I would like to go with you to John 1 to 14. I will be speaking on that this morning. I came to a realization that the height and the depth of this passage, I couldn't get there. God helping me. I was so much to study in there, but then to put something on paper that is hopefully clear enough that I'm faithful to the text here, realizing that I only go this deep thinking. Yeah, chapter 1, 1 to 14. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of man. And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. It was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light, that was the true light, which light every man that comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it. Let us pray before we go into this. Dear God, Heavenly Father, we come before you as we have read your Word, Father. There's much in there. Father, I pray that you will give me clarity to speak. Father, I pray that your Word may speak to us and that our lives may be changed by it, Father. that we receive some more deeper understanding of who Jesus is and who we are. And Father, that your name may be glorified. In Jesus' name I pray this. Amen. The Gospel of John is in many ways different from the three other Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. and I will just name a few differences. They all wrote under the inspiration of God that the things the Apostle John was writing are peculiar in his gospel and among the most precious of the church of Christ. Not one of the four gospel writers has given us such a full statement about the divinity of Christ as in the first five verses. The Gospel of John is unique from the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, so-called due to their similar content. The synoptics cover many of the same miracles, the parables, and the events of Jesus' life ministry. But there are no parables in the Book of John. And the Book of John tells us who Jesus is, and therefore seen as the most theological. The Apostle John is the only one who gave a precise statement regarding the purpose of his writings. We see that in John 20, verse 31, that these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name. So the first five verses before us contain a statement of matchless and grandness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is without question the Word according to the Lord Jesus Christ. Sorry, the Lord Jesus Christ is without question the word according to the Apostle John. There is such a height and depth in this statement that is far beyond man's understanding. And yet we can learn plain lessons from what is written to every Christian to treasure in our heart. Let's briefly look at it. First, our Lord Jesus Christ is eternal. John 1.1 says, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The first words of this gospel reminds us of the first words of the Old Testament. Genesis 1.1, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. So in this comparison we see that the world existed before all time. Jesus had the glory with the Father before the world was. We read this in John 17, 15. He existed before matter, heaven and earth was first created, before time begun. In Colossians 1 verse 16 and 17 it says, for by him were all things created. that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things are created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist or hold together. Secondly, our Lord Jesus Christ is a person distinct from God the Father, and yet one with Him. John tells us that the Word was with God the Father, and the Word, the two persons, are joined by an infallible union. A union really hard to explain, to describe in words. God the Father was from all eternity, and so was the Word. God and Jesus are equal in glory, their majesty coexisting. And yet the Godhead won. This is a great mystery. We learn thirdly that the Lord Jesus Christ is very God, not made a God. It says in verse 14 that the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, meaning that the eternal Lord Jesus took upon himself human nature, body and soul. As you read in the Christmas story that you just read from there, is born to you this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. Nor was Jesus appointed a God, but truly and holy God in the highest sense of the word, as appears from the names by which he is called, as Jehovah, God, Emmanuel, second person of the Trinity, the mighty God, God over all, the great God, the living God, the true God, eternal life. I'm sure there are more. The Lord Jesus is immutable, meaning unchanging in his character, will, and covenant promises. Hebrews 13 verse 8 says, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Jesus is omnipresent, omni meaning all. everywhere at the same time. Jesus' divine nature makes him always present with us. He is omnipresent in his deity as God's son. Jesus is omniscient, meaning he is all-knowing. When the Lord Jesus asked Simon Peter the third time, do you love me? He said, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus said unto him, Sheep, feed my sheep. Some may object to say that Christ Jesus is all-knowing, based on a verse like Mark 13, verse 32, where it says about the day of the Lord's coming, that no man nor angels which are in heaven and neither the Son but the Father knows. Though Christ knows all things in his infinite deity, his human mind was limited. Being created fully man, he knew only what God the Father progressively revealed to him at various stages of his life. You'll find it in Luke 2, verse 52, where it says, And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. And the Lord Jesus is omnipotent, meaning all-powerful. He has all power over his work of creation and providence, his miracles, the work of redemption, forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of himself and others from the dead, and administration of the last judgment, and from the worship given him, faith in him, and a performance of baptism in his name. Fourthly, and lastly on this section, verses four and five, the Lord Jesus Christ is the source of all spiritual light, life and light. John tells us that in him was life and the life was the light of man. Just like we saw previously, Jesus is the fountain of life. From him alone we can derive life. Any spiritual life and light Adam and Eve had before the fall was all from Christ. Any deliverance from sin and spiritual debt anyone can receive and enjoy after Adam fell came from Christ. any light of conscience or understanding received, all has flowed from Christ. We read in verse 5, And the light shined in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. If anyone out of the countless millions of mankind have ever had spiritual life and light, they have owed all to Christ. The evil world neither receives Christ's light, nor is able to overcome his light, and that again, unless the Lord draws. I will read some verses from John chapter 3. And notice the verses about light and darkness. If you want to go there, start with a very familiar verse, John 3, 16 and on. