Presented on December 29, 2019 at Bethany Presbyterian Church, Sacramento CA
Readings: Galatians 3:23-25,Galatians 4:4-7 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+3%3A23-25%2CGalatians+4%3A4-7&version=NIV) and John 1:1-18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-18&version=NIV)
SERMON – “Not Such A Little Light”
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and… John
John is often considered as an afterthought – the Zeppo to Groucho, Harpo, and Chico; the Ringo to John, John, and George, the… well, youi get the idea.
Although a disciple of Christ – one of the original twelve along with Matthew, Mark, and Luke – John was not as well known as the other three, although he is often referred to, not by name, but by “the disciple whom Jesus loved most.” John is also credited with three letters in the New Testament – although scholars debate his authorship – and the ever popular Book of Revelation – not to be confused with the Book of Revelations, which doesn’t exist.
And John’s “chapter” – really his book – does not have a “birth story,” like Mathew and Luke, so the school children never learn about him when they recreate the Christmas story.
But I should not dismiss John and his Gospel so readily, as he writes not of the birth story, but of THE birth story.
Allow me to share the first chapter of his Gospel, with brilliant academic interruptions.
*koff*
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
So you see, right there is a ten week course in theology. “In the beginning…” Where have we read that before? How about Page One, Verse One – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
John wrote “In the beginning was the Word.” Which is easy enough for a believer in Creator God – Jewish, Muslim, or Christian. But John, of Jewish faith, goes on: “…and the Word was with God…” which is fine – If the Word was in the beginning and we know God was in the beginning, it makes sense that the word was with God. But here’s the curve ball for this big inning: “…and the Word was God.” This is filed under “Things that make you go ‘huh?’” But it gets better. Because John is a believer in Jesus the Christ – Jesus the Messiah. So John writes: “He was with God in the beginning.”
Wait. Who HE? “HE was with God in the beginning.” But we always figured God to do a solo act – the whole Creation thing was a one-man band.
John doesn’t answer the question directly, but goes on: “Through him (again – who him?) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
Did Creator God contract out some of those six days of labor we read about in the Old Testament? We know that “the Spirit of God” was part of Creation, as in that first paragraph Genesis, we read ”…and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” But that’s “hovering,” not “doing – not “making all things.”
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The interpretation here cannot be simpler: Jesus – who we learn is the subject of this comment in John’s later writings in this book – is the light – the savior, the Messiah, the Christ, the leader – for everyone on earth.
John continues: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
All told, there are 16 references to Jesus as the “light” in John’s writing. But this is not just John’s interpretation. In John 8, Jesus himself declares, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Keep in mind that just as there are thousands of Christian denominations in the world today, so were there different denominations, if you will, of Judaism during the time of Jesus. It was never Jesus’ goal to start a new religion, named after him. His goal was to move Judaism from the law of Creator God to the Will of Creator God.
John, whom scholars recognize as the son of Zebedee, continues to write about John, the cousin of Jesus, born of Elizabeth: “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.”
I’m going to re-read that with clarification: There was a man sent from God whose name was John. (This is whom we know as John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus). (John) came as a witness to testify concerning that light (who is Jesus), so that through (Jesus) all might believe. (John) was not the light; (John) came only as a witness to the light.”
Reading on: “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” which is the closest we get to the manger, shepherds and wise men.
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”
This is a direct reference to many times the people did not recognize him as the Messiah – the Pharisees who challenged Jesus when he healed a crippled man on the Sabbath and who complained when Jesus hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors; the Chief Priest and his follower when Jesus returned to Jerusalem; the Sanhedrin who questioned him after his arrest; and even Jesus’ own disciples who fled and denied him after his arrest.
Now here is my favorite part.
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
And now, finally, John comes as close as he will to naming Jesus. Continuing John’s Gospel, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
The next passage rivals the better known John 3:16 – available at ball games and roadsides near you – you what I’m talking about ‘“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That is a wonderful evangelical statement, and John 1:14 is a passage for us believers: “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
“Out of Jesus’ fullness,” John continues, “we have all received grace… For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
THIS is what being a Christian means – to declare “We have seen the glory of Jesus the Christ – the glory of the one and only son, who came from the Father – the Creator God – full of grace and truth.” And if we are Children of God, just as Jesus is the Child of God, so should we be filled with the grace and truth that is in our brother Jesus. And in doing so, follow the will of God through the truth and grace of Christ Jesus as was given to us through his words and actions. And so may we, in everything we say and everything we do, be true to his teachings.
And THIS is the word of God.
Amen.
BENEDICTION
Go out and be that light that Jesus wants us to be. Face the new year with a clear vision and shine brightly.
May the LORD bless you and keep you and may the LORD’s face shine on you and be gracious to you.
Happy New Year!