How could I make you so small,
When you're the one who holds it all?
When did I forget that you've always been
The King of the world
King of the World by Natalie Grant
Almost certainly the most powerful words ever written, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” John opens his gospel with words that recall the dawn of time, which are clear, profound, powerful, and authoritative. He is saying, that the one who he is attempting to explain to us, cannot be contained in the words of any human being, He is the origin of all thoughts and words, He is the creator of all that exists, and He is the expression of God because He is God. It is an amazing introduction to Jesus, who is, the King of the world! John is “the disciple Jesus loved,” in his own words, and was in the inner circle of disciples with whom Jesus shared private thoughts and experiences, and yet John is well aware that Jesus is beyond his ability to describe, so He echoes the words spoken by the Father himself, “In the beginning.” John reminds us that the universe has a beginning, but God has always existed. When The Gospel of John closes, he echoes the immeasurable work of Jesus and his inadequacy to put it into words. Christ is beyond our comprehension in ability, scope, and nature.
John 21: 24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
It is certain that we do not have to understand all that Jesus is and all that He has done to surrender to Him, to love him, and to experience His power. However, there is a profound and a specific blessing that comes with trusting in Him and seeking to know more about Him.
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:29-31)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
There is not a time that God has not been, so John starts with the beginning of our relationship with Him. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Gen1:1). The English term “Word”, in this verse, is the Greek word “Logos”. In the beginning, was the Logos (the Word). Not just an utterance, but a logical, rational, expression of truth. There had been many historical debates in both the ancient Jewish and Greek cultures over the meaning of Logos. First-century Jewish philosophers taught that Logos (the Word) was an intermediary between God and the cosmos. This intermediary was the way God designed creation and more importantly, the way the human mind could understand God. Wasn’t that even what Job had said? Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. (Job9:33) How right they were about Jesus making a way for us to get to God. However, they fall short of the truth of Christ, because they put him in a position lower than God, and Jesus is God! Greeks at the time regarded Logos as being the organizational authority of everything present in the world. They defined it as a divine reason, transcending all oppositions and imperfections in the cosmos and in humanity. This is truth, in as much that all that is and all the power that created and sustains all that there is, is contained in Christ, however, He is not merely power or information, He is a person.
The idea of such an intermediary had been discussed for centuries by the world’s greatest philosophers, but John was able in this one verse, to bring together what was correct in philosophies and also to reveal an entirely new understanding of the nature of the Messiah who came to dwell among us. John goes on to say without Him there was nothing made that is made. We and all the matter and energies in the universe came from the expressed Word of God. We are His story, He is the author, and He literally spoke all of it into existence. Who is this intermediary and the divine authority? Who bridges the gap between the power of God, the knowledge of God, and the Personality of God? The Gospel of John answers this by sharing glimpses of the brilliance and glory of God expressed by Christ, the Son of God.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Human beings are innately born with a fear of death and a fear of darkness. John describes Logos, Jesus, as the life and the light of the world. Through Him we have life. Through Him, we have clear vision. Through Him fear is relieved. Darkness is powerful, but darkness cannot overcome Light. As believers, we reflect that light, as believers we have been given eternal life. Stand both physically and spiritually in His light and life.
When Jesus came, to His own, who had been prepared by all the law and the prophets to recognize Him, He was rejected. It was as if they were sitting in a dark room and the light was switched on, and they cowered from the light and then tried to extinguish it, preferring the blackness they were accustomed to better than the truth that had been revealed.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
The man sent from God is John the Baptist. What was John the Baptist's job? “To bear witness of the light.” He preached to all who came out in the crowd to hear him that they needed to repent and be baptized because Christ had come. He was getting them ready to receive the Son of God.
What is our job? To tell all who we are in contact with that they need to repent and be baptized to accept Jesus Christ and prepare themselves for His coming. We are a witness of the Light in a very dark world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Jesus was the plan of salvation from the foundation of the world. He knew His own would not receive Him, but that is how great His love is. Knowing the cross was the only way to save us, He created a world that would reject him. Yet, we presumptuously think we can make our way on our own. He would die a horrible, painful, torturous death to save even those who were purposefully misrepresenting His Father. Many still misrepresent Him today, those concerned with political correctness, prestige, and money, who compromise and hide the truth of God’s Word.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the Sons of God.”
We have received the power that causes us to be born again. We are not reformed sinners, we are spiritual dead men resurrected to live a life in Christ. Salvation brings a brand new life. You have the power to become the sons/daughters of God, not because you have reformed your behavior in some way, but simply through accepting the Word as Lord and Savior - through Jesus Christ.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
All who read this, see Jesus only through the eye of faith. Unlike John, we haven't seen Him with physical eyes. We can’t watch Him teach or listen to His parables as the chosen twelve were privileged to hear. The Word of God became flesh. He accomplished His mission, He left nothing undone. The evidence we observe is the light that is expressed through the Holy Spirit of God in Christian men and women who have been transformed by a relationship with Him. Christ left the glories of Heaven to offer himself, the ultimate sacrifice, for a people that are comfortable in the darkness, fickle, hard-headed, two-faced, weak, fearful, stubborn, and an undeserving people who may try to do the right thing but don't have the ability, outside of His power, to qualify as good (none are good, no not one). He died for us, and God calls us sons and daughters. He loves us. It's hard to understand, our maker lived among us, and allowed us access to Himself, in an inconceivable way. In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead (the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit) bodily. “In the beginning was the Word.”
Perspective
I was young and now I am older. I stand amazed at God’s forgiveness, loving-kindness, and His never-ending patience and long-suffering. I have had to learn that God is not “out to get me.” He doesn’t just wait on me to mess up so He can zap me or cast me aside. He isn’t the one who tells me constantly what a failure I am. That’s Satan. When I catch myself pointing out the faults in others, I realize two things; First, I am just as guilty with my own set of sins, and second, The beam in my eye can be pretty large at times. Secondly, I don’t want to do Satan’s job for him. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He doesn’t need my help. In fact, I don’t want to do anything that helps him - ever. This is a close walk. We really don’t have time to critique others. We have our own selves to keep in line. Our job is to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. It is believing and accepting the Word of God in human form, that dwelt among us and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Bible). My advice to the younger, stay close to God in prayer and become dedicated to the study of the Bible (even if it is as small as one verse a day). Surround yourself with believers that encourage you and are truthful - the best place to do that is a Bible-believing church. Lift your eyes toward heaven and stop wallowing in the world. What will it be worth to gain the world and lose your soul?
Older Christian
Without a doubt, this is the piece of scripture that I turn to repeatedly, to refresh my sense of awe for who Jesus is and what He can do. He is God from the beginning, He is God beyond the world’s ending. Jesus Christ today, yesterday, and forever. Nothing startles Him, nothing is outside of His control. I can fully surrender to the God who can be trusted.
Younger Christian
Thank you for studying with us! God bless!