When I left here last time, last
service, I had it in my mind that we would again go to the
next passage in Genesis. And I got up yesterday morning
and I had this passage of scripture on my mind, you turn there, Gospel
according to John chapter one, John chapter one. And as I began
to read in that first chapter, verse five verses is actually
what I'd like to deal with tonight. And I read those words and I
began to think upon God's message to men. God has a message to
men. And that message, that word,
is concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other subject. There's no other topic. There's
no other talking. There's no other reason. We wanna
hear Him. When we come together, we wanna
hear of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. I turned to John
1, and I saw these words. I'm gonna read first five verses.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him,
and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was
life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth
in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. The Spirit
of God moved upon the Apostle John to pen these glorious scriptures. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God. It's God-breathed. And when we read these glorious
scriptures, it set forth the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture that declares His work,
His character, His office. He who is the Savior of sinners,
the Lord of glory. He who is the power and wisdom
of God to everyone that believeth. Tell me about Him. Tell me one
more time about Him. As we approach the scripture
tonight, I want us to prayerfully, very prayerfully, reverently,
seek the guidance of the Spirit of God. Lord, speak to me tonight. I want, I need to hear from you. I need to hear what God has to
say. We've come here this evening
to meet together to hear of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's ask some understanding. You know, when the Lord opened
the understanding of the apostles, he opened their understanding.
Lord, open our understanding. You said, my sheep hear my voice. I know he speaks, he speaks through
his word, he speaks by his spirit. He speaks in providence. I know
he speaks, but I need for him to speak to me. I want to speak
to you, Mitch. I know, I do. But I need to hear
from God. So I ask the Lord tonight, speak
to us, Lord. Now the scripture begins, in
the beginning was the word. And I did as I try to do. I try to look up these words.
In the beginning was the word. Actually, it means the speech.
It comes right down to this. It means the speech. In the beginning
was the word, the speech, the declaration. In the beginning
was the word, and the word was with God. The word was at, he
was near, he was by. The word was by God in the beginning. was the Word. And the Word was
with God. The Word was God. The Word was God
in the beginning. Now that's a truth that just
exceeds our ability to comprehend. In the beginning. In the beginning.
Obviously, that's a setting forth a truth that speaks that there
was something that started, it wasn't God. It wasn't the eternal
God. God is the I Am. He is the eternal I Am. So therefore,
Almighty God, whatever is being set forth concerning Almighty
God is not concerning the beginning of His being because He never
began. Now, I can't grasp hold of that
any more than I can grasp hold of eternity. That's a word that I know how
to spell it, but I can't grasp the depth of it. Eternity. God never began. He never started. I love that. I love the eternality
of God. He had no beginning. But something
took place in time because of the very word beginning. In the
beginning, something started. Something that we know as creation. Something started when there
was God. Before there was anything else,
there's God. Before there was stars, there's
God. In the beginning means that God
started something. He started what we know as His
creation. In the beginning was God. I'm sorry, in the beginning was
the Word. And the Word, that is the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is the Word of God. He's the
Logos. He's God. He's the very expression of God. We know things by words. That's
how we know. If I quit talking right now,
if I just was talking to you and all of a sudden I Now, what was the last things
that I was thinking about? You don't have any idea. Without
words, without a word, without a speech, without an expression
of my heart, or your heart to me, I don't know what you're
thinking. I can't read your mind. But scripture says, in the beginning,
that is in creation, was the Word, and the Word was with God
And the Word was God. In that which is set forth as
the beginning was the Lord Jesus Christ. In the beginning of creation. Not in His beginning as we see
it. But in the beginning of creation was the Lord Jesus Christ. God's spokesman. The Alpha, the
Omega. When there, I said before, was
nothing else, now this is scriptural, he is. When there was nothing
else, he is. Some might say, well, that's
not grammatically correct. Okay, well, yeah, it's spiritually
correct. And it's right and every believer
agrees with it. In the beginning, he is. God never began. He is the eternal I am. Though in the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word of God, the Lord Jesus
Christ, was ever in the presence of God. God. Proverbs 8.22 says this. The Lord, all capital letters,
Jehovah himself possessed me. Now here's, you
know this is the Lord Jesus Christ speaking. Jehovah possessed me. That means that he was set up, Christ was set up,
It means delivered, determined, I'm sorry, it was set up, determined
upon, constituted secretly. Before anything else was known,
he was possessed. That's what it means, he was
possessed. He says, the Lord possessed me in the beginning
of his way, or ever the earth was. Listen to what Proverbs
8.30 says. Then I was by him, as one brought
up with him, I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before
him. So before anything else was openly
displayed, he said, I am, I am. In the beginning was the word,
the word was with God, And the Word was God. There we know the setting forth
of the triunity of God. The Word was with God. The Word was with God. Christ
was with God. The Word who is God was with
God. One God in triune deity. So the Word Himself, the very
expression of deity, the Word, with God. Now here's a declaration
of that distinctive personality. Somebody said, is there three
gods? Nope. One God in three personalities. I've told you
before, I would love to be able to say, I could explain that
to you and I cannot. I can't do that. But I'll tell
you every believer loves to hear it. He loves to speak of the
Father who chose him. before the foundation of the
world, and he should be holy and without blame before Him
in love. Tell me about the Son. Tell me about the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Redeemer. Tell me about how He was made
