John 1

Do turn me to John chapter 1.

John 1 · chapter mention

John 1.

So it's on page 886.

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What's the identity of the baby?

That's the core and the heart of the Christmas message.

And John in his gospel focuses not on the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ.

There are no shepherds.

There are no angels.

But John identifies for you why the baby was born.

At the carol, who is he on yonder stall?

And our worship depends at this Christmas on our being able to grasp who is this baby that lies in the manger.

And so I've got three answers that I want to give you from John 1.

The first answer is this.

The baby in the manger is God.

Secondly, the baby in the manger is God made man.

And thirdly, the baby in the manger is God made man for our salvation.

And if you take those three statements, in lots of ways they encompass the whole of the message of Christmas.

The baby in the manger is God.

The baby in the manger is God made man.

And the baby in the manger is God made man for our salvation.

The first points are much longer than the other two.

So first of all, the baby in the manger is God.

John, in his gospel, gives us the larger backlog in how Christmas is to be seen and to be understood.

Matthew and Luke, they tell you the story.

They give you the immediate context.

They tell you of Herod and the wise men and the angels and the shepherds.

But John doesn't do that.

John gives you the larger context for the coming of Jesus Christ.

It's here that our minds and our understanding are enlarged so that we see the real meaning of Christmas.

And we see the real sheer glory of Christmas.

So, verse 1, can you hear the echo?

If you know your Bible, surely you hear the echo, don't you?

In the beginning.

In the beginning, God.

The Bible begins, Genesis chapter 1.

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

But in John chapter 1, it's in the beginning was the word.

John 1 · chapter mention

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, God the creator is at work, isn't he, to form the heavens and the earth and to form human beings in his own image.

He's the creator.

But in John 1, we have the same creator, God, revealing himself again in power and glory and grace.

And here he is coming to make a new beginning, a new creation.

And so Genesis 1, creation.

John 1, a new creation.

He's saying in John 1, the only parallel for what I'm about to tell you is the creation of the universe.

And that is the backlog that John wants us to see in the coming of this baby lying in a manger.

Echoing the creation of the universe at the beginning of time.

Here is the creator God at work in his fallen world to recreate man.

And four men and women are fresh in his image.

And that new humanity that God here in Christ is setting about creating consists in verse 13 of those who are born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but born of God.

Now that is the point of the description of Christ as the word.

We often look at verse 1, let me read to you verse 1.

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

And what preachers often do is they often want to say, well, John is talking about here a means of communication.

A means of self-expression.

A means of revelation.

So in the same way that my words this morning reveal what I'm thinking, and what I'm speaking to you reveals what's going on inside,

they communicate a message to you.

And that is true.

That is what John is saying in one way about the Lord Jesus.

That Jesus is the word.

Jesus is the one who reveals.

He manifests what God wants to say to human beings.

It's the revelation of God in all his glory.

But the word in John 1 is much, much more than that.

Because do you remember in Genesis chapter 1, how did God create?

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

Do you remember that?

How did God create?

He spoke, didn't he?

Catechism says God spoke all things into being by the word of his power in the space of six days and all very good.

He speaks and says, let there be light.

And there was light.

And so we discover that the word of God is God acting in creation.

And now here in the new creation, God is acting again, isn't he?

That is the significance of Jesus being called the word.

The word is God in action.

God bringing the world into being by his word.

And here in Christ, God is bringing in a new world.

A new age.

God is bringing a new humanity into being.

As he sends his son forth from the heavens.

And so John is preparing you and I for the fact that in Christ's coming,

God is beginning to do something of majestic proportions.

And that is what we need to grasp.

That the baby in the manger is the living God acting in his world.

There's the same dynamic in that little baby.

As when God called out into the darkness.

And commanded light to come forth.

That when he spoke and created the universe.

That same authority.

That same creation power.

Is there in this tiny little baby.

That's what John is saying to us.

It's a very remarkable thing.

That as the only begotten son was the agent of creation.

Verse 3.

All things were made through him.

And without him was not anything made that was made.

So the only begotten son.

Is the agent of the creation.

But of the new creation too.

It is he who invades this fallen world.

And gives life and light and hope.

And this Jesus is the baby in the manger.

Now do you notice how John describes Christ as the word.

There's kind of four areas that he does that.

He describes him.

First of all in relation to time.

And then in relation to God.

And then in relation to the universe.

And then in relation to humanity.

So can you see first of all.

He describes the word in relation to time.

In the beginning.

Was the word.

He is eternal.

That's the significance of this phrase.

John is saying.

That he had no beginning.

While other forms and other things had a beginning.

The son of God was eternal.

The word was eternal.

When time began.

Christ was there.

For all eternity.

And John is emphasizing.

That the baby born in Bethlehem.

Had existed with the father.

Through all eternity.

So this beginning of days.

In Bethlehem.

Was not the beginning of days for him.

He was.

When the beginning came.

And from all eternity.

He had existed.

With the father.

So his relationship to time.

Is he is eternal.

And that's really important.

Because only God is eternal.

Do you remember the catechism again?

What is God?

God is infinite.

Eternal.

This baby in Bethlehem.

Has the very characteristic.

Has the very attributes.

Of the Godhead.

Here is the eternal son.

The eternal word.

But secondly.

He describes the word in relationship to the Godhead.

So can you see verse one again?

In the beginning was the word.

And the word was with God.

And the word was God.

God.

Notice.

The two things he says there.

It's not only that he was in the beginning.

And the word was God.

But the word was with God.

And that demonstrates to us.

That the word.

The son.

The Christ.

He has a separate entity.

A separate personality.

Within the Godhead.

He was with God.

God.

But you must understand that.

He was a kind of percentage of God.

Or part of God.

He is a separate personality.

Within the Godhead.

He is distinct from the Father.

And yet he is one with the Father.

So God the Son is a distinct person.

A distinct being.

Yet he has all the attributes.

And all the essence of the Godhead.

The word was God.

What does that do to our worship this Christmas?

Well it means we won't patronize him.

It means we won't lullabies him.

That it is God in the manger.

And so we will bow down before him.

And that is the significance of Christmas.

Here in the manger.

It is the eternal God himself.

Co-equal with the Father.

Having come down to be man.

Third way he describes.

The word is he talks about him in relation to the universe.

Doesn't he?

Look at verse 3.

All things were made through him.

And without him was not anything made that was made.

Again.

You've got the language.

All the way through.

In verse 3, 4 and 5.

The language of Genesis 1.

The language of God.

The language of God.

The language of God.

The language of beginning.

The language of made.

The language of life.

And light.

And darkness.

And so on.

And so now he who was the creator of the universe.

Has come.

To be creator again.

In his own world.

To recreate.

And reform.

Men and women.

Into the image of God.

Who have turned from him.

In.

Rebellion.

and so in relationship to the universe

he is its creator

do you grasp that?

Lo within a manger lies

he who built the starry skies

must lead us to worship

in ecstasy isn't it?

that God the creator of the ends of the earth

is a babe in a manger

fourthly in relation to men

look he is the life giver

look at verse 4

in him was life

and the life was the light of men

so John is telling us something here

which is mind bending

he's telling us that Christ is not only the creator

the agent of creation at the beginning

but he's the animator

he's the way that life came through to us

that where there was life

life came through Christ

and so God called didn't he

inanimate creation

into being

God formed mountains

and seas

and dry land

but then he brought life

and where did that life come from?

