There are a lot of voices today saying things concerning Jesus; and many of them don’t know the real Jesus. To many Jesus was only a good teacher, a prophet, a good man, or a good example to follow. To others he never really existed; he is kind of like the legend of king Arthur; leaving a question or questions of like, “Did he really exist, or is he just folklore and legend?”

According to many scholars, historians, archeologists and others there is more evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ, His life, death, burial, and resurrection; than there is for the existence of George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. The purpose of this message is not to present these evidences, but to just take what John the apostle wrote as fact, and present it as truth, the truth of God; and let God speak for Himself.

Purpose – To introduce Jesus Christ to us in the beginning of John’s Gospel as the Word – to see what God is like; God’s communication of Himself to bring us to Himself.

INTRODUCTION –

The writer of the notes in the PILGRIM STUDY BIBLE says, “Words reveal thoughts and character; and just so the Lord Jesus expressed God’s thought and showed us what God is like.”

Jesus is introduced to us in the beginning of John’s Gospel as the Word. We are told by John that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” In chapter 12:20-21 there were some Greeks who had come to a feast of Israel. They came to Phillip and said, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” That is what I pray we get from this message from the Gospel of John.

If the world could get a clear picture of Jesus, and follow Him, it would help us all. The following story gives us the wisdom of a child;

“One day a father was sitting in his easy chair enjoying reading the daily paper. His young daughter came up to him saying, ‘Daddy will you play house with me?’ He would say, ‘Not now sweetheart. I am reading the paper rightenow. Please go a play without me.’ His daughter was persistent, though and kept coming back. Finally, after seveal approaches by the girl the father took a page of the peaper with a picture of the world on it, tore it into several pieces and gave it to her saying, ‘Here, see how long it takes you to put the pieces of the world together like a puzzle.’ She took that page and was gone a very short time, and returned to her father, and said, ‘Daddy, I got it all put together.’ He looked at the page, and asked her, ‘You finished so quickly. How did you do that?’ Her response was one that really should have an influence on us all. ‘Daddy’, she said, ‘There is a picture of Jesus on the back of the page, and when I got Jesus together the world came together too.”

John has some favorite words – “Life”, “love”, “witness”, “believe”, “truth, “know”, “light”, “darkness”, “world”, and “flesh”. you will notice these words in the reading of the gospel and his other writings.

“Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word is a revelation of God to man.” KJV BIBLE COMMENTARY

None of the Gospels are more clear on the Deity of Jesus Christ than is John’s Gospel.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” John 1:1-5 (KJV)

OUTLINE:

I. JESUS IS THE IMAGE AND REPRESENTATION OF GOD (v. 1; Hebrews 1:3).

II. JESUS IS THE FULNESS OF THE GODHEAD (v. 2; Colossians 2:9).

III. JESUS IS THE LIFE AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD (v. 3-4, 3:19; Colossians 1:16; Genesis 1:1-3).

IV. JESUS IS THAT LIGHT WHICH DISPELS THE DARKNESS (v. 5; 8:12; 12:46; Ephesians 5:8)

JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF AND REPRESENTATION OF GOD.

“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” Hebrews 1:3 (KJV)

He as the Living Word was creating from the beginning of all things (Genesis 1:1). A person’s words reveal their character, their hearts, their thoughts. You can trust God’s Word. In God’s case His Word is His character.

Jesus as the Living Word is revealed seven times in the first chapter of Genesis. In verses 3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, and 26 it reads, “And God said…”. What God said was His Word was going forth creating. All things that are were made by His Word – the Word who “was made flesh”.

Let’s hear what Jesus said of Himself;

Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, “Ye neither know Me, nor My Father: if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also.” John 8:19 (KJV)

Then said the Jews unto Him, “Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham?” Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:57-58 (KJV),

and who is “I Am”?

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” Exodus 3:13-14 (KJV)

JESUS IS THE FULNESS OF ALL THE GODHEAD – SO HE WAS WITH HIM AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN WITH HIM.

“For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9).

The Scriptures tell us that “God is Spirit” meaning, basically, that we cannot see God. “God is Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

God in His love revealed Himself to us through His Son Jesus who is the Living Word. When we see Jesus we see the Father. When we hear the words of Jesus we hear the words of the Father. When we trust Jesus we trust the Father.

JESUS IS THE LIFE AND LIGHT TO THE WORLD. The implication is that the world is in darkness and in need of light. In the beginning God gave light for the earth. Where did the light come from? God is the light of the world. Jesus later said, “I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5) The light was divided from darkness. One thing we must realize is, that, where there is light there is no darkness at all.

Darkness is a way of hiding all that is evil and evil evidently does not realize that nothing is hid from God.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19 (KJV)

Jesus is the light that shines in darkness, and darkness cannot overcome His light. The world and the devil may think He is defeated. We hear reports of Christianity slipping in growth, yet those who genuinely trust Jesus Christ are growing and the Body of Christ is still strong, and growing in faith; knowing that the return of Jesus Christ is soon.

The devil, that ole serpent, knows he has been defeated; but has many convinced that the battle has not yet been decided. Anyone believing that is a fool, and pawn of evil. The cross of Christ and His resurrection is the sure sign that the battle for the souls of men, has been won, and Jesus Christ is the Victor. Light has overcome the darkness.

JESUS IS THAT LIGHT WHICH DISPELLS DARKNESS – HE DRIVES IT AWAY. Who ever follows Jesus will not walk in darkness, but in the light.

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12 (KJV)

People who walk with Jesus will not abide in darkness – we are of the light, because He is the Light.

“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46 (KJV)

When you are trusting Jesus, walking with Him, He drives all the darkness away; or will walk with you through it (Psalm 23:4). If you are having a dark moment in your life, just look to Jesus, the One who endured the darkness of the cross for all our sin. Paul tells us to walk as children of the light.

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light…” Ephesians 5:8 (KJV)

SUMMARY –

i. To see God just look upon Jesus.
ii. Everything God is; Jesus is: Everything Jesus is God is.
iii. Where Jesus is there is no darkness at all.
iv. In the presence of Jesus there is no need for fear, unless you are on the wrong end of his judgment.