JESUS CHRIST: THE ETERNAL GOD

John 1: 1-9

INTRODUCTION

I feel particularly inadequate this morning to accomplish the goal that is before me.  The goal I have this morning is no different than the goal I have each week.  However, I sense my impotence in greater ways this morning than usual.  Let me tell you what I believe is our goal in coming together each Sunday morning.  This is not just the goal of my preaching but of our entire worship service.  My goal, which without a doubt is God’s goal and I hope it is your goal, every Sunday morning is to gather together with God’s people for an hour and half to see the greatness of God in such a way that my mind understands more of the greatness of God, my heart rejoices more in the glory of God and my mouth and life reveal the greatness of God in greater ways when I leave here.

I aim for us to be like kids going to the concert of their favorite band.  They already love their band and listen to their music by the hour.  They go to increase their joy by experiencing their band firsthand and to express their joy in their band.  That is exactly what we are doing here every Sunday morning.  What makes this an impossible task on any Sunday morning is that none of us naturally believes that God is satisfying.  It goes against our nature to believe that God is more able to quench our desire to be happy than money or food or sex or drugs or vacations or family or jobs or computers or games.  This is what it means to be a sinner.  We have exchanged the glory of God for the glory of created things, to quote the apostle Paul.

Why do I say that I feel more inadequate this morning than normal?  There are two reasons.  First, Christmas in the USA is the time of year when all the stops are pulled out to convince us that we truly can be happy on planet earth.  Our hearts are being stimulated on an hourly basis to enjoy and hope in the pleasures of this world, without God.  Right now many of our hearts are full of the anticipation of going to watch one of the dozen new movies that have recently been released.  Many of us are looking forward to the gifts we are going to receive or give.  Many of our hearts are eager for the two weeks of vacation that lie in front of us.  I know this is true for you because it is true in my life.  This afternoon I’m going to see the movie, “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.”  I read JRR Tolkiens famous trilogy 5 times from the time I was 18 until I was 22.  I loved the books and always dreamed of seeing them in a movie.  When I discovered that someone had actually made them into a movie I was ecstatic.  So all week I have been full of joyful anticipation at seeing the movie.  However, I have been troubled as I have compared my enthusiasm for seeing the movie with my tepid desire to come here and worship Christ.

It is not necessarily sin to enjoy a movie or the family getting together on Christmas.  The problem is that we are delighted with all these wonderful gifts but we do not have the same kind of delight in the giver of all the gifts.  God is infinitely more interesting than the latest technology.  God is infinitely more satisfying than the best gourmet Christmas dinner.  The story of the birth of Jesus and what his coming into the world has accomplished is infinitely more thrilling than any piece of fiction.  Once a week we gather to remind ourselves of this and seek to enjoy Him together.  That’s what I want to do this morning.  I want to describe to you something of the magnificence of Jesus Christ so that you and I will love him and feel admiration for him.  It is my aim that we would “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”  Then as we discover he is good we will “praise the Lord for he is good.”  We will “glory in his holy name” the same way moviegoers glory in their favorite movie and hobbyists glory in their favorite hobby.

We’re going to do this in the record of Jesus’ life written by one of his closest friends while he lived on earth, the disciple named John.  We’re going to be looking this morning at the first nine verses of his gospel.  The second reason I feel particularly inadequate this morning is that I am going to be attempting to describe to you reality that strains the bounds of human language.  I visited the Grand Canyon 28 years ago.  I know it was magnificent.  However, the splendor of the G.C. is not a present reality.  I feel like I am trying to describe the Grand Canyon to you with the goal of getting both you and I to be as inspired and awestruck as if we were actually there.  I am seeking to describe the splendor of Jesus Christ, whom I know to be more majestic than everything else so that we take great delight in him.  Therefore, I want us to pause right here and ask God to do what none of us has the ability to do in ourselves.  I want to ask him to cause us to believe that he is better than every pleasure on planet earth.  I want to ask him to so reveal Christ to our minds and hearts that we delight to know, love, and serve him more than we delight in anyone or anything else.

