Seven Signs Revealing His Glory: Session 1 – Don’t Miss The Real Thing

Notes:

Don’t Miss the Real Thing    See Session Slides Here

There are 2 major parts to John’s gospel: 1) Jesus’ public ministry (the seven signs); 2) The final week of His ministry. These signs are often followed by long discourse, e.g. bread, light, resurrection, etc. They are given so that we may believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that by believing we may have life John 20:30-3).

Jesus is divine; the eternal Logos (Word)

Jn.1:1-3. John makes it clear what it is he wants us to believe, i.e. the person and work of Jesus.

  • He is the Logos (Word) of God. Through the medium of the Word, God is revealed to us. He expresses the mind of God perfectly.
  • He is divine, i.e. co-equal and co-eternal with God. As long as God has existed He has a mind, expressed by the Logos. He was ‘with’ God, lit. face to face, i.e. closest possible fellowship, Rom. 8:27-3).
  • All things were created through Him. Apart from Him not a single thing that exists came into being.

The Word became flesh

  • Jn. 1:14. The Word became flesh, but did not cease to be God.
  • The Word became flesh, laying aside His glory and subjecting Himself to our limitations.
  • He is now a man. His glory was veiled by His humanity. This was necessary for our redemption, Jn.1:29.
  • This means the danger of seeing Him only as a man,  Jn. 10:33.
  • Jn. 1:4. But it is vital that we see His glory, because in Him is life, i.e. the right to bestow life,  1 Cor.15:45.

He is the light of the world, shining in the darkness

  • Jn. 1:5. Without Him men are in darkness. The darkness = fallen humanity under Satan’s rule.
  • The light has shone in the darkness, but the world is hostile to the light, Jn.7:7; 15:18.
  • Hostility to the light is darkness, Jn.13:30.
  • Jn. 3:19-20. The darkness hates the light but can never overthrow it or extinguish it.
  • The Cross was the ultimate attempt to overcome the light – but it failed.
  • To remain in darkness is sin, Jn.1:10-11; 16:9.
  • Those who reject Him remain the offspring of the devil, Jn.8:44.
  • Jn. 1:12-13. Those who believe in Him are given life. They became what they were not before, sons of God by new birth. These are His own, Jn.13:1; 17:11.
  • For example, Jn.6:69; Jn.1:49; Jn.4:39-41; Jn.9:35-38; Jn.11:45-46), etc.

Don’t mistake the witness for the real thing

  • Jn. 1:17. The law was given by Moses. Moses and the law pointed to Jesus. Jn.5:39, 40,46-47. Grace and truth came by Jesus. Jn.1:16. Grace upon grace, i.e. wave after wave.
  • Jn. 1:18. Jesus is the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father. Intimacy, like a child in a mother’s arms, or a woman embraced by her lover.
  • Jn. 1:6-8. John the Baptist. John was referred to as the greatest of the prophets. But the least in the kingdom is greater. Greatness is measured by relationship. John was not that light. He came to bear witness of the light, like all preachers, Jn.3:25-30; 10:41.
  • Jesus is the true light, Jn.1:9. All else are witnesses to the light.
  • The difference between Jesus and all other servants of God is that He is the substance of His message.
  • He did not come to show light, He is the Light. He did not come to give bread, He is the Bread. He did not come to show the way, He is the Way, etc.
  • So too the seven signs are not the light; they bear witness to the light.
  • Clearly John writes with the express purpose that we might believe that Jesus is God’s Son, our Saviour, and that by believing we might have life, Jn.20:30-31.
  • Unlike the Synoptic writers, who simply tell their story and leave their readers to draw their own conclusions, John seeks to procure a verdict. The verb to believe is used almost 100 times. The result of belief is life, zoe, a reference to the sum total of all that is received in salvation (Jn. 17:3). He gives life abundantly. The life He gives is eternal life, i.e. the quality of life God has.


# Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.