Proclaiming Christ in an Age of Ambiguity

We're off to a good start here in our Sabbath service. Let's endeavor to continue.

If you'd like a title to the sermon message today, it is Proclaiming Christ in an Age of Ambiguity. Long title, sorry about that. Proclaiming Christ in an Age of Ambiguity.

The word ambiguity simply means to be open to more than one interpretation. Ambiguity being uncertain or in a state of confusion. And with regards to the truth of the Bible, we certainly can acknowledge that there is great ambiguity surrounding the person of Jesus Christ. Many are uncertain, and even more, many are open to more than one interpretation. And that certainly cannot be the case with this essential question of who is Jesus Christ? Who is Jesus Christ? Well, we want to begin in answering this question with one of the most definitive statements found in the Bible, and that is found in the Gospel of John. So if you have your Bibles, let's turn together to John chapter 1, and we're going to begin in verses 1 through 5. John chapter 1, verses 1 through 5, where we are going to find the Apostle John riding with absolute clarity. No ambiguity at all when he now wants to present to us the truth of who Jesus is. Here it is, John 1, beginning in verse 1. In the beginning, John writes, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. If you allow your eyes to go down, let's read verses 14 through 18 now. Verses 14 through 18. John continues here. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory. The glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory. The glory as the only begotten continues here. Full of grace is preferred before me, for he was before me. And of his fulness we have all received in grace for grace, for the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son who was in the bosom of his Father, he has declared him. So let's stop there.

So as we begin to delve into this, I think we can all acknowledge that that of not only having the importance of a correct understanding, but we can also understand and acknowledge that of the risk in which is involved in not having a correct understanding of Jesus Christ. You know, if we get it wrong on Christ, then we're really going to get it wrong on just about everything. Because not only is Jesus Christ the one who declares the Father, that's at the end of verse 18. Jesus is the one who declares the Father, but he's also the one that brings us into the relationship with the Father, as verse 17 states, grace and truth come through him.

So John is seeking to write and speak with certainty and clarity in a society of confusion, the same confusion that you and I have today. And it's really interesting that none of this is new. The same ambiguity that we see and experience here today was the same ambiguity that John experienced. And I just want to show you that for a moment. So if you will keep your marker here, I want to turn forward just for a moment to John's epistle. So we're going to turn from John's Gospel to John's epistle. Keep your marker here. Let's turn to 1 John chapter 2. Verses 22 and 23. Let's turn there, if you will. 1 John 2 verses 22 and 23. We're going to notice that this is the issue that John was dealing with, the same confusion, the same desire by man to be open to more than one interpretation. Look at these strong words here. 1 John 2 verses 22 and 23. John now writing in his epistle, who is a liar, he says, but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ. He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either. He who acknowledged the Son has the Father also. Let's stop there. So this is the group to whom John was writing. They're here at the end of the first century. Not that long, not that much time has passed from the time in which Jesus had walked the earth. And already here we have this that is ill-defined and vague and even in direct opposition to who Jesus is and that truth. That's already been working its way into the Church of God here. And how could that be in such a short period of time? This had already crept into the Church.

How is that? Well, I don't have to tell you this, but you know, from the beginning, whenever there is absolute truth which is proclaimed, it is the work of the evil one to undermine it, to alter it, to water it down, to sow the seeds of confusion.

And so I just wanted to bring out John's, that portion of John's epistle, just to emphasize the point that that which was an issue in the first century is absolutely an issue here in the 21st century as well. Whenever absolutes are proclaimed, they are disdained. And if you look at our culture today, whenever someone speaks in definable or dogmatic ways and terms, you will see those things attached. But we, as God's people, we can't be soft. We can't be malleable. Whenever these anti-truths come and seek to reshape us, this agenda is most defined with the phrase, you know this, you can have your truth and I'll have mine. Whatever works best for you, the only truth that matters is your truth. We hear these notions. And if you look at the different generations, you will see that there's this notion that every subsequent generation has the authority to determine their own morality.

Every subsequent generation seems to feel emboldened to do that. And so, you have morality seemingly on this sliding scale, able to change.

