John's Witness

Opening Verse: Exodus 33:7-23

Why study the Gospel of John?

• Evolution/creation debate - "prove it"

• It is an eyewitness account of one of Jesus' disciples.  John 20:30-31 explains, "The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book.  But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name."

• Christ should always be before us, and at the center of preaching - "For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2)
• Revisiting old letters from beloved family and friends, with new eyes and vantage point of time and experience.

1 In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

• Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

• Genesis 1:3 Then God said…
• Psalm 33:6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created.  He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
• Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

2 He existed in the beginning with God.

• Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
• Hebrews 1:10-12 He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.  They will perish, but you remain forever.  They will wear out like old clothing.  You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing.  But you are always the same; you will live forever."

3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

• Hebrews 1:2-3 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

• 1 Corinthians 8:6 But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life
• Colossians 1:15-17 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.  He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

• Romans 11:36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,  and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

• Referenced later in John, in the "I am" statements (way, truth, life; light of the world)

6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

• John pointed to the light; we reflect the light

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

• Romans 1:18-25 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.  Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.  So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

• John 3:3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

• John 3:16-17 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."

14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. 15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

• Jesus "dwelt among us" -- same phraseology as tabernacle; the body is often referred to in Scripture as tents & tabernacles

16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.

• Also translated, "grace upon grace"
• Ephesians 1:3-11

17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

• Also translated "grace and truth"

• Just as sin and separation came through the first Adam, Jesus is "the last Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45-49) who brought forgiveness and reconciliation through His atonement.  The law was given through Moses; the law was fulfilled through Jesus.

18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

• "God with us" (Matthew 1:23); "everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6)

• Everything about Jesus reveals God to us -- every parable, every miracle, every act, every Word
• God said to Moses, "No one may see Me and live" (Exodus 33:20b); Jesus declares, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." (John 14:9b)

Why study the book of John?

• Because through the eyewitness account of the disciple Jesus loved, we gain an intimate look at Jesus, and as such, at the Father who loved us so very much.