Advent 2025 - Week 1
This is the manuscript of the John 1:1-18 sermon I preached on November 30, 2025 at Trinity West Seattle as part of our Advent 2025 sermon series.
You can watch it here or read the manuscript I preached from below.
SERIES INTRO
We are in our Advent series for 2025. During Advent we noticeably sit in the tension between the joy of Christ’s first coming and the ache for his imminent return. It is a season of not just remembering, but one of recalibration.
This year we are recentering Trinity around the breathtaking reality that God became man and dwelt among us! The Author of all things wrote himself into the pages of history so that we could clearly know him and believe in him. The infinite became finite. The intangible could, at last, be touched. He lived the tension we now feel of the now and the not yet. As we long for his return, may we continually reflect on the Creator who dwelt with his creation so that creation could be reunited with its Creator.
Let’s pray.
SERMON INTRO
We are going to get right into it today y’all!
The gospel of John is one of the four different gospels we have: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. They all record the life of Jesus from varying perspectives.
John in particular has its own unique flavor. The other three gospels are called the Synoptic Gospels. While emphasizing different parts, follow the same general order. However, John has a very specific goal in mind with his gospel. He is unashamed about it. And he makes his goal INCREDIBLY clear from the outset. That goal is to show that Jesus is God. Jesus is the Son of God who came to save the world. Full Stop.
To whom is he making this argument? To both Jews and Gentiles (Greeks), most likely in Ephesus toward the end of the first century. That audience is going to be poignantly important here in a bit.
John’s goal of showing that Jesus is God is also meant for us today too. The Gospel of John is often recommended as the first book someone considering Jesus or new to the faith should read. John is caring, bold, and clear when it comes to who Jesus is. He boldly explores how Jesus is God.
If you are considering Jesus and Chrisitianity today, read The Gospel of John. If you are wrestling with your own faith right now, read The Gospel of John. It's about one chapter a day from now until almost Christmas.
We do have some Advent devotionals you can go through this Advent as well. Regardless of method, spend time in God’s word this Advent. The practice of scripture is so important in our way of life with God. He is faithful and will open your eyes to behold wondrous things from his word. Go expectantly to his word this Advent.
You should also know that John 1 is one of the most theologically dense passages in all of the New Testament. People have studied this passage over and over and over again. It highlights so many various parts of the overarching biblical narrative, The Story of God. It touches on so many theological topics such as: the incarnation, the Trinity…Don’t let that frighten you at all though.
As NT Wright says, “John 1 is safe enough for a child to paddle in, but deep enough for an elephant to swim in.”
We have a few things to uncover together today. We will only scratch the surface of the depths this passage offers. If you read John 1, you know exactly where he is going for the rest of the book. I picked it for this Advent series because it is about everything Jesus did, was, and is. His life. His divinity. His humanity. And why did he came at all.
THE WORD
I am going to spoil the big idea for today for you all. I want you to know where we are headed because there is a lot going on in this passage. We are going to build it one step at a time. Think of it like a Lego set, it is good to know what it will look like in the end so you know what you're aiming for as you build it.
The big idea today is: The Author of all things wrote himself into the pages of history so that we could know him.
We are going to break this down piece by piece
So let’s get to it.
John 1:1
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
“In the beginning”...this phrase should immediately send you to Genesis chapter 1 where it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” It would have instantly reminded the Jewish readers of John’s gospel of the Creation story as well.
We will get into the Creation story in a bit more detail shortly, but the attention of the Jewish audience would be immediately captured by “In the beginning…”. But the next phrase would simultaneously puzzle and intrigue the Jewish audience and seize the attention of the Greek audience, “In the beginning was the Word…”
“The Word” in the Greek this word is logos and using it here would mean two different things to the various groups in the audience. John is very aware of this and uses it intentionally.
For the Jewish people they would have been thinking about divine self expression. God’s word is effective. When God speaks…things exist. When God speaks…he relates to his people. As his image bearers, we too know that words can bring life or death. Words can build up or tear down. They can bolster relationships or erode them. We reflect God in this way. But with God, his word is action. It literally brings things into existence. His word brings life. His word is life.
For the Greek audience, the term logos or “Word” would have a totally different meaning. Logos to the Greeks was a philosophical and impersonal concept of reason. Reason as in the rational order or logic behind all things. But not just reason by itself, THE Reason for everything. The design behind everything. It is the why behind the cosmic order and design of the world.
So here in verse 1, John is doing something utterly incredible. He is telling the Jews the life you long for was there with God in the beginning. To the Greeks he is saying that the order, logic, and reason they hinge their entire world on was actually rooted with God in the beginning.
But he goes even further!
Reason wasn’t simply there in the beginning…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Reason was with God. Logic, philosophy, reason are with God. Logic is not simply data or impersonal, but rather rooted relationally with God.
Furthermore, the reason for existence is God…life itself is from God. The reason for everything is God. John is basically presenting the question to the Greek audience, “What if the reason for everything, even life itself, was actually found in God?” The order behind all that you see, discover, test, and know is actually God…the Designer of it all.
If this isn't intriguing to you yet, it gets better and John gets bolder. Look at verse 2…
John 1:2
[2] He was in the beginning with God.
HE. HE. The Word is a HE. A person.
He is also planting seeds for an insane reversal later in the text….the reversal of it all is found in verse 14.
John 1:14a
[14a] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…
The reason for existence was a person.
To the Jewish audience this would be equally earthshattering, God himself walked in the flesh.
John goes on in the verses following to reveal that the Word that became flesh was Jesus Christ himself! God was human. The reason for existence itself is found in a human being, and his name is Jesus Christ! That is what we mean when we say the word “incarnation”. God put on flesh.
This impersonal reason and order of the universe that the Greeks so desperately wanted to understand is not some far off, undiscernable thing…the reason for everything is God and he wrapped himself in tangible, fleshy, reality.
The distant and holy God that the Jews worshipped, the Creator and Author of all things actually condescended to humanity. Put himself in our shoes, so to speak.
Why?
The Author of all things wrote himself into the pages of history so that we could know him.
So that we could know him…the God of the universe wanted to be known! He wants his creation to know him! He wants to bring created order, light, life, grace and truth to his people.
If you don’t believe me yet, that’s okay. Maybe going through the rest of the verses will draw this out further for us. And give us more meaning to the “Why?” Why do we need to know him?
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD…AND HE IS THE LIGHT
The verses following John 1:1 actually parallel the sections John 1:1 distinguishes.
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD…AND HE IS THE LIGHT (v 2-5)
THE WORD WAS WITH GOD…SO WE COULD BE TOO (v 6-13)
THE WORD WAS GOD…IN THE FLESH (v 14-18)
Let’s hit that first section…
John 1:1–5
[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Remember how this would have reminded the Jewish audience of the story of Creation. Well look at how John’s words parallels Genesis 1:1-3
Genesis 1:1–4
[1] In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. [2] The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
[3] And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [4] And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
In the beginning, God speaks and light exists. His words separate the light from the darkness. Now, John is saying that the Word, Jesus himself, IS THE LIGHT. He is the light that pierces through the darkness. He is the light that has power over the darkness.
This is no longer an abstract remembering, but something the audience could have seen.
We too should take comfort in this too! Jesus is the life, the light of men, like it says in John 1:4. Jesus is God made flesh so that you and so that I could actually have life in this difficult world. So that we could see the light at work. If the darkness has not overcome the light, then the light is still discernable. God wants to be known, even in the midst of this crazy world! Jesus came so you and I could have life! So that the world’s darkness will not win!
THE WORD WAS WITH GOD…SO WE COULD BE TOO
Now the second part of verse one talks says, “the Word was with God.”
In verses 6-13 John actually contrasts the Word being with God to the word being with us. Check it out…
John 1:6–13
[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
[9] The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
The John here is actually the prophet John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin. John, the author of the gospel, is bringing this up as further evidence for his audience. Saying, there are real people (other than me) who claim this stuff too! I am not the only one noticing this stuff.
But even more than that, the light of the world came to be with us, why? “That all might believe through him.”
So that people would believe and be with God themselves! Check out those verses again…
[9] The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. [11] He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. [12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
So why did Jesus, the Word, come? Why did the Author of all things want to be known? So that we would believe and become his children!
Not only does the God who created all things want to overcome the darkness of the world, he also wants YOU. He wants to give you the right to be his child, all you have to do is believe in the name of Jesus.
The Creator of the world limited himself to a fleshly, finite, form to bring light and make himself known. God wanted us in his family, so he came to us!
There is a God who loves you so much. He believes you are worth it. In fact, he believes it so much that he came down here to get you. He wants you to know him and believe in him.
Will you believe in his name? Will you receive Jesus today?
The eternal God placed himself into temporal existence so that you could and I know him. He’s right here in our text. He walked this world.
That is what Advent is all about! The immaterial, holy God put on flesh. The reason for our entire existence came to us in order that we might finally comprehend. He put himself into a form that you and I could understand.
THE WORD WAS GOD…IN THE FLESH
Not only did the Word become flesh so that the light would overcome the darkness, and so that we could believe in him and become part of God’s family. But also for another very, very important reason…for his own glory.
John 1:14–18
[14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. [15] (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) [16] For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [18] No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
John says, we have seen the glory of God in person! We have seen HIM. John the Baptist his cousin, pointed him out.
The Word put on the same skin we have and dwelt with us! He was here, in the flesh!
Full of grace and truth…the Word becoming flesh gives God glory because he gets to lavishly loves those who receive him and give them what they do not deserve. That’s grace! His grace upon grace!!!
He brings clarity and guidance with his truth. We no longer have to wonder about this life without knowing the reason for it all to begin with. He makes it clear for us. Believing IS seeing.
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” C.S. Lewis
God even came down in the flesh to fulfill his promises, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
He is a God who wants us to know that he is faithful.
Look at the final verse one more time…
[18] No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
John’s introduction into his book is complete. Christ’s coming is so that the God who no one has ever seen, could at last be seen, touched, held, and known…and he came as a baby in a manger.
The Author of all things wrote himself into the pages of history so that we could know him.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, I want you to ponder something with me for a second.
If there is a God out there, don’t you want one Who would reveal himself? Who would give us a place to go and look in order to see him? Don’t you want a God who would give you grace upon grace when you mess up a little, or mess up a ton? Don’t you want a God who would bring truth and clarity to the noise we experience in this life? Don’t you want a God who is actually knowable? One who loves you so much that he came just to make you his own? Who would say no to a God like that?
There is a God out there. He wanted to be known…so he did something incredible. He became a human. This infinitely powerful and magnificent being put all that aside and came down to us. The infinite became an infant. He left his heavenly dwelling and dwelt with us in the dust and dirt to simply be known by us. He did that for you. That is the beauty of Advent you guys.
We will emphasize God’s magnificence and divinity next week. And will emphasize his humility the week after, so stick around for those weeks. They are going to be amazing.
But the Creator of everything you see in this Emerald City we call home…Seattle. The Author of every story, the one who is writing your own story…The Author of all things wrote himself into the pages of history so that we could know him.
Do you know him? If not, I urge you today. Believe.