Where does this so-called authority come from to do that? Where does that notion come from? Well, I believe that if man and woman doesn't have a definable statement concerning the lordship of Jesus Christ in their life, if they do not believe that belief in Jesus Christ and His words, if they don't believe in the lordship of Jesus that man doesn't have the authority to live in any other way than the way he's proclaimed, if belief in Jesus Christ is not a definable statement and he is the absolute and only authority, then everything goes on a sliding scale. And so, therefore, the answer to who Jesus Christ is, it speaks to every issue in our society today. Who Jesus is speaks to the issue of homosexuality and heterosexuality. Who Jesus is speaks to the nature of marriage. Who Jesus is speaks to what it means to be a man or woman. Who Jesus is speaks to every issue mankind is facing today. So, I've taken a long time to set that up, and I've done so purposefully because hopefully that'll put us in the proper posture to now enter into this study with that level of concern and importance here. So, let's turn back to John's Gospel. John chapter 1, if you kept your marker, you'll be helped there. And let's take on this question. Who is Jesus Christ? And again, we want to come to John here because he does give the most succinct, clear statement with regards to this question. And so, what we want to do in the remaining time today is to trace a line through the first five verses here and allow John to give us what is five helpful truths with regards to answering this question. I believe that there are five essential truths which emerge from John's words here. So, let's get right to it. First essential truth regarding Jesus Christ, number one, is Jesus' eternal existence. Okay, that's number one. Essential truth revealed, number one, Jesus' eternal existence. That's here in the opening phrase here. John 1 verse 1, In the beginning was the Word. Okay? In the beginning was the Word. Six words that point directly to the eternal existence of Jesus Christ. So, we understand the Word who became Jesus Christ, He was there from the beginning. In other words, there was never a time in which the Word did not exist. There was never a time in which there was no Word. So, therefore, He is outside of time, and He did not have a beginning, and He existed then before even creation.

So, He is not merely a created being. He is eternal in His existence. John establishes that and says the Word existed in the beginning.

Now, when you look at this and you look at the way John began here, it's pretty interesting, because you'll notice that John doesn't begin by saying, in the beginning was the Son of God, Jesus Christ. So, we notice that, right? And, in fact, that reference to the Son of God and the only begotten of the Father, that doesn't come till verse 14 that we just read a minute ago.

So, why wait to give that fact? Jesus Christ as the Son of God? You know, why not put that out there from the very beginning? Well, if you take a look at this and you put a little thought to it, you will...

I believe we could say with confidence that what John is concerned in doing, in this writing, in all of his writings, is to avoid any misunderstanding from his readership. So, he first employs a technique to choose terminology and introduce terminology that they would be familiar with. So, he uses this term, I think, with great care, and he's careful to build truth upon truth to help the listener, to help the reader progress in this way.

Because, you know, you and I, we almost have a disadvantage. When we read John 1-1, we immediately think, oh, the word Jesus Christ, right? That immediately comes to our thoughts. But we have to understand, when John wrote this Gospel, those listeners may not have innately made that immediate connection here. And so, what John is doing is introducing truth in a very effective way, I believe. If you're wise, you're not going to run the risk of just throwing out phraseology, which might be meaningless at that moment to them. So, you want to encourage interest. You want to develop understanding by using thoughts and phraseology, which they might best understand.

So, therefore, if you take a look at those that were listening initially here, one of the groups that would have been there would have been the Greek Gentiles. And to the Greeks, this use of logos, which is translated word here, that would have landed upon them, the Greek listeners, and they would have been familiar, of course, with that terminology, the logos. And many would have said, oh yes, John, what you're speaking of is the rational principle of the universe. So, to the Greek listener, when they heard the word logos, translated word, they would have said, oh, the rational principle of the universe.

Many were philosophers, and they would have found themselves almost giving more reference to the logos or the word as a force, a force rather than a person. They believed that there was this kind of force which kept the universe in order. So, for John to say, in the beginning was the word, they would have said, oh yes, in the beginning was the rational principle of the universe which keeps everything together.

You're speaking of an agent, or you're speaking of a force, John, that gives order to the universe. So, that was the Greeks, the Gentile. What about the Jews? Well, the Jews, of course, were monotheistic. And when they heard these words or read these words, they might have first initially interpreted it as merely speech that John was speaking of here. So, word logos in the Jewish mind was associated with speech or even wisdom. Wisdom. So, with these words, in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, they would have said, oh yes, wisdom. Wisdom has always been by God's side, you know. So, they would have been at this point, they would have been coming along with John as well with his use of the word logos.

So, this very first phrase, it would have landed on the initial readers and interpreted with different shades of meaning here. So, John begins this discourse, okay Jews, okay Greeks, in the beginning was the word. Are you with me so far? And they would have said, yeah, we're with you, John, from their perspective, of course. But none of them would have been prepared at this moment to receive the hammer of truth of verse 14.

