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Episode Notes:The Hope of Christ (John 1:1-5)In this message, Pastor Ben Smith explores the opening verses of John's gospel to reveal the foundation of Christian hope: the person and work of Jesus Christ.Introduction: How does knowing who Jesus is give hope? In a world marked by suffering, sin, and uncertainty, the assurance of the gospel is not found in human philosophy, religious effort, or personal achievement—it is singularly founded on the personhood of Jesus Christ. John opens his gospel with a declaration that connects directly to Genesis 1:1, establishing Jesus as the eternal Word through whom all things were created and in whom God's eternal redemptive plan is fulfilled.Scripture Text: John 1:1-5Main Points:I. There is hope in Jesus, the everlasting God (vv. 1-3) • Jesus is God eternal • Jesus is God AlmightyJohn deliberately mirrors Genesis 1:1 ("In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth") with his opening: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This is not coincidental—John is making an unmistakable claim about Jesus's divinity and eternal nature. Unlike prophets who declare words from God, teachers who explain God's words, or leaders who encourage obedience, only God Himself—the Word—can save. Jesus has no beginning or end, no limitation in knowledge, strength, or time. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. The Creator has intimate knowledge of creation's purpose, and only the Creator can restore His creation to its intended design.II. There is hope in Jesus, the light of truth (v. 4) • Jesus is light • Jesus is lifeWhen John says that Jesus is "the light of men," he means that Jesus is the one who makes God known to humanity. Jesus entered a world full of religion but lacking true knowledge of God. This sermon traces the hope of redemption from Genesis 3:15, where God promised Eve that her descendant would crush the head of the deceive. Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise to Eve, as well as God's promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:3), David (2 Samuel 7:12-13), and the messianic prophecies of Isaiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Micah. While the law pointed to God's holiness and man's sinfulness, the light of Christ perfectly reveals both the glory of God and the brokenness of man—and also reveals the truth of the gospel and the hope of salvation. In Him is life, and eternal life is only found in the light of Christ.III. There is hope in Jesus, the victor over sin (v. 5) • Jesus disrupts the lies of sin • Jesus defeats the curse of sinThe declaration "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" is not merely descriptive—it is a declaration of war. Light is never neutral to darkness. Darkness cannot remain where light shines, and they cannot coexist in harmony. The nature of light is that it pushes back against darkness, dispels it, and exposes what was covered by it. Jesus stepped into a world darkened by sin and shone forth the light of God—exposing sin, revealing Satan's lies, and showing clearly the hope of salvation. The birth of Jesus was not neutral. The ministry of Jesus was not neutral. The cross was not neutral. The resurrection was not neutral. All these things are God actively working against the darkness of this world. Even Herod's attempt to murder Jesus failed, and Satan's attempt to overthrow God's kingdom by killing Jesus on the cross—the darkest moment in history—became the moment when God's light shone brightest. Until Christ's second coming, darkness will war against the light—but this is a battle whose outcome has already been determined.Key Takeaway: The confidence of your salvation rests entirely on who Jesus is: God eternal, almighty, and triumphant. True hope is not found in human effort or worldly promises, but in the unchanging nature of Christ, whose victory over sin and death is already assured. As Paul writes in Romans 10:11-13, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame...for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."Why This Sermon Matters: In a culture that offers countless competing visions of hope—self-improvement, positive thinking, political solutions, or religious works—this sermon anchors hope where it belongs: in the unchanging, all-powerful, victorious person of Jesus Christ. Whether you're struggling with doubt, facing darkness in your own life, or simply need to be reminded of the solid ground beneath your faith, this exposition of John 1:1-5 will encourage and strengthen you.Ideal For:Christmas and Advent preachingUnderstanding the deity of ChristBuilding a biblical foundation of hopePersonal encouragement in difficult timesSmall group discussion on ChristologyNew believer discipleshipAbout the Speaker: Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church in Waycross, GA, where he faithfully preaches the Word of God with theological depth and pastoral care. He is committed to expository preaching that exalts Christ and equips believers for faithful Christian living.Resources:Download the full sermon manuscript, outline, and reflection questions at bensmithsr.org/storeListen to more sermons at bensmithsr.org/bensmith-allforthekingdomBrowse additional sermon resources at bensmithsr.org/resourcesFollow on social media for updates and encouragementOriginal Sermon Date: November 30, 2025Connect With Us: Have questions or want to share how this sermon encouraged you? We'd love to hear from you! Visit bensmithsr.org/contact to get in touch.
