Logos as light into Darkness

Series: Full of Grace and Truth

Speaker: Daniel Sweet

The Glory of the Son: Full of Grace and Truth, John 1:1-18

The Logos as the Light in Darkness

“In Him was Life” meaning The Word: Is the very basis of existence, John 1:1, The Creator of life, 1:3, Lived an incredible, divine, supernatural life, 1:4, Gives eternal, spiritual and physical life, 1:5

Interlude – Light and Darkness in the Bible

1. Light = truth and Darkness = lies

Light: We are in the light when we have the right information AND we think the right way about the information
Darkness: We are in darkness when we do not have the right information OR we think the wrong way about the information

2. Light = righteousness and Darkness = unrighteousness

Light: We are in the light when we do the right things according to God’s truth
Darkness: We are in darkness when we do the wrong things according to God’s truth

We by nature are in darkness and we by nature love the darkness because we want to live our life the way we want to live it, John 3:18-20, John 8:12
Jesus is Light and Jesus shines Light providing truth and righteousness in the way He lived His life and providing truth and righteousness to all who believe in Him, John 1:4-5, John 1:9, John 8:12

This could mean “the darkness did not overcome it” (see John 12:35 for parallel use of the this term) – rejection and crucifixion of the Logos followed by His triumphant resurrection
More like the Light was visible, obvious, clear, while shining into our dark existence and our minds could not understand or comprehend the Light (see John 1:9-11) – So incredible is the Logos dwelling among us that we could not wrap our minds around the nature of His life

The Glory of the Son: Full of Grace and Truth, John 1:1-18

The Logos as the Giver of Life

Introduction

Last two weeks: I. “In Him was Life” meaning The Word: Is the very basis of existence, John 1:1, The Creator of life, 1:3, Lived an incredible, divine, supernatural life, 1:4, Gives eternal, spiritual and physical life, 1:5
Asked Austin last Sunday about the sermon – “I didn’t really get what you were saying.”
That is a bad sign because he tends to be a pretty good listener
So when he said that I decided that I should make sure I had communicated the concepts well and then move to the next topic
Assignment for kids – you are to draw a picture on the front Light = Truth, Darkness = Lies
On back of sheet Light = Doing the Right Thing, Darkness = Doing the Wrong Thing
Now that they have their assignment lets lay this out this week with a little more detail than last week
Read John 1:4 (Slide 2)
Read John 1:5 (Slide 3)

Interlude – Light and Darkness in the Bible

1. Light = truth and Darkness = lies

Two Ways Light and Darkness used in the bible
Truth vs lies AND Righteousness vs unrighteousness
And these two are interconnected – knowing truth is necessary to the practice of righteousness
Read Proverbs 4:18-19 (Slide 4)
Read II Corinthians 4:3-4 (Slide 5)
Read II Corinthians 4:6 (Slide 6)
Light is linked to knowledge – the ability to see Biblical, divine truth
Light: We are in the light when we have the right information AND we think the right way about the information
Darkness: We are in darkness when we do not have the right information OR we think the wrong way about the information
Knowledge is essential but it is not sufficient
Knowledge followed by obedience to the knowledge is necessary

2. Light = righteousness and Darkness = unrighteousness

Light: We are in the light when we do the right things according to God’s truth
Darkness: We are in darkness when we do the wrong things according to God’s truth
Read Isaiah 5:20 (Slide 7)
Read Ephesians 5:7-9 (Slide 8)
Read John 3:19 (Slide 9)
Read John 3:20 (Slide 10)
Read John 3:21 (Slide 11)
“Practices the truth comes to the Light”
Read I John 1:5-7 (Slide 12)
Illustration: Truth – my Triglycerides are high
Light – seeing and acknowledging that my triglycerides are high
Righteousness – making right choices based on what I know
Light: forgoing the bacon wrapped, grilled onion with nachos at the ballpark
Right thinking matched with right acting
God uses the illustration of light as a picture of both truth and righteousness

We looked at the last two weeks: life and light are coextensive
If someone is seeing truth and practicing truth then they have life
We by nature are in darkness and we by nature love the darkness because we want to live our life the way we want to live it, John 3:18-20, John 8:12
Jesus is Light and Jesus shines Light providing truth and righteousness in the way He lived His life and providing truth and righteousness to all who believe in Him, John 1:4-5, John 1:9, John 8:12

Now to last phrase of John 1:5 “and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
Read John 1:5 (Slide 13) in the NASB
Read John 1:5 (Slide 14) in the NLT
Read John 12:35 (Slide 15)
This could mean “the darkness did not overcome it” (see John 12:35 for parallel use of the this term) – rejection and crucifixion of the Logos followed by His triumphant resurrection
Read John 1:9-11 (Slide 16)
More like the Light was visible, obvious, clear, while shining into our dark existence and our minds could not understand or comprehend the Light (see John 1:9-11) – So incredible is the Logos dwelling among us that we could not wrap our minds around the nature of His life
Read John 1:5 (Slide 17)
Blank slide (Slide 18)