The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1947-01-02

seen God at any time; the only begOttcn Son
which is in the bosom of the Father. he hath
declared him.-John 1;l8
A new year always carries with
it deep sense Of responsibility
and at the same time a thrill of
expectancy.
That is why we need to begin this
new year-and continue tin the
study of God s Word, so that we may
know his will. You will find it to be
a joy and blessing to you, not only
as you study it by yourself, but also
in the fellowship of those in the Sun
day school and church.
Our lessons for the next three
months are of unusual interest, for
they take up the Gospel of John
which was written, that We might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son Of God; and that believing We
might have life through his name"
John 20;3D.
Jesus Christ is here presented as
the Word Nogos), and he is indeed
the living Word come to reveal
God to US.
!. The Living Word Is the Light
Of Men Wv. 1-5).
Men ask questions about Christ
They want to know whether he is
to be regarded as a good man and
great leader, or must we recog-
nize him as being God?
The answer is here. He twas"
in the beginning (Gen. 1:D, which
means that he pre-eXistad from all
eternity, and he was God" even
as he was with God" This eter-
nal, living, divine Word was the Eek
press image" Of God (Heb 1:3), and
so perfectly revealed the Father ".
49,.
lie is the Creator ", 81 and giver
Of life both natural and spiritual
This eternal Word became (as he
Was) the light Of men. He came to
shine into the darkness of a sinful
world with the only light of redemp-
ton. We say again, This is the
Lord -
II. The Living Word Is 4 Divider
OF Men Wv. 6-l3),
The darkness Of sin was so deep,
and still is so deep that the glorious
light Of God is not received with
gladness, nor accepted at all. We
see that in the close of verse 5.
Now the question comes, Does it
make any difference how a man
regards Jesus Christ?
The answer is clear. You must
decide what you will do with him.
You cannot avoid that decision or
evadc that light which shines. You
must either accept or reject, and a
failure to accept is a rejection.
God has witnesses to the Light,
John was such 4 witness and he,
like all true witnesses for Christ,
directed attention to him. Johns
great testimony was just lesser
light to point men to the true Light.
That true Light is shed abroad for
all men ". 81,
As they face Christ, men divide
into two groups. His own people,
and his own creation rejected him
when he came ". ~. How utterly
tragic! And yet the same thing
goes on today. Men hear the Cos
pei, are made acquainted with
Christ and his claims, yet fail to
accept his proffered salvation, and
are etcrnally lost John 3:19; Eph.
2:D.
But, thank God, there are those
who receive him ". l2), and to
them he gives the power, the right
or authority, to be the sons Of God.
This change is expressly declared
to be % not by reason of family
or heredity-''not of blood; (2) not
by natural instinct or development
not "of the will of the flesh; and
90 not by human volition or by
mans will poWer-not ''of the will
of man.
III. The Living Word Is a Re-
vealer of God wv. 14-18).
The eternal Word, the Lord Jesus
Christ, laid aside his place Of honor
in heaven, came to earth and took
upon himself our flesh that he might
redeem us from sin. What infinite
condescension, what unfathomable
love!
He dWelt among men and showed
forth the grace and truth Of God,
for he was full Of these heavenly
attributes. But it was in his giving
of himself as Redeemer and Sa-
viour of mankind that he fully re-
vealed God in all his gracious love
for us.
Notice the antithesis here. Law"
is set over against grace; Civ
en-" stands in contrast with "cane,"
and Moses" with Jesus Christ"
The law was a schoolmaster to
bring US to Christ (Gal. 1920, but
it could not save anyone; but grace
oh, it is by grace that we are
saved (Eph. 2:9).
Moses was Gods honored servant,
but Jesus was the Son in the house
hold (Heb. 3:5, g.. 1t was this Son
of God who came to reveal the F'a-
Their and to declare his grace in sal
walton.
The law was sent through a mes
senger but no messenger, no mat
ter how great or worthy, would do
to bring the gospel Of the grace OF
God. That message Of grace and
truth came by Jesus Christ ". 10.