WE ARE
TRINITARIANS三位一體的神
3. God the
Son上帝兒子耶穌
Worldwide Outreach Teaching School
Dr. Meiman
Lai Saidi
Scripture Reading: John 1:1-18
- In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God.
- He
was with God in the beginning.
- Through
him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been
made.
- In
him was life, and that life was the light of men.
- The
light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
|
- 太初有道、道與 神同在、道就是 神。
- 這道太初與 神同在。
- 萬物是藉著他造的.凡被造的、沒有一樣不是藉著他造的。
- 生命在他裡頭.這生命就是人的光。
- 光照在黑暗裡、黑暗卻不接受光。
|
|
|
|
- There
came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
- He
came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through
him all men might believe.
- He
himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
- The
true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
- He
was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world
did not recognize him.
|
- 有一個人、是從 神那裡差來的、名叫約翰。
- 這人來、為要作見證、就是為光作見證、叫眾人因他可以信。
- 他不是那光、乃是要為光作見證。
- 那光是真光、照亮一切生在世上的人。
- 他在世界、世界也是藉著他造的、世界卻不認識他。
|
|
|
|
- He
came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
- Yet
to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave
the right to become children of God--
- children
born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's
will, but born of God.
- The
Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his
glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full
of grace and truth.
- John
testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of
whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was
before me.' "
|
- 他到自己的地方來、自己的人倒不接待他。
- 凡接待他的、就是信他名的人、他就賜他們權柄、作 神的兒女。
- 這等人不是從血氣生的、不是從情慾生的、也不是從人意生的、乃是從 神生的。
- 道成了肉身、住在我們中間、充充滿滿的有恩典有真理。我們也見過他的榮光、正是父獨生子的榮光。
- 約翰為他作見證、喊著說、這就是我曾說、那在我以後來的、反成了在我以前的.因他本來在我以前。
|
|
|
|
- From
the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after
another.
- For
the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ.
- No
one has ever seen God, but God the One and only who is at the
Father's side, has made him known.
|
- 從他豐滿的恩典裡我們都領受了、而且恩上加恩。
- 律法本是藉著摩西傳的、恩典和真理、都是由耶穌基督來的。
- 從來沒有人看見 神.只有在父懷裡的獨生子將他表明出來。
|
|
Preface:
Read John 1:1-18, we see that God became flesh, living
breathing person was dwelling among us in the person of Jesus, and
walked with us; Jesus reveals to us who God is,
Verse 1 points out that Jesus “was with God in the beginning.” This says to
us that Jesus has always existed in the Father. He is not a created being or a
mere man, but He was God in human flesh.
According to the N.I.V. Study Bible, Paul illustrated the believer’s new
relationship with God, in Roman culture, the adopted person lost all rights in
his old family and gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his new
family. He became a full heir to his new father’s estate. Likewise, when a
person becomes a Christian, he or she gains all the privileges and
responsibilities of a child in God’s family. One of these outstanding
privileges is being led to the Spirit (see Galatians 4:5, 6). We may not always
feel as though we belong to God, but the Holy Spirit is our witness. His inward
presence reminds us of who we are and encourages us with God’s Love. (Romans
8:14-17 & Galatians 4:5, 6) God sent his Son, born of a woman, born
under the law, to redeem those under the law, that
we might receive adoption to SONSHIP. .
Session truth: Jesus
Christ is truly God and truly man, who makes God known to us. God
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is essential to understanding the Trinity, so we are
Trinitarians.
A. Jesus: the
Word from God, God’s Word
Became Flesh (John
1:1-9)
Jesus used His life to show the power of mercy,
healing people, still many people believe the false gods made with their own
hands, they knew that could not enter God’s house. They knew that they would end up with their
mistakes; when Jesus came preached in their synagogues or open air, there was
His message shouted “freedom” so they knew that only Jesus can make someone
free. He brings us grace sent from God, because He is fully God, before Jesus
came to earth, he was one with God. At this point, when his mission was almost
finished, Jesus was asking his Father to restore him to his original place of
honor and authority. Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, he did return to his
exalted position at the right hand of God (Commentary from John 17:5).
B. The Vocation of Jesus (John 1:10-13)
In Jesus’
crucifixion, Jesus offers His life to the Father on our behalf out of love. Mankind
had chosen by Heavenly Father as his children through Jesus Christ in
perfect innocence (sinless ness) and justice. In doing so, He renders us
justified, restoring the broken relationship between us and God. Jews offered to sacrifice thousands head of
cattle, sheep and goats each year; such as my ancestors offered chickens, and
ducks to restore the broken relationship between God and us to ask God’s
forgiveness.