that life came from the Lord Jesus

it came from Christ

in him was life

the simple fact is this

there is no life outside of Jesus Christ

that applies to physical life as well as spiritual life

it may well be that John's concentration in his gospel

is on spiritual life

but physical life is exactly the same

it is in Christ

and so if you have life this morning

if you are alive this morning

some of you don't look like you're alive

but you have life this morning

because it has come through the Lord Jesus

he is the animator of creation

that's not a very good way of putting it

the glorious truth is that John is

undoubtedly using a double meaning

that not only is life kind of vested in Christ

in its general form

but the basic meaning of life in John's gospel

is spiritual life

and that is found in Christ

so in the deepest sense

the fullest sense

the life that is in him

is eternal life

and in giving himself to us

he gives us life

and that life illumines the hearts of men

in him was life

and the life was the light of men

the light shines in the darkness

and the darkness has not overcome it

you see what John is saying

just in his opening words

he's saying whichever direction you look at

the baby in the manger is God

the eternal creating animating Lord of life

the baby in the manger is God

but then he goes on to tell us

that the baby in the manger is God made man

the climax is in verse 14

the word became flesh

the word that was in the beginning

the word that was God

who was with God

the word who created all things

became flesh

and he dwelt among us

full of grace

and full of truth

in 9 to 11

it's kind of trailed there

we're told that

the true light

which gives light to everyone

was coming into the world

that's the world of Bethlehem

in verse 10

we're told that he was

in the world

and the world was made through him

yet the world did not know him

verse 11

he came to his own

and his people did not receive him

but the baby in the manger

is God made man

is taught in verse 14

most clearly

and this is the mystery

of the new creation

that is in Christ

and so in the first creation

in Genesis 1

God made man

to bear his image

in the second creation

God became man

to bear our sin

in the first creation

God made man

to bear his image

in the second creation

God became man

to bear our sin

when he says

that the word became flesh

he was no less God

when he became flesh

our Lord Jesus Christ

didn't lessen his godness

he was not therefore

God minus something

he was God

together with what

he had made

taking on our humanity

so that he who

had made man

now came to experience

what it was like

to be a man

that's what the incarnation

means

it means that

the Lord Jesus

took on our flesh

it means that

he entered

into fully

what it means

to be human

he experienced

our frailty

he understood

our weakness

he wept

with our tears

he was exhausted

with our tiredness

he came under pressure

like you and I do

he experienced

temptation

from Satan

like we do

he was tested

and tempted

in every point

as we are

he was a baby boy

and then

an adolescent

and then a full grown

man

and at every stage

he became

what he was

for our sakes

so that he might

enter into our

humanity

and this is what

the incarnation

means

it means that

the Lord of glory

has taken on

human flesh

there's not an

iota

of your

experience

which the Lord

Jesus has not

entered into

personally

and that's what

constitutes him

as a saviour

who understands

the needs

of his people

the Lord Jesus

has entered

into every

possible area

of your flesh

in order that

he might be

your saviour

literally

what John

says there

it says that

he tabernacled

amongst us

can you see that

he dwelt

amongst us

he was made

flesh

and dwelt

among us

verse 14

and there's no

doubt a reference

there isn't there

to the end of

Exodus

where the

tabernacle is

set up

right at the

heart of the

camp of Israel

in the midst

of God's

people

and in Exodus

40

when the

tabernacle

is established

we're told

that the glory

of God

it so filled

the tabernacle

that Moses

couldn't enter it

he couldn't get

near it

because the

glory of God

filled the

tabernacle

God came

down and

filled his

tabernacle

with glory

and it

burned out

from the

tabernacle

now do you

see what Jesus

is doing here

he is coming

amongst us

making

his flesh

his tabernacle

in order that

out of his

flesh

something of

the glory

of God

would burn

and shine

and that is

ultimately the

end of his

saving ministry

the Lord

Jesus

enters into

our flesh

in order that

our manhood

and our

womanhood

would be a

tabernacle

for his

glory to

shine

we beheld

his glory

we've seen

his glory

glory as

of the

only

son

from the

father

full of

grace

and truth

you might

remember the

transfiguration

where his

glory

bursts forth

on that

mountain

and suddenly

the veil of

the Lord

Jesus

is torn

and suddenly

the glory

of who he

is is seen

on that

mountain

it couldn't

be contained

and Peter

speaking about

it years

later

he says

we beheld

