Month: April 2020

 

 

Let’s continue with John’s introduction of Jesus.

Read John 1:1-14 again.

 

Remember that an introduction gives us important information about the person being introduced, a framework with which we can start to build a trust or relationship.

So far we’ve seen that Jesus is God and that Jesus became human.  Today we’re going to explore more of the structure John lays out for us to understand who Jesus is and how He relates with those He encounters.

Did you see anything new this time?  You may want to jot that down.

 

Hopefully as you were reading, you saw a few more ways that John describes Jesus.

Jesus is Life and Gives Life

In Him was life…  John 1:4a

Life and belief are two concepts which repeat again and again and again in John’s Gospel.  Because we will encounter the life giving nature of Jesus as we travel through the book of John, it seems unnecessary to spend a lot of time belaboring this point.  Just remember this character trait of Jesus is part of the structure we will use to understand Jesus in His relationships.

Jesus is the True Light

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  John 1:5

Light is best appreciated in the dark.  If I turn a light on in my kitchen while the sun is shining, the light has a negligible effect.  But if I find that the sun has set and I am having a difficult time seeing what I’m doing, I appreciate the light that I turn on much more than when the sun is shining.  We are going to find as we explore Jesus’ relationships with people that it is those who are broken and hurting who have the greatest appreciation for Jesus.  The religious leaders of the day, those who had been most exposed to the light of God’s word in the ancient scriptures, had the most difficulty accepting Jesus as Savior.  They had been given light but lacked the right understanding to interpret the True Light.

 

In what ways has your own religious understanding gotten in the way of you experiencing an intimate relationship with Jesus?  

What are the broken and hurting places Jesus has shown up in your life?  How has His intervention brought life to you?

 

Our response to Light differs according to our experience, but there are some universal things to remember about light that apply to our relationship with Jesus as well. 

Light exposes.  When darkness prevails, stuff remains hidden.  When light is shined in dark places, all of a sudden we can see clearly what has been hidden.  In this way, Jesus entering the narrative sometimes exposes the ugly things in our lives that we’d prefer stay hidden. 

Light also transforms.  On my stairway wall I have pictures of my children hanging, including some beautiful watercolor paintings of them as children done by my mother-in-law.  If I come onto the stairs while it is still mostly dark, I can see that those pictures are there, but when I turn on the light and come close, I can see all the beautiful details of those pictures.  Likewise, when Jesus shines His light in our lives, he may disclose some flaws, but He also certainly highlights the beauty of the lives of His image bearers

 Light sustains life and growth.  It is impossible for living things to grow without light.  If I throw a brick onto my lawn, thus hiding the lawn beneath it from sunlight, it does not take long before the green of the grass fades to a white pallor, turns brown and dies.  Sunlight ensures that my lawn remains green and healthy.  Jesus also brings healthy growth to life by His presence in the lives of those whose who enter relationship with Him, as we soon shall see. 

Can you identify ways in which Jesus hasoperated as the Light in your life?

 

Let’s start today with a little Bible reading.  

Read John 1:1-14 .  

*Unless otherwise specified, I will predominantly use the NASB translation.  The link should give you the option to change to a translation with which you feel more comfortable if you choose. 

John’s gospel is unique from the other three gospels.  Right from the start we see the difference.  What you just read is an introduction.  We are all familiar with introductions.  “Hi.  My name is… and I …”  

The first time I met my husband my introduction went something like this, “Hi.  I’m Ruth.  Do you happen to know *Craig Smith?  I went to college with him.  He was a year ahead of me in school.”

An introduction gives us important pieces of reference information that can serve to start building a conversation and then, perhaps, a relationship.  When I introduced myself to the young man who would become my husband I gave him some potentially associative information about myself.  If he knew my friend, he now knew several important key facts about me: my age, where I went to school and, perhaps even a few things I might be interested in, based upon the interests of my friend.  I made my introduction based upon a few things I already knew about Alan because someone else had introduced him to the group we were in.

When you read John 1:1-14 what important pieces of information about Jesus stand out to you? 

*Note, John refers to Jesus as the Word in this passage.

We are going to look at John’s introduction of Jesus to his readers in two parts because what he says about Jesus in his introduction is so foundational to the framework of how we are going to be seeking to understand Jesus relationally.  And it is my intention to not overwhelm my fellow participants with too much information in one sitting.  To know someone means to spend time with them, relate with them and understand them, to savor each look and gesture.  So it is with Jesus.  It is my hope that we will be able to take each day’s treasure gleaned through our study and savor it all day long.  This is best done in small bites.

Jesus is God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  John 1:1

If you know the end of the story, this should come as no surprise to you.  John clearly states the purpose of his gospel as he concludes his narrative – but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.  John 20:31   John clearly wants his readers to know that Jesus is God.  It’s the first thing he tells us about Jesus and it’s pretty much the last thing he leaves us with.

John also expands what it means that Jesus is God, to some degree.  He tells us that Jesus is eternal (John 1:2), the Creator (John 1:3), life sustainer (John 1:4) and the Light of men (John 1:4).

How does knowing these things affect how you see Jesus?

 

Jesus became Human

And the Word became flesh…  John 1:14

Matthew and Luke chose to include the birth of Jesus in their narratives.  John’s purpose isn’t to just tell the story of Jesus, he wants to present Jesus in such a way that his readers relate to Him as both God and human.  He wants his readers to know (you, my friend!), as we’ll see, that unlike so many other gods, Jesus wants to interact, to relate, to intertwine His life with those who receive Him and believe in Him. 

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us…  John 1:14

The word dwelt that John uses here basically means to move in with, to abide with and take up residence with.  The Greek word actually refers to a movable dwelling.  Jesus is able to move with us wherever we go.  He shows us the personal side of God.  He put on a robe of humanity to become more accessible to us.    

How has Jesus been accessible to you?

 

*I’ve changed the name of my college friend

 

 

Come.  It is a word of invitation, a word of inclusion, a word of relationship, of becoming known. 

The Apostle John uses the word come, or erchomai in the Greek, 142 times in the book of John, more than any other gospel writer.  Erchomai is rich with meaning.  It can simply mean, to come or to go.  But it also contains implications of being known and of growth.  John tells us that Jesus knows all men (and women by implication).  (John 2:24)  He knows us.  He understands us.  But He also wants to invite us to know Him; that is why He came.

He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  (John 1:11-14, emphasis mine)

Later in the book of John, the disciple whom Jesus loved (AKA our man John) relates that Jesus not only wants us to receive Him, He wants us to have a deepening, growing relationship with Him.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.   (John 15:4) 

Indeed, John is very forthright in his gospel, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.  (John 20:31)

Life is found in Jesus. (John 1:4)

Come.  I invite you to embark on a journey with me.  Together I would like to explore what an abiding relationship with Jesus looks like through the gospel of John (at least that’s where I’d like to jump from).  I don’t know exactly what this will look like just yet. I just know that it’s a dream Holy Spirit put on my heart a couple years ago. And just today, He called me to use the new blog platform I am still working to develop, as the means to engage with whoever wishes to join in.  Won’t you consider joining me and growing together with Christ? Come.