WHAT IS LIFE ALL ABOUT?

WHAT IS LIFE ALL ABOUT? by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Listen to this sermon on iTunes or on the Clearview website.

This morning we are in the second message in our brand new series on the life of Christ titled, “WHAT IF GOD LIVED NEXT DOOR?” So many of you have shared with me how much you enjoyed the first message! Thank You! Today’s message is on John 1:1-5 called, “WHAT IS LIFE ALL ABOUT?” Ever wondered that? Who are we? Where did we come from? What are we doing here? Where are we going? These 5 verses hold the answer to all those questions.

John 1:1-5   1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Overall Background: When someone gets saved or they are a new believer, which book do we suggest they read? The Gospel of John. Why? Because it is simple to understand; it is basic; it is clear. Although that’s true, it’s not the whole truth. This book is also very deep, just like the verses we just read. A.W. Tozer said, “John is so clear that you can see through it but it’s so deep that you cannot see clear through it.” Someone else said, “John’s gospel is like a pool in which a child can wade safely but an elephant can drown.” John is both simple and profound. How is that? Most scholars agree that John was the last one to write his gospel. More than likely, all the other disciples are gone. He is much older when the Holy Spirit inspires him to write his account of Jesus. Unlike the others, John has the benefit of hindsight. He’s able to look back at the same incidents but with some very mature eyes.

For e.g. Have you ever talked to an elderly person – grandfather, grandmother, or an elderly parent. They seem to talk in very simple words, almost like a child, but if you listen carefully, they’re full of great wisdom.

So also John, the words on the surface are simple but the wisdom below is very profound. In his preamble to his gospel, John is not telling us just the life of Jesus but he is telling us that Jesus is life.

Application: This morning – how is your life? Does your life seem empty? Does it seem meaningless? Are you afraid of what is waiting around the corner? Listen to the Holy Spirit. If you do not have Jesus in your life, this is the day.

3 important points about life we will see in these 5 verses:

I. THE DESIGN OF LIFE – Who Came Up With Life?

Listen to the first 3 words of John 1:1 “In the beginning…”

Background: Why did John begin his gospel with those words? He is taking us back to Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” He starts with “In the beginning” to remind us that we had a beginning. We had a starting point. We are not infinite. We are finite. We are not the Masters of the Universe. We are simply the creation.

Every morning in my devotion time, I tell God, “You are the God who made the heavens and the earth. I’m nothing but dust and ashes. I am just a very small particle of your creation. Every breath is a gift from you. So I thank you and humbly submit myself to you!” Whew! What a weight of my shoulder! Most of us are trying to play god in our own lives or in the lives of others. Maybe it’s time to vacate that throne and let God be God.

But John has something more in mind. Listen again to vs. 1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”We know that John is referring to Jesus but why did he use the word “Word” to describe Him? The Greek word for “Word” is “logos.” This is the same word from which we get our word logic and other combination words like – Theology, Biology, Zoology, Geology, etc.To understand what John is talking about we have to go back to Genesis 1 and locate this “logos.” 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Now listen carefully 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light…5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night…6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters…8 And God called the firmament Heaven… Every time you read “God said” or “God called,” it’s Jesus.

But there’s more. Listen to verse 2 He was in the beginning with God. Didn’t he just say that? John is actually taking us past the curtain of time into eternity. He is taking us into the council chamber of God. Before God decided to create the heavens and the earth, a council was held between the Father, Son, and Spirit. In this council every detail was laid out as to what would happen. I Peter 1:20says, “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world…” Ephesians 1:4 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” Again, Revelation 13:8 “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Why does John bring this up? Jesus was definitely the Promised Messiah, the Perfect Lamb of God, the Crucified Savior, the Resurrected Christ, and the Coming King. All that is true but there’s something even greater about Him – He was on the planning committee for all of it. He designed life itself. He was not just playing a part but He was also the conductor. Jesus is so much greater than you think.

Some people are overwhelmed with life and frustrated with life and given up on life. I’m here to tell you that when you have Jesus, you have the Designer of Life. John 15:15 “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends,” I don’t know about you but my friend designed this world and life itself. He will take care of me.

For e.g. In India trains are everything. Millions of people travel by train every day. You have to get reservations months or weeks in advance. You can get a ticket but to have a reservation is different. One time I was travelling by train with my dad. My dad told me this train is packed, we need to be in the first class but we don’t have a reservation. People try that and they get arrested. Here we’re sitting in first class with our entire luggage and I’m thinking, we’re going to jail. Amazingly, my dad was not that worried. When my dad was in his heyday of ministry, he would travel everywhere by train for revivals and crusades. The conductor started coming and all I could think was – “We’re getting ready to do time!” When he saw my dad, a big smile came on his face – “Sir, I didn’t know you were on this train. What an honor!” My dad whispered to him our predicament and he said, “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of that. My dad said to me – “He was my student in school. If I hadn’t helped him, he would have never passed math. I saw his name on the board.” All I could think was “Thank goodness you didn’t fail him!”

Application: Do you know the Designer of life? As the song goes – “He’s got the whole world in His hands. He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands. He’s got you and me brother in His hands.” What is eating your joy this morning? If you know Jesus, you have the conductor for a best friend.

II. THE SOURCE OF LIFE – Who has Blessed us with Every Good thing? 

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Background: John is not done with this. Jesus is not only the designer but He’s also the creator of everything. Go back to Genesis 1 again verse 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light…6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters…9 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear…11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass…14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens…20 Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth…24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth…26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image…”

Bottom Line: Jesus made it all. His hand print is on every single thing. As the old hymn goes: “This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.”

The Atheist can go around saying – “Nothing times Nobody equals Everything.” I say to that what Adrian Rogers said – “You have room to rent upstairs, unfurnished.”

But now there’s something more in verse 4 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

What is John talking about? Some people have taken that metaphor of life and applied it to the light of salvation. Although that’s true and we will see that a little later in John, but here it is referring to the light of God that is in every human being. Unlike animals, we were created in the image of God. Hence we have the ability to love, reason, and create. Aristotle did not believe in the Living God but he wrote powerful works on Philosophy, Logic, and Rhetoric. Edgar Allan Poe claimed that “all religion … is simply evolved out of chicanery, fear, greed, imagination and poetry.” But he was a tremendous writer. That’s why you can turn on the radio and hear some beautiful lyrics and songs on the radio.

Who is the source of all this creativity, talent, and imagination? It is Jesus.

Sadly, what human beings have done is taken the light of God and instead of shining it back on Him, they have turned the spotlight back on themselves. They claim, “I am a self made man. No one’s ever helped me.” Are you sure about that?

Application: Do you give Jesus the glory for what He has done for you? Do you give Him the thanks for how much He has blessed you? Where is Jesus in your life?

III. GOOD NEWS OF LIFE – Who is winning in this life?

5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Background: Now we hear about a new concept – “darkness.” John does not go into detail. It is assumed that the listener knows that darkness has corrupted everything. It has torn the original design. Human beings have used God’s light to their own wicked imaginations. But John does not waste time discussing the darkness. He says, “the light has already come and it is shining brightly.

What’s more? The translation says – “and the darkness did not comprehend it.” Actually the translation should be “overtake it.”As I John 2:8 says, “A new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.”

Every week someone asks me – “Do you think the world is coming to an end?” or “Isn’t it getting worse and worse?” I’m here to tell you – “The Light is winning. Jesus is winning.” Isaac Watts wrote his famous hymn – “Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does its successive journeys run; his kingdom spread from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more.” Meaning: Your darkness may run out but His light will keep shining brighter and brighter.

Do you know Him? Jesus is Life.