Jesus is the Son of God
Jesus is the Son of God
John
On December 27, 2013, Coca-Cola launched its “Reasons to Believe” Campaign. They wanted the world to be a happier place because happier people drink more Coke. The campaign was launched in over 70 counties and premiered in America in the Christmas season. The commercial focuses on a children’s choir singing the hit 1986 single, “You Got the Love,” while the screen flashes bad to good news.
For each tank manufactured in the world…131,000 stuff animals are made. For every corrupt person…there are 8000 giving blood. For each stock exchange that plummets…there are ten versions of “It's a Wonderful World.” For each wall that exists…there are 200,000 welcome mats. While a scientist designs a new weapon…1 million moms are making chocolate cakes. For each weapon sold worldwide…20,000 people share a Coca-Cola.
And then their grand conclusion flashes across the screen
There are reasons to believe in a better world.
Then they show you the iconic Coke bottle with their conclusion: Open Happiness.
Coke wanted to be one of the reasons you believe in a better world because they wanted you to buy their soda. They wanted you to “open happiness” and escape the sadness and the evil in the world. “There are reasons to believe in a better world.” It was a clever ad campaign positioning itself as the reason for happiness in the world. And yet, we know their main aim was not for people to believe in a better world, but to sell Coca-Cola. Coke’s ‘reasons to believe’ was not an altruistic, selfless concern for others, but a way to make money; to help their bottom line. I wonder if you think of the church the same way.
Do you think the church wants you to believe in a better world only so you would participate in its programs and give to its causes? Is the church like Coca-cola wanting a better world only for its own ends? If that’s you, I hope we would show you from God’s Word different reasons to believe and to believe not to merely convince you to ‘buy’ what we are selling, but to invite you to the abundant life of God through his Son, Jesus Christ.
The Apostle John, the one whom Jesus loved, wrote his gospel account about 20-30 years after the completion of the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke around the late 80s or early 90s. John wrote 5 New Books, this gospel, three letters to the church, and the book of Revelation. John’s gospel is different from the other gospels for he has no parables, and half the book focuses on the last week of Jesus’ life. We do not know every reason why John structured the gospel the way he did, but we do know why he wrote it. John 20:30-31,
[30] Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; [31] but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John wants you to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and by believing he wants you to have life in his name. He is not trying to sell you anything, he is not trying to convince you to believe in something for his benefit, but rather he is writing that you may have life. I want to persuade you this morning to believe four things about the Lord Jesus and I pray that by believing these things, you may have life in his name.
Jesus is the Son of God
The opening of John’s gospel, his prologue, has some of the richest theological truths in the New Testament. He begins with a strong, clear message on the divine nature of Jesus Christ. 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 was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The Word, or Logos, is Jesus Christ. He is from the beginning, he has always been with God and very simple, he was and is God. And Word, who was from the beginning, created every molecule in the World. Nothing in all of creation exists outside of the Word. This Word is the radiance of the glory of God, and exact imprint of his nature, and upholds the universe by the word of his power. As the opening words of Genesis 1:1, provide cataclysmic worldview change, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” John 1:1 provide even more clarity on the identity of this God who created the world, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This Word is the agent of creation and has come to be life to all humanity.
John continues in prologue focusing on John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for the Messiah. Notice how Apostle John highlights how John the Baptist was sent from God. The sending of the Son is a key theme in John’s gospel. John 1:6–13
[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
[9] The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Jesus, the true light, has come into the world and he came to his own people meaning he came to Israel and yet, shockingly, his own people did not receive him. They rejected him. Verses 11-12 can also be a structure of John’s gospel. You can read John by focusing on those who rejected Jesus and those who would accept him. It is interesting as you read John’s gospel one will notice how much Jesus was hated and despised by people he came to love while he also gave everyone the right to become children of God by receiving him. To receive Jesus is to believe he was sent from God as Savior.
And in our annual remembrance of the incarnation of Jesus, let us never stop being in awe of the next paragraph, John 1:14-18,
[14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. [15] (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) [16] For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [18] No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Jesus Christ became flesh so we could know God. He is the only Son from the Father. And do not think being a Son is less than, but rather it is to show likeness and similarity. Jesus is the Son of God who came to reveal the Father to us. Verse 14 literally means that Jesus tabernacled among us. He came to be the temple of God. He came to mediate God’s presence to us. As RG Lee has famously said,
In His descent was the dawn of mercy. Because we cannot ascend to Him, He descends to us.
Jesus came to us to reveal the Father.
During his upper room discourse in John 14, only hours before he would go to the cross, Jesus clarified this to his disciples, John 14:6–11,
[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” [8] Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” [9] Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? [10] Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. [11] Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
To believe in Jesus is to believe he was sent from the Father. To believe in Jesus is to believe he and the Father are one. God sent the Son to save the world. He sent the Son so the world would know him. To know the Son is to know the Father. To know the Son is to be saved and have eternal life. Do you know him? Do you believe?
