We are beginning a study in the Gospel according to John. John’s Gospel was written for a specific purpose, which we see in throughout the book and especially in chapter 20 verse 30- 31:
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 (John 20:30-31, ESV).
John selected certain stories, sermons, sayings, and signs to assure those who had placed or would place their faith in Christ about who He is.
The gospel of John is addressing two groups of people: First, the God-fearing Jews and Greeks who regularly attended synagogue services and, second, the followers of Jesus. To the first group we could understand the word “believe” to mean - these things were written so that you may come to faith or believe that the Messiah, the Son of God, whom we have been waiting for is found in the person of Jesus.
To the second group - the followers of Jesus, John is saying, “these things were written so that you may continue to have faith and continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah.”
If you believe and continue to believe in Jesus, you will experience life, real life, vital, exciting, compelling, fulfilling, satisfying life - as God intended it now and for all of eternity.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it (John 1:1-5, NASB).
Right in this first passage in chapter 1, John is speaking about Jesus’:
Pre-existence
Power
Personal presence
Jesus’ Pre-existence
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 1:1-2).
In John 1:1, the apostle John is relating everything back to the very beginning of time, space, and matter. In the first verse of the first book of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
What John was saying to both the Jews and the Greeks is that even before the world was spoken into being, Jesus (the Word) who always was with God, meaning face-to-face with God and equal with God is the reason for the universe’s existence.
In the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, and also here in John 1, the context reveals that the beginning of time, space and matter was absolute but before time, space and matter even came into being, the Word (Jesus) already existed.
None of the four Gospels begins with a discussion about “why” and “how” God exists but all of them start with the ‘Who question’ - who is Jesus Christ? The entire New Testament is largely devoted to the person and work of the eternal Son of God incarnate.
Jesus existed before time with the Father and the Holy Spirit as part of the three-in-one God.
These truth claims of Jesus created a clear distinction between what true followers of Christ believe about Him compared to what all other religions believe about Jesus. Therefore, Jesus was not just a prophet as the Muslims claim, created as the Jehovah Witnesses teach, or was born as a spirit-child that progressed to deity as the Mormons assert. Jesus is God, co-creator of the universe and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:5).
Jesus’ Power
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being (John 1:3).
Creation ‘out of nothing’ means exactly what it says. The universe didn’t come into existence by means of some pre-existing material ‘something.’ The laws of thermodynamics tell us that “energy cannot be created nor destroyed.” Yet, the universe did not evolve from another source of energy but rather was created out of ‘nothing’, non-existence, void.
“There must have been a first Cause for the energy it took to create the universe.”
What John is saying is that the living Word is the agent and power through which everything came into being. It was created ex-nihilo = from or out of nothing and points to the Person who created something out of nothing.
…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word (Hebrews 1:2-3, NIV).
The writer of Hebrews is speaking about the Son as the one through whom God made, sustains, and upholds the universe (Hebrews 1:2).
The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Colossae,
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17, NASB).
In verse 15, Paul tells us that Jesus is the firstborn over all creation. This does not mean he was “born first” or “created,” but that he has all the rights, privileges, and inheritance as the firstborn over His creation. As Creator of all, He is the ruler of all, He has power over all, He is above all and is obligated to no one.
He is the absolute standard, the final authority for all things, He created reality as we know it, He is the standard for morality, determines the course of history, and is the reason we exist.
God is not some abstract power but is loving, caring and personal. He is the one we should worship.
Personal Presence
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it (John 1:4-5).
John was an eyewitness of Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection. For three years, he followed Jesus, learned from Him, ate with Him, witnessed His love, compassion, and miracles. John chose specific stories, signs, and teachings of Jesus so our Christian faith would be founded on a historic, tangible person, Jesus Christ, God incarnate, whose existence goes farther back than the beginning of His ministry, farther back than the virgin birth, farther back even than the creation itself.
John wrote this gospel so that people would believe that Jesus Christ was God and that in believing He was God they would share in the joy of salvation (1 John 1:1-4).
We were all far from God and powerless to change our condition as a human race, so the Word, Jesus Christ, became a human being to live on this earth, present amongst us, to redeem us as our all-powerful Creator-God.
Think about this, God Almighty was personally present on this earth at a precise point in human history to die for our sins so we could be rescued from our sin, delivered from shame, have everlasting life, and share in His inheritance.
He came in Person, in the flesh so that we might obtain eternal life by His mercy, truth, and power. This is Jesus’ desire and promise to those who have a personal encounter with Him - that we would experience eternal, abundant life, peace and joy.
Christ’s life, His presence was light in the darkness, those who trust in Him have hope. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He made a promise to us, His followers saying, “I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually regardless of the circumstances, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, AMP). His life and light shines in our darkness and even as believers we don’t always grasp it and can be overcome with darkness.
What is the key to walking with God through darkness?
First, is knowing that
“God’s personal presence is always with you, regardless of your circumstances”
and on every occasion.
Second, is knowing
“God always has a purpose for the darkness you are walking through.”
Even if you do not know what that purpose is you can be assured that He never does anything haphazardly or allows just anything to happen to us. He will only allow these dark times for a season in order for us to learn what He wants us to learn and to accomplish what He desires in our lives. He alone will be your light and life in the times of darkness.
John 1:1-5 sets the stage for the rest of gospel - we get to see the Son of God, the Messiah in every story, every place, every circumstance and with every person.
This is who Jesus is! This is what John wants the reader to experience in their own lives, to encounter Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, the pre-existent, all-powerful Creator of the Universe.
To know that no matter what, He is fully present, that He is your Light, your Life, at all times, in every place, in every circumstance, and every part of your journey of life.
