The Scarlet Thread - The E

This week at The River Church we began a new message series on the book of John. Each week I will post the notes until we launch my new web-site which will be more interactive and make the messages available in a variety of ways. I have added a few transition notes to help you understand how the message progressed. Set forth below is only the notes not a written transcript so listening to the message would be very helpful.

I suggest that if you are using the notes to teach first listen to the message and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you to form your own message. My prayer is that these notes will both teach you and allow you, especially those in Africa, to teach others as well. May God bless you and multiply your fruit!

The Scarlet Thread

September 12, 2010

The Empty Throne: Part 1

John begins with these wonderful words, perhaps some of the most profound words ever written.

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. John1:1-5

(These words ring with Majesty! Jesus is God! God is always working his plan and John details this strategic plan to invade humanity . These amazing verses draw us to the heart of this great book. God's plan as developed throughout this book is set below.)


GOD’S PLAN: The Empty Throne permitted Jesus to reign in the Throne of your Heart!

But first, I would like you to know the author of the Scarlet Thread. Please meet the author of “The Scarlet Thread”, the gospel according to John!

➢ John the disciple is the son of Zebadee. Mk. 3:17 (one of many)
➢ John, James and Peter formed Jesus inner circle. (one of three)
➢ John the beloved disciple. 13:23/19:26/20:2/21:7,20 (one of one)
➢ John stood by the church in terrible persecution.
➢ John an eyewitness to Jesus.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1 John1:1

(Can you picture how important it is to hear from an eyewitness. Imagine being able to hear from an eyewitness to Abraham Lincoln, George Mueller, or Billy Graham. It would be invaluable to hear these eyewitness accounts. You would have greater depth of insight, stronger accounts, and it would be like a video being played in your mind. That's what we get in John! An invaluable eyewitness known as the one Jesus loved. He knew Jesus so well in his humanity, yet, he knew that Jesus was not merely a man but God himself!

The Empty Throne: 4 Foundational Messages

1. The Message of Pre-existence: “In the beginning was the Word…”
➢ Before Creation – Jesus existed!
➢ At Creation – God spoke! Gen. 1
➢ Re-Creation – this gospel tells us how to be recreated
➢ OT: Life through Adam NT: Life now through Jesus

(Jesus pre-existed his earthly form. He was in the beginning, yet he pre-existed the beginning. To put it another way, there has never been a time that Jesus was not! Praise you Lord!)

2. The Message of Incarnation: “and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”
➢ Jesus is God & Jesus invades the world! 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. J. 1:14

(Jesus invaded the world with His divinity as he became man. God made the first move to re-unite his original desire for relationship with humanity. This parts the curtain of our sometimes limited view of Christ to the Majestic Christ!)

3. The Message of Creation: Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
➢ Jesus the Creator: The Logos is the creator not a created being for everything came into being through him.
➢ The creative capacity of God is Logos. What God does Logos does

(That's my God. Always creating! Making something new from the old. Calling the dead things to life! Yea, that's my God!)

4. The Message of Revelation: “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. 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."
➢ Jesus brings the message of Hope! ➢ The words of Jesus are words of revelation.

( The message of Revelation parts the curtains of heaven. Revelation is a pulling back that which has formerly been hidden. My next message will develop this further but for now, bend a knee to praise the Lord who is light and who brings light into our lives to reveal His will and desire for each one of us! Praise you Lord!)

Bottom Line: John wants us to read this as every deed and word of Jesus is a deed or word of God. That is how we should read the whole gospel.

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