Sermons on John 1:18
The various sermons below interpret John 1:18 by emphasizing Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God to humanity. They commonly highlight that Jesus, as the "Word" (Logos), embodies the divine nature and mission, making the invisible God visible. The sermons agree that Jesus' role is to reveal God's nature, character, and heart, with some using metaphors like a ladder or an elephant speaking to blind men to illustrate this concept. They also emphasize Jesus' unique position at the Father's side, underscoring His role as the sole mediator between God and humanity. An interesting nuance is the focus on Jesus' gentleness and humility as a reflection of God's heart, suggesting that these attributes should shape how believers perceive and communicate about God.
In contrast, the sermons diverge in their emphasis on specific aspects of Jesus' role as the "Word." One sermon focuses on Jesus' creative power and His function as the deliverer, while another highlights the incarnation as a means for God to communicate His nature in a relatable way. Some sermons stress the importance of understanding Jesus as the eternal, life-giving Word, while others challenge the notion of knowing God through intuition, emphasizing Scripture as the primary means of divine revelation. Additionally, the metaphorical approaches differ, with one sermon using the image of a ladder to describe Jesus' connection between heaven and earth, while another uses the analogy of an elephant to illustrate Jesus' role in making God known.
John 1:18 Interpretation:
Understanding God's Nature Through Jesus' Example (Moorebank Hammondville Anglican Church) interprets John 1:18 by emphasizing that Jesus is the one who reveals God to humanity. The sermon highlights that Jesus speaks the words of God and performs the works of God, making the invisible God visible. The sermon uses the original Greek text, noting that Jesus is the "image of the invisible God" and the "exact representation of his being," which shapes the understanding that Jesus perfectly reveals God's nature.
Jesus: The Eternal Word and Our Deliverer (FBC Benbrook) offers a unique perspective by focusing on why John refers to Jesus as the "Word" (Logos) in John 1:18. The sermon suggests that the term "Word" encapsulates Jesus' role in creation, revelation, and deliverance. It highlights that while Jesus is not called the "Word" elsewhere in the Gospel of John, this term is used to convey the fullness of Jesus' divine nature and mission.
Jesus' Purpose: Revealing, Restoring, and Reuniting Us (Home Church) interprets John 1:18 by emphasizing that Jesus came to reveal God to humanity. The sermon highlights that Jesus is described as the "Word" (Logos) in John 1, which means he is the ultimate communication of God to humanity. The sermon uses the Greek term "Logos" to explain that Jesus is the eternal, life-giving Word who was with God and is God, thus making the invisible God known to us in a tangible form.
Encountering Jesus: The Heart of Our Worship (Open the Bible) interprets John 1:18 by focusing on the uniqueness of Jesus as the one who makes God known. The sermon emphasizes that no one has ever seen God, but Jesus, who is at the Father's side, has made Him known. The sermon uses the analogy of an elephant speaking to blind men to illustrate how Jesus, as the Word, communicates the nature of God to humanity. The sermon also highlights the importance of understanding Jesus as the Eternal, personal, Divine, creating, life-giving, incarnate Son of God, which is foundational to knowing God.
Jesus: The Ladder Connecting Heaven and Humanity (MLJTrust) interprets John 1:18 by emphasizing Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God to humanity. The sermon uses the metaphor of a ladder to describe Jesus as the connection between heaven and earth, highlighting that no one has seen God except through the Son, who is in the closest relationship with the Father. This metaphor illustrates the idea that Jesus is the means by which humanity can understand and connect with God, emphasizing the unique role of Jesus in revealing God's nature and character.
John 1:18 Theological Themes:
Understanding God's Nature Through Jesus' Example (Moorebank Hammondville Anglican Church) presents the theme that Jesus' gentleness and humility reveal God's heart. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus' nature as gentle and humble in heart is a profound truth that shapes how believers should think and speak about God.
Jesus: The Eternal Word and Our Deliverer (FBC Benbrook) introduces the theme of Jesus as the "Word" being central to understanding His divine roles. The sermon explores how Jesus as the "Word" signifies His creative power, His role as the ultimate revelation of God, and His function as the deliverer, stepping into creation to save humanity.
Jesus' Purpose: Revealing, Restoring, and Reuniting Us (Home Church) presents the theme of Jesus as the revealer of God, emphasizing that Jesus' purpose was to make God known to humanity. The sermon highlights that Jesus' incarnation was a means for God to communicate His nature and character to us in a way that we can understand and relate to.
Encountering Jesus: The Heart of Our Worship (Open the Bible) introduces the theme of the Word (Logos) as the means by which God is made known. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus, as the Word, is the ultimate revelation of God, and through Him, we can know God personally. The sermon also challenges the notion that we can know God through intuition or personal feelings, emphasizing the importance of Scripture as the means by which God reveals Himself.