flesh and humbled Himself, made Himself with no reputation. Tell
me how He came into this world in obedience to his father as
the servant of Jehovah. You tell me one more time how
he came into this world and bore the sin. He was made sin that his people might be made
the righteousness of God in him. You tell me about him. You tell
me about the triune God. Tell me about the Spirit of God
that blows as the wind. Tell me how he moves, directs,
guides, teaches. Tell me how he calls, tell me
how he seals his people. Tell me how he keeps them by
his power. Tell me about the triune God
who is one God. And here John was moved in the
beginning. was the Word, the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. In the beginning, in that blessed
time, was the Word. Verse 2, the same was in the
beginning, and here it is, with God. The Word, the same as before,
was in the beginning with God. He never started, He was in the
beginning. When everything was created,
He was there. The same was with God in origin. Then the Spirit of God sent forth
the truth of how all things came into being. He never came into
being. He never came into being. He
is. He never began. He is. But how did everything else that
was in the beginning? There was a beginning for some
things, some creation. How did they come into being?
Well, verse 3 says, all things were made by Him. And without
Him was not anything made that was made. Everything that we see or don't
see, everything that we can perceive with our senses or can't perceive
with our senses, all things were made by Him. Without Him was
not anything made. That was made. I want you to
hold your place right there. Turn to Colossians. Colossians
1.16. Colossians 1.16, there's something
that the Spirit of God is pleased to add concerning creation that
I just dearly thank God for revealing. Just look 13 to 17, verse 13. Colossians 1.13, who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and it translated
us into the kingdom of his dear son, in whom we have redemption
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of
the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him
were all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions,
principalities, powers, all things were created by him, and look
at these next three words, and for him. He is before all things. By him, all things consist. All things hold together. All
things work together. All things operate together. All things were made by him and for him. Everything that
we see, everything you, everything you, everything, everything in
creation was made by and for the Lord Jesus Christ. He has
created all things. So He is first, He is preeminent
in His dignity and nature. All things bow to Him. All things were made to honor
Him. You look at everything else that's
going on, everything is created in this world. I don't care what
it is, all things created. Man, beast, rocks, everything,
the universe, just everything, everything was made by him and
for him and for him to honor him. It's gonna honor him, it's
gonna glorify him, it's gonna be shown to be to his greatness. They were created by and for. Oh, let's not miss that. I wonder
why in the world this is going on over there. Why is this happening? I'm going to tell you something.
All things, and we know, and we know that all things, all
things. Now this, this should settle
my heart. Lord, help me to be settled down. When I look around and see what's
going on, let me remember all things were created by you and
for you. And we know, that all things
work together in harmony. All things work together for
good, for good. I don't really see how that can
be. Well, okay. The Lord says they
do. All things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. So all things were made by Him,
created by Him and for Him. They're going to magnify. Everything
is going to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ. Now how these things
are going to magnify Him, I don't know. But I can tell you this,
they're going to. Because He said they're going
to. He said that they're gonna be for Him. These things that we, can see
in these things we can't see. We rest assured that all these
things, everything that you can think of or you can't think of,
is going to redound to his exaltation, to his power, to his wisdom. And all these things are either
going to redound in man, all these things, either gonna redound
exalt God's mercy or his justice. Everybody in this room who's
gonna deal with God are gonna be dealt with, let's say it like
that, by the Lord in mercy or judgment. But they're all gonna
redound to his glory and his honor. Oh, the power, mercy, the justice
of almighty God. The scripture says in verse four,
in him was life, and the life was the light of
men. Now that scripture, when I first
read it, I'd read it before, went back, looked at it, looked
at it a long time today. You try to come to the very heart
of what the spirit of God was setting forth through John, in
him, was life. Let me, let me just try to just
ease right through it for just a few minutes and just, in him
was life. All life, all life is in him. I want you to hold your play,
turn to Acts 17, 24. Acts 17, 24. 24 to 28, Acts 17, verse 24. In him was life. Acts 17, 24. God that made the
world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord in heaven
and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshiped
with men's hands as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth
to all life. breath, and all things. And he hath made of one blood
all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and
hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of
their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if happily they
might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far. from
every one of us, for in him we live and move and have our being
as certain as our own, as, I'm sorry, for in him we live and
move and have our being as certain also of your own poets have said,
for we are also his offspring. Now here's what the Lord is setting
forth in this. In him is life, all life. All life is in the Lord himself. All life belongs to the Lord,
whether it's natural life or spiritual life. The Scripture says in John chapter
17 verse 2, And thou hast given him power over all flesh, that
he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
So, life belongs to God. All life belongs to the Lord. In Him was life. And the life was the light of
men. Now, what he's saying here is
that in creation, all men, we know in creation, all men possess
nature. The light of nature, the light
of life, creation itself, bears witness that men are alive. We're seeing that. We see them
moving. There's life. Now, that life
is from God. I don't know how many people
here tonight. 18, 20, 22, I don't know. But I'm gonna tell you
something. Everybody in this room that's
walking around has some life. They got natural life. I would
say the vast majority got spiritual life in this particular room.
