Heaven is Here - Part 4 [Notes]

You are invited to Heaven is Here, a four-week series that helps focus our hearts and minds on Jesus this Christmas season. Together we will look at His birth and life through the unique lens of each of the four Gospels and discover that Jesus is the King, Servant, Savior, and Light of the World. 

Takeaway: Jesus is the Light of the world

Arachnophobia 
Fear of spiders

Claustrophobia 
Fear of confined spaces

Nomophobia 
Fear of being without a mobile phone

Alektorophobia
Fear of chickens

Nyctophobia 
Fear of the dark

Heaven is Here
Week 1, Matthew – King
Week 2, Mark – Servant
Week 3, Luke – Savior
Week 4, John – Light

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through Him.
He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, and yet the world did not recognize Him.
He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.
But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name,
who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because He existed before me.’ ”)
Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from His fullness,
for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side—He has revealed Him.
– John 1:1–18 (CSB)

Jesus is the Light of the world
The Light is born (John 1:1-2, 14)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
– John 1:1–2 (CSB)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
– Genesis 1:1 (CSB)

“The noun logos most often refers to either oral or written communication. It means statement or report in some contexts, but most often in John’s Gospel logos refers to God’s Word (that is, the Old Testament) or to Jesus’ words. Thus, the primary use of logos is to denote divine revelation in some form or another. John used the term in its most exalted sense when he personified logos to refer to Christ.”
– HCSB Study Bible

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him.
– Hebrews 1:1–2 (CSB) 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
– John 1:1–2 (CSB)

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
– John 1:14 (CSB)

 “Christ, the eternal Logos, who is God, came to earth as man. Yet in doing so, He did not merely ‘appear’ like a man; He became one (cf. Phil. 2:5–9). Humanity, in other words, was added to Christ’s deity.”
 —Dr. Edwin Blum, The Bible Knowledge Commentary

That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
– John 1:5 (CSB)

 “Light’s nature is to shine and dispel darkness. Darkness is almost personified in this verse: darkness is unable to overpower light. By this, John summarized his Gospel record: (a) Light will invade the dominion of darkness. (b) Satan the ruler and his subjects will resist the light, but they will be unable to frustrate its power. (c) The Word will be victorious in spite of opposition.”
– Dr. Edwin Blum, The Bible Knowledge Commentary

But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name.
– John 1:12 (CSB)

Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
– John 8:12 (CSB)

He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
– Colossians 1:13–14 (CSB)

For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:5 (CSB)

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—testing what is pleasing to the Lord.
– Ephesians 5:8–10 (CSB) 

Dear God, I acknowledge that I have sinned and need a Savior. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead. Today, I place my trust in Jesus, the Light of the world, for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. I come to You in Jesus’ name and because of what He did for me. Amen.

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
– Matthew 5:14–16 (CSB)

Light of the World // Angels (Glory to God) // Heaven is Here // O Holy Night // Star of Wonder // Joy in the Morning // Silent Night

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