THE DAY GOD CAME NEAR
John 1:15, 9–14
Introduction:
Well, this morning we’re beginning a new series of messages that will carry us through the Easter Season. And, I’m really excited to share these messages with you.
Because, they focus on remembering some of the most powerful days in human history. Like, the day Jesus arrived on planet earth. And the day He was recognized and worshipped as a King (really, the King of Kings). And of course, there’s the day He shamed sin, defeat death, triumphed over the grave, and rose again.
Days like these remind us — He has changed our world…and if we’ll allow Him, He will also change our LIVES TODAY! In fact, that was my prayer for you this morning. As we were driving in — our family prayed for you today. And we prayed that God would change your life! So, this morning I want to begin by looking at the day GOD came near. If you have your Bible…turn with me to John chapter 1.
Transition:
In the New Testament, there are four books that tell us the story of Jesus’ life. We often refer to them as “the Gospels” — because they tell us good news. They describe His arrival, His interactions with people, His teaching and preaching, His tell stories about His compassion for others, His love for people, and His power over all things.
They were written by four guys who lived in the 1st century — Matthew, Mark, Luke, an John. And the first 3 books are quite similar, but John’s gospel is different. It was probably the last gospel written. And by the time John wrote his (around 70 AD) most Christians would have been familiar with the others.
So, John wrote His with a different purpose — he wrote His to persuade people to Believe in Jesus. While the others wrote about what Jesus did and what Jesus said — John’s wrote to tell people WHO JESUS WAS — and IS!
Pastor Skip Heitzig notes that the book of John is really “the go-to gospel for new believers. While the other Gospels were written for specific groups of people—(like the Jews, Romans, and Greeks), John was written for the world.”
— So, Mark focuses on Jesus, as a man of action.
— And Matthew focuses on Jesus, as the promised messiah.
— And Luke focuses on Jesus, as a compassionate servant.
— John focuses on Jesus, as the Eternal God!
In fact, he summarize His entire gospel in chapter 20 and verses 30-31, when he writes:
30 Jesus did many other miracles in the presence of his followers that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Then, by believing, you may have life through his name.
John 20:30-31 (NCV)
That was His purpose…and that’s really my purpose today as well. I want you to KNOW JESUS. Because the day He arrived on planet earth, He changed our world!
MESSAGE:
So, if you will allow me, I’d like to read a couple passages (with you), from John’s first chapter. Again, if you have your Bible — look there with me. Beginning in verse 1, John writes:
1 In the beginning…
Don’t you love those words? They’re the words to some of the best stories aren’t they.
With just three words he grabs our attention. He says,
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1-5 (NIV)
Now, skip down (with me), to verse 9. Here John continues, by saying:
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:9-14 (NIV)
In this opening chapter of His gospel, John tells us three extraordinary things about Jesus. First of all…
- HE’S GOD ETERNAL.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John tells us, that Jesus existed in heaven long before he came to earth.
He calls Him the Word. And in doing so, he grabs the attention of everyone in his day — both the Greeks and Romans (who were in power in that part of the world), and his fellow Jews. Both used the word he pens here when he calls Jesus the Word.
The Greek word he used was the word “Logos”. And it meant something to both groups. To the Greeks — the word “logos” represented a cosmic force that brought order to all things. They thought of something like Logic…or Logical. Something that made sense to the chaos of life.
While they didn’t believe in the One God — Yahweh…they believed there was a “force” behind everything. And that supernatural force helped them make sense of life.
But, for the Jews of John’s day, they knew the word Logos — but understood it to be something much greater. To them, it was the word that represented God Almighty. They would have thought of God Himself — the One whose very nature it is to communicate, to reveal, to express, and to connect with creation.
They would have thought of the One, in the words of John Calvin, who is and was and always will be the Divine Speech that seeks to make himself known to us.
This is so amazing — because He didn’t have to do this. But He chose to leave Heaven and visit earth. He came from heaven to earth to COMMUNICATE “face to face” with humanity. He put on flesh and blood — so He could look into our eyes, and we into His.
A commentator by the name of Dale Bruner — writes,
“God is saying this to us, God is saying, ‘All that I have ever wanted you to know about me, all that I’ve ever wanted to reveal about myself I have made known in Jesus Christ.'” So God is saying to us, if we want to know him, get together with Jesus.”
If you want to know what God is like — look to Jesus. And if you want to know what Jesus is like — look at God.
