JESUSCHRIST:THEREVELATIONOFGOD1InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod.2Hewas inthebeginningwithGod.3All thingsweremadethroughhim;andwithouthimnothingwasmadethathasbeenmade.4Inhimwaslife;andtheLifewasthelightofmen.5TheLightshinesinthedarkness;andthedarknessdidnotextinguishit.6Therecameaman, sentbyGod,whosenamewas John. 7He cameasawitness, so thathemightbear testimony about the Light, so that all men might believe through him. 8He[himself]wasnottheLight;onthecontrary,hecamesothathemightbeartestimonyabout the Light. 9The trueLight, [the Light] that enlightens everyman,was comingintotheworld.10Hewasintheworld,andtheworldwasmadethroughhim,buttheworlddidnotknowhim.11Hecametohisown[people],yetthosewhowerehisowndidnotreceivehim.12Buttoallwhodidreceivehim,tothosewhobelieveonhisname,tothemhegavetherighttobecomechildrenofGod—13[they]wereborn,notbynaturaldescent,norbyhumanwill,norbyahusband’sdesire,butbyGod.14TheWordbecameflesh,andlived*amongus.Wesawhisglory,hisgloryastheoneandonly[Sonwhocame]fromtheFather,fullofgraceandtruth.15Johnbears testimonyabouthim, cryingout,Thiswasheofwhom I said,Hewhocomesaftermehassurpassedme;becausehewasbeforeme.16Fromhisfullnessweallreceived, grace upon grace. 17The lawwas given throughMoses; the grace and thetruthcamethroughJesusChrist.18NomanhasseenGodatanytime;theoneandonlySon,whoisinthebosomoftheFather,hehasmadehimknown.(Jn.1:1‐18)*Literally,“tabernacledamongus”A note on the Scripture text that accompanies each individual message: The American StandardVersionandtheNewInternationalVersion,alongwiththeoriginalGreekandHebrew,havebeenusedin an effort to achieve the greatest degree of accuracy and clarity. Wherewords or phrases havebeen added to the original text in an effort to better express itsmeaning, thosewords or phraseshaveusuallybeenindicatedbymeansof[brackets].IntroductionBackin1971Janwasayoungwomaninherearlytwenties.ShehadbeenbroughtupinaBible‐believingChristianhome,buthadneverpersonallyacceptedthefaithofherparents.Nowshefoundherselfheavilyinvolvedintheradicallifestyleoftheseventies. Shewore beads, sandals, a floppy hat over long straight hair, and blue“granny” glasses. She attended outdoor rock concerts where many of the youngpeoplesmokedpotandsomeengagedinimmoralconduct.Herlifewaspermeatedwithanattitudeofabandonment;shehadajob,butmostofherfreetimewasspendpursuingfun.WheneversomeonementionedGod,shefeltanemptinessinherheart,avoid—butshewasinnohurrytodealwithit.In time shemet a youngman namedMark. After a fewmonths theywere livingtogether—Mark felt an emptiness in his life, too. They were invited to a

TranscendentalMeditationlecture,andtheywent,hopingtofindpeaceandawaytobecomebetterpeople.AstheybecameinvolvedwithTM,Jandiscoveredtwothings.Shewasnotbeingtransformedintoastresslessperson;furthermore,sheandMarkwerebeginningtohavefrighteningsupernaturalexperiences.Ninemonths laterMark ran into an old navy drinking buddywho had become aChristian. Mark soon rededicated his own life to Christ. After that, Jan sawMarkchange;hegaveupTM,andhelearnedtocontrolhistemper.In 1976 Jan agreed to join Mark at a Jesus Rally in Pennsylvania. She testifiesconcerningthepeopleshemetthere:TwodaysoftheirlovewerealltheHolySpiritneededtoremindmethatIwasasinnerandthatJesusChristwastheonlyOnewhoofferedtruesalvation.

