John Chapter 1:1-4

Who has all power in heaven and earth… Jesus in Matthew 28. 18 and Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth and intersegmental, are you really going over and over and over this thing.

Yes I am because of heard some Christians not be able to explain to somebody why they believe that Jesus Christ is God. Some Christians being unable to quote Scripture to validate that Jesus Christ is God welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville North Carolina as we begin the book of job we have one of David McGee's associate pastors DA Brown with us today and what are some of things it want to look at it this next about this important to know what we believe and why we believe today Pastor David take some time to see what does the Bible say about who Jesus is and how does that affect our life. You're right DA and in this passage where John is talking about how divine Jesus was. This is really important to our faith because this is the message Jesus is a message directly to us from God himself evolved. Does the Bible say Jesus was God. Do you believe, why does that matter and how will it impact your day-to-day living.

Let's find out.

As David McGee begins teaching through John chapter 1 Serena start in the Gospel of John that they were starting a new book so you'll turn with me there. This is a little bit different than the other three Gospels. The other three gospels are referred to as synoptic. What that means is they can't parallel one another. A lot of events correlate in them.

But John, stands alone things that John emphasizes is the godhood of Jesus Christ. John was thought to be the cousin of Jesus and it's interesting because some of the liberal scholars said that this gospel of John was written after the second century, you know, it's always interesting is every time a liberal theologian or a scholar comes up with something, it always seems like there's some discovery that debunks what happened with John is a found a copy of piece of it in Egypt that dates back to 135 A.D. obviously to get from Israel to Egypt took a matter of years where they can have enough copies for around so we believe that it was written somewhere between 70 and 90 A.D. so let's jump in man and this is some meaty stuff here in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. That's interesting because there's some schools of thought out there now that say that Jesus Christ was not God's a matter fact of the da Vinci code gets into that though there was this huge conspiracy in order to unify Jesus Christ. If you know the historical facts. If you know some of the archaeological fact it's very easy to shoot down the blasphemous lies that are in the da Vinci code, but it's interesting because planning the younger who was a pagan root of the early Christians to the Emperor. Emperor Trajan in 112 A.D. this is early on and said that Christians would gather on a fixed day and they would sing words to Christ as God because this is in 112 A.D. in this is historical fact and part of what the da Vinci code is saying that is that this was incorporated in 300, 400 A.D. under Constantine. It's simply a lie and noticed that it says the word was with God now understand this word is it it is law gospel usually pronounces logos in the Greek will get in the definition, but Jehovah's Witnesses use this verse by taking it out of context and its obvious meaning when he uses the word in the beginning was the word not is the work that was the work that means that at the beginning of time.

The word already existed. Now what is this word referring to is referring to Jesus Christ. Now for the believer. For the Christian. One of the cornerstones of our faith is the deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was and is God and there's other world religions. Muslims, for instance, Jews believe Jesus was a prophet Drews believes that he was a prophet. A lot of people believe he was a prophet but Christianity stands alone in saying Jesus was God.

Jesus considered himself to be God he refers in John 17 five. He says now. Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with before the world was taken note. You probably want to jot down these addresses because somewhere along the line, you're going to run into somebody. The questions the deity of Jesus Christ. And it's important that we be prepared to give to every man an answer. See Jesus here says before the world was he wise with the father, you're going to see in certain places in the Gospel of John were Jesus refers to himself as I am I am this I am that that is a phrase that to a Jewish person you knew immediately that he was claiming to be deity. What how do we know that because you go back to Exodus chapter 3 verse six and says moreover he said I am the God of your father God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and Moses hit his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. We skip down to verse 14 and God said to Moses, I am. I am.

That's the definition of Yahweh that you shall say to the children of Israel. I am has sent me to you.

That's interesting that Jesus takes this phrase which was used in Exodus and mentions it. Many, many, many times in the Gospel of John and one of the things that John is doing is portraying Jesus as God and also as man now don't be confused about that. In an effort people say Willie was half godly was half man. Theologically, that's it. That's a bad statement. He was 100% man.

He was 100% God he didn't leave his godhood behind and he wasn't just half a man, but he uses these I am statements in John 648. He said I am the bread of life in John 812. He said I am the light of the world.

John 10 nine I am the door.

John 1011 I am the good shepherd. John 1125 I am the resurrection and the life. John 14 six I am the way the truth and the life. John 15 one.

I am the true God, that's interesting in those situations. Almost everyone there are situations when he used that phrase. The Pharisees got freaked out whenever you see the Pharisees getting freaked out. It's a big hand that something has gone on and and quite frankly sometimes we read past that. But whenever you see that stop because that's a spiritual signal that something just happened that maybe we don't understand so whenever you see the Pharisees getting freaked out. Ask yourself why these guys freaked out I can't live freaked out. You know when Jesus would say certain things they would get really freaked out.