You know, he's going to ease them into it before he gives them the hammer here, and makes that connection between the word and the person of Jesus Christ.

But he's building to that. So, he begins with the revelation of Jesus's eternal existence. That's number one. Number two, second, essential truth regarding Jesus Christ, revealed here. Number two is Jesus's distinctiveness, okay. That's the second of five fundamental truths when we're looking to answer the question, who is Jesus? The second is to bring forth Jesus's distinctiveness, and that's here in verse 1 again. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, all right? The word was with God in the beginning. So, what is he saying? Well, John is saying that this word has a distinct existence, and has had a distinct existence for all of eternity, okay.

Again, when the hammer of truth comes, in just a moment, with the connection of the word to Jesus Christ, and that's revealed, well, that certainly will put them on their heels, where they're going to then connect the fact that what they saw at Bethlehem was not the first time of Jesus Christ coming into existence. Rather, that relationship between God and the word Jesus Christ had existed in the beginning, where you have these two distinct beings from all of eternity.

And so, it was an eternal relationship between two distinct beings. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God. So, if you're tracking, that's the second truth which emerges here in answering the question, who is Jesus? And by the end, I'm hoping we'll commit these five truths to memory. It's okay. So, we got that. Number three. Number three. We're going to go through this as quickly as John did. Number three. Essential truth in answering the question of who Jesus is. Number three is Jesus's divinity. Okay. Number three. Fundamental truth. Jesus's divinity. That comes to us in the phrase there at the end of verse one. And the word was God. So, he was not only with God, he was God.

Now, at this point in John's discourse, I think this is really where the hammer begins to be lowered here. And this is kind of a high point in his discourse. This third essential truth. I do believe the Jews and the Gentiles at this point would have been coming along with John. In the beginning was the word. Okay. Yes. And the word was with God. Sure. We're tracking with you. But now he says, and the word was God. So, Greeks, Gentiles, I'm not speaking of just some kind of mere cosmic principle. Okay. And Jews, I'm not merely speaking about speech or wisdom. Rather, the one to whom I speak, I speak. He's eternal. He's distinct. And he is God.

And so, again, in reading on there in verse 14, when we come to these words where the word became flesh and dwelt among us, verse 14, and we beheld his glory as the only begotten of the Father, what John is putting forth is when you look upon Jesus Christ, there's not just merely something divine about him. No, rather, he is divine. And he is God. This is the one to whom we beheld his glory. He's God. John states here. To help us with this third truth, Jesus's divinity, I want to read you a quote from United Church of God's study guide. This is a quote from the study guide Jesus Christ, the real story, titled, The God Who Became a Human Being. You can pick up this booklet in our case there. Let me give you a quote from that booklet. Quote, Jesus was prophesied to be God with us. That's Matthew 1.23. God with us. Matthew 1.23. Let me continue with this quote. Quote, Jesus was a human being, and he was also God. There was never a time when he ceased to be who he always was. His identity did not change when he was in the womb of Mary. He was God. When he was a baby boy lying in the manger, he was God. When he was a youngster growing up in Nazareth, he was God. And when he was dying, he was God. Unquote. Amazing. Amazing. And throughout his ministry, Jesus didn't shrink in proclaiming this fact. If you want to keep your marker here again, I want to just turn forward and stay here in John's Gospel, but turn to John 14, verses 6 through 11. That's John 14, verses 6 through 11. I want to show you this incredible exchange where Jesus proclaims his divinity without ambiguity, with no ambiguity whatsoever. John 14. Let's begin here in verse 6. Quite a exchange here. John 14, verse 6. Jesus said to him, these are Jesus's words here, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. And from now on, you know him and have seen him. Verse 8. Philip comes forward and asks, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Verse 9. Jesus answered, Jesus said to him, Have I not been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, show us the Father? Continuing, here's the hammer of truth. Verse 10. Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me, or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. Let's stop there. So you understand this. He who has seen the Father, Jesus says, who has seen me has seen the Father, he says here.

So, because Jesus has an eternal existence with the Father, and because he is distinct from the Father, and because he is divine like the Father, these three truths regarding Jesus, then he proclaims that all the Father is is also himself. All the Father is is also Jesus Christ. Jesus is God from the beginning to distinct beings existing together before all else.

