The Wonder
Introduction
A series in John’s Gospel
Looked at the Word ( Jesus Christ) and the Wind (the Holy Spirit)
Looking at the Wonder – of the relationship between the Son and the Father, the mystery of the incarnation
Reading v14-18
Example of someone who does not believe in the incarnation
Is the doctrine of the Trinity made up by the council of Nicaea
Did Jesus once have a beginning?
Was he fully God?
Have you not read the different scriptures that prove the full deity of Christ?
The wonder of the incarnation
v1 – Jesus was there in the beginning
v2 – He was God
v3 – All things were made through Jesus (only God can do this)
v4 – He had life (only God has immortality and life in Himself)
v5 – His light shines forth
v14 – the Word became flesh
The full and final revelation of God (Jesus) became flesh
It is wondrous to think that an immutable God became
What a mystery
We should pray that God shows us more of His glory
John – says they saw His glory (v14)
Overview:
The wonder of the incarnation
The wonder of His glory
The wonder of His fullness
The wonder of the incarnation
The Son of God became something He was not – man
Yet He never ceased to be God
This is a tremendous mystery
Paul speaks of this mystery – ‘great is the mystery of godliness’
God has no beginning or end, He is eternal
Divine nature married to human nature
The God Man is born
Quote from Horatius Bonar
No one can approach God
1 Tim 6:16
v18 – no one has seen God at any time
Moses did not see the full majesty of God the Father
He saw God through the mediator/pre-incarnate Jesus Christ
The inaccessible is now approachable
The incomprehensible becomes comprehensible
The creator of all things becomes like one of us
He takes on human flesh – but is not sinful
He comes in the likeness of sinful flesh – Rom 8:3
One person with two natures
Quote from Robert Murray M’Cheyne
Example of Moses
What about the glory of the incarnation?
What a wonderful mystery
The wonder of His glory
Not everyone beheld His glory
v5 – many were in darkness and did not comprehend
Many rejected
Many today reject
The natural man does not receive the things of God because they are spiritually discerned
v10 – many in the world did not know Him
v11 – His own (the Jewish people) did not receive Him (but crucified Him)
Because of the ignorance and rebellion of the heart of sinful man
The apostles beheld His glory
In the Old Testament God’s glory was known in certain places
The Mercy Seat
God’s glory came down to the tabernacle/tent
God’s glory came down to the temple built by Solomon
v14 – Jesus "dwelt" (meaning "tabernacled") amongst us
God’s glory is manifest in Jesus
John 2:11 – Jesus’ glory was manifest through His miracles
Turning water into wine
John 11:4 – when He raised Lazarus from the dead
Luke 9:32 – Peter, James and John saw His glory
An inner glory
In His humiliation – the angels sang "Glory to God in the highest"
In His association with sinners
In His baptism and identifying with us
In His gentleness and meekness
How do you find it when you hear the word of God?
Personal example
Does it stir your soul?
John saw Jesus’ glory at the cross
Heb 1:3 – the glory of God is seen in Jesus Christ
Ex 32-33 – Moses could not see the face of God
He saw God’s character
We see the character of God in Jesus Christ
Have you gazed upon the glory of Jesus Christ?
v15 – if so, it will humble you
v26-27 – John the Baptist was humbled before Jesus
What a wonder that He should love us and that we can approach God through Jesus Christ
The wonder of His fullness
v16 – We have all received of His fullness
It is not just for the apostles
It is for every believing soul, every Christian
Col 2:9-10 – the fullness of God dwells in Jesus and we are complete in Jesus
John 3:34 – God gives immeasurably
v17 – the law came through Moses but grace and truth through Jesus Christ
The law condemns and does not save
You cannot keep the law (e.g. the Ten Commandments)
Grace comes through Jesus Christ
The unmerited favour of Jesus Christ
We need a mediator between God and man
God is Holy and pure
We are sinful
Jesus lived a perfect life and died for our sin, rising on the third day
We have peace with God through Jesus Christ
v16 – grace for grace
Such liberality of grace
As if we committed no sin
Imputed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ
Given the Holy Spirit
A promise to be with us to the end
A promise of care and provision
Amy Carmichael described grace as a river
Wave after wave
"Grace upon grace"
Even though we fail – grace
Peter who failed – grace
John (a ‘son of thunder’) – grace [Luke 9:54]
What can we say about our life?
What grace is God displaying in your life?
Patience
The little things – example
God gives grace
Have you received of His fullness?
What a wonder this is
Closing Remarks
What is your view of Christianity?
The wonder of God becoming man
That we might be rescued and redeemed
That we might have forgiveness of sin
Humble yourself and pray that God will have mercy on you