02 In the Beginning was the Word (John 1:1-18)

In the Beginning was the Word (John 1:1-18)

The Apostle John starts his gospel with a unique prologue which introduces 3 key themes that resonate throughout the book.

The thesis of John’s gospel is the only way to gain eternal life in the kingdom of heaven is to believe Jesus is the Christ.

“In the Beginning was the Word” Key Points

• The intelligent designer behind creation is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Everything that exists is part of God’s ordered, structured, rational plan. Nothing that exists came into existence apart from the plans and purposes of God. 
• Part of God’s grand design is to give His people Life without sin, evil and death.
• Even though we live in a dark, evil world and are flawed by sin, God still has a plan to give us Life.  We have not forfeited that plan even though we are sinners.
• The prophet John the Baptist announced that the who one can give us Life is coming and how to recognize him.
• In fact, the one who could give us life came, but we didn’t recognize him. Even his own people failed to recognize him.
• But he gives life to those who believe him and those who believe him are born of God.
• All God’s plans and purposes are focused on this giver of Life who is Jesus Christ.
• John is making the case that Jesus is the Messiah and we can receive eternal life through believing in him. 

Themes of John’s Gospel

In this study, we’re going to focus on how John chose certain aspects of the ministry of Jesus to highlight certain themes. We’re going to focus on the 3 themes which John introduces in this prologue:

1. The importance of testimony. Why should we believe what we haven’t seen for ourselves? We believe because of the testimony of those who saw it.
2. The only way to receive eternal life is to believe in Jesus. What’s the point of all this testimony? That we believe in Jesus. Why is believing in Jesus so important? Because he’s the only one who can grant us eternal life.  
3. Those who believe do so because of the activity of the Spirit of God. We don’t manufacture belief. The Spirit gives it to us. 

Light & Life: Central Motifs

Light represents something of tremendous value. Light is frequently used as a metaphor for goodness, truth, wisdom, or understanding. Light is the ultimate blessing from God, in contrast to darkness which is evil, harmful and dangerous.

God’s ultimate goal is to give us eternal Life in the kingdom of heaven. We have not forfeited that chance through our sin and rebellion. The Light still shines in the darkness. There is still a path to eternal Life.

Testimony & Rejection

God sent the prophet John the Baptist to announce that the “Giver of Light and Life” is coming. In fact the giver of life came but even his own people did not know him.

Nonetheless, He gives Life and the right to become children of God to those who accept and believe him.

Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the son of God, and the One who can grant eternal Life in the kingdom of heaven. John the Baptist testified to this fact as do the apostles.

John 1:1-18 Passage

^1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. ⁹The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.  – Gospel of John1:1-18

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.

Next: 03 The Testimony of John the Baptist (John 1:19-24)

Previous: 01 Gospel of John Introduction

Series: Gospel of John: Believe and Find Life

Study: Gospel of John Bible Study Resources

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Podcast season 25, episode 2