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John 1:1-41
May 1, 2011 - Communion
Rev. William A. Huegel
The First Baptist Church of Norwich
He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; and that life was the
light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify
concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he
came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world,
and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to
that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to
those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born
not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of
the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Gospel of John comes to a close in Chapter 20 - almost! Chapter 21 is an epilogue, really. It
tells of the restoration of Peter after his denial of ever having known Jesus. It’s really
interesting, but for the most part, John comes to a close in Chapter 20, with these words.
John 20: 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not
recorded in this book. 31 But ∫ that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and
that by believing you may have life in his name.
stories in Matthew’s Gospel, Mark, and Luke, and not really get it. Maybe you can read the stories of Jesus birth, you can read
about the virgin birth, about Jesus being born in a manger, about angels coming to shepherds, and still not really understand.
You see, John wants to you know, that this is not just an interesting story of a great man, this is not a story just of some great
prophet, not the telling of a great teacher, a great Rabbi. If you think that, then you don’t really understand.
You see, John wants you to understand that this is the Creator God who has taken on human form. Listen to His words. John 1: 1
In the beginning was the Word (not just a man with good words) - He is the Word.
This Gospel starts like the Book of Genesis - and it’s intentional. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. But
how did He create? He created by speaking the Word. God said, “Let their be light and there was light. Let there be animals and
there were animals. God simply said, “The Word”. That’s who Jesus is!!! He’s 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 (The Word - a person, not
some vague concept) nothing was made that has been made.
In other words, Jesus (The Word) and God the Father (who we think of as Creator) are inseparable. You can’t talk about the one
without talking about the other.) This Jesus of Nazareth, born of a virgin in the city of David, is the Word who speaks things into
existence! Jesus, is The Creator God who speaks things into existence. And He has taken on human flesh.
John Clarify this: John 1: 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. Without Jesus there is no life. Without Jesus (the creator God who
speaks things into existence) there is no life and there is no light (Think of Genesis 1. Before creation, darkness hovered over the
face of the earth - no light). He is the true source of light and life.
This is how John’s Gospel starts His Gospel. He doesn’t want you to miss it. In case there is any question about who Jesus really
is, John doesn’t want to leave any doubt in your mind. Now here is an interesting thing.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which
was his own, but his own did not receive him. (Not only did God come into the world which was his own by virtue of creation, he
came to his elect - the Jews who had been elected by God to represent Him in the world and elected to present Him to the world).
He came to His own, but his own did not receive him.
Here’s the question - maybe you’ve asked it yourself. If God came into the world, if he did take on human flesh, if he did walk
among us, how come nobody recognized that? How come His own people - namely the Jews - rejected any notion that this man
called Jesus, was actually God-in-the-flesh? In fact, they even arranged for him to be severely beaten and crucified?
Here is John’s answer: Well, not everyone rejected him. Some people did accept him and for good reason.
- He acted like God.
- He spoke like God.
- He had wisdom, He spoke like no one else.
- He did miracles - like no one else.
- He made the blind to see.
- He raised people from the dead.
- He healed the sick.
- He forgave sinners.
- He was amazing.
So, some people did accept him - not necessarily the religious folks. It’s scary how the most religious people can sometimes miss
the obvious. When I was in seminary, I sat in on a class at Harvard Divinity School, with Dr. Joseph Fletcher. Dr. Fletcher had
written a very controversial book entitled: Situational Ethics. It was being hotly debated in theological circles at the time. So, I and
several other guys went into Harvard to take an evening course he was offering. The class was talking about the environmental
problems of water pollution and air pollution.
But there were some guys in the class who were smoking. And this very liberal seminary was letting people smoke in class. It
would be judgmental to tell them smoking was wrong and that they shouldn’t do it - even in class. But I was choking. And I
wondered how everyone in the class could be talking about air pollution and water pollution, yet no one was addressing the very
serious air pollution right there in the room! It’s amazing how some religious people can miss the obvious.
Some religious people were missing the obvious in the days of Jesus. There He was - God-in-the-flesh! Right there before them.
Teaching, doing miracles, loving, forgiving, and confronting evil when he saw it - especially among the religious people. It
offended them, and so they ended up having him crucified.
But not everyone missed it.
- Some people recognized that Jesus was not a mere human being.
- Some people recognized that God had stepped into their midst.
- Some people were calling out, “My Lord and my God”!
- Some people were worshipping him.
- Some people were accepting Him as the promised Messiah.
- Some people were accepting Him as their Lord and Savior.
And here’s what happened: 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become
children of God.
Repeat: 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right ( the privilege, the honor) to
become children of God
To all: White, yellow, black, brown, Anglo, Korean, Hispanic,
Alaskan, Peruvian,
Mexican, Mongolian,
Tall, short, skinny, fat, ugly or handsome!
Even if you have sinned - and it doesn’t matter which sin. I have prayed with people who were serving life sentences in prison, and
I refused to ask what they had done - I have embraced them, and prayed with them, because they have received Jesus and have
moved from the created of God who had seriously blown it, to become Children of God who loved God !
And that, my friends, has not changed! That is a process that has been happening for 2000 years, and is happening today. 12
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
The invitation this morning, is to come to the Communion Table to worship God who has come to us - in the flesh - and who gave
of His life that we might be forgiven and that we might become the very children of God.
Reach out for the bread - take it and eat it and say in the depths of your heart, Jesus I want you to come into my life, just as this
bread becomes a part of my life.
Reach out for the cup, take it and drink it, and say, Jesus if this cup represents your blood that was shed for me, then I want that
shed blood to cleanse me and I want your Holy Spirit to help me to live for you for the rest of my life.
Jesus! I’m yours - forever! Let’s pray!