In fact, that’s what John goes on to say. Not only is Jesus God, but He’s GOD ETERNAL. As John puts it…
2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
So, Jesus wasn’t just a shadow of God. He was God. Moreover, He demonstrated His power and eternality by creating everything we know. He is the author of all creation. As Paul says in Colossians, Paul writes…
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17)
I love that phrase. Paul uses a really beautiful word — “SYNESTAKEN” — and it tells us that God got everything going (in the beginning)…and He keeps everything going. He’s the glue that holds all things together.
The writer of Hebrews says, Jesus “sustains all things by his powerful word.” (Hebrews 1:3)
So, Jesus is more than just a man. He is the God-man. He is fully God and fully man.
So, to read the words of Jesus — is to read the words of God. More than just a “good teacher,” His words are DIVINE. The are life. And direction. And power. And presence.
All because, He is God eternal!
So, don’t overlook Him. Give Jesus your attention. Seek Him. Honor Him. Live for Him.
Well, here’s the second thing that John tells us about Jesus…
- HE’S LIGHT IN DARKNESS.
And this is just as significant as Him being DIVINE — and ETERNAL. In verses 4-5, John says,
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
Here John proclaims Christ’s role as the giver of eternal life. And not just — life, but abundant life (John 10:10). John uses the term life thirty-six times in his gospel.
Jesus says time and time again that he is the giver of life, the author of life. The point is that Jesus offers us something we could never get on our own
More than physical life — He wants to give us eternal life. Abundant life. Life filled up and overflowing. More than just surviving — He wants us to be thriving in life.
John says in verse 5,
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
When John writes these words — he’s telling us that Jesus has come into a dark world — and just as a candle drives out the darkness of a room, so also, Jesus comes as THE LIGHT into the darkness of this world, and He drives out that darkness,
To the people in the 1st century — “light” was the ultimate value. All good things were said to be “light,” and all evil was considered “darkness.”
Light also implies an unveiling…or a revealing. So, Jesus wasn’t just someone who could expose our sin — but He also illuminated a way for us to be free of our sin…to be saved from it!
John says, He is the light that shines forth. And that light is life. It’s not pain or shame or deceit or darkness. He doesn’t come bringing fear or sorrow or disappointment or deception. Je comes as “the true light that gives light to everyone”. And John says, in Him is life!
Jesus Himself would testify to this fact in John 8:12 when He said, “I am the light of the world.”
When we’re children, we’re often afraid of the darkness. We put night lights in our rooms so it’s not too dark. In fact, we spend our lives seeking to drive out darkness.
The practical point of is this — is that the light of Christ pierces the darkness — and the darkness cannot be overcome it. So be encouraged. Jesus has overcome this world of darkness! He is LIGHT and in Him there is NO DARKNESS!
Don’t you wish you could trust everything to be what it proclaimed to be? Take for instance, the food we buy. So often, it’s not what it professes to be.
— Like American Cheese. Come on…we all know that’s not really cheese.
— Or what about the shakes at McDonalds. They may taste good but — have you noticed, they don’t call them Milk Shakes — because that’s not what they are. They’re made of something — but it’s NOT MILK!
— Just this week, I was in Florida, and I bought a bottle of juice. It was actually Guava juice (because I love guavas). But I specifically asked the lady at the counter: “Is this JUICE?” And she said “YES!”. I again asked her to clarify — “It’s not just some GUAVA DRINK is it?” And she said “No sir. It’s guava juice.” I said “Great, I’ll have it!”
Well, guess what — it wasn’t juice…it was some sugary sweet artificial guava flavored fruity drink. And I knew it — because, after opening it, and taking a drink — I looked on the label, and in tiny letters…at the very bottom of a very small label, it said — FRUIT FLAVORED DRINK!
I was like — COME ON!
But I love that John tells us outright. When it comes to the nature of Jesus — he’s put it in BOLD LETTERS on the label (for us). He says: God is 100% light and in Him, there is no darkness!
God is light in that He is 100% good. God is light in that He reveals all that we need to see! God is light in that there is only truth in Him! He is perfectly good, perfectly holy, perfectly powerful, and perfectly just.
There is no darkness in God.
Let that encourage you — and respond by receiving Him (and that light into your life).
You’ll notice, in verse 10, John says of Jesus,
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
And isn’t that the way it often is? When someone has been in a dark room and the light is turned on, usually — their first reaction is to pull away from it. To reject it.
That’s what happened when Jesus came into this world — when He pierced the darkness. They pulled back. They didn’t want Him! But for those who responded — their lives were forever changed. Hope was renewed. Life was given.