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned, but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation. that light is come into the world, and man loves darkness rather than light, because the deeds were evil. For everyone that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they have been done in God. Now, we only scratched the surface of who this God child is. Born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, but I trust you see the contrast between the exceeding sinfulness of sin in mankind and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of mankind. Let's often read and remember the first five verses of the Gospel of John and see and believe that our Savior is nothing less than the eternal God, the creator and preserver of all things. The one able to save the most hardened sinner and to bring him or her to the Father. All this by Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection. He that was with God and was God is also Emmanuel, God with us. Now let's go on to verse six and following. See the contrast in language between our Savior in the previous section and that used about his forerunner, John the Baptist. He is simply told that there was a man sent from God whose name was John. That's it. Now the other gospels give us some more details, but not here. So let's move on to verse seven to see his work description, John the Baptist. He came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe. And that is what John the Baptist did to witness of the coming Messiah. How did he do this? And what did he say? It was foretold by the prophet Isaiah that John would come on the scene. In chapter 40 verse 3 it says, the voice of him that cries in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. And his message was to preach the message of repentance for the remissions of sins, pointing to the one to come. He taught many that one far mightier than himself was coming among them. He was nothing more than a servant. The coming one was a king. He himself could only baptize with water. but the one to come baptize with the Holy Spirit, take away sins, and would one day judge the world. Now, John, like Christian leaders, elders, and deacons, are not priests or mediators between God and man. They are intended to bear testimony of God's truth, and especially to the great truth that Christ is the only Savior and light of the world. This was Peter's ministry on the day of Pentecost, with many other words that he testified and exhorted. We read in Acts 2, verse 40, and in Acts 20, verse 21, it says, he was testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, Greeks repenting towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Dear people, if you and I know our real destiny, and are servants of God, we are sent that man might, through us, believe in Jesus. John was a special witness, but we are all to be witnesses to complete the chain of testimony. Every Christian man should understand that he is sent from God to bear witness to the great light that, through him, man might believe. Now, this is a quote from Spurgeon. It still counts today. Do you agree with this statement? We sang this great song to each other this morning. Go tell it on the mountains, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountains that Jesus Christ is born. Here we are in a time of great uncertainty when we look at the world we live in, in times like this. People seem to have many questions and concerns about the future. How long are we going to be in this so-called pandemic? How much freedom do we keep? Will I keep my job or can I find work again? Many people live in fear and are anxious. We need to speak the truth and the hope of God's word to one another and everyone who we may encounter. to bear witness of the One who was and is and always will be the Lord Jesus Christ. We can proclaim that every repented sinner who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will be forgiven and receives the power of the Holy Spirit and bear much fruit for the kingdom of God, to the glory of God the Father. John 15, 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so that you will be my disciples. Paul says in Colossians 1, verse 27-28, the mystery which had been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. I pray that you do experience it as delightful to have such a hope of glory to cling to. An anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast, when sorrows like sea billows roll in your life. We read in the next verse, verse nine, that John was not the light, but he was sent to bear witness of that light. There was no light from John except what he reflected from the Lord. All light comes from Jesus Christ. Everyone who sees any light borrows his light from Christ. There is no other light. There can be no other light. Scripture is clear. Jesus is the light of the world. Now Christ came to bring God's truth to the people of all nations. When Pilate questioned Jesus in John 18, verse 27, are thou a king? Jesus answered, thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born. And from this cause came I into the world. And I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth is my voice. Christ was the true light, the true light which enlightens every man with the truth. But that refers to three things I have here. First of all, the natural revelation, which leaves all men without excuse, Romans 1.20. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork, Psalm 19, verse 1. Secondly, by the proclamation of the gospel to all nations, it enlightens every man. John the Baptist was a light, but he enlightened only Jerusalem and Judea and a small region around it, like a candle that enlightens one room. But Christ is the true light. He is a light to enlighten the Gentiles. His everlasting gospel is to be preached to every nation and language. And thirdly, by the operation of his spirit and grace, he enlightens all those that are enlightened to salvation. And those are not enlightened by him perish in darkness. From 2 Corinthians 4, 6, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is said to be in the face of Jesus Christ, and is compared with that light which was at the beginning commanded to shine out of darkness, and which enlightens every man that comes into the world. Whatever light any man has, he is indebted to Christ for it, whether it be natural or supernatural. Let's look at verses 10 and 11. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not. He came into his own and his own received him not. He was in the world, refers to his incarnation and the 33 years on earth where he tabernacled among men. Then it is said, and the world was made by him. And this is to magnify the divine glory of the one who had been incarnate. And to emphasize the tragedy of what follows. And the world knew him not. Who would have thought that a people whose believing ancestors have been eagerly awaiting the appearance of the Messiah for long ages past. would have rejected him when he came among them. This very thing was expressly told by the prophet Isaiah 53, verse two. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. He had no form, no comeliness, and we shall see him. There is no beauty that we should desire him. See, the circumstances where he was born in was far from what they expected the king of Israel would be born in, and most rejected him. Born in a lowly state, as we read in the gospels, in a time where they lived under the Roman oppression. But note what's coming in the verses 12 and 13. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The reason some believe in Christ, when most do not, is that God has brought about the new birth of regeneration in them. Salvation does not come from being born in a Christian family. Regeneration does not run in the veins. In a text it says, not of blood, nor of man's will in his fallen condition. Text says, the will of the flesh. The will of the natural man is opposed to God. He has no will towards God until he has been born again. nor of a parent's decision or persuasive power of a preacher, the will of man, but of the grace of God alone. Ephesians 2, 8. For by grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. And now we see in our last verse, verse 14, that Jesus was made flesh. The eternal Lord took upon himself human nature. He truly became man, although he lived without sin and dwelt among men. The word dwelt in this verse wants us to pull us back to the Old Testament wilderness wanderings of Israel, where the glory of God dwelt among the people in a movable tent called the tabernacle. Similar to the way God's presence was in the tabernacle, Exodus 40, so Jesus dwelt among people. God commanded Moses to make him a sanctuary. that he might dwell among them, Exodus 25 verse 8, which was just a foreshadow of him who should come tabernacling among us and having by his own blood put away the obstacle of sin and made a way even into the very presence of God. The sinner can now draw near to God and God dwell in the believer. on the grounds of the finished work and living person of our Lord Jesus Christ. This verse 14 is literally telling us that Jesus, the very glory of God, tabernacled among us. Much more can be said about the significance of this, and rightly so. As the glory of the Lord was veiled by the curtain of the tabernacle, so the divine essence in Jesus was veiled by his humanity. Though it shone out of out at the transfiguration. It was also seen in his miracles, his doctrines, his resurrection, his ascension. And all of it were such as to illustrate the perfection and manifest the glory that belongs only to the Son of God. Now we have the phrase, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. Jesus Christ is the only begotten of the Father. This has everything to do with Him sharing the same essence as the Father. The eternal beginning of the Son secures the Son's every same exact nature with the Father. He is called God's own Son, the Son of the same nature with him, and, as here, the only begotten of the Father, begotten by him in the same nature. And so his glory of his divine nature, which is essential to him and not derived, is equal to the Father's glory." It's probably a Mountfall, but Another way to express it a little different, the glory of the word made flesh was such a glory as become the only begotten son of God. It could not be the glory of any other. I think it is true to speak of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, as eternally begotten, but not made, and yet never having the beginning and being the very nature of God. We read in Colossians 1.9 about Jesus. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. But you may ask, why does it matter that Jesus was of the same essence as the Father? I think 1 Timothy 1 verse 15 give us the answer, where the Apostle Paul says, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am a chief. or take verse from Hebrews 1 verse 3, who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Father, right hand of the Majesty on high. In other words, There is no salvation without the deity of Christ. If the Son of God was made instead of being eternally begotten in the very nature of God, we are still in our sins and biblical salvation does not exist. And lastly, we look at last part of this sentence and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth. Grace and truth came to Jesus Christ also this Christmas season. God incarnate came to the earth to displace his grace But I think it's best that we let the word speak, and I would read a couple of verses from Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter two, verse four to 10. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love, therewith he loved us, even when we were dead in us in sins, had quickened us together with Christ. By grace you are saved, and had raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us, to Christ Jesus. For by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God had before ordained that we should walk in them. Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life, and no man comes unto the Father but by me. Amen. Let us pray. Dear Lord Jesus, you are the light of the worlds and the Prince of Peace that this world desperately needs. how I thank and bless you for coming to earth to die on the cross for our sins, so that all who believe in your name may be given peace with the Father and may receive your peace and love into their hearts. Shine the light of your love deep within the hearts of all those that do not know you as Savior, Light the minds of those that are blinded to the truth of the glorious gospel. Christ Jesus, our Lord. And Lord, I pray that you would draw many into your arms of forgiveness so that they too might be made right before God and receive his peace into their hearts, even at this time. so that the goodwill that was promised by the angels so many years ago might become their portion this Christmas time. Grant all those that know you and love you a savior to especially bless this Christmas and may you draw each one of us even closer to your heart of love in a world that is becoming darker, so that the light of your truth may shine through us to a world who needs Jesus, in whose name I pray.