Through the Bible - John - Part 1 — Zac Poonen

The Word Was God and Became Flesh

Let's turn now to God's Word and to the Gospel of John, as with the other Gospels. We look at the first few sentences to see what he's talking about. And here we read of something that is even earlier than Genesis 1 .1.

This is actually the first verse of the Bible. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. A number of things we read there, we know that the Word refers to Jesus Christ, because later on it says in verse 14 that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

And it's very clear here in this verse that Jesus Christ is God. He was God from all eternity. He was God when He walked on the earth in the flesh, and He is God today. That's why we worship Him, that's why we pray to Him, and that's why when people worshiped Him on earth, He accepted that worship.

No angel could do that. No man could do that. He accepted it. And why is He called the Word? See if I stand here and think my thoughts, you can never know what I'm thinking. When I put my thoughts into words, you understand me.

If God was in heaven, or He came in spirit form, we would never understand Him. But He came in the form of Jesus as a man, so that we could understand Him just like my words help you to understand my thoughts.

So that's why He's called the Word, the expression of God. You know, everything in the Bible is really very simple. If you look for a complicated understanding, you get complicated. And that's why Jesus said, this book is written for babes.

Babes read it in a very simple way and understand it in a very simple way. Please remember that, that the Bible was written by fishermen like Peter, who were not learned. And today people write great theses on what this fisherman wrote in order to get a doctorate in theology.

It's amazing. You've got to have the attitude of the fisherman to understand this. You've got to have the attitude of a babe, wherever you may study. Come like a little babe. The great danger here is that if we try to understand the scripture with a lot of cleverness, then when we get up to preach also, we will try to show that cleverness to other people.

And those poor simple people are all complicated by what you say. I want to encourage you to remember that the Bible is a very simple book. Babes can understand it if your heart is right. And Jesus, the teaching of Jesus is very simple.

And the more you are like Jesus, the more when you serve the Lord, your teaching will be very simple. Wherever you folks go to serve the Lord, seek to preach like Jesus did in a very simple way so that even children can understand.

That is the best way to proclaim the word of God. Don't ever become complicated in your life. There are enough complicated preachers and theologians in the world. Please don't add to that number. You be one of those simple ones who preach the word of God like a little child to little children.

The Life of Jesus Is the Light of Men

Don't seek to get a name for yourself as a great clever preacher. One thing more we see here, verse 4, In him was life, the life was the light of men. That's so simple. You know what light is. It drives away the darkness.

And that's what life does. When the life of Jesus comes into us, it should drive away all the darkness. It will, if we allow it. But you know like the light of the sun, if you live in a room with all the rooms, all the windows and doors closed up, even though the sunlight is bright outside, you're living in darkness inside.

And even if you open a small little ventilator, the light comes in. And even if there's a little crack in the window, the light will come in. Even the light is longing to come in. Even through a little crack.

But another brother may open everything in his house, windows, doors, everything, and the light comes flooding in. That's how the life of Jesus is. It's always there waiting to flood your heart. But the principle is, I stand at the door and knock.

The measure in which you open yourself, in that measure it will come in. So when Jesus said, you are the light of the world, what did he mean? It's not our words. It doesn't say here in John 1, for his words were light.

See, this is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament it says, Psalm 119, verse 105, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The only light they had in the Old Testament was the law, the word of God.

But today, the light is not this book. It is the word that has become flesh. Jesus is the light. He didn't say, my teaching is the light. He said, I am the light. And he didn't say, your teaching is going to be the light.

He said, you are the light. In other words, the light is your life. Not the wonderful things you teach. If there is no light in your life, whatever fantastic things you teach, it's no use. Everything we speak must be backed up by our life, our personal life, our thought life, our financial dealings, our home life, the way we live with our wives, the way we bring up our children, our business life, the way we deal with other people in our office, if you are working in a secular office, the way you deal with co-workers, the way you deal with the youngest brother in your church, that will show whether you've got the life of Jesus or not.

That life is the light. And that's the great loss today, I mean great lack today in our country, that there's not enough people manifesting that light. Verse 11 and 12, we are familiar with these verses.