So that's a big hand when you're studying the Bible and Jesus made claims. I've heard people say will Jesus Christ never claimed to be God. What Apple are you reading John 14 nine says he that has seen me has seen the father. That's an interesting discussion between him and the disciples that would get him to later John chapter 10 verse 30. He says I and my father are one.

This is a claim to be.

This is a claim to be deity Mark chapter 2 verse five Susan when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic son, your sins are forgiven you.

Some of this ground are sitting there and reasoning in their hearts. Why does this man speak blasphemies like this who can forgive sins but God alone, and they were so close workday Jesus anything for gave stands and then they made the comment who can forgive sins except God alone. And they were so close if they did just make the next step in logic will it only God can forgive sins and this guy's forgiven sentence he must be God.

Jesus is called God by Thomas in John chapter 20 verse 27 then he said to Thomas, reach your finger here, and look at my hands and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing Thomas answered and said to him, my Lord and my God. And if you read that passage or not you find that Jesus corrected him.

Jesus received his worship as his Lord and as is God for all that we run Thomas down for he hits a homerun here who has all power in heaven and earth. God does listen what Jesus said in Matthew 28.

18 and Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Wow, you're really going over and over and over this thing.

Yes I am because I've heard some Christians not be able to explain to somebody why they believe that Jesus Christ is God. Some Christians being unable to quote Scripture to validate that Jesus Christ is God and is very important as there's a lot of weirdness out there to look at this, Jesus walked on water. The winds and the seas obeyed him, he gave sight to the blind.

He gave hearing to the death he cast out demons.

He made the lame to walk, he turned water to wine to heal the sick, and he raise the dead, Jesus Christ was and is God. Amen will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now is a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob want take a minute to pray for some listeners in these cities in California have Fort Bragg, Gardnerville grass Valley happy Camp hey Fort India in Johnston.

Bill God, we thank you for the people tuning in today in the cities low. We pray that there encouraged and what you're laying on the heart to do. We pray that they would put their trust in you and get plugged in a Bible teaching church.

We pray for the pastors or that they would have wisdom and discernment. How to encourage the people that come to hear the word low. We ask you, bless these cities in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse three. All things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made interesting words there and no verse two. In the beginning remind you of anything same three words begin the book of Genesis go back to verse one in the beginning is just happenstance that the gospel of John verse one chapter 1 says in the beginning you go back to Genesis chapter 1 verse one and it says in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. I have every reason to doubt the word evolutionist. I have no reason to doubt the word of God which tells me very clearly very plainly about the origin of mankind, and if you think about it rejection of the local account of creation is genocide. It wipes out the whole human race. It wipes away our purpose. It wipes away or meaning it wipes away the fact that we were created in the image of God and by the way, if you're sitting there right now you're going well. I'm a theistic evolutionist and what that what is meant by that is theistic, meaning you believe God, and you also believe evolution so you cannot mix the two together to get some hodgepodge. It doesn't say in the beginning God made slime. It's not this thing of you know from the goo to the zoo to you. So many people begin with the first verse of the Bible to doubt the word of God because you can't do that you praise God, you don't have to cut off your head to believe the Bible as a matter fact it takes a lot more faith to believe in the evolution.

Evolution concepts are. It takes more faith to believe in that in the creation account you got people with PhD's and whatnot creation scientists to me.

You show beyond a shadow of a doubt that God created man and we come up with these laws they will will will you know it just took millions and millions and millions and millions of years.

Time doesn't even allow me to shoot all the holes I could into evolution, but the this watch is not that complicated.

And if I took it apart and put it in the bag and shook the bag you think it would turn back into a watch what I shook it a long time still not going to turn into a watch in the beginning the Bible speaks in certainty and absolute truth and you know why why why godless people run around trying to conjure up and guess and how man came about. We have the wisdom of God saying in the beginning God created. We can know that. Isn't that amazing some of the best minds in the world are still trying to figure this out and we know that cool and all the other questions to is there life after death. What's his life about you read your Bible, you believe your Bible you know these things. What a gift from God and see in the darkness of speculation ends with the brightness of God's word shines Colossians chapter 1 verse 16 says for by him all things were created that are in heaven and their owners, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things consist of life lesson number two is we can trust the Bible, above all other books.

It's interesting every time.

Seeing those who accuse the Bible of different things and even this gospel, the liberal theologians were disproven because of the violence fragment that was found in Egypt. We talked before that they sit with the book of Daniel is to to accurate prophetically because it says the exact day Jesus Christ came into Jerusalem. There's too many other prophecies, so it must've been written after the fact.

