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In this episode, pastor Harry Behrendt opens Season 3 of the Takeaway by exploring the profound opening verses of the Gospel of John. Rather than beginning with Jesus' birth or ministry, john takes us back to eternity, to the moment before creation, introducing Jesus as the eternal word. Drawing from John, chapter 1, verses 1 to 3, pastor Harry highlights the unique way John reveals Christ not only as the promised Messiah, but as the eternal creator who is with God and is God. This foundational truth shapes everything we believe about who Jesus is and why he alone can save. Join Pastor Harry as he unpacks these verses to help us better understand the divine identity of Christ and the powerful reality that God has spoken once and for all through His Son.

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Hello, welcome again to the Takeaway. I'm your host, pastor Harry Behrens, and today we begin an exciting new season and a powerful new series through the Gospel of John. Throughout season three, we'll be exploring deep theological truths about Jesus, not just as a teacher or a miracle worker, but as the eternal Son of God, the Creator, the Life-Giver and the Light of the World. We'll unpack key doctrines like the Deity of Christ, the Incarnation, the Sovereignty of God and what it truly means to receive new life through Him. Our journey begins today with the message called the eternal word, as we look closely at John 1, verses 1 through 3. Now, before we dive in, let me ask you a question why are there four gospels? Why does John sound so different from the others? Matthew, mark and Luke are often called the synoptic gospels because they see together. They give us similar stories, teachings and miracles, but from slightly different angles. Matthew, for example, writes to a Jewish audience and shows Jesus as the messianic king, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Mark, on the other hand, is fast and action-packed, revealing Jesus as the suffering servant or ransom. And Luke he gives us a detailed and compassionate view of Jesus, especially highlighting his care for the outsider. But John. John is different. He doesn't begin with a manger or a baptism. He doesn't start in time, he starts in eternity. In John 1.1,. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Written decades after the others, likely between 85 and 95 AD, john is reflecting deeply on who Jesus really is. He tells us his purpose in chapter 20. These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. That's from John, chapter 20, verse 31. John isn't just giving us a biography, he's lifting the veil so we could behold Jesus as the eternal word, the creator and the life giver.

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Now, before we open our Bibles today, I want you to picture something as simple and astonishing as a single snowflake. At first glance it might seem delicate or ordinary, but when you look closer, each snowflake reveals an intricate, one-of-a-kind pattern, so detailed and perfectly ordered that no two are exactly alike. These patterns aren't just beautiful. They're what scientists call fractals designs that repeat themselves in endlessly complex ways, no matter how close you look. It's like a fingerprint from an eternal designer, pointing us to his infinite creativity and wisdom. Job, chapter 38, verse 22, says have you entered the storehouses of the snow? This verse invites us to consider not just the snow's beauty but its divine origin, god's creative power and infinite wisdom on display in every tiny flake. And the snowflake is just one example among countless things in creation that bear God's fingerprints, each one pointing to his creative design and eternal being. We simply need to look and observe, like a detective at a crime scene, to see the evidence of our amazing creator, god, all around us.

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As we turn to John, chapter 1 today, we see that John doesn't start with a manger or a miracle. He starts with eternity. Just like the snowflake reflects a hidden order and intelligence, jesus is the true pattern, the eternal word, the ultimate revelation of God's mind and heart to us. John, chapter 1, verse 1, says In the beginning was the word. That simple phrase was carries deep meaning. It implies continual, ongoing existence, not a beginning point. Jesus didn't come into being, he always was. Just like the snowflake reflects a hidden order and intelligence, jesus is the true pattern, the eternal word, the ultimate revelation of God's mind and heart to us. Genesis 1, verse 1, says In the beginning God created. But John tells us Jesus was already there. Psalm 119.89 says Forever. O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Jesus is not bound by time, he is eternal. Let me ask you what do you think God was doing before creation? Well, john answers he was there with the word. John, chapter 1, verse 1 continues and the word was with God and the word was God. He wasn't just with God in proximity, he was with God in deep personal relationship, and he wasn't simply a God, he was and is God.

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Now some groups, like the Jehovah's Witnesses, have misinterpreted this passage, claiming it should read a God, small g. But this is a deliberate distortion of the text and ignores the overwhelming testimony of the scripture. They argue this because in Greek the definite article is not used before God here. But they inconsistently apply this logic. If they were consistent, they would have to translate other verses in ways that contradict clear biblical teaching. For example, in John, chapter 1, verse 6, it would say there was a man sent from a God whose name was John. In John, chapter 1, verse 18, it would say no one has ever seen a God. And in Romans, chapter 1, verse 7, grace to you and peace from a God, our Father. This inconsistency exposes the error and intentional twisting of Scripture to support their doctrine.

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Scripture as a whole declares clearly Isaiah 43.10 says Before me no God was formed, nor shall there be any after me. And Isaiah 44.6 says I am the first and I am the last. Besides me there is no God Now. Furthermore, colossians 2, verse 9, affirms for in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. Hebrews, chapter 1.3 tells us he is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. Glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.