He came to his own, his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God. I believe that's the right translation. Children of God. King James, I think, says sons of God.

Even to those who believe in his name. There's a difference between a child and a son. A son is grown up, mature. A child is just a baby, born. When you receive Jesus as your savior, you don't become a mature son.

You become a child, a baby. You have to grow up to become a mature son. And the word became flesh, verse 14, and dwelt or tabernacled among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Grace and Truth in the Life of Christ

There was a balance in Jesus Christ. Grace and truth. The glory of God is balanced. Truth speaks of reality. No unreality. It speaks of the laws of God. The truth of God proclaimed in his word. This is all truth.

Jesus said in John 17, 17. Thy word is truth. That's also truth. But that word, which consists of commandments, laws, principles, must be covered over with grace if it is to be made attractive to other people.

See, the Pharisees had truth, but no grace. And some people have grace, but no truth. But the glory of God is seen full of grace and truth. It's like in your body, you have bones, which is a picture of truth, which are a picture of truth, and flesh, I mean this physical flesh, which is a picture of grace.

Now supposing you had only bones, how attractive would you be? Supposing one day you're walking at night and you see a man, only bones, walking up to you. Skeleton. Will you feel like running and embracing, or will you feel like turning around the other way and running?

That's exactly how people felt when the Pharisees came up to them. All truth. All bones, bones, bones, bones, bones. They just ran. And some Christians are like that. Truth, truth, truth, truth, truth, truth.

All truth, truth. This is the law. This is the thing. You must not do this. You must do this. Everybody runs. Naturally. It's all bones. So should we get rid of our bones? No. I have all these bones in the body.

Jesus had all the bones. But the bones, God has, in His great wisdom, has covered it over with flesh. And then you see, oh, that beautiful face. How different it is when flesh is put on top of the bone.

The most good-looking man or woman looks horrible when the flesh is taken off. Do you think skeletons look any different from one another? Can you look at a skeleton and say whether that was a good-looking man or an ugly-looking man?

You can't. They all look alike. It's the flesh that makes the difference. So don't seek to approach people only with truth. The truth must be covered over with grace. And then we make Christianity attractive to people.

Now when we are young, I've also been foolish like that in my younger days. I've made lots and lots of mistakes, more than I think any of you will ever make. But I was also like this. Just truth, truth, truth.

And I turned away a lot of people, including my relatives. I think a lot of Christians in India, believers, turn away their relatives by truth, truth, I won't have anything to do with you and I will not have any contact with you because I'm a holy man.

See, we drive them away from the Lord that way. Don't be foolish. Stand for the truth. But let there be grace. On the other hand, there are some people who go to the other extreme. They're only grace.

Can you imagine how I would be if I had no bones in my body? You know how I'd be? I'd just collapse. I wouldn't be able to stand. Because it would be like a jellyfish. There's a fish called jellyfish.

It's got no bones. Now, there are some disadvantages in having bones. I can't go through that window. If I didn't have bones, I could somehow squeeze myself and go through. And so, some people who don't have any convictions, there are some Christians like that, they can fit in anywhere.

Any denomination, any doctrine, square or triangular shape, round shape, anything, it'll go in. Because they've got no bones. So, which is important? Which? Both. Absolutely right. And the glory of God was seen in Jesus full of grace and truth.

Never forget that. Now, God helps us when we are young and we are foolish and stupid. I've gone through those days myself, as I said. That, when I was very strong on grace, God would give me brothers who are very strong on...

When I was strong on truth, God would give me brothers who are very strong on grace. That's good. Because I say, well, Lord, I can't manage this myself. But along with my brother, who is also a member of the body of Christ, together, we can manifest grace and truth.

He can't do it alone, and I can't do it alone. But together, we can present the glory of God. And I think till the end of our life, we need to recognize that all of us are a little imbalanced on the side of grace or on the side of truth.

And our salvation is in the body of Christ, with other brothers, with whom we work together, so that the total image of the church, which is the body of Christ, is full of grace and truth. See, none of us is the body of Christ.

