John 1:1-18
SERMON RESPONSE
The True Light
Passage: John 1:1-18
KEY TRUTHS:
• Looking back as an old man, the apostle John writes this gospel account in order that we the readers might believe Jesus is the Christ - the Son of God - and in so doing have life in His name (John 20:31).
• Jesus is the true light who has shone into the world, enabling those who believe in Him to:
Become Children of God
Experience the fullness of God’s grace Know God
RESPONSE:
1. Passage - Break into the book of John with the first section 1:1-18.
a. John comes out of the gates theologically swinging in this poetic passage. What are some of the big
claims this passage makes about Jesus?
b. Based on these claims of Jesus, v. 12 tells us (as well as the purpose verse in 20:31) there is a proper response to Jesus - what is it?
2. Ponder - We use belief and faith a lot and so does our culture - but what biblically does that mean? How do you define belief? Consider a few helpful definitions here:
i. Belief is a firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence towards us founded upon the truth of the freely given promise to us in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts. (Calvin)
ii. Faith is a being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus. Not just an assent to truths but heartfelt valuing and treasuring of all that God promises to be for us in Jesus. (Piper) See video HERE.
iii. Faith contains 2 aspects: intellectual assent and personal trust. The 1st involves believing something to be true, the second means relying on that truth, much like the imagery of actually sitting in a chair.
iv. There is a marked intensity of the relational component in John’s description of believing in Christ throughout his book (Schwartz).
b. We see 3 eternal benefits John portrays starting in v. 12 for those who believe in Him. What are they? 3. Personal - Would you say definitively that you know God? That you’re his child? That you have relationship
and have experienced the fullness of His grace in the gospel? Walk through these 3 personally:
Child - Is he distant to you? Do you see Him more like a caricature of an old grandpa, or a domineering angry ruler - or do you see him as your intimate, personal father?
Grace - Is grace real to you? Has it distinctively slammed into your soul or is it more of a vague concept of generic blessing?
Know - Do you have an actual relationship with Him? Do you regularly talk, listen, relate to Him, emotionally connect with Him, and learn more deeply who He is - or do you just know about Him?