MAIN POINT

Jesus Christ is the most glorious of all beings and therefore worthy of all your love because:

I. He is God (vv. 1-4)

In the beginning

Anyone familiar with the Bible knows that these are the same three words that begin the Bible.  John wrote his gospel after Matthew, Mark and Luke had written theirs.  Matthew and Luke begin with the story of Jesus’ birth, Mark begins with the start of Jesus’ public ministry when he was thirty years old.  John wants us to know that Jesus didn’t begin with the impregnation of Mary by the Holy Spirit.  Rather, before there was anything, there was the Word.  The Word is one of John’s many terms for the eternal Son of God who took on human flesh, being conceived in the womb of the virgin, Mary, by the Holy Spirit and named Jesus.  John wants you to know that this man Jesus is the Word that existed before any part of the universe existed.  The man, Jesus, who speaks and acts in the rest of this story that John tells never had a beginning.  He is not like any created thing.  He is not contingent or dependent upon anyone or anything for his existence.  He has always existed.  He does not need anyone or anything.  He is entirely self-sufficient.  He doesn’t need you or me.

John wants us to know that as we listen to the story of the Word’s creating the world and then entering the world that he does not do any of this because he has some need.  He existed from all eternity in the happiness of his own glory.  He doesn’t have any hidden agendas.  He cannot be bribed or manipulated.  He is completely righteous, faithful to his own purposes and character.  He has no reason outside of himself to do anything.  He is completely free to act according to the dictates of his own desires and will.  He has the power to accomplish all that he desires.  He answers to no one but all answer to him because he is prior to or before all things.

The Word

John calls the eternal Son of God, the Word.  By using this term John tells us two things.  First, Jesus is the ultimate self-disclosure of God.  God delights to reveal himself, to show forth his glory.  The way we know this is true is because of Jesus, who is the eternal Word of God.  If Almighty God did not delight to reveal himself, that would be bad news for us.  We would have no way of knowing him or knowing what he is like.  We would know that a “higher power” existed but we could never know him.  Imagine what it must be like to be an average citizen in a country, like Iraq, that is ruled over by a tyrant who has no need of you and no interest in informing you of what he is like or what he likes.  Your life would be filled with fear and uncertainty.  You would never know when this despot might come and destroy you or when you might be endangering yourself or your family by your activities.  We know because of Jesus and only because of Jesus that God delights to make himself known.  He wants us, as his creatures to know him, what he is like and what he likes.

Not only does Jesus being called the Word mean that he is the ultimate expression of God’s nature to be given to us but also Jesus is the power of God.  The Word of God in the OT is that which created the world and that which saves his people.  In Genesis 1 we see God speaking and his speech creates all that exists.  In the passage Todd read from Ezekiel 37, we see God speaking and giving spiritual, resurrection life to his people.  Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”   The key thing to see is that it isn’t simply that Jesus speaks words that heal and save but that he himself is God’s word of creating and saving power.  He is the word that creates and saves.  In many ways the rest of the gospel is merely proving that the Word that became flesh in the person of Jesus is the power of God.

With God and was God

Now notice that this Word that was in the beginning was with God.  This is the language of relationship.  The Word is not simply an inanimate force but a person who is intimately related to God.  However, while this word is distinct from God yet he is at the very same time fully God.  John is basing all of his language upon the OT.  He is describing the Word in OT language.  If there is one thing that the OT is very clear about it is that there is only one God.  So when John uses this language he is not saying that there are two Gods now.  Rather he is revealing another feature of the greatness of the God who exists.  God exists as a Trinity.  There is only one God.  However, that one God has always existed as three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Each person is fully God and yet there is only one God.  The eternal Word, who takes on human flesh, has always been God and always will be God and yet he is a distinct person in the Godhead.  Verse two combines and repeats these two statements so that we will not fall into error regarding the nature of Jesus, the Son of God.  “He was with God in the beginning.”  There is not one God who acts in three different fashions.  Rather, in the one Godhead, there are three distinct persons and each one is fully God.  Whatever divine characteristics God the Father possesses so does God the Son.  This Word is infinitely high above us.  His person and his nature are beyond our comprehension.  He is not our buddy.  John is so intent on persuading us that when we read of this 30 year old Jewish man named Jesus, living, speaking and acting in the rest of his gospel that we not forget that he is the eternal Word who has always been with God and who always is God.

Through him all things were made

The language of v. 3 is astounding.  I’d like to give you an expanded translation.  “By means of the divine, eternal Word every particle of the material universe came into existence, including every celestial power, every galaxy and every human being.  In fact, not one thing that has existence came into existence apart from his will and power.”  This is a direct reference to Genesis 1.  God spoke and light came into existence.  God spoke and the heavens and the earth came into existence.  God spoke and land appeared.  God spoke and the sun, moon and stars came into existence.  God spoke and vegetation sprouted on the land.  God spoke and birds and fish came into existence.  God spoke and land animals and human beings came into existence.  Jesus Christ is that word that was spoken by God that powerfully created everything.

