Jesus: Before time began.
Reading: John 1:1, 14.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” John 1:14.
We sing “My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” I want to look at Jesus from the very beginning, though there was no beginning for Him! Jesus laid aside His glory, not His deity; He laid aside His glorious form and the rights of deity, to become the God-man for us “Jesus the Christ.”
The “Gospel” means “good news” and Jesus is the “good news!” The gospels are not about four men, but one man, the God-man, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote about Jesus the Christ! Our text today indicates it is all about Him.
1. THE GLORY OF CHRIST JESUS.
“And now, O Father, glorify me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” John 17:5.
Here at the beginning, before time existed, we find Jesus, and the word that comes to mind is glory. It is the answer to any questions we may have.
Who is Jesus? He is Glory.
Where was He? In Glory!
What was He like? Glorious!
What does glory look like? We would die if we saw “His Glory” unprotected. Yet, God gives us a glimpse, a portrait! John said he beheld His glory at the transfiguration. “Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person” Hebrews 1:3.
2. THE LOVE OF CHRIST JESUS.
“Father, I desire that they also, whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” John 17:24.
Love existed before time began, for God is love, His nature, His character is of Love. John 3:16 shows how God loves us, even when we where sinners.
He sent His love our way! His Love is eternal, it has always been, and always will be. God does not fall “out of love” with us, or we with Him.
3. THE GRACE OF CHRIST JESUS.
“Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began” 2 Timothy 1:9.
Jesus has always been the embodiment of grace. Grace has always existed. All who are saved are saved by it. We may be honoured because we are in the Kingdom of God, but it is only by God’s grace that we are part of it! Only God could conceive of this wonderful plan to share His glory through love and grace.
4. THE PROMISE OF CHRIST JESUS.
“In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before the time began” Titus 1:2.
Jesus is the promised One, and He keeps His promises! And as surely as God kept His promise about Jesus' coming to earth, He will keep His promise about His second coming and the end of the world. As surely as His promises about heaven are true are His promises about the place called hell is true. And He has promised to save you if you will let Him!
5. THE CHOICE OF CHRIST JESUS.
“Just as He hath chose us in Him before the foundation of the
World, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” Ephesians 1:4.
From our standpoint, our choices have not been made; we all have a free will and a clean slate ahead of us! “The Lord is…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” 2 Peter 3:9.
“Whosoever will may come!”
“Whosoever believes!”
“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved!”
It is awesome to think that God knew me and you before time began, and cares enough about all the details in our lives, including the choices we would make about Him.
CONCLUSION:
1. The baby in the manger (Christmas) was not the beginning, just the next chapter of Him who is eternal.
2. He was killed at the hands of sinful mankind (Easter), but that was not the end, just the next chapter.
3. Jesus the Christ is the Alpha and Omega, He Who is the beginning and the end, and yet even at the very close of God’s Word, it is not the end, but only the beginning!
