Children of God

Children of God

John 1: 1 – 18.

Introduction

Whenever I preach a funeral / memorial service for someone who has died, I always make it a point to present the Good News about salvation.  As human beings, we all face a sin problem.  Sin separates us from God.  But, God has overcome our sin problem. 

Perhaps there are other world religions that admit we have a sin problem.  But, there is something different and unique about the Christian faith.  As Christians, we know that we cannot solve our sin problem.  Some religions teach that if a person can meet all of God’s requirements, they can achieve salvation.  Some religions teach that a person can be saved if they subscribe to a certain number of theological pillars.  This is not what we believe as Christians.  We don’t believe salvation is about what you can do for God.  It is what God has done for you by sending his Son, Jesus.

Jesus died as the final sacrifice to solve our sin problem.  And, Jesus rose again as the first One to experience Resurrection and eternal life.  God did this as a free gift to anyone who believes.  Anyone who believes can be forgiven.  Anyone who believes can experience Resurrection and eternal life.

Last weekend, as I was preparing for the funeral service, I had a conversation with myself.  (I’m not crazy, but I do talk to myself.)  I asked myself, “Do you really believe what you are about to stand up and tell the church?”  Then, I answered (not only do I talk to myself, but I even answer questions), “Yes.  I believe this, because this is the only thing that makes sense.  Without the Resurrection, there is no adequate explanation for the presence of evil and suffering in the world.”

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus is the answer to all the problems we face as humans.  The Crucifixion is God’s answer for our sin problem.  The Resurrection is God’s answer for the problem of death, evil and suffering.

If Jesus’ Resurrection never happened, then we would have no hope of Resurrection and eternal life.  If Jesus’ Resurrection never happened, then death, evil, pain and suffering is the very best we could ever hope for.  But, if Jesus’ Resurrection is true, then there is more to life than death, evil, pain and suffering.  God has a plan for us that is better than anything we have ever experienced right here and now.  God has a plan for us to live with him in a New Heaven and New Earth—a perfect Paradise with no more death, evil, pain and suffering.

This Paradise is something all humans desire.  We naturally want to escape from this world filled with sin, evil, death, pain and suffering.  We cannot create this Paradise on earth, and we cannot earn entrance into God’s Paradise.  The only way to enter God’s Paradise is to become a Child of God.

The New Testament has a lot to say about the children of God.  Most notably, the New Testament teaches us that not every person is a child of God.  We become children of God through faith in Jesus…

John 1: 1 – 18.

1 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 men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood [fn1] it.

6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men 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 every man was coming into the world. [fn2]

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 received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent,[fn3] 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, [fn4] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, [fn5] [fn6] who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

New Testament scholars refer to this passage as the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It is more than an introduction to the rest of this book.  It is a theological “big picture” of the entire Gospel story.  It begins with the story of creation and ends with John the Baptist telling others how they can be saved.

Divinity of Jesus

John 1: 1 – 2,  “1 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.”

One important way to read these verses is to keep in mind the way John’s original audience would have heard them.  John uses an important Greek word in this passage.  He says, “In the beginning was the logos…”  “Logos” can be understood in several different ways.  It could be translated either “word” or “reason / logic.”

First Century Jews would have understood John’s theology as a reference to the way God created the universe.  God spoke, and the universe came into existence.  God created everything by his Word.  (Incidentally, this is why the Jews refused to worship an image of God.  God revealed himself to his people by his Word and not through an idol /image.)

First Century Greeks would have understood John’s theology as a reference to divine reason.  In Greek philosophical thought, every human was endowed with a spark of the divine within each of us.  They believe this is the source of human reason.  Reason was present with God when he created the universe, and God implanted a piece of himself within his creation.  Salvation is something to be achieved through education and knowledge—living by reason and not by either emotions or fleshly desires.

I believe John used the word “logos” as a way to appeal to both the Jews and the Greeks in his audience.  He got their attention and then redefined the nature of this “logos.”

John 1: 14…  “14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John redefined “logos” in distinctly Christian terms.  The “logos” is not simply the spoken word of God and is more than divine reason.  The “logos” is a Person, who lived in the flesh and revealed the glory of God on earth.

If we stop reading at the end of verse 18, we will be left with many unanswered questions about the identity of this “logos.”  But, if we keep on reading the Gospel of John, we will recognize that Jesus is the “logos.”

John is telling us some very important things about who Jesus is. 

