The Word

Introduction

If you were trying to tell about yourself to a new acquaintance, what information would you share? Job. Where you are from. Where you live. If you could find some area of commonality maybe some connection with others. We give safe information to avoid allowing too much of ourselves to be revealed. A couple of years ago, we had a lady visiting from Arkansas who was really excited to meet me. She said she had found the congregation online but was really nervous about attending here because she read that Dana Baldwin was one of the ministers. She was concerned that we had a woman preaching. She was thrilled to see that I am not female. It was not the first time nor will it be the last that I have been thought to be the other gender because of my name. The names that we use help to define us. It also allows us to make connections.

The gospel of John is designed to introduce the reader to God’s intervention with his creation. The writing elicits the testimony of numerous witnesses. As the information mounts, the reader is expected to make a determination about who Jesus is. John clearly says in 20:30–31 that his purpose is to convince his readers that Jesus is the Christ. To this end, this gospel is written as a far reaching testimony. Witnesses are called to testify about what they knew and what they saw. Seven miracles, numerous witnesses both for and against Jesus are called, and John himself offers insight that only an eyewitness would know. Everyone in John’s gospel has something to say about Jesus. Even Jesus is called to testify. Through it all, John’s purpose is clearly seen “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through faith you may have life in his name.”

In many ways, the gospel of John is a trial. The gospel uses a number of concepts to convey the truth about Jesus. Our text uses the concepts of word, life, light, darkness, world, and children to convey certain truths. We as readers are expected to appreciate the abstract that can be applied to the concrete person of Jesus. As we begin our study through the gospel of John, we need to remember one thing—like those initial readers the witness testimony is given to convict us about the person of Jesus so that we will believe. The claims of this writing is that Jesus is the Son of God. He is God in the flesh. He is absolutely divine. Such claims need to be examined closely. If they are true, then our lives are to be radically altered because we believe the claims. This is the meaning of believe. If Jesus is who he and others claim he is, then we live with a passion that defines us and our relationship with God. The text introduces us to two witnesses—God and John the Baptist. Let the trial begin.

Concepts

John doesn’t mention Jesus’ birth. He offers no childhood stories about Jesus. John goes all the way back to creation. “In the beginning” is supposed to take us all the way back to Genesis 1. The world doesn’t enter the world until verse 14. The Word exists before the world begins. The claim from verse 1 is that the Word is eternal. He existed before creation. We are not told who this Word is until verse 17. But this Word was with God. Two different entities. Distinguishable. Clearly two different personalities—Word and God. But here is the shocking testimony. The Word is God. Distinct but the same identity. And to ensure that there is no misunderstanding, John repeats himself in verse two “The Word was with God in the beginning.” This claim is not easily absorbed or accepted. Two eternal beings yet share the same divine designation. John is not suggesting that one is greater than the other. They are equal but distinctive. John will introduce us to third distinct yet divine being in chapter 14 where he mentions “Another Comforter.”

We barely have time to hear these concepts than John pushes to receive even more testimony. This eternal Word had a role to play in creation. All of creation exists because the Word acted. Life exists in the Word. What did God create first? Light. And what came into existence because of light? Life. These two concepts go back to creation but are understood beyond the physical to include the spiritual. Life exists in the Word. Without the Word there is no life. And this life is light for all. The light shines in the darkness is understood on both the physical and spiritual levels. Light relieves darkness of its emptiness and fear. Darkness cannot overcome light. Light overcomes darkness. This is what the Word did. The Word was God before creation. The Word acted to bring creation into existence. The Word brings light’s life into the darkness.

Quickly we are introduced to a physical witness—John the Baptizer. John was sent by God to announce that the true light was coming. Some misunderstood and thought John was the light. He wasn’t. But he testified that the true light who gives light was coming. But then the tension is expressed in verse 10. Although Jesus acted so that the world was made through him, the world (the symbol of that which is opposed to God) rejected him. This rejection means disbelief. The Word’s work and presence had no impact on those that the Word created.

But those who believed, the Word gave the right to become children of God. Not by human effort but by the gift of God. So already we are presented with our first opportunity to hear the testimony and to choose what to believe. The Word is eternal; God; creative; life giving. Some rejected. But those who believe will be given God’s wonderful gift of life as a His child.

So What

The claims will be discussed through the next 12 chapters. Seven signs that demonstrate his power to give life and light. There will be further witnesses who will reveal how their encounter changed their lives and those witnesses who encountered Jesus and rejected him. There will be bold assertions from the lips of Jesus and there will be one time that Jesus will ask those who oppose him to prove that he has disobeyed God—ever. They will not be able to point to anything. All the testimony that follows will challenge us to reaffirm our faith or will demand a decision to believe or reject Jesus.

Let’s focus for a moment on verse 12. John is telling us something radical in this verse. While the Word acted in creation to give life, such actions from creation does not mean that one is already a child of God. Life is God’s gift at creation. It is also God’s gift spiritually. We can be born naturally into this world. Three times John iterates that point in verse 13. Children are born because humans will it. These natural births are events of life that are the result of human action and will. But the spiritual birth can only come from God. We cannot demand or force God to make us his children. He must give us that gift. To believe in the name of the Word is to make a fundamental and long lasting change in how one lives life. To believe means that one’s life is not his any longer. To receive the Word means that one’s relationship with God changes by the will of God. To put it bluntly and plainly. One is not a child of God unless God gives it and the gift comes from the Word. Our status as sinners only changes when God acts on our behalf. We receive the Word and God gives us life. To reject Jesus is to be without spiritual life and in darkness. Invitation.

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