The only one person who is the body of Christ was Jesus himself. He was perfectly balanced. The rest of us can find our balance only as we link up together with other members of the body of Christ. You have to work together with others.

I don't mean occasionally meeting them. I mean intricately linked with them, just like the fingers are linked to the body. Then, your ministry will be fantastically effective, because you can present the total image of Christ.

And there is where we learn to accept other people who have another emphasis than ours. OK? John 1 .17. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. That teaches us one thing, that there was no grace in the world till Jesus came.

The law came through Moses, that's the old covenant. Grace came through Jesus Christ, and there was no grace in the world till Jesus came. There is a verse in the King James Version, which says, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis chapter 6. That's not the same as this grace. The meaning of that word is, he found favor. Grace. What is the meaning of grace? Now, the most commonly accepted meaning of grace by many Christians is unmerited, the unmerited favor of God.

But I'm sorry to say that's wrong. Mercy is the unmerited favor of God. Because if there was no grace till Jesus came, what did Abraham get? Not grace. But he got unmerited favor. Every human being gets unmerited favor.

Unmerited favor of God is mercy. There's a difference between mercy and grace. Mercy they had in the Old Testament. Grace, it says here, came only through Jesus Christ. So it's something special. Please remember that.

With mercy, they got forgiveness of sins, as we read in Psalm 103. With grace, we get victory over sin. Mercy deals with our past life. The guilt of our sin. Grace deals with the future. Giving me victory over sin.

My grace is sufficient for you for every need you meet in the future. So, learn to distinguish between mercy and grace. Grace never came till Jesus came to earth. And we read further in verse 33. John the Baptist.

I'm just taking a few verses. Otherwise we'll never finish this book. It's a wonderful book. I think it's one of the best gospels. Certainly to me, the best gospel is John's gospel. In terms of teaching.

Luke's gospel gives a lot of incidents and a lot of parables and all. But in terms of teaching, John's gospel is absolutely outstanding. It talks about this wonderful life that God has for us. And John 1 .33.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Humility

Like all the gospels, they begin with this thing that John the Baptist said. You shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. That's there in Matthew 3 .11. We saw that. It's there in Mark 1 .8. It's there in Luke 3 .16.

It's here in John 1 .33. And it's also in Acts 1 .5. Where Jesus said it. So remember, as soon as you open the pages of the New Testament, the first five books of the New Testament all begin with one promise.

You shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Immersed in the Holy Spirit. See, there are two ways to be immersed. One is by being put in a river. And the other is by standing under a waterfall. Both ways I get immersed.

Baptism in water is being dipped into a tank or a river. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is being immersed under the waterfall of the river of God that flows from His throne and is flowing down to earth. And I stand under that waterfall and I'm filled.

I want to stand there all the days of my life. And you know what the name of that place is? Where the water falls? Humility. If you remain in that place of humility all the days of your life, this river will keep falling on you, falling on you.

But you know that's why the devil always tempts us to move away from that place of humility. Some little thing you do for the Lord, you get puffed up and you're gone away from that place and you're not under the waterfall anymore.

You begin to think something high about yourself and you move away from the waterfall. How tragic. Seek all your days to stay in the place of humility where the waterfall will be upon you all the time.

He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit. Verse 39. Jesus, somebody, they asked two disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and said, Where do you live? Jesus said, Come and see. Verse 39. In the Old Testament the message was come and hear.

“Come and See”: The Message Must Be Seen in a Life

In the New Testament the message is come and see. In the Old Testament the message was Moses has come. We are having special meetings. Moses has just come down from the mountain with a message from God.

Come and hear. In the New Testament the message is Jesus has come from heaven. Come and see the way he lived. The Old Testament people followed Moses and they were more interested in the message. The message I present must be impressive, accurate, good.

In the New Testament it's not the message, it's the man. The man is the message. You are the message. So you say, come and see. Come and see how I live with my wife. Come and see how I behave with my junior most co-workers in my church.

