Jesus is the Goal of Life John identifies Jesus as the “Word”. John is purposefully using...
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Jesus is the Goal of Life John identifies Jesus as the “Word”. John is purposefully using ambiguity to cause his readers to slow down and think through
Jesus is the Goal of Life John identifies Jesus as the Word.
John is purposefully using ambiguity to cause his readers to slow
down and think through what he is saying.
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Jesus is the Goal of Life
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If you are trying to figure out how to live your life, what the
reason for life is, and you want to be intellectually honest you
have to deal with the question, Who is Jesus? Johns answer is that
Jesus is the Word, Logos .
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The Greek Understanding of the Word Logos The Greeks debated at
a philosophical level about the meaning of life. They sought to
answer a tough question What am I living for? What is life for?
Whats the reason for life? Their answer was the Logos.
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The Greek Understanding of the Word Logos Until you understand
the reason for life, life becomes meaningless, insignificant, or
contradictory. If you dont understand your purpose you can never
realize your potential.
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The Greek Understanding of the Word Logos In Johns day, the
philosophical schools fragmented into two different directions.
There was a consensus that there are no answers but that created a
problem.
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The Greek Understanding of the Word Logos If there are no
answers then there is no authority and there is no morality. The
Greek philosophers were left with answering how to live in a world
with morality and meaning.
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The Greek Understanding of the Word Logos Epicureans answer:
Since there are no answers then eat, drink, and be merry. They said
just live for pleasure. Do what feels right.
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The Greek Understanding of the Word Logos The Stoics answer:
Even though there are no answers, you should live as though there
are answers. Pretend that there is right and wrong. Be generous,
good, and moral or else life will be intolerable.
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The Greek Understanding of the Word Logos Most people in
America operate in the philosophy of the Epicureans or the Stoics.
They get real uncomfortable when you remind them that there are no
real answers in their world view.
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The Greek Understanding of the Word Logos Johns answer to the
reason for life is the Logos. John said the Logos is not an
abstraction, its not a philosophy, its not impersonal. The Logos is
a Person The reason and goal for life is Jesus.
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The Jewish Understanding of the Word Logos A Jew steeped in the
Old Testament would think in a different direction than the
Gentile. Because Johns primary audience were non- believing Jews we
should turn to the Old Testament for the fullest meaning of the
Logos.
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The Jewish Understanding of the Word Logos A synonym for the
Word (Logos) of the LORD is: The Angel (Messenger) of the LORD. The
OT prophets recognized one particular Messenger of the LORD who was
distinct from all others.
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The Jewish Understanding of the Word Logos Exodus 3:2-4: And
The Angel (Messenger) of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of
fire out of the midst of a bush and Moses said, I will turn aside
to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned. When the Lord
saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the
bush.
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The Jewish Understanding of the Word Logos Exodus 23:20-23:
Behold, I send an Angel (Messenger) before you to guard you on the
way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful
attention to Him and obey His voice; do not rebel against Him, for
He will not pardon your transgression, for My Name is in Him. But
if you carefully obey His voice and do all that I say, then I will
be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your
adversaries.... My Angel (Messenger) goes before you....
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The Jewish Understanding of the Word Logos Jude 5 Now I want to
remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved
a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who
did not believe. Jude is teaching that Jesus was that Messenger of
the LORD.
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The Jewish Understanding of the Word Logos The Messenger of the
LORD is a synonym for the Word (Logos) of the LORD. The Word of the
LORD in the Old Testament was the divine spokesman who appeared to
the saints and revealed Gods will and received worship.
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The Jewish Understanding of the Word Logos Genesis 15:1-7:
After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision
And He [the Word of the Lord] brought him outside and said, Look
toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number
them. And He [the Word of the Lord] said to him, I am the LORD
[YHWH] who brought you out from Ur
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The Jewish Understanding of the Word Logos John, in identifying
Jesus as the Word (Logos) was not capitulating to Greek Philosophy.
He was being a good Old Testament student. John recognized in Jesus
the appearance of the one whom the prophets met repeatedly and
called the Word of God, the Divine Messenger Who was with God and
also was God.
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Jesus is the Guide of Life: Jesus is not simply the One you are
seeking, He is the One who guides you to Himself with His truth.
Jesus reveals truth on how to live in light of Who He is.
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Jesus is the Guide of Life: God the Father commanded us to
listen to the Son This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-
pleased; listen to Him ! Matt 17:5
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Jesus is the Guide of Life: Christianity is not mystical, its a
relationship based on a communication of Truth. We must look to the
Word (Logos) as our authority for living.
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Jesus is the Guide of Life: John says that Jesus is the Word
(Logos) and the Author of life. Our word author comes from the word
authority. Jesus is our Author and our Authority.
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Jesus is the Guide of Life: Jesus is the Word (Logos) who is
the personal God who reveals truth by speaking to you in His Word.
Jesus is the Goal and Guide for life. Follow Him!