Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are what we call the gospels. These are the account of Jesus' life and ministry written by his closest friends and followers. Each account offers us a unique perspective on who Jesus was, as well as the many things he accomplished and taught while on earth. The book of John is the fourth gospel and begins by describing Jesus in terms that connect him to our eternal Creator God.
John 1:1-7 describes how a creating force from the beginning known as the Word becomes flesh. This text is a beautiful way to conceptualize the identity of Christ and a wonderful set of verses to commit to memory.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe” (John 1:1-7).
There are so many things we can learn about Jesus and who he was in this text! This Christmas, let the proclamation from John illuminate for your soul the glorious nature of Christ. Jesus was no mere man. He was so much more! He was the Word, the life, and the light to our dark world.
Here are a few lessons we can learn from John 1:1-7:
1. Jesus Was Sent to Reveal the Father’s Mind to the World
John helps us understand that Jesus and the Father are one and the same. This passage helps us begin to understand what the Trinity is. Jesus was the Word. He was there at the start of creation. He knows God’s story, his plan, and is in agreement with God’s rescue plan for his creation. He also came in the form of a man, who grew, spoke, lived, and taught.
Have you ever wondered why God didn’t send another being to tell humanity of his nature? He could have sent a mighty angel, a heavenly being, or a powerful creature to proclaim who God is and his desire for his people. Would we have listened? Would we have understood?
Jesus came in the flesh as a sweet vulnerable baby that grew to a man because he wanted to give us the best chance of hearing the Father’s heart. God wanted us to see that his plan from the start was to love us, not to leave us hopeless and alone. God goes one step further and doesn’t just give us a messenger that we can relate to, he gives that messenger over to death as the ultimate sacrifice, because no amount of rules or sacrificed cows could make us holy enough for God.
2. Christians Are Called to “Walk in the Light”
Jesus brings “life and that life is the light of men.” Light is a symbol for purity, knowledge, and joy. Walking in the light is a call to live with purity, goodness, and righteousness. As creatures made in God’s image, when we come into relationship with our maker, our job is to partner with God to function in conjunction with the perfect design he had in mind for us. Because while on earth we are plagued with a sin nature, our lives are always changing. Humans are always struggling against the darkness, but thankfully we are not alone. He is light. God is constant, unchanging, and holy. We can look to the light, Jesus, as our firm foundation. We walk in his warmth, his love, and follow his ways. That is the essence of the Christian life.
3. The Light Is Greater than the Darkness
In verse 5, we read that the light shone in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. The Expositor's Greek Testament explains the darkness was not able to apprehend or overcome the light. The Greeks believed the text meant that the darkness was not able to conquer the light!
What an exciting statement, that God’s light is greater than the present darkness in our world. Ultimately our hope is only a sure thing because of this fact. God’s plan, power, presence, and goodness is able to bring order to our fallen world. His plan outmatches the powers of chaos and nothingness that want to pull us away from him.
Jesus was able to pierce the death that seeks to swallow up his people. He made a way for us to find life in him. As we pass through death, we overcome the power of this world, just as he did, and are invited into his forever family. No greater love than this, to lay down his life for those he loves!
4. By Grace God Sent Others to Tell Us His Plan
If it is not enough that God put on skin so we could know him, he also spoke through many men and women before and after his arrival so we could be sure he was who he said he was. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus' ministry during Jesus’ life. John means grace, confirming that his appearance and message was an act of grace by God for the people of his time.
There was a 400-year gap between the Old Testament and the birth of Jesus. The Jewish people needed their hearts stirred so they would be ready to receive their Messiah.
It was John the Baptists’ words alongside the stories of the Old Testament that allowed men to believe. None of God’s promises came back void. The Savior came in just the way that God had told Adam and Eve when he said the seed of the woman would one day crush the serpent (Genesis 3:15). He kept telling his people that he had a plan and forever King who was on the way! Once he arrived, they only had to remember the gracious testimony of those that came before Jesus to know his words were true and his life had been long awaited by his followers.
God is so gracious not only to tell us he loves us but to show us. God has woven together a flawless story that culminates in a God-man giving up his life for us. The grace of the Bible is astounding!
Jesus is God’s great gift to us. When he made this world, he knew we would need a Savior in order to be free from our own failures. The Word made a way for us! We can rejoice because we can live with hope that his life and light will guide us now and will sustain us forever as we anticipate eternity in Heaven with Him!
Photo credit: Unsplash/Aaron Owens
Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for My Daily Bible Verse Devotional and Podcast, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, the Daily Devotional App, she has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God's Heart of Love for Mommas. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram.