Explore the Bible: December 4

In the Beginning • John 1:1-14

By Rick Henson

The Apostle John spent three years with Jesus, witnessed many miracles, touched the nail-scarred hands, and saw Jesus ascend into heaven. How would he write about Jesus?

The other three Gospels were previously written and distributed. John, however, went back far before Mary and Joseph, even before the entire genealogies. John started at the beginning of everything. John 1:1 reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (KJV).

Throughout the Bible, the term, “Word of God,” is found forty-nine times, always referring to the utterances of God Almighty. In John 1:1, John equates Jesus with the Word of God.

Certainly, John did not intend the normal use of the term, “word,” which is a series of phonetic sounds or an arrangement of letters that collectively represent something tangible or intangible. He was equating Jesus as God Almighty, the Creator.

Writing it the way he did, John was stating not that Jesus is A word of God, but is THE exclusive word of God Himself, the One and Only. Not that Jesus represents God; He is God.

This verse reminds readers of the first verse in the Old Testament, “In the beginning God created the heavens in the earth.” Though the phrase, “in the beginning,” is used five other times in the Old Testament, the Genesis 1:1 passage is the only one that refers to creation.

Since Jesus is the agent of creation, He predates creation and is therefore eternal. Believers can trust the Creator to guide our lives, provide our needs, and give meaning to our existence.

John also uses the analogy of Jesus as the Light, as well as The Word. Jesus created light (Genesis 1:3) where none existed. Michael Claunch, a friend of mine, once preached a sermon entitled, “God stepped out of nowhere, stood on nothing, and created everything.”

Though Jesus is the Light, humans prefer the darkness — even His own people. Those who do receive Him, however, become the children of God according to John 1:12.

This Gospel was written by John the Apostle, son of Zebedee and brother of James. He immediately referred to another John as the witness to the Light. The Old Testament book of Malachi twice predicted a messenger who would come before the Messiah.

John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus, was that messenger, an Elijah type who prepared the way of the Lord. Just as John the Baptist was not the light himself, he pointed Israel to the Light of the world, Jesus.

While we have no inherent light, we are instructed to point others to Jesus who is the source of our light. In this world of darkness, Jesus is the only source of true light. As His messengers, we are instructed to let our lights shine to bring glory to God (Matthew 5:16).

As John admitted that he himself was not the light, he testified of the true Light. We Believers should often speak of the Light that gives meaning to our worlds and salvation to our souls.

Our memory verse for this lesson is: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 KJV).

The original disciples physically saw the glory of God in Jesus, some on the Mount of Transfiguration, all after the Resurrection. Those of us who meet Jesus now see His glory in what He accomplishes in us: forgiving our sins, redeeming our lives, and transforming us from sinful beings into saints bound for heaven.

Colossians 1:27 states that Christ in us is the hope of glory.

Jesus came to the world He created, yet His chosen people rejected Him. The created chose not to recognize their Creator. Yet some did receive Him and they were and are welcomed into the family of God.

Our memory verse states that we beheld His glory full of grace and truth. Jesus is the Word and the Word is truth. “Your word is truth” (John 17:17b KJV).

Believers in Christ Jesus receive His grace and learn His truth. This process takes a lifetime until we meet Him and are like Him. “We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2 KJV).

May we believers glory in Jesus and share His light with those in darkness.

Henson is minister of outreach and evangelism at Bethel Church, Brandon.