Jesus is: The Word John 1:1-2 Small group questions

Transcription

1 Jesus is: The Word John 1:1-2 Small group questions Read John 1:1-2 WARMING UP 1. In verse one, John introduces the word. What do you think of when you think of words? How important are words, not just to our culture but in every culture and time? 2. Who is the Word (Logos)? How do you know? Does John even say this? (hint: read John s prologue in full) 3. Why does John choose to use the word Logos in reference to Jesus? 4. Read Hebrews 1:1-2. In what way is Jesus the ultimate word of God? 5. What three truths does John tell us about the Logos in verse One? 6. Consider Psalm 33:1-9, along with Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:26. What was Jesus role in creation? How does this verse address the relationship that God and Jesus had in creation? 7. Can John 1:1 be translated that the Logos was a God along with God? Are there any texts that come to mind that might refute that claim (that some people make)? 8. Ian made the point that the interpretation of the Word being with God can also be translated as inclined towards God. Does this change the meaning of the text in any way? 9. How does this verse speak to Jesus equality with God? a. What did Jesus say about his equality with God during his ministry on earth? b. Read John 8:58-59, 10:30-31, 10: How did the Jews respond when Jesus made this claim for himself? 1

2 Date: 30 th November, 2014 Services: 730am and 930am Series: Jesus is Title: Who is Jesus? The Word. Passage: John 1:1-2 Aim: To not forget that in our attempt to relate to Christ that Christ is eternal and always was, with God. Outline: Revelation Creation Salvation Friends, last week we drew a close to that really great I AM series and now, throughout Advent we are going to be looking in depth at the first 18 verses of John chapter one. John 1:1-18 is packed, and I hope that you share my excitement at looking at it really closely together. So with that in mind, would you please have open in front of you John 1:1-2. Can I also commend to you that in this holiday season, when we are sure to have many visitors, you may find it helpful to bring your own Bible from home. We teach and preach from the NIV, but there are many versions that are comparable. So In the beginning was the Word As soon as those words are uttered we know that we are walking into something which is both very familiar and really very strange. John has chosen a deep philosophical turn of phrase to begin his Gospel. But why? It s certainly the only Gospel that begins like this and the only place in it these words are used this way. Well, my premise to these two verses is that within them John is proclaiming Jesus to be: - A revelation - A creator - and a Saviour and it s these three points we ll be focusing on today. 2

3 Revelation - In the beginning was the Word the logos. John is stating that Jesus was there from the start. But he does it so obscurely doesn t he? The man who wrote this Gospel was the closest to Jesus of them all. The beloved disciple. He knew Him well so why on earth use this word logos when there are so many other names that can be used?! Friend? Brother? King of Kings! Prince of Peace? Why not Son of Man or even Son of God as he uses throughout the rest of the Gospel? And the word logos itself, does not have just one meaning. It is used elsewhere in John, for example, to refer to Jewish Scripture and elsewhere again the message that Jesus preaches for example in John 8, Jesus says to His Jewish disciples If you hold to my Word (badly translated as teaching in our NIV) you are really my disciples. Now Word there could not possibly mean the same as it does here. So what is going on? Why is John revealing Christ in this way right here at the start? There are two reasons. - Firstly, John is articulating the revelation that Jesus is in a full and equal relationship with God the Father. As I said, logos had many meanings depending on the context. But here, Jesus is described as the articulation of creation. Jesus was the creative element of God. And John uses it here so that our perception of the enormity of God is not constrained by our imaginations or artists perceptions or our childhood picture books. [analogy] Here; King of Kings just won t do. Brother is true but not enough by far. Logos as a being? Logos as an eternal entity which then came down and dwelt among us and die for us? my mind cannot comprehend this. A word? An being dynamically interacting with God because that s what John is describing them as doing: The second part of verse one right there In the beginning was the Word and the Word with God Well again our English translation fails us. Of course The Logos is with God but John is actually saying Pros which rather than interpreting as with our English language would be better to say the word was inclined towards God In that one statement John is stating that the logos was in a perpetual and eternal and dynamic and equal relationship with God. In just that short phrase. Nope, I was wrong at the start. This is not obscure this is beautiful. It is poetry. It almost brings tears to my eyes as John describes for us what the logos was doing for all eternity. Nowhere else will you find this description what a revelation. 3

4 - The second reason is my second point John is also saying here that Jesus was not a dormant observer throughout eternity, he is also claiming that He was a part of the creation. Let me ask you: Do you ever find people looking at you as though you are a bit simple when you say you re a Christian? I certainly do. It s a fairly common occurrence. At least, I think it s because I say I m a Christian there might be some other reason but mainly it s because I m a Christian. People say: Surely, in a world like this one, you can t believe that there is a God? Or Science has surely disproven your religion and (most pertinently) at this time of year, I have certainly had from unwilling spouses dragged along to Church at Christmas you surely don t believe that the baby in the manger is the Son of God incarnate? Well, John 1 echoes of Genesis don t you think? In the beginning that phrase is not identical accidentally. John is reminding his audience that the Word, was the creative agent of God which spoke into being the Universe, as we know in some way in Genesis. God said let there be light and there was light! God spoke, and life came into being. In Psalm 33 we read by the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth. Now, just so there is no misunderstanding here, what orthodox Biblical Christianity is claiming is this: That the infant who we now think on in these coming weeks, who was born in a manger in Bethlehem is none other than the son of God incarnate, and was himself responsible for putting the very stars in the sky!!! The incarnate son of God, Jesus the Christ, was with the creator and was the creator. Because look with me again at verse one the very last words God was the Word. Not only is the Word full equal to God, and not only is the Word inclined towards God but God is the Word. There is a profound theology here which we do well to observe and to mull over. We believe that God and Jesus were one and yet separate. He was in the beginning with God. Look at it again with me please but allow me to over-interpret the words a little bit please in order 4

5 to flesh out this passage in full: In the beginning or just as rightly at origin Was the Logos the Word. The creative element of God And the creative element of God inclined itself towards God in perpetual dynamic relationship And God, even though dynamically different and fully complete was the Word. And together, they were like this forever. For many of us this not news, this is heritage and tradition but it s good to be reminded don t you think? For some of us well, maybe this idea is new. And as paradoxical as it may seem, it also makes salvation all the more sweeter and all the more incredible for us to understand. And this is my final point this morning friends. What was required for salvation? We ll look at this in depth when we come to verse 14; but friends, what was required for salvation? A perfect and whole sacrifice. Our sinfulness and the sinfulness of humanity required a sacrifice we could not provide ourselves. And so, the creator sent His Son his very self the creative element of God eternally, dynamically living together to be that sacrifice in order that we may have eternal life. A perfect eternal being; John is reminding us here to be careful when considering the cross. The enormity of the sacrifice has eternal ramifications for us but was only made possible by the blood of the eternal God who came and walked among us. Anything else would fall short. And accepting this opens for us a doorway to salvation. - So what? - What does a universal God truly have to do with us in our lives? In our Worship? Let us pray: 5