Come and see how I treat the youngest brothers in my church. Come and see, examine my bank account, my passbook and my accounts. See how I keep my accounts. Come and see. Come and see how I bring up my children.

Come and see any area of my life. That is New Covenant. It's much easier. Come and hear is much easier. You know, nowadays we have in India so many preachers from the United States of America coming here to preach.

I'll tell you honestly, if I don't know how that man is living at home with his wife, whether it's his, whether he's divorced or how he's brought up his children, what type of church he's built there, I'll tell you honestly, I am not interested in listening to him.

I don't care what fantastic message he preaches. I want to see. I want to go to his home and see how he lives with his wife and how he lives with his children, how he's brought up his children. I want to see what type of church he's built.

Is it a brotherhood or a one-man show? I want to see how he treats his junior most co-workers. I want to see how he treats little children. Like Jesus treated children, you know. I want to see how he treats young people.

Then I will know whether he's a man of God. I'm not living in the Old Testament to come and hear. I live in the New Covenant and I only want to come and see. And the only man I will respect is the man who can say come and see, not come and hear.

If you live by come and hear, you will be an Old Covenant person. You'll build an Old Covenant church. This is the difference between Babylon and Jerusalem. I told you about this difference. The Pharisees were building Babylon.

Jesus came to build Jerusalem. Babylon is built by come and hear. It doesn't matter how you live. Hear, hear. This is the accurate truth. Fight for doctrine, doctrine, doctrine. I say let's fight for life.

The life. What's the use arguing about a doctrine? The doctrine should produce a good life. If it doesn't produce a good life, if it doesn't produce patience in me, if it doesn't produce goodness in me, I missed it.

In him was life. When the life was the light of man. John's theme is life. Throughout the Gospel and in his episodes, his theme is life. That life which was with the Father was manifested to us. We can touch it.

For thousands of years, it was hidden. It came out in words. But now the word has become flesh. And that word we can now see. That's why Paul could say, follow me as I follow Christ. And all of you who serve the Lord should be able to say that.

You know sometimes you hear a preacher say, don't look at me. Look at Christ. That sounds very humble. But it's not scriptural. Because Paul said, look at me. Follow me. Why do people say, don't look at me?

Don't look at me because I'm a bad example. Then you shouldn't be preaching. Go and do something else. Go and do some business or something. Don't get up and preach if you say you're a bad example. No.

You should be able to say, follow me as I follow Christ. I've not become like Jesus. But I'm following. I haven't reached the top of the mountain. That will happen only when Jesus comes again. But I'm not sitting at the bottom of the mountain either.

As a bad example and saying, don't look at me. Don't ever get into this rut of saying, don't look at me. You should say, look at me. See what the gospel has done in my life. I'm not ashamed of the gospel.

It's changed my life. It's changed my thoughts. It's changed my manner of speech. It's changed the way I live at home. It's changed the way I deal with my money. It's changed the way I live with people.

It's changed the way I behave in the bus. And it's changed the way I behave in the train. When I travel. But everybody is selfish. Isn't that wonderful? To be an example like that. It's the life that matters.

In a world of selfishness. I heard of a brother the other day. Who had bought a first class ticket. And got into a train. And somebody had occupied a seat. So you know what he did? He spread a newspaper and sat near the bathroom.

And when the ticket collector came. He said, what are you doing here? You can't sit here. And he showed him his ticket. He said, why aren't you sitting in your seat? He said, somebody was occupying it.

And he was amazed. That this man would be like this. And he was a foreigner. And he said, why are you like this? He said, I'm a Christian. I don't fight with people. And that ticket collector got converted.

Was it through listening to a message? No. It was through seeing a life. It was a light that shone. How is it with you? When you travel in the trains? When you travel in the buses? It's easy to preach wonderful doctrines here.

And study what the ancient fathers taught. And all that. But I tell you when you travel in the train. That there you discover. Whether all these things you studied. Have got any value or not. It's real life out there in the world.

Where we have to manifest. The beauty and the humility. And the patience of Jesus Christ. To an ungodly selfish world. Think of that. Okay. We go to verse 47. Where Jesus said about Nathaniel. Behold a man in whom there is no guile.