So we could say that then that relationship from all of eternity has put Jesus in the closest possible relationship with the Father. And so, yes, therefore, he who sees him also sees the Father. Awesome. Amazing. This is the third fundamental truth here revealed. Jesus' divinity. All right. Back to John 1. You'll turn back there. We're going to notice the fourth essential truth of five truths. Fourthly here, number four, John reveals Jesus as creator. Okay? That's number four fourth truth here from John. Number four, Jesus as creator. That comes to us in verse three, John 1 verse 3, where John proclaims, all things were made through him. That's the word, the one who became Jesus. And without him, nothing was made that was made. Let's stop there. In other words, everything that exists owes its existence to the word. Okay?

John, using technique, states it in the positive, and he also states it in the negative as well. All things were made through him. Positive statement. Without him, nothing was made that was made. So he even states it in the negative there, just to make it crystal clear. He is the creator of all things. So try to stretch your mind if you can here. Try to go back before creation.

And no matter how far back you go, in the beginning was the word.

There was never a time in which he did not exist. And there is nothing which doesn't depend on him for its very existence. All things were made by the word.

So the one who would be made manifest to us, without him, nothing was made. And so therefore, you could say, without him, nothing stays made.

In him, all things hold together, we could say. Without him, nothing is held together. Jesus is creator, is creator.

And some here at this point will recognize certain strains of Genesis here in John's writing. I wonder if you notice that. You know, Genesis deals with creation and life and light and darkness and so on. Well, this is the very issues that John's dealing with here. So perhaps we could say that Genesis 1 deals with God's original creation. All things were made through the word Jesus Christ. And then John 1 then deals with a new creation, which God is doing. God is once again creating through Jesus Christ. And what John is making clear here is that the one who brought about that first creation in the beginning, that physical creation, is also the one who would bring about a second creation, if you will, a new creation whereby God, through a personal relationship through Jesus Christ, is creating new men and women, new sons and daughters, if you will. So Jesus as creator physically and spiritually.

That brings us to the fifth and final essential truth with regards to answering who is Jesus. The fifth and final truth, number five, is Jesus as illuminator. Number five, Jesus as illuminator. I threw this word in, this fifth one. Just check your spelling.

Some of you are now googling how to spell illuminator. I'm not going to tell you how to spell it. I'll leave that up to your homework later. So this is, this fifth truth, is the illuminating of Jesus Christ. That's found there in verse four and five. Verse four and five, where John punctuates this burst of truth with this final statement. Verse four, in him was life, and the life was the light of men. Verse five, and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. So this is awesome. This fifth and final fundamental truth. You may have come up with more fundamental truths. This is what I extracted from it. So we're not, to kind of come off that fourth point, Jesus as creator, we're not merely thinking of Jesus as giving life physically, merely, because now John states, yes, he is the life and also the light of men. He lights up men and women. Because there is life in him, there is life in everything else. Only because there is life in him does anything else have life. And this is a light. This is a light to men. So this is, we could say, eternal life. You know, he's creating not only physically, but also spiritually here. He's therefore the source and the means of this eternal light, we could say. He's the source and means of eternal light, which is eternal life. And he's shining this light on men and women here. And he shines into the darkness of our hearts, illuminates us with truth and grace. So therefore, he is the answer to all of mankind's questions. So when you delve into all those fundamental questions of our heart, what is this all about? Why are we here? Who are we? What's in store for me? Well, he is the light shining into the darkness there across the landscape of humanity. So many stumbling around in the darkness, unable to comprehend this light, as verse 5 says. The light shines into the darkness, but the darkness did not comprehend it.

Well, brethren, you and I have the ability to comprehend this. And we, then, are to allow God and the Son, Jesus Christ, to flow through us, and we're to illuminate others. Pascal said it best—let me quote Pascal—when he said, quote, There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man, which cannot be satisfied by any created thing, but only by God the Creator may known through Jesus Christ. Unquote. And that's true. In the heart of men and women, there's this God-shaped vacuum where all of these various ill-defined, ambiguous notions are unable to fill. No matter how hard they search, they will only fill that vacuum of their hearts with the truth of Jesus Christ and who He is and He is, John says, the life which is the light of men.

And so, as we begin to conclude our study today, I want to bring it to us.

You and I, in our responsibility to be absolute, to be certain, to be clear, to be dogmatic regarding this truth in an age of uncertainty. First and foremost, do we believe in the Jesus Christ that John has revealed to us today? If you do, let's step forward to a world which is uncertain, which is open to all different kinds of interpretations. And let's stand with John's word here and shine a light. And that light is Jesus Christ into this age of ambiguity. Let's go forward. Let's shine the light and proclaim this one, the one, and say, this is Jesus Christ.