Friday, Dec. 12

Friday

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 was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.   - John 1:1-5

John tells us that the Word (Logos) is the light of life for all people.  In other words, Jesus, the Word of God, is the ultimate source of all light and life.  This is true both physically, He created light and life, and it is also true spiritually in that Jesus is the source of all truth and the only way to salvation.  This is a constant theme throughout John’s gospel.

Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:40)

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Jesus said, "I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." (John 14:6)

John tells us at the end of his gospel that “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”  (John 20:31)

That last verse (5) tells us that the darkness of the world has not overcome the light of Christ.  Some translations of the Bible put it that the darkness has not extinguished the light, some say that the world has not overcome it, and still others translate it that the darkness has not understood the light.  The Greek word John uses here can actually mean all of these things.  It can mean to defeat, as in conquering an enemy.  It can also mean comprehend or grasp, as in understanding a concept.  

The point is that both of these things are true when it comes to how the world responds to Jesus; some reject Him and try to destroy His message, while others simply fail to truly understand who He is.

Jesus, the Logos, was in the world, and the world was made by Him but that the world did not know Him. Imagine Jesus walking on the earth that He had made. He often called their attention to the wonders of creation. Consider the lilies of the field. Consider the birds of the air. The tragic words, "But the world knew Him not."  But even worse; He came to His own, and His own received Him not. His own would refer to the people of Israel who received Him not.  The prophecy concerning the Messiah was fulfilled, "He was despised and rejected by men."  

They tried to put out the light because they did understand Him.  They nailed Him to a tree and thought they had put it out for two days, but on the third day the light began to shine brighter than ever. It seems that men who love the darkness more than the light are constantly trying to put the light out.  This was true in the first century, and it is true in the 21st century as well. 

Jesus was the eternal God incarnate, the creator of the Universe who came to this world which He had created to bring light to those who were perishing in the darkness. Those who believe in Him will receive the power to become the sons of God, by being born by the will of the Father into the family of God.

Jeff Frazier