The Gospel of John #1

Do You Believe?
John #1
Pastor Ben Fleming
May 24, 2009

John 20:30- 31 (ESV) “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”

There are 4 gospels that begin the New Testament. The book of John is the only one that tells us why it was written – you can see at the top of your outline, “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” During these coming weeks and months as we study the book of John there are going to be those of you in this room who genuinely come to a point of believing and by that believing you will begin to have true life. You will begin to see your life change. True belief means changes. You cannot believe and not see spiritual changes in your life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, or Christ is in anyone (and that only happens by believing) he or she is a new creation – the old things are passing away and the new things are coming. When you believe that begins to happen in your life and it continues to happen. To those who do believe already you will know firmly why you believe and what that new life entails…

The gospel of John is unique among the gospels. If you remember – the word gospel means good news. The good news about Jesus Christ. The first three gospels – Matthew – Mark and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels --- that is a Greek word that means “seeing together”. When you hear the word Synoptic Gospels you know it always refers to the first 3 books of the New Testament. They are three writings of the same account by three different people but they have similar themes and much in common. They follow a similar outline…….. John is different. He has no parables – he does not record Jesus birth – baptism – transfiguration – temptation – Gethsemane or the ascension. 90 percent of John’s material is not found in the other three. These differences do not change the truth or the accuracy of the gospels. It does not give one a valid reason to doubt the accuracy of the bible. Briefly, two points about the differences that you find between John and the Synoptic Gospels.

1. The differences between John and the Synoptics are not contradictions. Nothing John writes contradicts what is in Matthew – Mark and Luke and visa versa.

2. The differences between the books must never be exaggerated. All 4 gospelsl present Jesus as the Son of Man, the Messiah and the Son of God. All 4 say that He is the one who was sent to save his people from their sins and that He died as the perfect sacrifice for man on a cross and that He rose again from the dead.

Think of it like this: The book of John and the other Gospels were designed by the Holy Spirit to be interlocking (fingers). For example: The Synoptics tells us that Peter was in the high priest courtyard – while John tells how he got there and the others do not. The Synoptics tells us that after feeding the 5,000 people Jesus sent them away – John tells us why He did so. John’s writings make passages in the Synoptics more understandable and the writings of Matthew – Mark and Luke make John more understandable….. John wrote his letter decades after the others --- so when John wrote he assumed that his readers were familiar with the events recorded in Matthew – Mark and Luke. Those books most likely were already available and read in the new Christian churches. John wrote this book most likely between 80 - 90 AD. If you remember Jerusalem and the Temple was flattened by the Romans in 70 AD and we know that the Mark was the earliest gospel followed by Matthew and Luke somewhere around 60AD. Most of us could care less about that information but that will help you some not to be biblically ignorant.
We are going to jump into John and I trust that God is going to speak to us and teach us and that those here who do not believe – you will believe and that by believing you will begin to have true genuine life. On your outline: Write in the purpose of John.

Purpose: To believe, and that by believing you may have life. John used that word believe 100 times he used – twice as much as the Synoptics. It is a verb – so you cannot say you believe in Jesus and you do nothing. Believing in Jesus means it changes you. There is a change every day in your life as a result of believing in Jesus. John wanted to convince his readers of who Jesus was – he wanted them to believe that Jesus was God in the flesh – and that He was the savior of the world. Please stand as we read. 1:1-18 Keep your bible open

This opening section of the gospel of John lays out for us the most profound truth about the Christian faith. It tells us a truth that the greatest minds on this earth cannot understand but the simplest child can. The infinite eternal God became a man in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The deity of Jesus Christ is an essential – non negotiable fact of the Christian faith. If you do not believe in His deity – if there is some doubt – then you cannot be a true Christian. Mormans and Jehovah Witnesses are not Christian. The God of the Muslim and Jew are not Christian. The bible gives us six lines of reasoning to prove that Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is God

1. The Bible states that Jesus Christ is God.
Vs.1c “the Word was God”. We are going to examine later why Jesus is called the Word and what that means. In John we are going to see that Jesus Himself said repeatedly and claimed for Himself the divine name “I am”….. Turn over to chapter 10 verse 27 – “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” --- He is giving you an indicator of who really believes in Him. Someone who believes in Jesus hears His voice and they follow Him (28) “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Fathers hand – and then He closes by saying “I and the Father are one.” If you have understanding – that is pretty clear – Jesus is God. He is divine. The apostle Paul put it this way: Outline:

Philippians 2:6 “ who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,” and then in Colossians 2:9 “For in Him the fullness of deity dwells bodily”. In the person of Jesus Christ deity dwells. Jesus is God. 2nd reason.

2. Jesus is given tittles throughout the Bible given only to God. For example. In Jeremiah 23:6 the prophet promised that the Messiah would be called “the Lord”. In Psalm 23 and John 10, God and Jesus are called the Shepherd and in Psalm 27 and John 8 they are both called the Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus is God because He is given the same tittles as God is given. 3rd reason that Jesus is God

3. Jesus possess the same incommunicable attributes of God. He is eternal – His is omnipresent – He is omniscience – immutable and sovereign. Only God can possess those attributes.

4. Jesus does only the works that God can do. John 1 says that He created all things and Col 1:17 says that He sustains creation – Jesus is the creator and He is the sustainer of creation – He holds together this world – He holds together the rotation of the planets. 5th reason

5. Jesus Christ received worship, even though He taught that only God is to be worshipped.

6. Jesus received prayer – which is only to be addressed to God. John 14:13 “Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Turn with me to the book of Genesis – verse 1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” and then go down to verse 26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image” – you have to ask yourself who is the us and who is the our refered to? There is more than one person present in the beginning of creation. Now God back to John chapter one and look with me at verses 1 – 5
I want to give you three pictures of the Word which John speaks of.