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And John, chapter 20, verse 28, records Thomas's confession to Jesus my Lord and my God. Jesus did not correct him because it was true. Now, in addition, in Mark, chapter 2, verses 5 to 7, when Jesus forgave the paralytic sin, the scribe said why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins, but God alone? Jesus did not deny their reasoning. He confirmed it by healing the man, proving his divine authority. By forgiving sins, jesus was making a direct claim to divinity. By forgiving sins, jesus was making a direct claim to divinity and, rather than correcting them, he demonstrated that he truly is God.

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Now, when we compare scripture with scripture, the evidence is overwhelming. Jesus is not a created being or a lesser deity. He is fully and eternally God. This is not just a theological point. It is the foundation of our salvation and our worship. If Jesus were not God, he could not be the perfect sacrifice for sin or the sovereign Lord of all creation. Let us hold fast to this truth without compromise. Jesus Christ is the eternal word, the one true God worthy of all our trust and devotion.

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Now John, chapter 1, verse 3, continues all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. This phrase through him is deeply significant. It means Jesus was not merely a passive observer or an assistant in creation. He was the active agent through whom all things came into existence Every star, every ocean, every mountain and every living creature. They all came into being through Christ. This universe itself bears his signature.

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Psalm 33, verse 6 says by the word of the Lord the heavens were made and by the breath of his mouth all their host. This highlights the power and authority of his spoken word. He speaks and worlds are formed. Isaiah 55, verse 11 reminds us my word shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose. God's word is always effective, always purposeful and it perfectly reveals his will. Jesus, as the living word, embodies this creative and sustaining power. Paul affirms this in Colossians, chapter 1, verses 16-17. He says Now. This means Jesus is not only the creator but also the sustainer of all creation. Every heartbeat, every breath, every atom holds together because of him. When we truly grasp the depth of through him, it changes how we see Christ. He is not distant or detached. He is intimately involved with his creation, actively holding it together and working all things according to his sovereign will. Jesus is not only with God and is God. He is also the creator, the very source of life and existence itself. This is the Christ we worship and adore Now.

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Jesus didn't just speak in the beginning. He continues to speak today Throughout his earthly ministry. He revealed his authority through his word. He spoke to nature peace be still. In Mark 4, 39. He spoke to the sick rise and go home. In Luke 5, 24 to 25. He spoke to the dead Lazarus, come out. In John 11, 43. And they obeyed. Creation recognizes its creator.

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So let me ask you are you treating Jesus' words as divine commands or just good suggestions? If Jesus is the eternal word, how are you responding when he speaks Through scripture, through the spirit and through his people. Where in your life do you need to stop striving and simply trust in the authority of his word? If Jesus is truly the eternal word, pre-existent face-to-face with the Father, the creator of all things, then he is worthy of your trust, your worship and your obedience. Are you truly listening when the word speaks, or are you blind and deaf and unable to see or hear the truth of his word? Are you responding because he opened your ears to hear and your eyes to see, or are you still searching like a blind man unable to see or a deaf person unable to hear? Jesus said in Matthew 13, verse 16, but blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear.

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If that is your desire today, ask God to open your eyes and ears so that you can see Jesus as the eternal Word who sustains all things, including you. May you encounter Him deeply and may your heart overflow with worship and joy as you behold the one who holds all things together. Let's pray, father. We thank you for this day, we thank you for this message and we thank you for the word of Jesus Christ, who is with you and who has created all things and sustains all things. Lord, I ask that you would open the eyes and the ears of our listeners today, that they would hear and know and understand that you are God, that you are creator, that you are sustainer, and that they would understand that that is John's purpose in writing this gospel to make you fully known as God, your full deity, your full kingship, your full lordship, and that you are worthy of all honor and praise, and that the purpose for which you created us is to the praise of your glorious grace, as Paul tells us in Ephesians. God, I pray that you would open our hearts to the reality of what this is as we study through this gospel, to make Jesus known to us, and that we would respond the way John is calling us to respond. We thank you for your word and how you have sustained it, and how you have sustained us. We love you and we thank you in your name Jesus, how you have sustained us. We love you and we thank you in your name Jesus. Amen. Now, as always, I want to thank you for joining me today, and I hope this episode has helped you take a step closer in your relationship with Jesus and that you now have a deeper understanding of just how much God loves you and wants you to know him.

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And next time we'll continue in John's gospel with a message titled Jesus as life. We've seen that Jesus is the eternal word, the one who was with God and is God, but John goes on to say that in him was life, and the life was the light of men. What does that mean for us today, and how does Jesus bring life into a world that so often feels dark? We'll explore that together in the next episode.

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Now, before we go, I want to encourage you to send in any questions or comments you may have using the text us link in the episode description. Your questions are incredibly valuable. They help us understand what you're wrestling with and allow us to walk alongside you in your journey of faith. In fact, every fourth episode in this series will be dedicating to answering your questions directly. We want to pause regularly and respond to the things you're thinking about, so that this teaching isn't just informative but transformative. It's my prayer that this ministry continues to be a tool to reach the lost and equip the saints for a life that brings glory to God. God bless you and we'll see you next time on the Takeaway.