Jesus: The Ladder Connecting Heaven and Humanity (MLJTrust) presents the theme of Jesus as the sole mediator between God and humanity. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus, being in the bosom of the Father, is the only one who can declare and reveal God to humanity. This theme underscores the exclusivity of Christ in the role of divine revelation and salvation, suggesting that all knowledge of God and reconciliation with Him comes through Jesus alone.
John 1:18 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Understanding God's Nature Through Jesus' Example (Moorebank Hammondville Anglican Church) provides historical context by discussing the cultural norms of access to important figures, contrasting it with Jesus' accessibility. The sermon explains that unlike earthly figures who are difficult to approach, Jesus is always accessible, reflecting His humility and gentleness.
Encountering Jesus: The Heart of Our Worship (Open the Bible) provides historical context by explaining the cultural diversity of religious beliefs during the time of Jesus and how John's Gospel addresses the question of knowing God amidst this diversity. The sermon highlights that in a world with many religious claims, John's assertion that no one has seen God except Jesus is a profound statement that challenges other religious perspectives.
John 1:18 Cross-References in the Bible:
Understanding God's Nature Through Jesus' Example (Moorebank Hammondville Anglican Church) references several biblical passages to support the interpretation of John 1:18. It cites Colossians 1:15, which describes Jesus as the "image of the invisible God," and Hebrews 1:3, which calls Jesus the "radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being." These references are used to emphasize that Jesus fully reveals God's nature.
Jesus: The Eternal Word and Our Deliverer (FBC Benbrook) references multiple biblical passages to expand on the meaning of John 1:18. It mentions Genesis 1 to highlight Jesus' role in creation, Hebrews 1 to discuss Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God, and Psalm 33 to illustrate the creative power of God's Word. These references are used to support the understanding of Jesus as the "Word" who embodies creation, revelation, and deliverance.
Jesus' Purpose: Revealing, Restoring, and Reuniting Us (Home Church) references several passages to support the interpretation of John 1:18. The sermon mentions John 1:1-14 to explain the concept of Jesus as the Word and His role in creation and revelation. It also references Philippians 1:6 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 to discuss the themes of restoration and new creation in Christ.
Encountering Jesus: The Heart of Our Worship (Open the Bible) references Isaiah 55:8 to emphasize that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, highlighting the need for divine revelation through Jesus. The sermon also references Revelation 21 to describe the ultimate fulfillment of God's kingdom and the role of Jesus as the Lamb at the center of the throne.
Jesus: The Ladder Connecting Heaven and Humanity (MLJTrust) references several Bible passages to support the interpretation of John 1:18. The sermon cites John 14:6, where Jesus declares Himself as the way, the truth, and the life, emphasizing that no one comes to the Father except through Him. This supports the idea that Jesus is the exclusive path to knowing God. Additionally, the sermon references John 14:9, where Jesus tells Philip that anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father, reinforcing the concept that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. These cross-references are used to expand on the meaning of John 1:18 by illustrating Jesus' unique role in revealing God to humanity.
John 1:18 Christian References outside the Bible:
Understanding God's Nature Through Jesus' Example (Moorebank Hammondville Anglican Church) references Dane Ortlund's book "Gentle and Lowly," which describes Jesus as tender, open, welcoming, and accommodating. The sermon uses this reference to emphasize Jesus' gentle and humble nature, aligning with the interpretation of John 1:18.
Jesus' Purpose: Revealing, Restoring, and Reuniting Us (Home Church) references the book "God's Big Picture" by Vaughn Roberts to provide a definition of the kingdom of God. The sermon uses this definition to explain the restoration of God's kingdom through Jesus and the role of believers in this kingdom.
Jesus: The Ladder Connecting Heaven and Humanity (MLJTrust) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or theologians when discussing John 1:18.
John 1:18 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Understanding God's Nature Through Jesus' Example (Moorebank Hammondville Anglican Church) uses an illustration of a mother being accessible to her children to explain Jesus' accessibility. The sermon contrasts this with the inaccessibility of important figures in society, highlighting that Jesus is always available to those who seek Him.
Encountering Jesus: The Heart of Our Worship (Open the Bible) uses the analogy of blind men describing an elephant to illustrate the limitations of human understanding of God without divine revelation. The sermon explains that just as blind men cannot fully comprehend an elephant, humans cannot fully know God without Jesus, who is the Word that reveals God to us.
Jesus: The Ladder Connecting Heaven and Humanity (MLJTrust) does not provide any illustrations from secular sources specifically related to John 1:18.