John says in verse 12-13,
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Now,, that’s great news! If you and I will WELCOME and EMBRACE the light of Christ in our lives, WE WILL BE CHANGED! We will have the darkness in us driven out and the light of Christ will shine brightly through us.
In one of John’s other letters — 1 John 1:5, he says this:
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:5:-7 (NIV)
So, again, God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him. So draw close to Him.
Live your life IN HIM. Let the LIGHT OF CHRIST drive out the darkness in you.
And if you’re struggling with DARK THOUGHTS — then turn to Jesus. Pray and ask Him to SHINE HIS LIGHT into those dark places…into the hidden places in your life. Open the door to Him…let Him inside. Let Him in.
That’s really the message of Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…” That’s a message to you and me. It’s not about salvation — it’s about openness and transparency with Christ.
So, try it. Invite Him to bring LIFE and LIGHT to you.
Well, here’s the third characteristic of Jesus we learn from John, He’s GOD ETERNAL, He’s LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, and…
- HE’S FULL OF GRACE & TRUTH.
In verse 14. John says…
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
I will sometimes hear people pray things like, “God, show me your glory.” And that’s okay — because it’s an invitation for God to SHOW UP and SHOW OUT in their lives.
What they usually mean is, “God, I want to know you more. I want to feel your presence more. I want to sense your closeness in my life more.”
But understand, God has shown his glory to us…and He’s done some through the coming of Jesus. And with Him, He has brought us grace and truth!
And aren’t those some of the best words you’ve ever heard? Jesus came bringing GRACE and TRUTH to you and me.
When John says, He came “Full of grace” — he was saying, in Jesus we find the blessings that we don’t deserve…yet, they are extended our way. Not because of us — but because of Him. Not because we have earned them — but, because He has given them. He was (and is) full of grace.
I’m so glad the Jesus we serve is full of grace? He lacks nothing. He’s got more than enough for me and for you. And, we need it. I know I do. I need God’s grace. I need His grace every day!
Love, mercy, help, strength, that I don’t deserve any of those precious gifts from God. But praise God, He gives those to us freely. That’s what grace is. And He is FULL OF GRACE!
But not just grace, He’s also FULL OF TRUTH. He comes to us — offering us authenticity. Nothing fake. Nothing that looks good — but really isn’t. He offers us GRACE AND TRUTH!
When I was 16, I traveled to Paraguay, South America (on a youth missions trip), much like what our students will be doing this summer when they travel to Costa Rica.
Well, while I was there — our leaders took us to town one day. We went to Asunción (the capital city), to sightsee and shop.
And while I was shopping, a man came up to me and pulled out a board full of beautiful watches. And after just a bit of dickering with him, I was able to buy my daddy the most beautiful Rolex Watch for $14. I was so excited, I mean — after all, I WOULD CERTAINLY BE HIS FAVORITE CHILD. Neither of the others had ever done anything so great.
I BOUGHT HIM A ROLEX!
The problem was — it wasn’t real. It wasn’t authentic. It was fake. It was cheap. There was no truth there!
But John says, what Jesus is peddling isn’t cheap. It’s not fake. It’s the genuine article. It’s REAL…AUTHENTIC…and LASTING.
Author Kevin DeYoung says,
Jesus was all grace. He welcomed sinners and tax collectors and ate with them. He had compassion on the crowds…He welcomed the little children to come (to him)…He healed the lepers, the lame, and the blind. He saved the criminal on the cross…(He was all grace).
(But, He was also…) all truth. He condemned many of the religious leaders of his day for being liars and hypocrites. He called all his those who would be his disciples to take up their cross daily and follow him. He obeyed the law, set standards, and demanded everything from his followers…
Jesus came from the Father full of grace and truth. All grace, all truth, all the time.
But he didn’t come simply to give us an example of grace and truth. He came to save us…after we’ve been saved…God says, “Alright, (now know)…I have saved you to look like Jesus.” We (are to) look like the one we follow.
(https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/full-of-grace-and-truth/)
We desperately need grace and truth in our lives! And that’s who Jesus is.
CONCLUSION:
The day God came near was one of the greatest days of human history. It was the day He revealed Himself to us in the person of Jesus…The ETERNAL GOD, He’s the LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, and He’s FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH!
— And if you’ve not come to grips with that fact — and if you’ve not yet surrendered your life to serving Him, then what are you waiting for? Put your faith in Jesus — and accept His gift of forgiveness and salvation today!
—And if you have, then LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT! Follow Him. Trust in Him. And let your life be a reflection of that GRACE & TRUTH He has shared with you.