Charles Misner, a scientific specialist in general relativity theory, wrote a book about Albert Einstein.  In it he reflected on Einstein’s view of organized religion and preaching back in the '40's and '50's.  He said, “I do see the design of the universe as essentially a religious question. That is, one should have some kind of respect and awe for the whole business. . . . It's very magnificent and shouldn't be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming.  He had seen much more majesty than they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions he'd run across did not have proper respect . . . for the author of the universe.^”   The universe that we inhabit is awesome.  There are over 50 billion galaxies.  The farthest stars from us are 12 billion light years away (12 billion times 6 trillion miles).  This entire, majestic universe came into existence through the Word who became a man.

I asked Joelle a couple of Sundays ago as we were driving to church who was her favorite singer?  I don’t remember whom she said but then I asked her how she would feel if I told her that this performer was going to be in church singing for us.  She said she would be very excited.  I then told her that the One who made her favorite singer was going to be here instead.  Whatever created thing gives you the most pleasure, Jesus is the one who made it, gave it to you and gives you the ability to enjoy it.  What is greater, the thing that is made or the one who made it?  When you see a beautiful painting, do you praise the paint and the canvas or do you marvel at the skill of the one who painted it?  How foolish find more joy in what is created than in the one who created.

In him was life

Here is another reference to the creation account.  God possesses life and he gives it to creation, especially he gives it to man when he breathes the breath of life into him.  All that is living owes its life to the eternal Word of God.  No one sitting here has life due to anything you ever did.  You did nothing to give yourself life.  You obtained life from the giver of all life, the eternal Word of God.  However, in the gospel of John, the word life appears 36 times and in all but one of those references it refers to eternal life, God’s own divine life, resurrection life that Jesus gives to everyone who believes in him.  Jesus Christ, possesses in himself, eternal life, divine life.  He is the bread that gives life to all who are hungry for the life of God and who come to him to get it.  He is the author and source of all that is living, especially of everyone that gains eternal life.  Now look at John 17:2-3.  The life that Jesus gives is the knowledge of God the Father and himself, God the Son.  The life that Jesus possesses and gives is a life of relationship with God.  It is a life of being taken up with the Godhead.

In the movie, “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”, there is a scene where the Elven princess, Arwyn tells Aragorn, who is a human that she is going to give up her immortal life as an Elf in order to marry him and live a mortal life with him.  She says, “I would rather live one life with you than an eternity of lives without you.”  Arwyn believed that one life lived with Aragorn was better than eternity without him.  The life that Jesus has and gives is a life taken up with the great, Triune God.  A song we sing is based on Psalm 84.  “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.”  That is the life God gives, a life lived in the enjoyment of him.  Eternal life, the life that God has and that he gives is a life taken up with him.  It is a life consumed with his glory and greatness.  Jesus didn’t come to give a life of safety and pleasure on earth but the eternal life of God, a life consumed with him and his greatness. 

Jesus Christ is the most glorious of all beings and therefore worthy of all your love because…

II.  He cannot be successfully opposed (v. 5)

Before we look at what verse 5 means I need to clear up a translation problem.  You’ll notice the NIV says “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not understood it.”  However, if you’ll look at the margin, you’ll see there is an alternative translation that reads, “The light shines in the darkness but the darkness did not overcome it.”  The reading in the margin is the correct one.  The reason I believe so is that the word translated “understand” is used three other times in the Gospel of John and in every other place it means “to seize, capture, overtake, conquer.”  Thus the point that John makes is that the light, which is the life that Jesus possesses which is the knowledge of the glory of God is shining in the darkness but the darkness did not on any occasion ever conquer the light.

What does it mean that the light is shining?  To what does the metaphor of darkness refer?  How does the darkness attempt to conquer the light and why is it always unsuccessful?  The light is shining refers to three things.  First, the fact that God exists and that he is infinitely glorious shines in the created world for all to behold.  Everyone has blazing in front of their face, every day of their life, overwhelming evidence that there is a great, powerful and personal God who has brought all things into existence.  Second, it refers to human beings who are made in the image of God.  There is incontrovertible evidence that God is personal, just, worthy of all praise in the existence of human beings made in his image.  There is no explanation for your appreciation of beauty, your sense of moral right and wrong, your creativity, and your pleasure in relating to others outside of the fact that we are creatures made in the image of our creator.  This light is blazing in front of every human being in the world.  Third, the light most clearly blazes forth in the preaching of the gospel.  The eternal Word of God, Jesus Christ, who is the life who gives light and the light who gives life, has come into the world.  Through the preaching of the gospel and by the work of the Holy Spirit, he radiates forth the glory of the God who made the world and who is out to save the world through him.