What a wonderful testimony to receive from the Lord. Many times I have said to the Lord. I said, Lord if you can say that about me. I'd be so delighted. That there is a man in whom. Who is transparent.

You know the difference between transparent glass and frosted glass? Frosted glass is like this. You can't see the other side. And many Christians are like this. They are not transparent. A lot of things you can hide on the other side of the glass.

And this side you show. All as if you are a very holy man. Behind the frosted glass is another life. But without guile means transparent. You know. Clean glass. Plain glass. Where you can look inside and see everything inside.

Come and see. A man in whom there is no guile. Have you read in Revelation chapter 21. That Jerusalem, the church of God is made of. I mean is like crystal clear glass. That's how our life must be. Clear glass.

Yeah. A man not perfect. Nathaniel was not perfect. But he was honest. That's what God requires from us. Chapter 2. We read in the marriage of Cana. Jesus. It says about Jesus in verse 11. This beginning of his signs.

The Sign of Cana: Servants, Preparation, and Divine Power

Jesus did in Cana of Galilee. You know John calls the miracles signs. That means every miracle was a parable. There was a parable in the miracle. This was a sign. Not just a miracle. But a sign. So we must read this miracle like a parable.

It's got a spiritual message. What is the spiritual message? However much wine you think you have. It will run dry. In a marriage. This was a marriage. However much wine you may have in the beginning.

It will run dry. And you will need Jesus to come and replace that wine. You cannot live forever. Whatever you may have. In marriage or in personal life. And when you come to the end of the wine in your life.

And the wine speaks of joy and peace and victory and righteousness. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The wine speaks of the Holy Spirit's power. Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

And when the wine runs dry in your life. What do you have to do? Just be honest. Like Mary was. And said to Jesus, verse 3. They have no wine. That's all you got to be. Be honest. You don't have to go to the vineyard and collect the grapes and crush it and make the wine.

No, no, no, no. Just go to Jesus. And say, Lord, I have no joy in my life. It says rejoice in the Lord always. I don't have it. I don't have peace in my life. I don't have victory in my life. I don't have righteousness in my life.

They have no wine. And then Jesus said. I see something wonderful here. He could have created wine from nothing. Don't you think he could have done that? There were six empty water pots there. He could have said, let there be wine.

And all those water pots would have been filled with wine. Many years ago he said, let there be life. Why can't he say, let there be wine? But he didn't do that. This is a sign. This miracle is a parable.

He told those servants. And that's the first thing we notice. He did not call the big shots to do the miracle. He never does his miracles through big shots. He does his miracles through servants. Be a servant.

And the Lord will do miracles through you. Have an attitude of a servant. And the Lord will do miracles through you. And he told the servants. Basically, let's you and I do this miracle together. Okay.

You do the easy part. I'll do the difficult part. You pour the water. I'll turn it into wine. And that's a lesson for us. How is the Lord going to work through us? He says, let's do it together. You and I be partners.

You do the difficult part. You do the easy part. And I'll do the difficult part. It's wonderful. And then they did the easy part. Pouring the water. And Jesus turned it into wine. And when they served the wine.

People said, boy. This is fantastic. We have never had wine like this in all our life. And they never knew. But the servants knew it says. They never knew. But the servants, verse 9, they knew. That this was from Jesus.

And I thought of this in terms of ministry. Many times I've gone to Jesus. And I said, Lord. What do I have to share with these people? Who are such needy people sitting in this church. What do I have?

Tasteless water. It's all I have, Lord. But you can touch it. And make it sweet wine. So that by the time I serve it to these people. It will be wine. And when the people taste the message. They say, boy.

We've never heard anything like this. And they don't know. That I only gave some water to the Lord. He turned it to wine. This beginning of signs. Jesus did. To teach us. How to serve other people. Go to Jesus with your water.

And say, Lord. This is all I have. You've got to work hard. You've got to work hard to fill up those six water pots of stone. If you're a lazy person. Nothing will happen. If you're too lazy to study the word.