Hertestimonycontinues:

IcouldnotdenythatJesuswasGod’sSonasHehadclaimed,becauseIhadseenhowHehadchangedMark.Asaresult,IacceptedChristasmySavior,too.Icamehomefromthe“Jesus’76Rally”ajoyfulperson.InolongerhadtoseekforGod.(POWER,3/16/86)

Jan’sstoryisnotonlyatruepersonaltestimonyofwhathappenedinthelifeofoneyoung lady, it isalsoa testimonyofwhathashappenedto thewholehumanrace:departure from theGodof heaven,…pursuit of one’s own self‐centered existence,…thesenseofestrangementfromGod,…thefailureto findGodandberestoredtoHimbymeansofthereligionsandphilosophiesoftheworld.We need to have God reveal Himself to us. If you look to Jesus, youwill find therevelationofGod:“NomanhasseenGodatanytime;theoneandonlySon,whoisinthebosomoftheFather,hehasmadehimknown”(Jn.1:18.)I.LooktoJesus,andYouwillMeetthePersonofGod(Jn.1:1­3,14,18)Johnbeginshisgospelbystating,“InthebeginningwastheWord.”“Inthebeginning”is an unmistakable reference to Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created theheavensandtheearth.”“Thebeginning”isthebeginningoftime,thebeginningofthecreation. Thus, the Bible is telling us that when God brought the creation intoexistence, “theWord” was already existing; in otherwords, “theWord” is eternal.Note:“TheWord”isatitlefortheSonofGodwhomweknowinHisincarnatestateas Jesus Christ—bymeans of this title it is being emphasized that just as wordsrevealtoothersourinmostthoughts,sotheincarnateSonofGodcommunicatesandrevealsGodtous.John goes on to declare, “the Word was with God.” "The Word" was living in thepresenceofGodthroughouteternity.Indeed,"theWord"(i.e.;thesecondPersonofthe Trinity) enjoyed the most intimate communion and fellowship with God His

Father. He shared in the divine glory of God; note Jesus’ prayer just prior to Hisreturn togloryvia thecross, resurrectionandascension:“Andnow,Father,glorifyme in your presencewith the glory I sharedwith you before the world began” (Jn.17:5.)HewastheobjectoftheFather’s love:“Father, IdesirethatthosewhomyouhavegivenmemayalsobewithmewhereIam,sothattheymayseemyglory—[theglory]thatyouhavegivenmebecauseyoulovedmebeforethecreationoftheworld”(Jn.17:24.)ThenJohndeclares,“theWordwasGod.”TheGreektextstatesthistruthinthemostemphaticway,literallyreading,“God[iswhat]theWordwas.”InPhilippians2:6theApostlePaulelaboratesontheabsolutedeityofJesusChrist,theincarnateWord,byidentifyingHimas“existingintheformofGod.”PaulteachesthatChristJesus,priorto His incarnation, was “existing in the form of God.” The Greek word translated“form”(morfhv)wasaphilosophicalterm,notreferringtotheexternalappearanceofa thing—as we would be inclined to use the term, speaking of “the form of athing,”—buttotheessence,orbetter,thespecificcharacter,ofthethingorperson.TheNewTestamentcommentator,Jac.J.Muller,writes,“by‘formofGod‘ismeant…His divine nature, which is inseparable fromHis person and inwhich the DivineBeingrealizesHimself[i.e.;knowsandexpressesHimself]inHis…inherent,divinegloryandgodlyattributes”(Jac.J.Muller,“TheEpistleofPaultothePhilippians,TheNew International Commentary of the New Testament,Wm. B. Eerdmans, GrandRapidsMI,pp.78‐79.)TheNewTestamentscholar,JohnMurray,concurs,“theformofGodwouldrefertothesumofthosecharacterizingqualitiesthatmarkGodoffasspecifically God” (John Murray, Christology, unpublished classroom notes,Westminster Theological Seminary Library, Philadelphia, p. 36.) By way ofillustration:the“form”ofanappleisnotmerelytheshapeoftheapple, it includesallthosequalitiesthatmakeanappleanappleanddistinguishit fromeveryotherfruit and every other thing in all of creation. Thus, “the form of God” includes allthoseattributesandqualitiesandcharacteristicsthatmakeGodwhatHeis,andthatdistinguishHim from everyone and everything else.When the apostle informs usthat our Lord Jesus Christwas “existing in the form of God” he is telling us in thestrongestpossibletermsthattheLordJesusChristpossessesalltheattributesandtheveryidentityofGod—allthatdefinesGoddefinesChristJesus,astheLordJesusHimselfdeclared,“whoeverhasseenme,hasseentheFather”(Jn.14:9.)The Apostle John rounds off his opening statement regarding the person of thedivine Word by repeating, “He was in the beginning with God.” Taken together,verses 1‐2 form a great pyramid‐type literary structure with the statement, “theWordwasGod,”foundattheveryapexofthepyramid:theWordwaswithGod,theWordwasGod,theWordwaswithGod.Then,inverse14,JohnfurtherdescribesanddefinesthedivineWordbydeclaring,“TheWordbecame flesh.”Here is thewonderof the incarnation:God, theCreator,cameintoHiscreation,cameintohistory,andidentifiedHimselfwiththosewhomHehad created inHis own image—Hebecameoneof us. “TheWordbecame flesh(savrx).”TheuseofthisGreekword(savrx)presentstheincarnationinthestrongest

