How the gospels begin and end

Verse 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Lord has promised to bless to us the reading from his good word. You know, you and I have four gospels, and it's always good to notice how a gospel begins, and it's always good to notice how a gospel ends.

Now, Matthew's gospel, we heard from it yesterday, Matthew is the gospel of the king. When you read Matthew's gospel, you read about the majesty, you read about the meekness, you read about the dignity, you read about the royalty, we heard about the authority and the power of the king. Now, how does Matthew's gospel begin? Matthew's gospel begins with the thought of worship.

Where is he that is born King of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east, and we have come to worship him. Matthew begins with worship. How does Matthew's gospel end? Matthew's gospel ends with the thought of worship.

Remember those women? They held him by the feet, and they worshipped him. And remember the disciples? They worshipped him, but some doubted. So Matthew's gospel begins with worship, and Matthew's gospel ends with worship.

Now, Mark's gospel. Matthew's gospel is the dignity of the king. Mark's gospel is the diligence of the servant.

Now, you read the four gospels and you'll discover this. Only in Mark's gospel, the Lord sits down at the right hand of his father God. Only in Mark's gospel.

Why? It's the evidence of a finished work, and he is seated at the right hand of God in Mark's gospel. Again, in Mark's gospel, you read this verse. He hath done all things well.

He maketh the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. Now, how does Mark's gospel begin? Mark's gospel begins with a rent heaven. The heavens are open, the heavens are rent asunder, and the voice of the Father is heard.

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. How does Mark's gospel end? Mark's gospel ends with a rent veil. When it's the rent heaven, the Father is satisfied with the Son.

When it's the rent veil, God is satisfied with the sacrifice. Now, Luke's gospel. Luke's gospel is the dependence of the man.

In Luke's gospel, you read about the public life of Christ, you read about the private life of Christ, and you read about the prayer life of Christ. He had a private life with God. He had a prayer life to God, and he had a public life for God.

Now, how does Luke's gospel begin? Luke's gospel begins with a company of people that think that the Lord is present, but he's absent. They supposed him to be in the midst. How does Luke's gospel end? Luke's gospel ends with a company of people that think Christ is absent, but Christ is present.

They supposed him to be a stranger. But let's come to John's gospel. What is John's gospel? John's gospel is the devotion of the Son.

Go through the gospel. Give the Son's love for the Father. That the world might know that I love the Father, arise, let us go ahead.

The Son's love for the Father. In John's gospel, you have the Lord's love for his own. Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

In John's gospel, you have his love for Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. And in John's gospel, you read about the disciple whom Jesus loved. Now how does John's gospel begin? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

That's how it begins. How does John's gospel end? My Lord and my God. Fifty years ago, I listened to a man from the United States.

We won't hold that against him. You know what he told us? He says, when you read John's gospel, keep three things before you. And I'm going to give you the three things very quickly.

One was the glory of his person. The second thing was the greatness of his power. And the third thing was the grace of his presence.

Think on John 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. There's the greatness of his person. The glory of his person.

Come down the chapter. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. There's the greatness of his power.

Come down the chapter. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and there's the grace of his presence. And you could go through John's gospel, and you could behold the glory of his person, the greatness of his power, and the grace of his presence.