Nothing will happen. God never does a miracle through lazy people. But if you're a hard-working person. At the end of all your hard work. You fill the water pots with stone. And you say, Lord. It's still water.

But I trust you to make it wine. He can do a miracle. Okay. We read about his chasing out people from the temple. In verse 14 to 20. He found people selling oxen and sheep. Making money in the name of religion.

And it says in verse 15. He made a scourge of cords. Can you picture this in your mind? Jesus sitting in a corner and collecting various bits of straw or string. And making a rope. And that took some time.

And the disciples must have been watching. What's the Lord doing? Making a rope here? He was making a rope to chase all these fellows out of the temple. It was not only grace. It was truth. He was not only full of grace.

But full of truth. He who turned the water into wine. Also made the whip. To chase people out of the temple. Who were making money in the name of religion. You may have to minister like that sometimes.

It's not always water into wine. Sometimes you have to sit and make a whip and chase these fellows. Who have come to the church to seek their own. Who are making profit in the name of Christ. Who are not seeking the glory of God.

You got to chase them out. And say, get out of here. Go and do business in the marketplace. Don't come to the church. And try to get a name for yourself. When you stand up in the pulpit. Stand as a lion of God there.

And if people are not afraid of God. At least let them be afraid of you. Because you are a man of God. That's how you should be. I've told people in the church. The best thing is you fear God. But if you don't fear God.

You better be afraid of me. Because I'm not going to allow any nonsense in this church. I'm not going to allow you to come here and try to make profit. In terms of honor. Or draw people after yourself.

Or get a name for yourself. If you don't want to be a servant. And you don't want to humble yourself. And you're not willing to clean the toilets here. There's no place for you in this church. Here we are all equal.

There's no senior or junior. We all sweep the floor. We all clean the toilets. We are all brothers. There's nobody bigger than the other. And anyone who seeks honor. There are hundreds of other churches you can go and join.

But not this one. You got to be a man of God. Otherwise you'll produce another wishy-washy church. Like all the hundreds of churches. That have brought dishonor to the Lord's name in this land. So there's a need for this type of ministry.

The wine and the whip. That's how we build a church. And further. It says in verse 24 and 25. That Jesus did not commit himself to everybody. Many people believed in him. But he did not commit himself to anybody.

Why was that? Because he knew what was in man's heart. You may believe in Jesus. And the Lord may not commit himself to you. Because he sees that you're not totally committed to him. Are you totally committed to him?

Then he'll be totally committed to you. Chapter 3. We read about being born again. One of the things that strikes me in chapter 3. Is that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Verse 2. I'm always excited by that.

That he could just walk into Jesus house at night. Jesus was the most important person that ever walked on this earth. You agree with me? I believe that. Was there anybody more important than Jesus? Was there anybody who had a greater job to do than Jesus Christ?

Nobody. There are some people who think they're very important. But Jesus was the most important person that ever walked on the earth. And you did not have to fix an appointment with the secretary to meet him.

You could just walk into his house anytime. Even at night. He gave that impression to people. You can come and see me anytime. And Nicodemus walked in. And Jesus took time. I don't know whether it was midnight or whatever it was.

Jesus took time to talk to him. If you serve the Lord. You must be willing. There were times when Jesus did not have enough time to eat food it says. In Mark chapter 2 and chapter 3. He didn't have time to eat food.

Sometimes he didn't have time to sleep. If you're interested in food and sleep more than serving God. You better do business or something like that. You can't serve the Lord. I'm really encouraged to see that.

And Jesus spoke here about being born of water and the Spirit. Verse 5. The water is a picture of the Holy Spirit. Just like fire is a picture of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus spoke three times of water.

In the John's Gospel. First in chapter 3. Born of water. That's like a cup of water. And then in verse chapter 4 verse 14. He spoke about a well of water. And then in chapter 7 and verse 38. He spoke of rivers of water.

A cup of water. A well of water and rivers of water. These are three stages in the Christian life. First. Born of water. That means we are born again. The Holy Spirit has come. And produced a new life in us.