It must've been written after Jesus came within. They had a big O because the Dead Sea Scrolls and they had fragment of Daniel.

That was dated back to 160 BC hundred 60 years before Christ came, so it's interesting to see these things does understand some people don't want to believe God created us because they don't want to believe God because if they believe God created us, then they are accountable to the Lord and that's what they're avoiding is not the concept of creation it what it's what creation brings you to is a person will live.

God created me what to see desire from me. What am I to do in that relationship. So guys don't choose to believe some new bestseller believe the seller. Amen bestseller volatile and it's interesting again and I like the phrase the word of God is the angle that is worn out many hammers, so this Greek word in here word is law, gospel, or logos. Now you may be wondering why is John using the word to name Jesus. Well, lockouts means divine communication divine communication and this is something that the word of God and the son of God have in common. Jesus Christ is the divine communication to us as well as the word of God is the divine communication to us. It's God's expression to mankind. God's message to mankind.

God's noncommunication command, I think sometimes we forget that this word is supernatural. It has the power to change lives. Isaiah chapter 55 verse 11 says so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent. I love that. First, it shall not return to me void, it will accomplish that which I please. Life lesson three. Jesus in the Bible are God's message and revelation of mankind verse four in him was life and the life was the light of men. These verses are so deep these two words are used light and life in him in Jesus was life and the life was the light of men. These are great words to describe Jesus light and life. If you ever noticed how much death goes with sin is of former rock musician you know there was a whole lot of death that went with the sinful nature of man work that Romans talks about. There's just so much death that goes with sin. You can go into a barn is just dark and dingy and people are dying people killing themselves, so there's death was sin but have you ever noticed how much life there is in the Lord. There is Julie there's a distant awesome experience of life when you're walking with the Lord figure here this morning is been saved for number of years. Remember, remember when you first got saved, and the sky was blue or the grass was greener. You just every flower was just awesome was life being stirred up and you, as a matter fact, Jesus had so much life in him that he wouldn't stay dead. See, the Lord gives an opportunity to experience the fullness of life that you you cannot have outside of an experience outside of not having relationship with the Lord. But then you contrast that to somebody this trying to hold onto their life trying to grab trying to get get get get get get us pretty much the mentality in America today and it get get get get this, telling when you asked my what are you doing I'm getting this kitten that I hope to get this let me other. When he left with after all that sand running through your hands can't hold on the sand. That's what Jesus was dormant when he said you know what, if you seek your life, you lose if you give it away to find and talking people well what he doing well and go get an education. What's great in education what he can do that on the get me a job where you will do if you get a job on the get me a house is good at your house then what then will all get me a wife must. Good thing you find a wife finds a good thing we don't do that will get me some kids what's good think is a good what then no girl will what then one day I guess alt.within she won the world's experiences get get get Jesus stands to the sciences give give give and you'll discover what living for me is all about. There's a fullness in the relationship with probably all seen people that you know they know the Lord but they're not really walking with the Lord. I called fence sitters. There's different names that you compute potatoes. We don't have to so we can help you potatoes are but you know I have noticed this. People are often more miserable than people who don't know the Lord is not walking in the fullness of joy in their miserable and my heart breaks because occasionally I do see people here that fit that description in my heart breaks form because you know they're not walking in the thing of sin, but they're not experiencing the joy of the Lord are stuck right there in the middle in their miserable friend. I hope that that describe you if it does, you can make a change this morning and the sad thing is a lot of damages been done to the body of Christ by these people is there they are, their miserable and when they do they try to witness to somebody, which is a little scary. You know I mean, there they go they think they been baptized in vinegar or something and then the thought this might don't you want this Julie that got in your thinking. No, I don't look like you got all the joy in the world but there's a sea of living for the Lord the enemy he wants to rip you off to walking in the fullness of this joint. He doesn't want you live in the abundant life. That's what God desires to give you. Don't let the enemy keep ripping you off. There is so much more than walking with the Lord when you're not walking and that surrendered life you will be miserable. Jesus is life. Jesus wants to give us life is also called life might help to see and it warms you and causes things to grow things that Jesus does to us. He helps us to see. He warns us he causes us to grow. These are just words that are thrown in.

Without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit saying this is Jesus light and life friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry.

Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go.

What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day.

You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day.

From the heart. David McGee, that sounds good. Yesterday and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com.

If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM Eastern time. This visit, cross the bridge.com and click on our lifestream link there. You experience a live service from David's home church. The bridge in North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continued teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God