Study inJohn’s Gospel

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God Makes Himself Known

Chap 1:1- 18

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IntroductionSome of you may have seen the film ‘The Wizard of Oz’, in which a little girl in the company of her friends, a straw man, a tin man and a lion travel to the land of Oz. When they arrive they are terrified of the wizard, though in truth they know very little about him.

One day they are invited for an interview, they do not meet him but they hear his booming voice and are told of his plans to overthrow a witch and of the part that they will play in his plans. They are very scared until the wizard reveals himself, and then they discover that he is not the tyrant they had imagined but a kindly person, who puts them at ease and assures them that he is eager to help them individually.

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IntroductionThe fanciful story of ‘The Wizard of Oz’, illustrates God’s dealings with us. God has spoken to mankind indirectly through his creation, and directly through scripture. But even more wonderfully, God has revealed himself personally through Jesus Christ. This revelation strips away our fears. And it is this revelation that John is eager to unfold in his gospel. And in order to do so John chooses a particular title to introduce Jesus. He uses the Greek word ‘Logos’ which is translated as ‘the Word’. Immediately he has captured his reader’s attention. It would have reminded the Jew of the book of Genesis and God’s creative Word that brought creation into being. For the Jew the term ‘logos’ was something that could be seen, touched and heard.

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IntroductionTo the Greeks the term ‘logos’ also had significant meaning. This word would cause them to think in terms of the mind of God, the controlling reason behind the universe. The Greek philosopher, Plato once gathered a group of students around him and said, ‘It may be that some day there will come forth from God a word, a Logos, who will reveal all mysteries and make everything plain.’ And John says, ‘God has come’. He is no longer hidden. He is a God whom we can talk about from first hand experience. He has not left us to guess or speculate about his identity.

The logos has revealed himself by stepping into his creation as a real flesh and blood man.

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The DarknessBut what kind of world did he step into? Before answering that question I want you to select a word to describe your last holiday. Did you choose, ‘relaxing’, or, ‘exciting’, or, ‘instructive. What word does John choose to describe the world into which Jesus stepped? ‘Darkness’. Is John suggesting that the beauty we see in creation is an illusion? No! He is not talking of a darkness that can be seen with the human eye. He is describing a spiritual reality that has enveloped God’s creation. When men decide to live life independently of God it is as though they construct a little box, climb inside and close the door.

And when you shut out light you are left alone with darkness. Man is left in the dark in relation to God and as such his mind is incapable of grasping the truth about God.

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The DarknessThis causes us to ask, ‘How has God gone about penetrating that darkness?’ For the Jews the most momentous event in their history had been when God revealed himself at Mt. Sinai, when he gave the 10 commandments and the instructions for the construction of the tabernacle, a place of worship.

When the tabernacle was finished, the Ark of the Covenant containing the tencommandments was placed in the innermost apartment of the tabernacle and the glory of God was seen to rest upon it. The Israelites were forbidden entry. This symbolism taughtthat for the time being God was present but not directly accessible. The room could only be accessed by an intermediary, the high priest, once a year.

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The DarknessMoving down the centuries of Israel’s history, we discover that even this limited visible reminder of God’s presence and glory was removed. The prophet Ezekiel describes the way in which God withdrew his presence from the temple, the city of Jerusalem and eventually from the nation Ezek.10.1ff. And few noticed or cared. And for the 400 years before the coming of Jesus not only had there been no visible token of God’s presence but there had been no prophetic word, no communication from God. The land was steeped in spiritual darkness.

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The DarknessThe people had sat in darkness. But the coming of Jesus changed all that! John’s meaning would not have been obscure to his readership. Verse 14 literally reads, “The word became flesh and tabernacled among us”. Jesus is the repository of the glory of God, the light of God. In him, we find not a mere visible symbol of God’s glory but God himself. And in Jesus, God was both present with and accessible to men. “we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father”v14.

Cf. Simeon’s word’s at Jesus dedication in the temple, “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel”. Lk.2v32

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The WitnessThis was an event worth preparing for. And the ministry of John the Baptist was intended to prepare the Jews to receive this light. You will know that whenever a total eclipse of the sun is predicted, all sorts of government warnings are given to prepare men and women for the event. “Don’t look at the sun directly but, with your back to the sun, hold up a piece of white card and watch for the image of the eclipse to appear…etc”.

Similarly, God sent John the Baptist to prepare the Jewish nation. His task was to call the nation to do a spiritual about turn. That said the particular interest which this gospel writer has in John the Baptist’s ministry is in his role as a ‘witness’.