Yet
Jesus sent from God, entering into our human life just as one of us; He is
light, the nature of God’s mercy to us in sending the WORD to be with us. He
walks with us in our daily sufferings and brings us grace: by giving us
assurance of eternal life (1 John 5:11, 12);
assurance of answer prayer (John 16:24);
assurance of forgiveness (1 John 1:9); assurance of guidance (Proves 3:5, 6);
and assurance of Victory (1 Co. 10:13). Whoever accepted him became a new life with
power and strength because the Immanuel God always with us.
C.
The Word Made Flesh (John 1:14-18)
The Word Made Flesh means
becoming human. Christ became 1) a perfect teacher.2) Jesus the Redeemer, God
the Son in the divine plan to redeem humankind from being lost and estrangement (隔離) from
God.
2) the perfect example – Jesus shows us how to live and gives us the power to
live that way (1Pe.2:21). 3) the perfect sacrifice- He sacrifices for all sins,
and his death satisfied God’s requirements for the removal of sin (Colossians 1:15-23).
Before Christ came, people could know God
partially. After Christ came, people could know God fully, because he became
visible and tangible in Christ. Christ is the perfect expression of God in
human form. Jesus is both God and man.
Now
the nature and will of God are revealed in Jesus Christ. God’s truth now comes through a person’s
life. As we get to know Christ better, our understanding of God will increase.
God
communicated through various people in the Old Testament, usually prophets who
were told to give specific messages. But no one ever saw God. “God the One and
Only” is a title showing that Jesus is both God and the Father’s unique Son.
In
Christ, God revealed his nature and essence in a way that could be seen and
touched. In Christ, God became a man who lived on earth. Incarnation (肉成道生): The event
of Jesus becoming human. The eternal Son of God entered into history in the
person of Jesus. Still, He continued to be God. Jesus Christ is fully God and
fully human. (J. Wesley Eby. ed., A Dictionary of the Bible & Christian
Doctrine in Everyday English [Kansas City:
Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City,
2004], 140.)
D. CONCLUSIONS: 結論:
In
Jesus, God is with us: the glory of the incarnation continues with us, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became One, that Jesus might bring us back to fellowship with God through the death
of Him and resurrection. His
life’s calling, or vocation, stretches
us that is the will of God the Father, emptying himself in order to know the
condition of human. We see the incarnation of
Christ as foundation for the ministry and compassion of the church, the body of
Christ. In light of this amazing truth, we open ourselves to the work of
Christ in us for salvation, for overcoming the
darkness of sin, and for living in close relationship with God.
POINTS and QUESTIONS: John uses the words “life” and “light” to accurately describe Jesus. He is the source of spiritual life for those who
believe. He is also the light that
enlightens the hearts and minds of people Verse 14 says that Jesus
was “full of grace and truth.” In what ways have you experienced this truth and
grace in our life?
Verse 14 also tells us that Jesus
became flesh, “made His dwelling among us,” and that the glory of God was
revealed by Jesus in the flesh. This means Jesus, God the Son, came to earth in
human form to atone for our sins, show us the Father, and to teach us how to
live in relationship to God and others. From the truth of this passage, how
does a relationship with Jesus impact how we live?
No one has actually seen God.
Knowing this, as we take John’s account of Jesus’ life into account, what do
you think we can learn about the character of the Triune God based on what we
have encounter in Jesus?
To be holy
sounds like an impossible goal, until we can see that Jesus reveals to us what
holiness looks like in the flesh. When one becomes more holy, they are also
becoming more of what God intended a human to be.
How does Jesus help you think differently about holiness and humanity?
How do the particular words and actions of Jesus reveal to us something
about God?
How do the particular words and actions of Jesus challenge you to live a
life of holiness?
EXERCISE FAITH: Read and Actions
Read: Take time to read further in John’s
gospel, taking special note of Jesus’ words and actions.
Write them down and make a note of how those words and
actions reveal to us what it looks like to be holy and pay special attention to
Jesus’ ministry of compassion.
Pray over that list, asking the Holy Spirit to empower you to
be more like the One who was fully God and the fullest expression of what it
means to be human.
Take time each day to recount how you may have become more
like Jesus today and thank God for any victories in this area.