Jesus: Word, Light, Grace, Truth
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God.
John was an old man when he finally sat down to write these words. He had many years to ponder the mystery of Jesus. The Holy Spirit had given him insight and understanding as he grew deeper in the Lord. Finally, at the age of 90 he was prepared to write.
And what wonderful words he wrote!
In all of literature, ancient or modern there is no equal. In all the sacred scriptures there is hardly a comparison. The words which we read stand above all that men have written in wisdom, insight, truth and beauty. So exalted and beautiful is this truth.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God.
The first phrase, “in the beginning,” intentionally echoes the first words in Genesis: “In the beginning, God…”
Before all things began there was God. Eternal, with no beginning and no end, unchangeable, all wise, all knowing, all powerful. God the Almighty.
Moses while himself an old man, who knew God intimately and had seen his power do incredible and wonderful things wrote: “from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
God the Father, God the Word and God the Spirit. One God in three.
So intimate are these three, whom we sometimes distinguish as each unique and distinct, that John uses the expression, “and the Word was with God,” to describe their intimacy.
In John’s Greek language that is actually the Word was toward God the Father, pros ton Theon. He was not alongside God as if the two were walking side by side.He was face to face with God the Father as we are when we look at ourselves in a mirror.
The Father whom the Word saw face to face was not any different from himself.
As if to underscore this truth that is really too deep to express fully in words, John adds,“and the Word was God.”
Long before the Word became Jesus the Son, long before he was prophet, priest, and king, the Word was and is God.
And then again John writes of this mystery:
2 The Word was with God in the beginning.
When God spoke the universe into being and commanded that in the darkness there would be light, it was the Word who spoke the will of God the Father.
I once sang in a choir that performed the Oratorio “The Creation.” The words are taken out of Genesis. When we sang “and there was light,” and the orchestra joined with a crescendo of sound a thrill went down my back.
It could not have been less so if we had been there at the moment when the Word spoke and light filled the black sky and darkness fled away.
“And there was light.”
3 All things were created by him,
All things whether angels in all their incredible numbers or the material universe more vast than our minds can conceive, all things were created by the Word. All things.
As if to emphasize this amazing and awesome truth, John repeats: and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
There was, however, one thing that was not created. That was life. It was not created but imparted.
4 In him was life,
He, God the Word, is life. Jesus, the Word made flesh, is life.
We think at this season of the year of the birth of Jesus. As we think of him let this truth wrap its arms around you. Jesus, even as a baby, Was life.
Sometimes. we see pictures of the baby Jesus in a manger with a halo of light around his head. That is just a picture, but it captures something that is awesomely true: :this child was unique. He was from his beginning at conception God as well as a baby.
He was life. And when he said 30 years later that no man could take his life away from him, he spoke truly. He did not merely have life. He was life.
John continues: and the life was the light of mankind.
Isaiah says of the Servant Messiah in Isaiah 53 that he had no appearance of beauty or physical attractiveness.
And Jesus did not. In a crowd he would not have stood out as someone special. But he had something that did stand out in what he said and what he did and in his character. He was light.
It was that something that attracted men and women to him. They could not put their fingers upon it or identify it in the beginning, but they recognized it.“No man did what Jesus did. No man spoke as Jesus spoke. No man drew you to him as Jesus.
THAT WAS THE LIGHT.
That is what drew his disciples to him and kept them even when things did not turn out as they wanted. They could not walk away.
In him was life, and that life drew them as a flame draws a moth.
5 And the light shines on in the darkness, But the darkness has not mastered it.
Through 20 centuries every attempt has been made by men to put out the light .The darkness seeks to swallow the light.
It is so today as much as any time in the past. But the light of Jesus the Word shines into that darkness. And by its shinning scatters the darkness so that wherever the light of Jesus shines darkness has no place.
You, Jesus said, are light in the same way he is light. When you live and speak and do the works of Jesus, darkness is driven away. In your home. In the place where you work. In the places you shop. In your neighborhoods. You are a light that shines in the darkness and scatters the darkness.
People see the life of God in you. They feel God in your touch. They hear God in your gracious words.
John continues:
6 A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. . . . He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
John was doing what we do. We tell about the Light, the Lord Jesus, and we live as those who have the life of God in us. We, by our words and life, point to the one who is the true light, the Lord Jesus.
It is to his glory and ours that we have been given that wonderful privilege of pointing to him who is the light that brings light to every life and heart who will open to him.
10 He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him.
It is true that not all will open their lives to Jesus. It is true that not all see him for what he is, God the Word, Lord above all lords and King above all kings.
It is true that…
11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him.
But it is also true …
12 But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children 13 —children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision but by God.
That word “receive” mean to welcome as you welcome an honored guest into your home. That is the meaning of “believe.” It is not to simply believe that Jesus is the Lord and Savior; it is to welcome him as YOUR Lord and Savior and the King of your life. It is to open the door of your life to him.
14 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.
God the Word became Jesus. He was fully God and fully man. He lived as a child and grew into a man just as all men do. But he was different.
It was not his appearance that was different. He did not stand out in a crowd/ He was not taller or more handsome. But those who were close to him could see something more. There was something beautiful about him.
John calls it glory. It was the aura of God’s life. It was holiness, and wisdom , and love beyond any other man – far beyond. It was perfect holiness, perfect wisdom and perfect love. It was God shining through. And John says it was grace and truth.
Grace is the reception of us despite our failures, weaknesses, and sin. Jesus pushed no one away. Not the greatest sinner nor the highest official. Not even those who pushed him away. And, yes, there were those who pushed him away. In every case Jesus loved them and sought them and their salvation as a shepherd searches for a lost sheep.
He longs to forgive. Hallelujah!
If you are feeling that the Lord has left you alone and hopeless, he has not.
If you feel God is distant, he is not.
He stands close to you willing to be a friend and embrace you as his child. He wants to have fellowship with you and to forgive every failure and sin. Just ask him.
Truth is the truth about life.
You and I are more than flesh and blood: we are more than people subject to sickness and death. We are made for life, life that is incredibly wonderful and forever, life with God. And we may have that life because God loves us and because he forgives us our sin through Jesus’ death on the cross.
You and I may not fully understand how that can be, but we can trust what God says: those who have the Son Jesus have life.
These are Jesus’ words. “For this is the will of my Father—for everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him to have eternal life.”
This life that is eternal and wonderful begins the moment you trust Jesus and welcome him as your Savior. It begins in time and extends to eternity. And we can enjoy that life right now.
John says in chapter 17:3 that eternal life is to know God , the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom God sent.
You can know him personally, not merely know about him.
He lives in everyone who trusts in his forgiveness and grace.
He is closer than anyone else you know. He cares for you. He listens to you. He knows you. He loves you. Hallelujah!
He is Father, friend, Savior and guide. Open your arms to him. It is for you that God who is Word came as a baby gave himself for us on the cross. It was to draw you to him. To make a way for you to be fully his child.
Yes. And for every one of you who trust in Jesus the Word, YOU ARE HIS CHILD.
Enjoy him. Sing your praise. Lift your hearts to him.
That is the JOY we celebrate at Christmas and experience every day. Hallelujah! Amen.