Let there be light, John 1:4-13
- The Gospel of John
- Purpose is made clear at the end of the Gospel
- but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30–31
- “Believing Life”
- What do we believe? “That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”
- What happens when we do? “Have life”… “in his name”
- Vital to know, who is this “Jesus”?
- What do we believe? “That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”
- Verses 1:1-18 is a prologue, an introduction, giving us large ideas that will be played out in the rest of the Gospel. Life, light, truth, grace, and belief.
- How many people know a guy named Bobby?
- Born in Santa Cruz, grew up near SLO, moved to HI, etc.
- The details of who I am separate me from other “Bobby’s“ much like the details of Jesus separate him from other “saviors”
- How many people know a guy named Bobby?
- If there is life in Jesus, then we should probably make sure that I have the right one.
- “Believing Life”
[4] In him was life,
- Life, review
- Unbelief =Adam. /. Believing=in Christ
- Unbelief=dust / Believing=Heaven
- Unbelief=Death / Believing=Life
- Unbelief=Darkness / Believing=Light
- In Adam, in other words, on our own, we are dust, death & darkness
- In Christ we have heaven, life & light
- He’s not an “add on” to our life, he is life, and we enter into HIS LIFE.
- He is not a jacket when you feel the coldness of condemnation,
- He is not an accessory when your your insecurities are activated,
- He is not a new pair of shoes to boost your self-esteem (Col 3)
- For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:3–4
- But we have hope!
- Main Point- Let there be light!
[4b] and the life was the light of men.
- This is most likely not a general statement. It could be general revelation, that all men bear the image of God. But since this is an introduction to the Gospel we need only look to the rest of the Gospel to understand how to interpret our text.
- And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. John 3:19-20
- Light in the Gospel of John is contrasted with darkness that you may believe.
- I wasn’t raised a CHristian. My mom had a church background, and so did my step dad and my bio dad, but no one was pointing my to Jesus. I was looking at porn at an early age, around Vinny’s age, 10yrs. old.
- 7th grade, drinking in the morning’s. Why? Because I loved darkness. There were reasons; to cover my shame, my pain. My biological dad abandoned me, my mom was an alcoholic until 2nd grade, I saw her get beat when I was 4 and there was nothing I could do, but at the end of the day if I’m honest, it was what John 3 says… I loved darkness.
- But by God’s grace, all throughout my darkness, God was saying “let there be light”
- And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. John 3:19-20
[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
- Witness to the light that so that we may believe.
- As the other Gospels, they introduce Jesus by first introducing us to John the Baptist that he pointed to Jesus. Much like we are not light but point to the light found in Jesus.
- And this is what we do. Look up example.
- All throughout my life, people were pointing me to the light. My Granda Lynn, my mom throughout seasons of her life, my Aunt and her kids, but I thought I was cooler, and as cool as “being right with God” sounded, I loved darkness. Darkness was cooler, more accepted and respected.
- They, like John were pointing to what God is saying through the son, Let there be light!
- As the other Gospels, they introduce Jesus by first introducing us to John the Baptist that he pointed to Jesus. Much like we are not light but point to the light found in Jesus.
[9] The true light—> Jesus
- Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
- He is the true, genuine light. “True worshippers”,
- “If believers are to recapture the greatness of Christ, it would change our world” Kent Hughes
- He is life, truth, creator, holds the world together, Jesus!
- That we would actually believe he is still saying, Let there be light!
- But for me that light was too bright, and like many I rejected Jesus. I loved darkness.
Vs. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
- Exposit
- The story of the tenants, “I will send my son, they will respect him.” But the tenants kill him.
[12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
- Hume lake, father to the Fatherless
- -BUT I STILL REJECTED THE LIGHT.
[13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
- Not by birth right, Good works/ effort, Will
- OF GOD -Not a random event
- God is doing this. He would not let me go…
- Maui
- And still today he is shinning light into my life. “LET THERE BE LIGHT”
vs. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
- The word Shine is continual. It shines, it will shine and it will never stop shinning.
- Addressing my darkness, healing my insecurities, etc.
- God says “Let there be light”