John 1:14-28 Like Father, Like Son Review: We covered up to V:14 (Read V:1-14) John s nativity story John is writing, as an old man now covering things the other Gospel writers did not cover By now the church was dealing with many false doctrines and heresies John s focus, the Divinity of Christ but these are written that you may believe that JESUS is THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31, NKJV V:1 In the beginning was the word V:14 The word became flesh & dwelt among us. V:1 The word was with God V:14 The word dwelt among us V:1 The word was God. V:14 The Word became flesh and dwelt and we beheld His glory. V:14 Jesus was The only begotten of the Father = SON OF GOD! (9X) ( Like Father, like Son ) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16, NKJV. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:9-10 NKJV. Page 1 of 7
V:14b Full of Grace and Truth! Thank God! GRACE = God s favor and kindness granted to those who do not deserve it and cannot earn it. If God dealt with us only according to TRUTH, none of us would survive; GRACE WITHOUT TRUTH would be deceitful, and truth without grace would be condemning. But through Jesus Christ, God deals with us on the basis of GRACE AND TRUTH. In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all the demands of God s Law were met now God is free to share fullness of grace with those who trust Christ. 2Cor 5:21 Preach the Gospel V:15 The preexistence of Jesus Christ (Explain) Apostle John is recalling the ministry of John the Baptist A John was one of his disciples until Jesus. 1:35-37 He was changed forever V:16 of His fullness = wave after wave of Grace! Grace for Grace = inexhaustible Grace! V:17 THE LAW was GIVEN GRACE & TRUTH CAME You can SEND something without going (Law) Page 2 of 7
But Jesus CAME and brought GRACE & TRUTH! (V:14) John was not suggesting that there was no grace under the Law of Moses, because there was Each sacrifice was an expression of the grace of God (God s provision for forgiveness ) The Law also revealed God s truth But in Jesus Christ, grace and truth reach their fullness; and this fullness is available to us John hinted that a whole new order had come in, replacing the Mosaic system. (The New Covenant ) The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Romans 8:3, NLT. V:18 Finally! We can see the invisible God! God has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6, NKJV. We can know there is a God through His creation Ps 19:1, Rom 1:20 ID We can know more about God through His word Ps 119:160a (Verbal revelation) But the greatest revelation of the invisible God is Christ He is the image of the invisible God Colossians 1:15a Page 3 of 7
who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person Hebrews 1:3, NKJV. WHY? V:18 He is, The Only Begotten Son (V:18a) The phrase only-begotten means unique, the only one of its kind. (NIV) It does not suggest that there was a time when the Son was not, and then the Father brought Him into being. Jesus Christ is eternal God. WAS 6X in 1 st 4 verses! V:18b The word translated DECLARED gives us our English word EXEGESIS, which means to explain, to unfold, to lead the way. Jesus Christ explains God to us and interprets Him for us. We cannot truly understand God apart from knowing His Son, Jesus Christ. V:19 The religious leaders at this time were responsible to check out new religious leaders V:20 Right up front let s get this clear V:21 The Jews were expecting Elijah Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. Malachi 4:5, NKJV. Every Passover meal Empty chair Open door The Prophet? Deut 18:15-19 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. For this is what Page 4 of 7
you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire any more, or we will die. The LORD said to me: What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. Deuteronomy 18:15-19, NIV. V:22-23 John s job description Is 40:3 Comfort, yes, comfort My people! Says your God. Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the LORD S hand Double for all her sins. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Isaiah 40:1-3, NKJV. V:24-26 What is baptism? The Jews in John's day practiced baptism. o It was an outgrowth of ceremonial washings. But the Jews of that time typically reserved baptism for Gentiles who wanted to become Jews. So to submit to John s baptism, a Jew had to identify with the Gentiles. This was a genuine sign of repentance John sees himself as the advance man of THE GREAT KING. The coming of THE LORD His baptism was a preparatory cleansing for the King. The idea is, "get cleaned up, get ready for a royal visit!" (Explain LORD = Jehovah!) Page 5 of 7
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3, NKJV (More strong hints to Christ s divinity) There stands One among you (V:26b) suggesting that Jesus may have been right there in the crowd V:27 The task of the lowest servant in the house Among Rabbis and their disciples, there was a teacher-student relationship that had the potential for abuse. It was entirely possible that a Rabbi might expect unreasonable service from their disciples. One of the things which was considered "too low" for a Rabbi to expect from his disciples was the untying of the Rabbi's sandal strap. John says he is unworthy to do even this. V:28 Interesting: bethabara = house of passage The traditional site of the crossing into Jordan (Story: Joshua and the children of Israel ) And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying: Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight. Joshua 4:1-3 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the LORD had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the Page 6 of 7
priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. Joshua 4:8-9 So the Jews placed great value and took great pride in this place of memorial The Jewish leaders held and elitist attitude that they were of God s chosen tribes of Israel See Matthew s account Matt 3:7ff But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:7-11, NKJV. God sent Jesus Christ to bring men back to God It was TRUE THEN It is TRUE TODAY Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, NKJV. PRAY - END Page 7 of 7