1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. – John 1:1-5 (CSB)
John begins at the absolute beginning. Before all things; before creation; before mankind. Before all, there was God. This “In the beginning” does not lead to God’s action (as in Genesis), but to His being. Before Jesus’ miracles, His teachings, His titles, His life, death, and resurrection… before all this, we must know Who.
“The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The relationship between the Almighty and Jesus the Son is essential to knowing WHO Jesus is.
He is the Word: God’s Word, that which was before all things (Genesis 1:1-3). He is the Word: He who IS God’s action in creation and beyond (Genesis 1:3; Psalm 33:6). He is the Word: God’s revelation of Himself to all creation (Isaiah 55:11). He is the Word: God’s means of deliverance (Psalm 107:20). He is the Word: God’s Glory (Psalm 29).
He is God, the fullness of all who God is.
This is who we are seeing when we read the Gospel of John. This is who lives, speaks, acts, and works in the account to follow. This is who: the Word, God himself, God’s son.
But why? Why the Gospel?
Because He brought life. This is what is desperately needed by all humanity. The Gospel is the answer to the sin and death we have brought on ourselves. One look around in our world and we see the problems. We see the pain. We see the suffering. We see how sin has corrupted what should be good. We see heartache and disease and need and…
He brought Life. He brought Light. He shines in the darkness.
Here we come to the most important part of these verses. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness HAS NOT OVERCOME IT.” Because of who Jesus is, and because of what He has done in the incarnation, the end of the Gospel comes at the beginning: darkness is beaten.
Is this where we start? Darkness is beaten. The light has already won. But, is this where WE start?
When you get up in the morning, are you beaten already because you know the darkness you are walking into? Are you beaten because you know the darkness that will push back? Are you beaten already because you’ve lost hope in the light? Let us not lose hope. The Gospel of Jesus begins, ends, and promises hope. This is the hope that God overcomes all that is broken. And that is the hope that the Gospel of John will unpack.
Leave a Reply