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The WitnessJohn recognised that he himself was not the promised light. John saw his role as simply that of a signpost. This has tremendous practical bearing for Christians today, be they ministers, lecturers, writers, teachers, businessmen etc.

Once we begin to think of ourselves as terribly Important and indispensable to the work ofGod, we often begin to draw attention to ourselves. When that happens then we stop being effective witnesses, who point others to Jesus.

We must be prepared to be no more than signposts pointing others to Jesus!

Jesus

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We also read that John gave ‘witness to the light’ v8. Some today say that they bear witness to Jesus through their life - end of story! While it is true that the life we live is vitally important, witnessing for Jesus also implies speech. Indeed, when Peter instructs his Christian readers to be ‘ready to give a reason for the hope that is within them’ 1 Pet.3v15, the scenario that he envisages is that non-Christians, attracted by the lives of Christians, will begin to ask them questions, which they in turn are to answer.

Of course, some will find that easier to do than others but what is not envisaged is the reply that says, ‘I don’t talk about Jesus, that is not my ministry!’

The Witness

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A third thing that we learn about John was that the goal of his witness was to help men come to faith, ‘that all men through him might believe’ v7. When we speak to others about Jesus, we should be looking and praying for a response. In this context we will soon learn that winning the argument is less important than winning the person.

The truth spoken graciously is more effective in winning others to faith in Christ than scoring points off others before whom we parade oursuperior debating skills.

The goal of witness is to win people. This was John’s task!

The Witness

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How effective was John’s witness? Did everyone come to faith in Jesus? No! In fact, those he might have expected to respond warmly had little time for Jesus.

Think of the welcome given to victorious football teams who have won a major cup or, to athletes who have won an Olympic gold medal. There is euphoria and dancing in the streets and a really warm welcome home!

Contrast that with the reception the Creator received when he visited his world. Despite the fact that his fingerprints were all over his creation, the world failed to recognise him and more particularly, his own people, the Jews, did not want to know him!

The Response

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If a teenager is out with her parents and sees a group of school friends in the distance, immediately adolescent embarrassment can swing into operation and she thinks, ‘I don’t want to be thought of as a little child who needs her parents!’ And so she falls back 20 yards or so behind her parents pretending she is out on her own! Thankfully, this is a passing phase that our children grow out of. However, Israel’s behaviour towards Jesus was not some kind of adolescent embarrassment. It was not a façade to help them establish some kind of street credibility. Their rejection was real and it hurt Jesus!

“He came to that which was his own but his own did not receive him” v11.

The Response

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Why do people continue to reject God? Why do they spurn his loving-kindness, grace and mercy? Is there a more relevant question for the church in the western world and elsewhere to ask today? Countless individuals are not only too embarrassed to speak for God but they are reluctant to submit to him and yield their hearts to him. Thankfully, there is another response. There are hearts that open up to Jesus just as a flower opens up to the sun. And they enjoy all that itmeans to be adopted into the family of God.

“to all who received him, to all who believed in his name he gave the right to become the children of God” v12

The Response

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You will see from v12 that ‘receiving’ Jesus and ‘believing’, or putting ones trust in him, are linked to a new relationship, a place in God’s family. Some Jews thought that a special relationship with God could be claimed as a result of their lineage - ‘we belong to Abraham’s lineage’ cf. Jn. 8v39. However, John makes it clear that the right or, the authorisation by which an individual becomes a child of God has nothing to do with an accident of birth. Our adoption into the family of God from a human standpoint is as a result of making room for Jesus in our hearts.

It’s not a mere intellectual belief but a heart commitment that is in view.

The Response

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John teaches that this new relationship is linked to a new nature. You would be surprised by the number of religious people, who struggle to try to make themselves good enough for God - to earn his acceptance. That kind of thinking belongs to the dark box that this gospel is designed to penetrate. We read in v13 that the new nature we need to live the Christian life is not born in a hospital maternity ward, it is “not of natural descent”. Nor is it something we can decide - like a new year’s resolution, “not of human decision”. Nor is it something that another human being is able contribute towards “not by a husband’s will”. This new nature is something that is God breathed, “but born of God.”

Conclusion

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A New Birth that grants us admittance into God’s family is the greatest gift available to men. It is of fundamental importance to notice that it rests not on man’s performance but on God’s promise. It is “to those who believe in his name he gives the right to become the children of God.” On the last day the question that God will put to men is “What is your relationship to Jesus. What was your response to my Son and to the salvation which he procured through his death?”

God has condescended to step into our world will our response to him be one of

acceptance or

rejection?

Conclusion