The Light Has Come...The Light Has Been.

Last year I heard a sermon from a missionary around this same time of year. She pointed out there are actually three genealogies of the Messiah in scripture. Did you know this? I knew of the genealogy in Matthew that ends with Mary. And I know of the one in Luke that is Joseph all the way back to Adam.

But there is a third in the book of John! We have Maternal, Paternal and we have Eternal genealogies in scripture.

'In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.'

John 1:1-5

The Word IS Jesus

The bible tells us that from the abundance of our hearts, the mouth speaks. Words reveal your heart and your mind. Your words make it clear to others what you know, how you feel, what you think, where you stand on issues, how much you love or dislike.

We refer to the bible as God’s word to us. These words tell us all about God and his heart and his character.

Jesus is the Word Made Flesh. Just a few more verses down in 14 we see John writes that Jesus was the word made human.

The word is Jesus. Jesus has revealed the heart and mind of God to a world that had not heard anything from God for around 400 years. He came just as the words of the prophecies given from God had declared. God has spoken to us by his Son. Jesus spoke and taught, and continues to speak to us today, God’s words and his wisdom for us.

The Word Was God

There is a divinity here, a clear statement of Jesus Christ’s character and nature being the same as the Father’s.

The word describes Jesus as the perfect revelation and representation of God’s fatherly nature and character.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God

Jesus has existed from eternity meaning he has no beginning or ending. He is distinct from God but in an eternal, unified relationship with him. Just as God always has been, so too, Jesus.

Colossians 2:9 says it clearly and I especially like how The Passion Translation states it.

'For he is the complete fullness of deity living in human form.’

The Fire Bible commentary says that God has been revealed as a single Being, existing in three distinct but interlaced and completely unified persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each one divine, equal in all the attributes of God yet they are not three Gods or parts of God, but one God.

Jesus is and always has been a unique and unified divine Being even while and since becoming one of us, flesh and bone. Jesus was God. Jesus is God.

Through Jesus

At this point the pronoun changes. Now we see the name of Jesus Christ, the Word personified. The word was with God. The word was God. “And through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

Genesis 1:2 tells us the Spirit of God hovered over the waters and in verse 26 God says, “Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness…”

All things have been made for him, and by him, or through him.

Through Jesus, the Word, there is Life and there is Light.

Verse 4, “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.”

In Greek the word for life is “zoe.” Jesus is zoe, He created zoe, He brings zoe.

John mentions this life throughout his letter.

Bread of Life—6:35

Water of Life—4:10-11

Words of eternal Life—6:68

Giver of Life—6:33

Life is Christ’s Gift—10:28

Jesus is Life—14:6

True life is embodied in Christ and is experienced through a personal relationship with him.

The Greek word used for light is “phos” and in Strong’s Concordance, this is fire, light. There's life and energy in this word! Light illuminates and reveals. Jesus came as the Light for everyone and he has and continues to reveal God and God’s plan.

It is through Jesus we become children of light and that we walk in the light.

He is the light at the end of the tunnel!

Where sin and rebellion exist there is darkness.

Verse 5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

Jesus shines through it all, illuminating and dispelling the darkest places and hearts. The world doesn’t understand it. The world can’t stop it. Many will deny or reject the light but they cannot keep it from shining through God’s children, through you and through me.

Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace

Hail the Son of Righteousness

Light and Life to ALL He brings

"Hark the Herald Angels Sing" © Public Domain

Maybe you are in need of the light and life that Jesus is and brings. What better time than today, than this season, to invite him into your darkness. You can do that right now by simply saying a prayer like this:

God, I know I am a sinner and I cannot escape the sinful life on my own. Thank you for sending Jesus to live, die and rise again so that I can be forgiven and become a child of Light, a child of God. Jesus, forgive me. Live in my heart and be the light of my life. I surrender my life to your Lordship and will follow you all the days of my life. Amen

For the rest of us who are already living in this light, it’s time for us to SHINE. Let our words, our hearts, our attitudes and actions illuminate the darkest of places.

This is from week one of the sermon series, "The Light Has Come" at GCFirst Assembly of God, December 9, 2018. You can watch this message and week two from Pastor Rich Smallie here.