Beth's Message

I had the privilege and pleasure of getting to see and hear Beth Moore speak right here in Richmond a couple of weeks ago. I took lots of notes and wanted to get them on here, thinking I might lose the notebook someday! I'm sure this will not do justice to her message, but it's a try.

If you don't know Beth, I urge you to check out her website at www.bethmoore.org. She is a phenomenal Bible teacher.

Beth's topic for the weekend was John 1:1-18. It is the prologue to the gospel of John. A few tidbits of information about John's gospel: it is 90% unique, meaning that only 10% of the content in John's book is found in the other 3 gospels. It was written about 90 AD. At this time, the church is emerging with Christ as it's center. John had probably had the opportunity to read the other gospels.

John's theme is all about belief. He uses the word 98 times, compared to Matthew, who used it 14 times; Mark, 11 times; and Luke, 9 times. John wanted us to know that there is no life in Christ without belief. Abundant belief equals abundant life. John's purpose is found in these two verses:

³⁰Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Beth told us that John gathers belief around eight miracles of Jesus. John also refers to Jesus by eight different titles in John chapter one (the Word, the Life, the Light, Only Begotten Son, Lamb, Messiah, King, and Son of Man). Several commentaries she used likened John's gospel to musical compositions, which have eighths or octaves. Using the musical analogy, Beth reminded us that in music you begin with middle C. As Christians, we need to get back to our middle C, which is Christ Jesus.

Following the eight or octave theme, Beth gave us eight ways to get back to our middle C.

1. We need to get back to the word.

Word meaning two things: the Word of God and Christ as the living Word. The Word is eternal--it was with God before time began. We can't hear God in a physical sense, and we can't see His nonverbal communication, so His Word is of utmost importance to us. It is how He communicates with us. Christ, the living Word, is the full expression of God to man.

2. We need to get back to the genesis.

Back to the beginning. In Genesis 1:1, it says, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God "WAS" before the creation. God's word does not seek to prove God's existence. It doesn't need to do so--God "IS". The burden of proof is on nonbelievers--to prove that God "IS NOT". Colossians 1:17, And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

This also goes back to our new life in Christ. When we give our hearts to Him, we are a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

3. We need to get back to the exodus.

Beth gave us four ways that John 1 refers to the Book of Exodus.

1. Verse 14: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The wording of this is the same that is used in Exodus when referring to the Tabernacle--when God came and was with His people. In other words, Jesus literally "pitched his tent" among us as God had.

2. Verse 14: and we have seen His glory. In the original language, this word for seen is more than merely seeing, it means a sense of wonderment. The disciples had seen God, as a man. All but John were executed for giving their lives to Him and spreading the good news of salvation through Him. John died of natural causes while in exile. This word for seen also refers back to Exodus 33, in which Moses asked God to show His glory.

3. Verse 17: For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came throughJesus Christ. The law has been fulfilled.

4. Verse 29: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. In the time of Moses, a lamb was used as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Jesus was the sacrifice for us.

4. We need to get back to the ultimate exegesis.

Exegesis is the interpretation of a text. But if we want to interpret God, we simply need to look at Jesus. John 1:18 says, No one has ever seen God, but the only begotten Son, who is at the Father's side, has made Him known.

5. We need to get back to grace and truth.

In John 14:6, it says that Jesus came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Beth talked about needing that balance between those two. Most of us tend to lean one way or the other. If you lean toward truth, you might tend to be legalistic. If you lean toward grace, you might take license with God's commands. The whole book of John is about grace, though he only uses the word two times. Grace is the not only unmerited favor, it is the opposite of merit.

There is a difference between The Truth and a truth. The Truth is Jesus Christ. A truth might be factual, but it is not The Truth until it has His word on it. For example--a truth about me might be that I am an alcoholic, but The Truth is that Jesus has brought me from that pit. Beth said, "The Truth makes a truth a testimony". The darkness of your life cannot overcome the light of Christ. John 1:5 says, The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

Jesus is The Truth, and The Truth cannot be detached from grace.

6. We need to get back to the gospel.

We are God's children. Jesus died on the cross for us. We cannot save ourselves, we need Him. John 1:12: Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God. This is the essential element of our faith.

7. We need to get back to one blessing after another.

In the Greek, blessing can be translated grace upon grace. It is like the phrases used in the Old Testament for emphasis: holy of holies, song of songs. The Word promises us that His grace is sufficient for us. 2 Corinthians 12:9: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Jesus asks, "Do you want to be whole?" It is not just to experience the healing, but to know Your Healer.

8. We need to get back to the future.

But don't go back the same. Get back to middle C. Know Christ. Know His Truth. Know His grace.