John 1:1-28 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

The Deity of Jesus Christ

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The Witness John

6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 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, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Made Flesh

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

The Testimony of John

19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Today's text begins saying: 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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Jesus was with God from the foundation of the world; He participated in creation. Genesis 1 begins saying: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.  Then God said,“Let there be light”; and there was light.  God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.And there was evening and there was morning, one day. Verse 26 says: Then God said,“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” We were created in the image of God. To have the likeness of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God's written word reveals the character of God so that we could be like Him. Jesus became the word of God alive. He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament scripture. Jesus also reveals the character and the will of God. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says: "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Jesus came as the revelation of God's character and will; the fulfillment of God's plan and to redeem and restore us, to reconcile us to God. Because sin caused us to deviate from God's character, Jesus came to reveal that character and also to restore us to His image and likeness. The same Spirit that was moving over the surface at creation, is alive in those who receive Christ, so just as by God's word chaos became order and creation, we have the power to walk in tune with God's word in the midst of the chaos of the world.

The text says: There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  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. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. In John 8:12 Jesus says: "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." Still, even with the revelation of the word and the revelation of the living Son of God and the witness and power of the Holy Spirit, not everyone receives Christ. In John 3:15-21 Jesus says: “The Son of Man be lifted up;  so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Thank You heavenly Father for the written word which reveals Your will and Your character. Thank You for Your Son, the Word which became flesh; that He might farther fully reveal Your word and Your will and not only reveal but fulfill all that You desire. Thank You that through the cross we are restored to Your image and likeness and by the Spirit we are enabled and empowered to walk in Your likeness. Just as Jesus said He is the light of the world, so He has called us to be light in the darkness; to lift Jesus up in the presence of the world. Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.