What you gonna call the baby? #4 (20.12.09 - morning)

Word of God

Reading: John 1:1-18

1. Introduction to “the Word”

• He is God.
• He created everything.
• He gives life.
• He became flesh!

N.B for J.W's

New World Translation = Totally inconsistent translation! a god…. See:

Jn 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ^ESV

Jn 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ^ESV

Jn 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. ^ESV

Jn 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. ^ESV

2. "Word" - Def

What is a word? What do words do?

= words give expression of thoughts, bring revelation of what we don't know or can only guess at.

Jesus is the word = Jesus is God and the visible expression of God! Heb 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature {substance}, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ^ESV

Expand.

See the rest of this verse - see the greatness of the One who has provided purification for sins!

2.1 In the bosom of the Father

=?

Means a place of closeness & love - Deut 13:6 talks about the wife of your bosom; Num 11:12 uses it to describe the care of a father for his young child.

Who better to tell you about someone than someone who is intimate with them?

Jesus is intimate with the Father!

Also - demonstrates what He gave up - bosom of the Father for Earth! Even if born in a palace - that would have been too lowly!

But - it also means that Jesus was always in the bosom of the Father - always enjoying that intimacy with Him. Even tho' Jesus was in a body and 100% man - He still remained 100% God and never ever became less than God.

2.2 Only thru' Jesus!

No one else can show you God! Emphasis in Gk - He has made Him (God) known.

No other religion, man, priest etc.

All you need is Jesus!

3. Seen His glory

So - why did God become flesh? Why Did He come and pitch His tent amongst us?

One main reason was so that we would see His glory!

Not that He wanted an ego boost - but that our hearts might be turned from idolatry & fixed upon the true God! Why have that when you can have this?!!!

We see His glory & our hearts return to Him:

• Jn 1:14 And 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. ^ESV Consequence? We see He is full of grace & truth!
• Jn 2:11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. ^ESV He manifested His glory - and what was consequence? Disciples put trust in Him!
• 2 Pe 1:16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ^ESV Consequence? We are assured He is God the Son & worth listening to & paying attention to! See context. This isn't a myth!

4. Made God known

See this description of God - 1 Ti 6:15-16 he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen. ^ESV

Job - 26:14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand? ^ESV

How we understand or comprehend this God?

If I were to speak in Thai now how would you understand it? Need a translator!

That is just what Jesus came to do! Jn 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. ^ESV

He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known]. ^Amp

This unapproachable God - 1 Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life…. ^ESV

This God who is too glorious to gaze upon & the sight of Him meant death - 2 Co 4:4-6 ⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ^ESV

Jesus came to make God knowable! He came to give you access to God! He is God! God hasn't been toned down any but He is one of us! A man! A God!

This is what it is all about - God going public with how great He is!

Do you know Him? Do you want to know Him more? Jesus has made that possible!