his glory

and Jesus

says this

the night

before he

dies

he says

to his

father

the glory

you have

given me

I have

given them

the glory

that you

have given

me

I have

given

them

and that

glory

he came

to bear

in order

that

we might

know the

very glory

of God

shining through

our human

flesh

it's what the

purpose of his

grace and salvation

ultimately is

it's the glory

ultimately of what

the angels sing

the Lord Jesus

through human

flesh that he

has redeemed

and sanctified

the glory

of Christmas

is it is

possible that

through your

flesh

the glory

of Christ

might shine

and God

became man

for that

that leads me

to the last

of the three

areas

the baby

in the manger

is God

the baby

in the manger

is God

made man

and the baby

in the manger

is God

made man

for our

salvation

here's

here's the

real issue

did God

the son

the second

person

of the

trinity

why did

he become

come down

to be made

flesh for man

well it was

certainly to reveal

the glory of God

to reveal his

grace and his

truth in the

world

but it was to

deal with

wasn't it

two specific

areas

where his

glory had been

obscured

and challenged

first of all

in the area

of death

in the world

and then the

area of darkness

in the world

so think again

of Genesis 1

think of that

first creation

account

when God

spoke into

the first

creation

do you remember

what it says

there was

darkness

over the face

of the earth

and that

darkness

there was

evidence

wasn't it

evidence

of the need

for light

and life

and God

spoke into

that darkness

and there

was light

it was waiting

for God

to say

let there be

light

but here

the darkness

in John 1

is sinister

it is an

evil darkness

the new

element in

that darkness

is death

and men

loved darkness

rather than

light we're told

because their

deeds were evil

and that is why

Christ has come

into the world

he came to

give life

in him

was life

says John

and that life

is eternal life

spiritual life

because there

was spiritual

death in man

and the

fallen world

is the shadow

of death

over it

and Christ

came in our

flesh

in order

that he might

deal with the

ultimate darkness

it's what John

means when he

says in verse 9

he says the true

light which gives

light to everyone

who's coming to

the world

he was in the

world and the

world was made

through him

yet the world

did not know

him

he came to

his own

and his own

people did not

receive him

so in John 1

you've got the

first mystery

which is the

incarnation

haven't you

this mind

bending truth

that God

has become man

but the second

mystery of John 1

is the rejection

of Christ

the mystery of

the rejection

of the son

of God

because he

came for those

who were in

darkness

and he came

to bring light

but they didn't

want it

they were blinded

to him

he came to

his home

he came to

his own

people

but his own

people would

not receive

him

he was

despised

and rejected

by those

he came

for

what did

he come to

do

John tells

us in

verses 12

and 13

but to

all who

did receive

him

who believed

in his name

he gave the

right to

become children

of God

who were

born not

of blood

nor of the

will of the

flesh

nor of the

will of God

of man

but of God

he came

to bring

life

to raise

from spiritual

death

those without

God and

without hope

but the

Christ who

became man

who was in

a tiny

crib

grew up to

be the son

of God

crucified

on a

cross

in order

that by

his death

he might

put an

end to

our

spiritual

death

and raise

us

to spiritual

life

that's what's

behind John's

words to all

who received

him who

believed in

his name

he gave

power to

become

children of

God

how does

he do

that

well he

does that

by offering

himself

death

and that's

what Christmas

is about

really isn't

it

he offers

us his

son

to all

who received

him

and it is in

Christ that

there is

life

and so dead

sinners who

sit in

darkness

need

Christ

and if

Christmas

for you

is just

some kind

of nice

warm

fairy story

you need

Christ

and to

all who

received

him he

gave

the right

to become

children of

God

and so

can I ask

if you

grasped that

this Christmas

that the

eternal son

of God

the creator

of the

ends of

the earth

who has

formed you

who has

made you

offers himself

to you

he offers

himself to

you to

come into

your life

and to

recreate

you

what you

need

have you

received

him

it's not

enough to

be religious

it's not

enough to

align yourself

with God's

people

it's not

enough to

have a

reputation

as a

Christian

it is

have you

received

Jesus

Christ

because

to as

many as

received

him

he gave

the right

to be

children

of God

that you

might be

brought to

him

that you

might discover

the mystery

and glory

of having

the creator

of the

universe

inhabiting

your life

and making

it his

tabernacle

that was

true

you would

go out

of this

church

wouldn't

you

walking

on air

you would

rejoice

that the

word became

flesh

and dwelt

among us

let's pray

let's종

of

a