Philip and Thomas were with Jesus and yet they did not understand who Jesus was. They did not know yet that he was the Son of God. Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, understood that Jesus was sent from God, but did fully understand just like the disciples. He came to Jesus in the middle of the night claiming, John 3:2-3,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”[3] Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (ESV)
And a few verses later, Jesus shows how believing the Father sent the Son is the way to new life, John 3:16–18,
[16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 1:14, John 3:16;18, Jesus is the only Son of God. And life is found in believing that he is the Son of God. And if you do not believe, you will be condemned, because you are rejecting him who was sent to save you. Again we see this theme: Rejection equals condemnation. Reception equals life. Which will you choose?
John is not saying merely believe, but believe on the basis of what Jesus has done. So in John 14:11,
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Remember John’s purpose, John 20:30–31,
[30] Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; [31] but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Jesus did many signs but these signs written in this book were written so that you would believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. John did not focus on Jesus’ parable, but on his power.
Jesus is the Miracle Worker
The Gospel of John can be divided into two main sections. The Book of Signs John 1:19-12:50 and the Book of Exaltation John 13-20. John offers 7 signs of Jesus’ power to validate his identity as the Son of God. We see all these signs in the Book of Signs beginning in chapter 2. Let’s walk through them quickly:
Jesus changes water to wine - The first sign is at the wedding of Cana when Jesus, upon the request of his mother, and before the servants, changed water into choice wine. In response to this miracle, we read in John 2:11,
[11] This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Jesus clears the temple - The next sign is when Jesus entered the Temple and saw people selling animals for the sacrifice and he overturned tables and cleared out the money-changers. He was challenged by the Jews, John 2:18–22,
[18] So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” [19] Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” [20] The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” [21] But he was speaking about the temple of his body. [22] When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Jesus healed the official’s son - A man came to Jesus asked to heal his son who was at the point of death. Jesus said, “Go; your son will live.” John 4:51–54,
[51] As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. [52] So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” [53] The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. [54] This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
Notice that the man believed. This was the point of the signs. Jesus did miracles so that people would believe he was the Son of God.
Jesus heals a lame man - There was a man who was an invalid for 38 years who had laid by the pool hoping to be healed by its waters. John 5:8-9,
Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.
Jesus was questioned later because the healing was on the Sabbath but he answered them, John 5:17
[17] But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
Jesus connects his miracles with his connection to the Father
Jesus feeds the multitude - Jesus took 5 barley loaves and 2 fish and fed 5,000 men plus women and children. At the end of the feast, 12 baskets were filled with bread. John 6:14
[14] When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
People saw the sign and believed.
Jesus heals the blind man - There was a man born blind and Jesus told him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam and he came back seeing. It created quite a stir, but the Jews did not want to believe so they questioned whether he was actually blind. After his parents confirmed his blindness and the man replied, John 9:25b,
One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
Jesus met this man after the Pharisees cast him out, John 9:35–39
[35] Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” [36] He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” [37] Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” [38] He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. [39] Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”
Jesus came so that those who are spiritually blind may see and those who think they see may be blind.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead - Jesus received word that his friends, Mary and Martha, that Lazarus had died. When Jesus heard it, he wept. And as the crowd gathered in mourning Jesus asked the stone to be removed. Martha questioned Jesus for the smell of death would be too great, John 11:40–44
[40] Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” [41] So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. [42] I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” [43] When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” [44] The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Jesus raised the dead. And the last sign, the great sign of the resurrection, we see some believing and receiving Jesus and others rejecting him for their own power, John 11:45–48, 53
[45] Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, [46] but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. [47] So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. [48] If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”...[53] So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
Many Jews believed because of what they had seen. Others, who said, ‘this man performs many signs,’ chose instead to silence him because they were afraid of losing their power and way of life.
The same is true today. People consider the signs of Jesus and some believe while others dismiss because they do not want to change their life or status. In my experience, most people do not reject Jesus because of intellectual reasoning but moral ones. They know that if they choose Jesus, they can’t do what they want to do. They think that life is found in sex, comfort, riches or pleasure. True life is found only in Christ. Maybe you are like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. They saw the signs, they believed they happened, but they dismissed them because it would have affected their lifestyle and power. Maybe you are covering your eyes from seeing the truth because you don’t want to see it. But friend, these signs were written, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
True life is available for you, but you must believe. These signs could have been refuted by no one disputed that they happened. People just denied what they meant. But these signs were to show that Jesus was God and was sent from the Father.
Jesus is the I am from the Father
John does a masterful job giving seven signs showing Jesus was the great miracle worker. Seven is the number of completeness. Jesus comprehensively showed he was divine in his works. And John also gives seven statements from Jesus validating his identity as the only Son of the Father who has come to make the Father. God revealed himself as the great “I AM” to Moses in Exodus 3:13–14,
[13] Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” [14] God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
All of the Jews knew God as Yahweh or as I AM. I am who I am, I was who I was, I will be who I will be. And Jesus testifies 7 times as the great I am.