(slide) 1. The Word has always existed. Vs. 1 -2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” “He was in the beginning with God.” John is using a term that was familiar to the Greeks and the Jews – He called Jesus the Word or the Logos. To be called the Logos was to be called the source of wisdom and the source of creation. In the Old Testament, to Jews – Word was the source of divine power. So – when God chose John to write this opening line in his letter – he used words that communicated to a Jew and to a Greek. He then took it a step further and wrote that the Word was with God. A professor of the Greek language Robert Cook in his work – The theology of John says that the English translation from Greek does not effectively communicate what this means – the Word was with God – it means much more than the Word existed with God – it gives in the Greek language the picture of two personal beings facing one another and having an intelligent discourse. Can you imagine that – from before all eternity Jesus is having an intelligent deep intimate conversation or fellowship with God the Father. He came to this earth – fully God – died for man’s sin – was buried and raised again on the 3rd day and He went back to heaven. Romans 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” If you truly believe in Jesus – you can have that same intimate conversation with the Living God. If you believe in God then you ought to be having a daily conversation with Him. The more you converse with someone the more you get to know them – the more you converse with someone and spend time with them - you begin to trust them --- you begin to have an intimate relationship with them. But if you are not a believer – Jesus is not talking to God about you and for you – but He is for the believer and this gives the believer confidence.
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” This past week that has become so deep and sweet to me in the midst of pain --- I am reminded again that I can approach God with confidence and I can find mercy and grace in time of need. All because I believe in Jesus who is the Word and has always exited and continues to exist at the right hand of the Father. 2nd picture John gives us….

(slide) 2. The Word has creative power. (Vs. 3) “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” So – what does that tell you about Jesus Christ? He is the creator – He created everything. Col 1:16 “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… all things were created through Him and for Him. It is absolutely clear how the bible never contradicts itself and no author of any book in the bible disagrees with another book? The Word has creative power in heaven and on earth – visible and invisible. Have you seen some photos from the Hubble Telescope? PHOTO PHOTO PHOTO ---- Jesus the Lord created what you just saw? He is the word and the word has creative power. Hebrews 1:2 “in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son – whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also created the world.” Who has spoken to us? God the Father. How did He speak to us? By sending His Son to this earth. You either believe that or you do not. He spoke to those who believe in the one whom God the Father appointed heir of all things – through whom He created the world.” The Word has creative power and #3

3. The Word is self existing. (vs. 4 -5) “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John now calls Jesus two new words – the first is life and the second is light. Jesus is life. We know when someone has life and when someone does not have life. They stop breathing and their heart stops beating. We use this word very casually too – we say that he or she is the life of the party. But the life that John is talking about is spiritual life. If your heart is beating you are alive physically but only belief in Jesus can give spiritual life to a person. You find John writing in his other letters in the same way. Look on your outline……….
1 John 5:11 - 12 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Christ did not get life from God the Father – He did not earn life – Christ is self existing. He has no beginning and no end. Only God is self – existing.

John also called Jesus light. Calling Jesus light is like a metaphor – it means that he is truth and holiness which stands in contrast to the darkness of lies and sin. This is perhaps why Jesus said these words in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” So if you believe in Jesus who is self existing and who is light then you walk in truth and holiness. Jesus said, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness – he or she will not walk in lies and untruth.
Application: In him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. --- Most of you know that we received word on Tuesday night that our son and daughter in law did not get a good report from the doctor. Becky is 20 weeks and carrying a little girl. That little girl has birth defects that if she makes it to birth – she most likely will die in 24 hours. They are going to Seattle Children’s Hospital this Wed to see a perinatalogists to confirm the first ultrasound. My first feeling when Ben told us was the same feeling of stepping into darkness – do like to walk in darkness? I walked in darkness until I was 18 years old and I began to believe in Jesus. John Terry – I am reminded of how you talk in your testimony of walking in darkness. When you walk in darkness you are lost. You keep bumping into things. Walking in darkness carries with it the emotion of fear – the unknown and being alone. As a believer – I may have a cloud over me now – but I know it will pass. Darkness always brings questions and it opens up evil. The majority of crimes are committed in darkness. Light is healing. Light brings direction – hope and guidance –light bring warmth and comfort. Did you know that vitamin d comes from light? Growth happens in the light – we have seen that in the past 8 weeks as spring is upon us. Some of you here are still in the darkness – you are lost – you have no reason and no purpose for living – you keep bumping into things. You need to come to Jesus and tell Him – I believe – Help me in my unbelief.

Now I want to be real with you because I long to be a pastor of a church family that is real – this second journey of death for our family does not change the light. Oh – I have felt like I have stepped into darkness – but when I look up – and I have to be reminded to look up --- I see a ray of light and that light is Jesus Christ and it is there only because I have believed and in that believing I have hope and I have forgiveness and healing. We do not know if we are going to walk this path for 20 more weeks and then begin to grieve – I feel like I am grieving now. I was reminded a year ago that God is good. I wonder if I forgot that. I looked for My good God – I have been looking for God since Tuesday. I have found him many times. So --- if you are a believer this morning – may I remind you that God is light and in Him there is no darkness --
if you are not a believer you are in darkness – many people in darkness do not even care - David Shipman and I spoke with a young teenage man on Wed night – he is in darkness and he does not care. May I urge – May I plead with you – come to Jesus – respond to Him today – stop being content to walk in darkness – darkness only produces evil and you will never have the blessings of God as you walk in darkness.