Jesus is the “logos” who became a Person and lived among us in the flesh in order to reveal the character of God.  As Christians, we agree with the Jews in saying that we can know God by listening to his Word.  But, we go a step farther in saying that God has revealed himself in the flesh through the life of Jesus.  We can see the love and goodness of God by observing the life of Jesus.  We see this in Jesus’ miracles and his compassion to those in need.  We see this perfectly in the way he voluntarily gave himself up for us on the cross.

Jesus revealed the character of God, because Jesus is the “logos” who was both with God in creation and is God.  Jesus is more than a good person and a good teacher.  Jesus is not only godly…Jesus is God.

God’s Initiative in Salvation

John 1: 10 – 13…  “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 received 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.”

The God who created the universe entered into his universe to redeem his fallen creation.  This is such Good News.  The God who created you loves you so much that he entered into your world to save you from yourself and from all of the evils of this world.  But, notice how this Good News was received.  The world Jesus created did not recognize him as either its creator or its redeemer.

It is entirely possible that John is speaking about the Jews here.  He tells us that Jesus came to “his own.”  And we can interpret this in a couple of different ways as a reference to the Jews.  First, the Jews were Jesus’ own people.  Jesus was a descendant of Adam, Abraham and David.  Jesus was Jewish through and through.  Second, if Jesus is God, and the Jews are God’s chosen people, then the Jews were Jesus “own people.”  Yet, they rejected him as their Promised Messiah.

Of course, not all people rejected Jesus.  Not all Jews rejected Jesus—the Twelve Disciples; James, the brother of Jesus; and the Apostle Paul were Jews who accepted Jesus.  Not all people have rejected Jesus—the New Testament tells us about a worldwide movement of Gentiles who accepted Jesus, and we are here today because we have accepted Jesus as the Son of God.

Even if John is referring to the Jews as Jesus “own people,” we still have no reason to boast about our salvation.  We did not earn salvation.  We do not deserve to be saved.  We did not do anything to accomplish salvation.  Salvation is God’s work in us and toward us.

Salvation is God’s work, because God initiated salvation.  When we were sinners and helpless to solve our sin problem, God condescended.  Jesus entered into the universe he created to be our redeemer.  Jesus offered salvation as a free gift to anyone who would receive this free gift.  But, receiving a free gift is nothing to brag about.  Receiving is not the same thing as working or earning.

Salvation is God’s work, because only God can make us children of God.  The New Testament never tells us that everyone is a child of God.  This is a status which can only be conferred to us by God himself.  In the same way, there is no process of evolution from being a child of human parents to a child of God.  The only way to become a child of God is for God to change our status.

God initiates salvation by offering it as a free gift.  God accomplishes salvation by changing our status from children of human parents to children of God.  Our only role in salvation is to receive it by faith.  Perhaps a better way to describe this is to say we receive God’s free gift when we stop resisting what God is doing.

It is important for us to recognize that salvation is God’s work in order to avoid any understanding that we have saved ourselves.  But, that raises a question for me about how other people receive salvation.  If salvation is God’s work, what am I supposed to do about other people?  Should I just sit back and let God do his work?  Or, is there something else I am supposed to do?  We find the answer by looking at John the Baptist as our example.

Sharing the Good News

John the Baptist shows up twice in these 18 verses…

John 1: 6 – 9…  6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men 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 every man was coming into the world. 

John 1: 15…  “15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”

These references to John the Baptist set a good example for us.

First, it tells us that John knew there was a difference between himself and Jesus.  Jesus is God.  John is not.  Jesus is greater than John…And John knew it.

Second, John knew he had been sent by God to accomplish a certain purpose.  His purpose was not to be the Light of salvation.  His purpose was to point other people toward the Light.  Jesus is the only Light that can break through the darkness of life.  Jesus is the only One who can save people from their sins and give them eternal life.  All John could do was to tell others about Jesus and his salvation.  John told the story and left salvation in God’s hands.

Conclusion

This is why we are committing the rest of this year to One Focus.  We want to be like John the Baptist.  We know that God will continue to do his part.  God pursues all of us, and God is at work preparing people to hear the Good News and receive his free gift.  There’s no doubt that God is working.  The question is whether or not we will do our part to point others toward Jesus.

In the next few weeks, we are going to help you with training and provide you with resources for being a witness.  In the month of March, our Sunday School classes and small groups are going to focus on sharing the Good News with others.

One of the things I have discovered as a pastor is that there is only so much I can do.  For example, I can share the Good News in sermons, in funeral services and in personal conversations…But only God can save a person.  Only God can prepare a person to receive his free gift.