First, John 6:35 [35] Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Second, John 8:12 [12] Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (ESV)
Third, John 10:7–9 - [7] So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. [8] All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. [9] I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (ESV)
Fourth, John 10:11–16 [11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. [13] He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. [14] I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. (ESV)
Fifth, John 11:25–26 [25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Sixth, John 14:6 [6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV)
Seventh, John 15:1 [1] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. (ESV)
Jesus makes his identity explicit in John 8. He was in a debate with the Jews about about his identity. The Jews challenged him, “Are you greater than our Father Abraham who died? And the prophets who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” This is a key question. Who did Jesus identify himself to be? He gives the answer. John 8:54–59
[54] Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ [55] But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” [57] So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” [58] Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” [59] So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (ESV)
The Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying. He was saying he was God. He was the only Son of God, equal with the Father, the I AM, Yahweh, God who came to dwell among us.
And what was their response? Again, they rejected him. They picked up stones to stone him to death. This is not the reaction of people who thought Jesus was saying he was just another religious teacher. This was the response of people who believed Jesus to be claiming he was God. And that was exactly what Jesus Christ was doing. He was and is the great I am who came into the world to bring life. John 20:30–31,
[30] Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; [31] but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, co-equal with the Father, the Great I AM, who came to bring life to all who would receive and believe in his name.
Jesus is the Life Giver
Jesus came to bring life through his death. During his earthly ministry, Jesus says, “My time has not yet come.” (John 7:6), but in his last prayer to the Father in John 17, John 17:1–5,
[1] When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. [3] And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. [4] I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
The hour had come when Jesus needed to die as an atoning sacrifice for the people. Eternal life is knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. Jesus prayed for his disciples who he had taught the truth. He prays, John 17:17–19,
[17] Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. [18] As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. [19] And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
And then as he closes his last recorded prayer to the Father, he speaks of us, John 17:20–26
[20] “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, [21] that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, [23] I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. [24] Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. [25] O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. [26] I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
By believing you may have life in his name. The life that Jesus offers is the life of God. It is the invitation to be united with the Father, Son and Spirit. It is the offer to be one with God. To be one with the Father and the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. Notice the foundation of life is the love of God, verse 26, “that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Over the next two chapters, Jesus would demonstrate true love by being the good shepherd laying his life down for the sheep. He would be beaten, mocked, and nailed to a cross. His arms would stretch wide and would slowly suffocate as his strength faded. And as Jesus knew all had been accomplished to give eternal life to his people he gave up his spirit. John 19:28–30,
[28] After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” [29] A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. [30] When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
It is finished. Salvation had been won. He satisfied God’s wrath against sin. This is why John the Baptist shouted, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Jesus sufficiently became the propitiation for the sins of all who would believe in him now the right to become children of God. And three days later the Good Shepherd proved he was the resurrection and the life in his resurrection from the dead.
Jesus takes the weeping over our sins and says to us what he said to Mary after his resurrection, “Woman why are you weeping?” She finally recognizes him and screams TEACHER! And then listen to Jesus’ words, John 20:17,
[17]Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. This was the point of John’s gospel. That you would believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in his name. Life is being one with God. United to the Father in the Son by the Spirit.
God offers us life. He doesn’t merely ask us to open happiness which like all things temporary will last but a moment. No, Jesus invites us to live in eternal happiness and everlasting joy knowing that our eyes have been open and our sins have been forgiven. We were once blind but now we see. We were once lost, but now we are found. We once did not know God, but now we can say, “My Father and My God.” And this is what Jesus came for. He came to invite you into the eternal relationship of the Trinity.
Friends, these signs, these words, were written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing may have life in his name. Life, eternal life, everlasting life, abundant life, is only found in Jesus Christ. And it is this life of believing that simple is a life of love. John 16:27,
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
To believe in God is to love God. Do you believe in him? Do you love him? And love by obeying his commandments. John 14:15–17,
[15] “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, [17] even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
To believe in God is to love God. To love God is to obey his commandments. To believe is to obey his commandments. And when we believe and obey, we start to experience the life of love God has invited us into being in relationship with him.
After his resurrection, Jesus gave his commission to his disciples, much like the other gospels. John 20:21,
[21] Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (ESV)
As the Father has Jesus, Jesus has sent us. And what has he sent us to do: to love one another. John 13:34–35,
[34] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. [35] By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
We are sent into the world with love as signs so that others would know that we belong to God so that they would belong to God. So they, like us, could say, “My Father and my God.” Those who are not yet in the sheepfold need our love so they can experience God’s love. God has invited us to be one with him to carry on his works of love and to invite people to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and by believing may have life in his name.
Jesus Christ is not asking people to believe with a blind faith. He is asking us to see his signs, to hear his words, and to open our eyes to the truth. Jesus has given us reasons to believe. There are reasons to believe in a better world, but the better world is the world that is to come. Jesus Christ said, John 14:1–3,
[1] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. [2] In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Jesus has come as the good shepherd and he will return as the Chief Shepherd. Jesus offers you eternal life if you believe. He offers you a relationship with the Triune God.
So will you reject his offer or will you receive him? For all who believe in his name, he has given the right to become children of God. Can you say, “My Father and My God?” He came to make it so. Believe in that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing you may have an abundant life now and forever more.