But that life is from God. In Him was life. And the life
was the light of men. But not only has the Lord given
natural life, He's given some spiritual life too. So here we
see that Almighty God has made man to possess life, natural
and physical. And Almighty God is setting forth
that truth and just looking around. I just heard somebody pass by
right here. Somebody was driving that vehicle. Somebody was alive. Where did they get their life?
It was God's. It was God's. And some of you
are sitting here in this congregation tonight. and you're alive spiritually. Where'd you get that? It was
from the Lord. So here we see that in Him was
life and the life was the light of men. Almighty God is shining forth
tonight in His glory. The light of the gospel is being
preached. Right now men are seeing, beholding
the light of life. if they know the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord right now, right now,
is magnifying himself in the lives of his people. Why did
you come tonight? Why'd you show up? He said, because
I wanted to. Who gave you the want to? Who
gave you the desire? Who gave you the life to want
to come? The Lord is magnifying himself in his people. And here
we are tonight, hearing the word of God, rejoicing in what God
has to say, praising Him in our hearts. There's life here, spiritual
life. In the midst of natural life,
there's spiritual life. In Him was life, and the life
was the light of men. The life of Christ is being magnified
in that you believe, you who believe, are here to hear what
he's got to say. But what about those that are
passing by? Those that I heard, again, pass
by, pass by. What about them? The scripture says in verse five,
the light shineth in darkness. Life shineth in darkness. The gospel's being preached.
The light is shining. The gospel is being preached.
The light's shining. But the scripture says it shined
in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not. The glorious gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ is being set forth through the preaching of the
truth and men don't comprehend it. They don't hear it. Man that
is born only in Adam is spiritually blind to the light of Christ's
glory. He doesn't see it. And unless
Almighty God gives him a heart, gives him light, true spiritual
light, he can have natural light. A lot of people hear about God.
They know there's a God. They know a lot of things about
God from what they've heard and things like that, but they don't
know Him. They don't know Him. They know of Him. They hear about
Him. Big difference in knowing Him
and knowing about Him. The scripture says concerning
that light. It's actually dark light. It's
dark light. Yes, most people. I would dare
say that there's very many people in the United States. Most of
them would say, are you asking me if you're a Christian? Yes.
Yes. I'm a Christian. They couldn't
tell you what a Christian is, but they know they're one. That
to them is light. But if the light that is in you
is darkness, How great is that darkness? The scripture says
the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended
it not. By the grace of God, there are
some who, by God's good pleasure, have been called out of darkness. I think about how long I heard
the gospel. I could tell you, I could guarantee
you, I could tell you the five points of Calvinism, but I didn't
know God. I could tell you all kinds of
good stuff, true stuff. Tell you about the crucifixion,
all the details, but I didn't know God. That light right there
is darkness because I don't know Him experientially in my heart. But by the good pleasure of God,
as I was saying, the Lord has been pleased to call some out
of darkness and show them mercy, show them the person of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Some have come tonight not to
go to church, but they've come to worship God
in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and these have no
confidence in the flesh. Oh, that the Lord might be pleased
tonight to call his own out of the darkness of sin and unbelief,
the bondage, the bondage in which we're born from the beginning. We're born in this world to come
forth speaking lies. May God be pleased to honor himself
through the preaching of the gospel for His glory and our
good.