Who Is Jesus? Book of John session 1

The gospel of John written by John was most likely the last gospel written towards the close of the first century. Written for the purpose of convincing people that Jesus is the Christ and that by believing in Him they might have life in His name.

How do you know: John 20:30-31 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

So, John’s mind has a definite purpose as he (via HS) wrote this book.

It’s interesting, that as each writer began their gospel, each was led to begin in a different place and show us a different aspect of who Jesus is:

• Matthew begins with the genealogy of Jesus going back to Abraham.
• Matthew shows Jesus came from Abraham through David, and demonstrates that He is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.
• Mark begins his gospel at the baptism of Jesus by John. Mark shows Jesus came from Nazareth, Mark demonstrates and emphasizes that Jesus is a Servant.
• Luke begins his gospel, with the introduction of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. Luke emphasizes Jesus came from Adam, demonstrating and emphasizing that Jesus is the Perfect Man.
• John’s emphasis is that Jesus came from heaven, demonstrating that Jesus is God.

The Gospel of John is the fourth section of what I call the four-fold gospel, with four voices giving different perspectives on the life of Jesus. It’s important to understand that there are not four gospels, but there is ONE four-fold gospel.

It would be wrong to think that the Gospel of John completes the story of Jesus. John tells us that the story of Jesus is so big that it can never be completed:        John 21:25  Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

There are significant events in the ministry of Jesus that Matthew, Mark, and Luke include, yet John leaves out: Jesus’ birth. Jesus’ baptism. Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Confrontations with demons. Jesus teaches in parables. The Last Supper. The agony in Gethsemane. The Ascension. The first three Gospels center on Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. John centers his Gospel on what Jesus said and did in Jerusalem.

John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning.

This is such a powerful declaration of the deity of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. So plain, so straightforward, that even a young child can understand.

As John begins his gospel, he goes back even further than Genesis. The book of Genesis is the beginning of creation, “In the beginning, God created…” But God existed before He created. Before that, God was. God existed.

The Greek word for Word is Logos. John uses it here as an unmistakable reference to Jesus Christ. With a few simple statements, John declares that Jesus, like His heavenly Father, had always existed before the beginning of time as we know it. Jesus was with God in the beginning because He is God, and He always has been God.

So, John goes back to that infinite eternal past and declares, In the beginning, was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. ² He was with God in the beginning.

These words and what they express form the foundation for John’s entire gospel.

The relationship between God and Jesus is eternal and intimately personal.       The works of Jesus are the works of God. The words of Jesus are the words of His heavenly Father. Because they are one, it is Jesus (God The Son) who came in the flesh and reveals to us the heart and mind of God: (Father’s house) John 14:4-10 You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ***⁷ If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” ⁸ Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?*** Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ¹¹ Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;..

Hebrews 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² 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. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

John 10:27-30 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

1 John 5:20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true by being in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

• Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being
• He and the Father are one
• He is the true God and eternal life.
• Jesus, who is the Word, was with God and is God in every sense of the word.

 John 1:3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. The Word created all things that were created.

Colossians 1:16-17  For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

“In Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created..” in this verse, Jesus is said to have created all things: Again proving Jesus and God are one.

John 1:4-5 In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus came to bring the light of God’s life into a spiritually dark and dying world.

John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

It isn’t that Jesus just offers the light of life; He is the light of life. That’s why, without Jesus, (the light of life) we are dead and in darkness. We are lost.

Vs5 says the darkness “has not overcome” the light, because evil cannot overpower Jesus Christ, who states, in John 12:46  I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

John 1:6-11 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

God came to the world He created, to the people He made in His image, and yet the world did not know Him. It is interesting that the evil spirits knew who He was, the winds and the waves knew who He was. The rocks evidently knew who He was…Donkey

This shows how deeply fallen human nature rejects God, and that many rejected (did not receive) God’s word and Light.

John 1:12-18 Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.** We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”) ¹⁶ Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. **¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.  So, Who is Jesus?

Chief Cornerstone–King of kings and Lord of lords–Prince of peace–Alpha and Omega—Emmanuel–Bread of Life—Bridegroom–Good Shepherd–Lamb of God–True Vine….and the list goes on.

Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, He and the Father are one, He is the true God and eternal life.  Jesus is the Word, who became flesh and dwelt among us, who created all things, who was with God and is God in every sense of the word.