possibleterms.TothereadersofJohn’sdayhischoiceofwordswouldalmosthavesounded crude or vulgarwhen he says that the divineWord became “flesh.” Johndoesnotpolitelywrite,“theWordtookonahumanbody,”or“theWordbecameaman;”hebluntlyasserts,“theWordbecameflesh.”In becoming “flesh,” in becoming truly God incarnate, theWord “lived among us.”The Greek text literally reads, “theWord tabernacled (skhnovw) among us.” In thebeginning,Godwalked in theGardenofEdenwithAdamandEve.Then,whenHebroughtthepeopleofIsraeloutofEgypt,Helivedamongtheminthewildernessinthe tabernacle. In thePersonof JesusChrist,God livesamongus inhuman form.WereadinMatthew1:23,“thevirginwillbepregnant,andshewillgivebirthtoason;and they shall call him Immanuel; which, being interpreted, means, God with us.”ContrastthebiblicaltestimonyofMatthew1:23withthepagantestimonyrecordedinDaniel2:11.Whenaskedtointerprettheking’sdreamwithoutfirstbeingtoldofthefeaturesofthatdream,theBabylonianastrologersreplied,“Itisanextraordinarythingthatthekingrequests,andnoonecanfulfillitforthekingexceptthegods,buttheydonotdwellwithmen.”LooktoJesus,andyouwillmeetthePersonofGod:“NomanhasseenGod…theoneandonlySon…hehasmadehimknown”(Jn.1:18.)II.LooktoJesus,andYouwillSeetheLifeRequiredbyGod(Jn.1:4­5)WritingoftheincarnateSonofGod,theLordJesusChrist,theApostleJohndeclares,“Inhimwaslife”(vs.4a.)NotethatlifeisnotmerelyspokenofasbeingcreatedbyGod; rather, life is spokenofasexisting inGodand inHisSon.Lifedoesnotexistapart fromGod and independent of God, noteActs 17:28, a passage inwhich theApostlePaultestifies,“inhim[God]welive,andmove,andhaveourbeing.”LifeistheexclusivepossessionofGod,itisinseparablyrelatedtowhoGodis,itispartofHisidentify:“AndGodsaid toMoses, ‘IAMTHAT IAM’(or, ‘IAMBECAUSE IAM’)” (Ex.3:14.)God is theOnewho isself‐existent, theOnewhohas life inHimselfandtheOne from who life comes. The Lord Jesus Christ in His incarnate identity as theServant of the LORD, declares, “just as the Father has life in himself, so also has hegrantedtheSontohavelifeinhimself”(Jn.5:26.)GodistheonlySourceandSustaineroflife.Whatdoesthismeanforusinpracticalterms?ItmeansthatourlifeistotallydependentuponGod;HebestowslifeandHeterminates life as He sees fits: “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no godbesideme.Iputtodeath,andIbringtolife;Ihavewounded,andIwillheal.Andthereisnoonewhocandeliveroutofmyhand”(Deut.32:39.)Itmeansthatlifeissacred:wemaynotarbitrarilytakelifebymurder,abortion,euthanasia,orsuicide.TheApostleJohnnowgoesontodeclare,“theLifewasthelightofmen.”Inverse4aJohnspokeaboutlifeingeneralterms,nowheisspeakingaboutonespecificlife:thelife of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God. This Life was “the light of men.” InScripture “light” is often used in the sense of knowledge, understanding, and

illumination: “Theunfoldingof yourwordsgives light; it givesunderstanding to thesimple”(Psl.119:130.)Inbiblicalterms,togivelightistoimpartunderstanding,toilluminate;andtobelightistobeanexample.BecausetheSonofGodistheSourceoflife,Heis,therefore,thetrueIlluminatorandInterpreteroflife.LookatthelifeoftheLordJesusChristandwewilldiscoverthemeaningoflife,andwewill see theway lifewasmeant tobe lived. First,whatwe see is that lifewasmeant tobe lived in fellowshipwithGod, a fellowshipbaseduponobedience andsubmissiontoGod.Jesustestifies,“TheOnewhosentmeiswithme;hehasnotleftmealone;becauseIalwaysdothethingsthatarepleasingtohim”(Jn.8:29.)Lifewasnotmeanttobelivedforself‐gratification.Furthermore, lifewasmeanttobelivedforthe glory of God. Again, Jesus testifies, “I have glorified you on the earth, byaccomplishingtheworkthatyouhavegivenmetodo”(Jn.17:4.)Lifewasnotmeanttobelivedforself‐glorification.“TheLightshinesinthedarkness”(vs.5a.)Thatistosay,thelifeandwitnessoftheLord JesusChristenlightensusas to the truemeaningof life, indistinction to thefalseinterpretationoflifepresentedbythedevil:

Buttheserpentsaidtothewoman,Youshallnotsurelydie;5forGodknowsthatin theday you eat [the fruit of that tree] your eyes shall be opened, and youshallbe likeGod,knowinggoodandevil. 6Andwhenthewomansawthatthetreewasgoodforfood,andthatitwasadelighttotheeyes,andthatthetreewastobedesired [or,covete]asameansofmakingonewise,shetookof itsfruit,andateit;andshealsogavesometoherhusbandwithher,andheateit.(Gen.3:4‐6)

ThedevilsoughttoconvinceAdamandEvethattheirlifewasindependentofGod(Gen.3:4)—Godmight threatenthem,butHecouldnot touchtheir lives,HecouldnotcarryoutHiswarningthatinthedaytheydisobeyedtheywouldsurelydie,asHehasstatedinGenesis2:16‐17,“inthedaythatyoueatof[theforbiddentree]youshallsurelydie.”ThedevilsoughttoconvinceAdamandEvethattheycouldattainthe lifeofGod, theycouldbecomelikeGod(Gen.3:5)—theyshouldstrive forself‐glorification.ThedevilsoughttoconvinceAdamandEvethattheyshouldlivetheirlivesforthemselves(Gen.3:6)—theyshouldpursuethecourseofself‐gratification.Adam and Eve, and the entire human race in Adam and after him, followed thecoursesuggestedbythedeviland,consequently,sufferedthejudgmentofGodandbecameslavestosin,astheLordJesustestifies,“Itellyouthetruth,Everyonewhocommits sin is the slaveof sin” (Jn.8:34.)Thus,byheeding the liesof thedevil, allmankindinAdamanddescendingfromAdam,wereplungedintospiritualdarknessandmadeliabletotherighteousjudgmentofGod.

Notonlydoes“theLightshinesinthedarkness,”but“thedarknessdidnotextinguishit“(vs.5b.)HereJohnisdeclaringthevictoryoftheLightoverthedarkness:ByHislife, climaxing in His crucifixion, Jesus conquered the devil by resisting his falseinterpretation of life, and by remaining faithful to GodHis Father. Now the risen

LordJesusinviteseachofustopersonallytrust inHimandreceivethebenefitsofHis atoning work; namely, the forgiveness of our sins, reconciliation to God, andeverlastinglifeinthekingdomofGod:“thisismyFather’swill;[namely,]thateveryonewholooksupontheSon,andbelievesonhim,shouldhaveeternal life;andIwillraisehimuponthelastday”(Jn.6:40.)III.LooktoJesus,andYouwillFindtheGraceOfferedbyGod(Jn.1:14,16)

Inverse14cJesusisdescribedasbeing“fullofthegraceandthetruth.”IntheLord Jesus Christ there is found a superabundant supply of divine mercy,compassion,andblessing.

Inverse16Johntestifies,“Fromhisfullnessweallreceived,graceupongrace.”Of whom is John speaking when he writes, “we all received”? As verse 12indicates,heisreferringtoallthosewhoreceivetheLordJesusChristastheirSaviorandwhoentrusttheir livestoHim:“toallwhodidreceivehim,tothosewhobelieveonhisname,tothemhegavetherighttobecomechildrenofGod.”

WhatdosuchpeoplereceivefromtheLordJesusChrist?Literally,theyreceive“graceagainstgrace,”or,“graceupongrace.” Inotherwords,asuperabundantexperienceandsupplyofdivinegracethatisreneweddaybyday,butshallonlybeexperiencedinitsfulldimensionintheheavenlykingdomofGod.Bywayofillustration,thegraceoftheLordJesusChristbestoweduponthosewhobelievein Him is comparable to the waves of the ocean at high tide as they pourthemselves out upon the shore, constantly replacing and replenishing eachotherastheycoverthebeach.

ConclusionLooktotheLordJesusChristandyouwillfindtherevelationofGod:YouwillmeetthePersonofGod;youwillseetheliferequiredbyGod;andbybelievinginHimyouwillfindthegraceofferedbyGod.