"In the Beginning"

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5 ESV)

A prologue of sorts, a great proclamation from John, which announced our Savior Christ Jesus and encompasses exactly who He is to the world. John’s gospel directs us to see clearly who Jesus is; not a prophet alone, or just a man, not just a good person, but all that encompasses who Christ is, the Son of God.

The first verse of this paragraph tells us much. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The “Word” is capitalized because this is a name for Christ. Jesus is the Word of God. Not only was He the Word, but He was with God. He existed eternally with God the Father, and was present and took part in creation. Yet John goes one step further: the Word was God. A clear statement that Jesus is one member of the Holy Trinity. Our God is one in being and three in person. Jesus told us Himself in speaking to the apostles when He said to Philip, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9). We know that the three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, exist eternally and participated in creation as God told us through Moses, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

Next, John tells us that Jesus is the actual creator. “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” God said, “Let there be light,” and through Jesus Christ, there was light. According to John, all things created were manifested through Christ. Jesus is God, and the power of God resides in Him.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. Jesus is life. He is the source of eternal life for all who would believe in Him. Christ said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”(John 4:14). In John 7:37-38 Jesus says a similar statement, On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 

So, not only is Jesus the life, but He is also the light of the world. He is the beacon of hope for all called by God, His elect, predestined as God’s sons and daughters. Most importantly, the light of Christ can never be overcome. Satan, sin, and death were defeated on the cross. The resurrection of Jesus gives us assurance of our own resurrection for those who believe in the Son of God. In Christ, the light that lives in you is also a beacon to those around you. You are the lamp on the lamp stand, giving light to the room, the lighthouse in the storm, and others will flock to that light like moths to a flame.

The opening of the Gospel of John proclaims the deity of Christ, who He is, and what He can do for the believer. John told us all of the things he witnessed while following the Lord, and he tells us for one reason alone, “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 20:31ESV)

Do you believe? Seek Christ today you eternity depends on Him.

Grace and Peace.