Jesus is Grace and Truth - John 1:15-34 - Pastor Steve Kerns - Sunday July 7, 2024

Part 2 of the First Chapter of John’s Gospel shifts into the lens of John the Baptist, who preached repentance. John the Baptist aimed to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah. The local religious leaders questioned him about his teachings, which is understandable since they are responsible for the spiritual well-being of the Jewish people. However, their intentions were not entirely pure. In response to their inquiries, John the Baptist made it clear that he was not the Savior, but rather a man who sought to open minds and hearts to receive the Chosen One (John 1:19–28). 

While this gospel does not provide a complete account of Jesus' baptism, it does mention some key details. John the Baptist testified in front of witnesses that he had seen the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus and acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God. Despite being older than Jesus by several months (Luke 1:35–36), John the Baptist emphasized that Jesus existed before him, emphasizing His identity as God. 

As we reflect on the identity of Jesus, John Describes Jesus in this chapter using several Specific titles. These names outline both the purpose of Jesus' ministry, and His status as both God and Savior. They are "the Word" (John 1:1–3, 14), "the Light" (John 1:4–13), "the Son of God" (John 1:15–18, 34, 49), "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29–34, 36), "the Messiah" (John 1:17, 19–28), As Paul would later write “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation…” Col 1:15-17 It’s clear that the deity of Christ was well understood by the apostles as well as the first generation of the church. John's picture of Jesus clearly shows us not just a man, but the son of God. Fully man, and fully God he IS the lamb that takes away the sins of the World. The Final sacrifice for all of humanity. 

Read John 1:14-34 Why do you think understanding the sacrificial system is vital to understanding This chapter and the identity of Christ? 

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