The darkness that the light is shining in is the darkness that is created by human sin and rebellion.  “Although they knew God they neither glorified him as God or gave thanks to him but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles…  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served created things rather than the creator who is forever praised.”  Human beings love to love everything except for the God who made them.  So the darkness of human sin is always attempting to extinguish the light of the glory of God that is blazing forth in creation, in their own existence and in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

However, the darkness has not ever and never will extinguish that light.  Rather the light is overcoming the darkness.  The reason John says this is that it appeared that the darkness won when Jesus came to earth and it appears that the darkness is winning now.  When the life of God that gives light to every man, came into the world, the world rejected him.  In fact, the world killed him.  When he died, a small fraction of the world of men even knew he existed and out of that small fraction an even smaller fraction, less than 1000 people saw the light he shed.  Today, we live in a God-belittling world.  The only God, the God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is not worshipped and obeyed by the majority of the world.  False gods are worshipped by billions of people.  Created things are loved, rather than the creator by the vast majority of humanity.  Even among those of us who call ourselves Christians, we feel the darkness of our own sin, pressing us to prefer other things to the God who exists.  But John says, the reality is that the light of the life that Jesus possesses is shining in the world and is driving back the darkness of sin and the misery of sin.  The story of his life on earth and of the spread of the gospel in the world and of the effect of the gospel in your life and mine is proof that the light is dispelling the darkness.  Light always dispels darkness.  Darkness can never overcome light.  Jesus, the life of God, the light of God is shining and driving back the darkness of sin and evil in the world and will one day blaze forth and fill every nook and cranny of this creation with the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God.  There is a day coming when all the darkness of sin and the misery of sin will be completely vanquished.

Jesus Christ is the most glorious of all beings and therefore worthy of all your love because…

III.  He is the dividing point of the human race (vv. 6-9)

John, in v. 6, moves from these cosmic, universal realities to the particular, mundane presence of a strange little man named John.  This is John the Baptist, who lived in the desert, wore rough clothing, and ate locusts and honey.  Notice the function of this particular man.  John is not the light, rather he came to bear witness to the light.  His job was to point people to the glory of the life that Jesus possesses that gives light to all men.  John’s function, as is the function of every Christian and every Christian pastor, is to point people to the greatness of the glory of God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.  His task, by his life and his words was to get people to marvel at Christ as the only revelation of God in the universe.  He is a witness for a purpose.  His purpose is that all men might believe.  He presents Christ as the only one who can give life because he is the only one who possesses life.  The purpose of John and of every Christian witness since John is to show that Jesus Christ is the Word of God who has life in himself and who gives life, eternal life.  There is no other way to know God than in and by Jesus Christ.  Every other attempt to know God will fail because only Jesus has life because only Jesus is God.  Joseph Smith is not God.  Mohammed is not God.  Confucius is not God.  The shamans of tribal religion are not God.  Allah is not God.  The 10 million Hindu gods are not God.  Only Jesus Christ is God and therefore has the life of God in himself and is able to give that life to others.  So this morning I do as John did and bear witness to the life that is the light of men that is in Jesus Christ alone so that all of you will believe.

I want to close by reading from an article by Dr. John Piper that shows what John the Baptist was after and what I am after in my attempt to describe to you the glory of Jesus Christ.  He writes, “A woman came up to me after church, weeping her eyes out in distress over the problems in her life.  At one point in our conversation I asked her, ‘If you were in a place where you had your family and friends, perfect health, all your favorite foods, and all your favorite recreation, and you didn’t have to feel guilty, would you still want to be there if Jesus wasn’t there?’  She cried out, ‘Yes!’  That is where a lot of professing Christians are.  The gifts of God are what they feel good about, not Christ.  Forgiveness feels good, getting rid of guilt feels good, staying out of hell feels good, having the kids stay off drugs feels good, and having the body made well feels good.  Frankly, Jesus can take a vacation.  Just give me these things.  But I don’t think there will be anyone in heaven who doesn’t want to be around Jesus more than they want anything else.”

Jesus Christ, the eternal Word of God, through whom the entire universe came into existence, who called you into existence, who is blazing in front of your eyes as the only revelation of the great, all-satisfying God, calls you to believe in him.  He is what you were made for.  Only he can give you the life of God, which is to be taken up with the glory of God forever.

Jesus Christ is the most glorious of all beings and therefore worthy of all your love because…