Scripture Text: John 15:1-11 Sunday, November 16, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 14:15-31 Sunday, November 9, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 14:7-14 Sunday, November 2, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 14:1-6 Sunday, October 26, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 13:31-38 Sunday, October 12, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 13:1-30 Sunday, September 28, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 12:12-50 Sunday, September 21, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 12:1-11 Sunday, September 14, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 10:22-42 Sunday, August 31, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guide Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 10:1-21 Sunday, August 24, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 8:31-59 Sunday, August 3, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 8:12-20 Sunday, July 20, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 8:1-11 Sunday, July 13, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 6:22-71 Sunday, June 22, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 6:15-21 Sunday, June 8, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidechurch.org)
Scripture Text: John 6:1-15 Sunday, June 1, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 5:16-47 Sunday, May 25, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidechurch.org)
Scripture Text: John 5:1-16 Sunday, May 4, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 4:43-54 Sunday, April 27, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 4:1-42 Sunday, April 13, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 3:22-36 Sunday, March 30, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 3:16-21 Sunday, March 23, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 3:1-17 Sunday, March 16, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 2:12-25 Sunday, March 9, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 2:1-11 Sunday, February 23, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 1:35-51 Sunday, February 16, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 1:19-34 Sunday, February 9, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 1:6-18 Sunday, February 2, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 1:1-5,14 Sunday, January 26, 2025 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
From Week 2 of our Fall series, "Music, Movies, & Books: Unearthing the Sacred in Sound, Screen, & Story." Rev. Aurelia Dávila Pratt preaches on the importance of Cinema in her life. Scripture Text: John 4:27-42
Chosen Family A Sermon by Rev. Kealani Willbanks at Foundry United Methodist Church on Sunday May 12th, 2024 as part of the "The Power of So That" Series at Foundry. Scripture Text: JOHN 17:6-19 https://foundryumc.org/archive
Sacred Resistance: The Work For Climate Justice A Message from Deborah Bombard & Sidra Siddiqui at Foundry United Methodist Church on Sunday April 21st, 2024 as part of the "The Power of So That" Series at Foundry. Scripture Text: JOHN 10:11-18 https://foundryumc.org/archive
A Hidden Wholeness A Sermon by Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli at Foundry United Methodist Church on Easter Sunday, March 31st, 2024 as part of the "Reaching For Connection" Series at Foundry. Scripture Text: JOHN 20:1-18 https://foundryumc.org/archive
Scripture Text: John 20:1-31 Sunday, March 31, 2024 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Ultimately Only One A Sermon by Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli at Foundry United Methodist Church on Sunday Mard 3rd, 2024 at Foundry as part of the "Reaching For Connection" Special Music Series. Scripture Text: JOHN 2:13-22 https://foundryumc.org/archive
Scripture Text: John 12:1-11 Sunday, May 14, 2023 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 19:30; 20:15-18 The post Mission Accomplished (2023) appeared first on Macedonia Baptist Church of Detroit.
Scripture Text: John 13:1-15 The post From Loving To Serving (2023) appeared first on Macedonia Baptist Church of Detroit.
How do we understand God? We begin with the Word of God and the Bible. But many things in the Bible are hard to understand. Thankfully, in the fullness of time, God sent His Son as the fullest revelation of Himself among man. Jesus explains, or makes known to us in the fullest sense possible in this sinful world, the person and purpose of God. As this text shows us, He is the fulfillment of everything promised through Moses and the Law. Scripture Text: John 1:17-18 Preacher: Dr. Shawn Merithew
Scripture Text: John 15:10-11 Sunday, December 18, 2022 Sermon Guides | Morningside Church (morningsidetlh.org) Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture/Text: John 17; Revelation 5, 6, 7; Guest Speaker Len Bartlotti joins us to preach about missionary work this International Sunday!
Scripture/Text: John 17; Revelation 5, 6, 7; Guest Speaker Len Bartlotti joins us to preach about missionary work this International Sunday!
Scripture/Text: John 17; Peter explains Jesus' prayer in John 17 and how we can apply it to our lives.
Scripture/Text: John 17; Peter explains Jesus' prayer in John 17 and how we can apply it to our lives.
Scripture Text: John 4:43-54 Sunday, June 19, 2022 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture/Text: John 19; Pastor Steve continues the sermon series "7 Words of At-One-Ment" teaching out of John 19
Bishop Tim Dailey and Dr. John DelHousaye discuss the subject of abiding in Christ. (Scripture Text: John 15:4-11) What does it mean for the believer to abide in Christ? How do we abide in Christ? What happens to the believer that is not abiding in Christ? How does abiding and obeying work together? Don't miss this very important discussion. Invite your friends and family to join us and subscribe to CONNECT with Bishop Tim Dailey and Dr. John DelHousaye. For questions or comments on this subject, you may contact Dr. John at jdelhousaye@gmail.com or Bishop Tim at twdailey@lcckuwait.com Visit our website -- www.lifeconnectionchurchkw.com
Scripture Text: John 12:1-11 Sunday, January 9, 2022 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)
Scripture Text: John 3:1-16 Sunday, December 5, 2021 Sermon Discussion Guides Morningside Church, Tallahassee (morningsidetlh.org)