Sunday, November 11, 2018 - Before Jesus Came!
Pastor Roger Marcos
November 11, 2018
TEXT: John 1:1-14
The book of John describe Jesus "The Word." The term translated "Word" is the Greek word Logos.
Logos means "word" in the sense that we mean it, but it also means "reason."
The basic idea is that Jesus is both the Word of God and the Wisdom of God. Jesus was the Logos before He came to earth, He is still the Logos today, and He will always be the Logos.
Let's look at 3 facts concerning this Word, Jesus, today.
I. THE INCREDIBLE WORD. In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. - John 1:1-3
A. Jesus is Eternal. John's words purposely echo the words used in the creation account. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen. 1:1 In the beginning the Word already existed. - John 1:1a- "Beginning" is used in the sense of before all time - while we cannot fully comprehend it or explain it, Jesus has always existed.
Jesus described Himself this way: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Rev. 22:13
He is simply but significantly proclaiming that He is an eternal.that’s clear.
B. Jesus is God. There are some group who deny Jesus as God. He was with God, and he was God. John 1:1b
Jesus was God before coming to earth, He was God in the 33 years He spent here, and He will always be God.
If a person believes anything less than this concerning Jesus, they do not believe in the Jesus of Scripture.
C. Jesus is Creator. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. John 1:2-3
From a full reading of Scripture it would appear that the Father, Son, and Spirit were all involved in the Creation Account, but Jesus took center stage.
Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see.Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together. -Col. 1:16-17
Now, if I'm going to get to the rest of what I need to say today, I need to move on, but I think it is vitally important and completely relevant to understand these central facts about Who Jesus is - without them WE ARE NOTHING.
II. THE ILLUMINATING WORD. Jn. 4-9
Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent John the Baptist to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world. John 1:4-9
We are moving from Who Jesus is, to how Jesus wants to make Himself known to us - This great God, this eternal being, this creator of the universe, wants to introduce Himself to each and every one of us.
Jesus is the Word that brings light to the lives of men/women.
A. The Purpose. The whole purpose of Christmas is wrapped up in the fact that God wants to know you, to be in relationship with you, to save you from your condition, and to be your companion for all of eternity.
He sent John the Baptist to testify to the people about Him specifically so they might believe in Him. We can legitimately say that Jesus' purpose in coming to earth is wearing your shoes today - you are the reason that Jesus came to earth.
B. The Power. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. - John 1:5
Darkness is used here to represent evil and Satan - the power of the light of Jesus Christ can never be thrown down.
Let's not forget that this Word, Jesus, is God, is Creator, is a force that cannot be defeated by anyone at any-time at anyplace and or any reason.
This Word of God that lived among us has the power to withstand each and every attack that is ever made against Him.
This is not some helpless infant we're talking about - but the most powerful being that has ever and can ever exist.
C. The Passion. It is really hard for me to imagine what it must have been like to come down to this world from the glory Jesus had experienced for all of eternity.
To have never been in the presence of sin, and then to willingly come into a world infested with it is quite revealing to me. The only possible reason He would do this was because of His love.
Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. - Eph. 1:4
God loved you before you even existed - that, to me, is one of the best things that I can know this Christmas season - it tells me that without a doubt, I matter to God.
III. THE INCLUSIVE WORD. But although the world was made through him, the world didn't recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. - John 1:10-11
These verses really bother me because they tell me that even though Jesus, God in the flesh, willingly came to earth for our benefit, many refused to acknowledge Him and in fact, rejected Him.
And what was true when He came is still true today - some people, for whatever reason, will not accept God's great gift of Himself.
But there is encouragement here - because John adds, But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan-this rebirth comes from God. John 1:12-13
Jesus doesn't force Himself on anybody - we are free to reject Him if that is what we choose to do - but for those who accept His invitation to relationship, great benefits await - let's look at them real quickly.
All who Accept Him are Accepted By Him.
All who Accept Him are Children of God.
All who Accept Him are Born Again. God is going to change you from the inside out - you will experience a rebirth where you are transformed into the person God has created you to be.
All of your past is behind you, your future is certain, your purpose is now clear.
When you accept Jesus, you might have the same name, wear the same clothes, have the same job and family, but you are not the same person you were before.
God works the miraculous in your life and you are now one of the redeemed.
So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. John 1:14
The Word became flesh.
The King of heaven put aside his heavenly robes and divine prerogatives.
He came to us as one of us - He lived among us; ate with us; drank with us; felt with us - all to win our love.
He stands here today with the smile of love and arms extended.
He is the God who became real so that we could experience his transforming love.
Jesus is not just a truth to believe in, he is a person to be experienced.
In Jesus' coming to earth that first advent, He was coming to show us the true nature of God.
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. - Romans 5:6-8
Can you see what God has done for us? He could have just given up on us and wiped us from the face of this planet - He could have not cared - but He cared enough to come to earth, and not only that, but to come for the purpose of dying in our place and then rising again from the dead.