01 John 1:1-18 God and Man in Lenten Times

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Sermon Outline

1. Lent and the Gospel of John
   1. Lent is a time of
      1. examining our hearts and
      2. fixing our minds upon the God
   2. My approach is to ask 2 Q’s
      1. Who is the God in John’s Prologue?
      2. What do we learn about humanity in the Prologue?
2. Who is the God of John 1:1-5
   1. Pre-existence (John 1:1a)
   2. Relationship within the Godhead (John 1:1bc)
   3. Personal and eternal (John 1:2)
   4. Mediator (John 1:3)
   5. Self-Sustaining (John 1:4)
   6. Unbeatable (John 1:5, Gen 1:2)
3. What do we learn about humanity in John 1:1-8
   1. Created (John 1:3)
   2. Understanding is possible in Christ (John 1:4)
   3. Can be used by God (John 1:6)
   4. Testifying to the power and life of the Son (John 1:7-8)
   5. Examining our hearts
      1. Do we recognize our place as creatures of the King’s creation?
      2. Are we content to be used by God in word and deed instead of seeking to build our own kingdoms?
      3. Do we truly believe that life is only found in him, and not in stuff, titles, fame?
      4. Do we believe that the only way to properly understand life and be enlightened isn’t to add to our scientific knowledge but to grow in our relationship with the Son?
4. Who is God? (John 1:9-14)
   1. Incarnational (John 1:9)
   2. Rejected (John 1:11)
   3. Adopts-Gives (John 1:12)
   4. Self-revealing
5. Who are people? (John 1:9-18)
   1. Natural revelation not enough for them to know God (John 1:10, Ps 19:1, Rom 1:19-21)
   2. Rejects God (John 1:11)
   3. Can receive him (John 1:12)
   4. Can believe him (John 1:12, John 1:29)
   5. Can be born again (John 1:13)
   6. Can see Christ (John 1:14)
   7. Need Revelation (John 1:16, 18)
   8. Examining our hearts
      1. Is your God a kind and gracious but holy God?
      2. Or is he lacking mercy or lacking a hatred of sin?
      3. Is he a pushover or a gracious yet truthful God who will not tolerate rebellion but who will work to welcome you into the family?
      4. Do his words and teachings form the basis of your life and the way you use money, treat people, the words you speak, the things you read and watch?
      5. Or are there places where you have rejected the Lord and refused to do what he invites you into?
      6. If you see Jesus for who he is – full of grace and truth – do you display those same qualities to others?
         1. Are you able to confront sinners and love them as you do it?
         2. Do you truly believe that people are lost in sin, darkened in unbelief?
            1. If so, are you praying for those in your life who are in such a place?
            2. In not, will you? Will you ask God to birth new life in them?  Will you plead with him like Abraham pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah?
      7. Lent is a time to reflect and ponder upon Q like these.