1.2 The Son With Us

When Jesus lived on earth, the invisible God could clearly be seen in and through Him. His appearance communicated the very nature of God to humanity. His facial expressions revealed God's love, gentleness, kindness, compassion, excitement, joy, pain, and so much more.

John 1:1-18 is a first witness account by the Apostle who provides one of the most beautiful prophetic pictures of God revealed in Jesus Christ. It is rich in the theology of the relationship between Father and Son. The last verse reveals how Jesus (as the Word of God) declared the invisible God the Father to people.

18 John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it.

6 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.

9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn't recognize him.

11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn't receive him.

12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name:

13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testified about him. He cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.'"

16 From his fullness we all received grace upon grace.

17 For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.

The purpose of the Word of God as man was to declare the invisible Father to people. Jesus does so as much more than a prophet because He was God in the flesh. This is profoundly important because it separates the New Covenant from all previous covenants. Jesus as God in the flesh became the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

It is a covenant that cannot be broken because Jesus ratified the covenant with the Father on behalf of mankind. His blood sealed the deal. Even if individuals reject the atonement, the Covenant can never be broken. It is always available for anyone to enter by having faith in Jesus Christ and following Him wholeheartedly.

It is so beautiful to see someone pursue Jesus with abandon, meaning without restraint. When the blind man heard that Jesus was nearby, he acted in faith in Luke 18:38-42.

5 Luke 18:38-42

38 He cried out, "Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!"

39 Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "You son of David, have mercy on me!"

40 Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him,

41 "What do you want me to do?" He said, "Lord, that I may see again."

42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."

The gospels make us hungry for Jesus. Like the blind man, we identify with those who interacted with Jesus as a real person. We can relate to the disciples and ask how we would have responded to the gospel stories and Jesus' parables.

Hebrews 2:17 describes how Jesus related to mankind as His brothers (which means that Jesus is our brother).

1 Hebrews 2:17

Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

God the Son experienced all the physical senses and emotions of a human being. Jesus also experienced temptation, but He overcame it all the way to the cross. It was what made Him the spotless Lamb of God.

In John 1:29-34, John the Baptist made the first reference to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.

6 John 1:29-34

29 The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.'

31 I didn't know him, but for this reason I came baptizing in water: that he would be revealed to Israel."

32 John testified, saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him.

33 I didn't recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'On whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'

34 I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God."

In Revelation 4, we saw the throne room of heaven before Jesus ascended, but Revelation 5 introduced us to the one who was worthy to break the seven seals that God whom we relate to as Father is holding in His right hand. John was weeping because no one was found to open them. Let's pick up the story in Revelation 5:5.

One of the elders said to me, "Don't weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals."

At first Jesus was depicted as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. This was New Covenant language about the forthcoming king. Immediately thereafter, Jesus the Lion was introduced as the Lamb of God who was worthy to take the book and open the scrolls in Revelation 5:6-10.

5 Revelation 5:6-10

6 I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.

7 Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

8 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 They sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

10 and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth."

What was the significance of the seals? He may very well be referring to the book to be sealed until the end as described in Daniel 12:3-4.

2 Daniel 12:3-4

3 Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever.

4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.

We will see how the Mosaic covenant ended when Jesus introduced the New Covenant.

Here are some key points about Jesus and His introduction into the world.

1. Jesus is "the Word (who) became flesh and dwelt among us." Jesus was the Word who was at the beginning with God. Jesus was not just with God; he was God. Jesus would come into the world as a human being to reveal the nature of God through words, miraculous power, acts of kindness and gentleness, and by making the ultimate sacrifice.

2. Jesus was sent out from God as stated in John 8:42:

1 John 8:42

42 Therefore Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven't come of myself, but he sent me."

3. Jesus was called the true light who came to bear witness about truth and grace. The Word of God as man was the vehicle by which God in the flesh would reveal God's purposes for mankind. He was the mouthpiece of God.

4. He was also the visible representation of the invisible Father God to mankind. The right hand of God is a spiritual image of God's omnipotence, His all-powerful ability and authority to rule and reign. Jesus was God's very scepter on earth.

5. Genealogy does not imply being a child of God. Only those who receive God by faith are children of God.

6. Jesus was God revealed through grace and truth, and not through the Mosaic law. This is incredibly important because it spoke about the New Covenant of God's peace, which surpasses the Old Covenant. It explained the reason for the coming showdown between Jesus and the Pharisees.

7. John announced Jesus' purpose as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is a preview of God's fulfilled Covenant of Peace as described in Romans 8:34:

1 Romans 8:34

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

8. John also announced that Jesus is the Son of God in John 1:34:

1 John 1:34

34 I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.

9. John saw the (Holy) Spirit descend on Jesus like a dove as an indication and assertion of who Jesus was. It was a public proclamation of God appearing in the flesh to Israel. However, it did not indicate when Jesus was filled with the Spirit. He always was God - He was not born a man who subsequently became God.

10. John introduced Jesus as the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. The same Spirit John saw come upon Jesus would be poured out on believers.