THE PROLOGUE & BACKDROP of Facts Exposed in John's Gospel

PROLOGUE
𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐠𝐨𝐬* John starts his book with this beautiful verse that contains a very deep and powerful idea about Jesus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝

𝐀𝐧𝐝

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲: 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬—𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟/𝐔𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟

𝐼𝑛 𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛 1:9–13, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝐽𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑠?

* Jesus is called the 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝐿𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, who enlightens every person coming into the world (John 1:9). Although Light comes to everyone, not everyone welcomes the light.

* In the Gospel of John, the division of humanity into two large groups is evident: those who accept and those who reject Jesus.

— 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭:

(1) They are not condemned (Jn. 3:18a)

(2) They come to the light (Jn. 3:21a)

(3) Their works are done in God (Jn. 3:21b)

(4) They receive sight (Jn. 9:39b)

(5) They become children of light and are not in darkness (Jn. 12:36a, 46)

— 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭

(1) They are condemned (Jn. 3:18b)

(2) They do not come to the light (Jn. 3:20a)

(3) They do not want their works to be rebuked (Jn. 3:20b)

(4) They are blinded (Jn. 9:39c)

(5) They will be judged for their rejection (Jn. 12:48)

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬—𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦?

* In Greek it is Doxsa meaning Splendor / Brightness / Majesty — this is the pinnacle of value

* In the Bible, the word “GLORY” is paired with things like God’s Law on tables of stone / God’s Hand / His Right arm / God’s Name / Kingdom / Church / His gospel / His power / Jesus’ appearing / Jesus’ resurrected body

𝐺𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐺𝑜𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛

1. 𝐺𝑜𝑑’𝑠 𝐺𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

i. 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟏:𝟏𝟒 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we see His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

2. 𝑊𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝐽𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑠’ 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐻𝑖𝑠 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑 — 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐺𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑁𝑂𝑇 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟

i. 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟐:𝟏𝟏 – This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

3. 𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝐺𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑁𝑂𝑇 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓-𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑦 / 𝑁𝑜 𝑆𝑒𝑙𝑓𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙

i. 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟖:𝟓𝟎 – And I do not seek My own glory

𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑢𝑠 𝐺𝑜𝑑’𝑠 𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝐺𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝐽𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑠

1. Jesus will be glorified AT AN HOUR — a particular time, A specific event

i. John 17:1-2 – Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

i. Pinnacle of parenthood: risking life for a child.

ii. The GLORY of the parent is seen when there is an OPPORTUNITY to sacrifice

iii. So, God’s Glory is NOT glory UNLESS Jesus comes down to Earth to rescue sinners

ii. The Hour that Glorifies the Son is taking our sins on Himself to die in our place