John 1:1-5

The first 18 verses in chapter 1 are usually referred to as the Prologue. And the first 5 verses speak of the pre-incarnate Christ; the Son of God’s position and activity before His earthly birth.

John 1:1-5 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.

Right away we are told that Jesus is God! He’s the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God! He possesses the same nature or essence as God the Father. All the Father’s attributes are also attributes of the Son. John placed this revelation in the first verse because he intended for the book to be read in light of this life-changing fact. The deeds and words of Jesus are the deeds and words of God.

Jesus is the perfect picture of God’s Holiness.

Colossians 1:15-17 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Hebrews 1:2-3 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

John starts out a lot like Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. // In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

So Jesus has always existed and He created the heavens and the earth along with God.

And verses 4 and 5 - 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.

The Word is the source of life, both physical and spiritual and Jesus connected light and life when He promised “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of light.” His divine light is our spiritual light. He shows us how to live.

The fall in the Garden of Eden caused man to walk in the darkness of sin, until Jesus came to earth and offered us reconciliation. Because the darkness of sin could not ever overcome Christ’s light the light is victorious.

Matthew 13:4-9

Matthew 13:4-9 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.

The seed is the Word of God. This is not just the letters and words of the Bible itself; it’s also the revealed purpose of God. Jesus himself is the Word of God.

John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” And John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

To Jesus’ audience, the seed was His message. But, it was also Himself. To us, today, the seed is dropped into the soil of our hearts every time we read the Bible or hear a message that is the true revelation of God and is empowered by the Holy Spirit. So the seed is not just the Gospel, the message of salvation. Every message from God, whether it’s about the Holy Spirit or a call to live a disciplined life, a prophecy, an instruction, an invitation for a closer walk with God or a challenge to witness to someone, is a seed and it can be lost, crushed, withered or produce fruit, depending on the condition of the heart.

God's Purpose for Us All

John 1: 1-12
I heard a wonderful sermon on John 1: 1-12 at Lakeview Baptist Church in Hickory, NC about a year ago. We were visiting there one Sunday because the pastor and his wife had been on a Christian Music Cruise with us and we really enjoyed them. We had also heard from people in Hickory that Ben “gave great sermons, straight from the Bible.”

Here’s what he said about this passage: “Words are the way we communicate. God would communicate through Jesus. Since He had the Word (Jesus) right there with Him before He made anything – we know God’s purpose for us has nothing to do with material things, events or happenings. His purpose is the same for all: to be like Christ, whom He sent to be an example to us, to believe in Christ, who came to save us from our sins and lead us back to rightness with God, and to be children of God.”