The Light of the World

The book of John begins like the book of Genesis. In this passage John tells us the focus of his book – Jesus. John also gives us a theme of his book that will be the focus of our study this week. John argues that Jesus came to bring light to the world and came full of truth. Jesus, according to John, is the ultimate source of truth. As you read today, look for the different ways that John points to Jesus as the truth in the world. 

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

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REFLECTION

The Light of The World

by Andrea Taphorn

If you read the news, hear the news, watch the news, or scroll through any sort of social media platform, you will experience the fact that truth feels and appears elusive right now. I don’t know about you, but I feel tired. You may have read that sentence, and just now thought, “Well, I follow in the footsteps of Socrates’ quest for wisdom through science, reasoning and intellect.”

 

For scientific reasoning, doubt is the main engine of knowledge. This is the foundation for classical skepticism. You may be saying to me, “Work harder at reading and understanding the data, Andrea.”  And while I read and will continue to read the news and I deeply respect the field of science; I also know that neither of these disciplines deliver me truth.

I love these verses from the beginning of the gospel of John. John says that Jesus is the word of God and that word creates reality. That word defines truth. The word of God is Christ and Christ is truth. Here in these verses we see that what God says, God does. And what God does, God says. 

God authors creation and life into existence through Christ. God’s word creates something new out of nothing. God’s word for us in Christ, kills old sinners and raises new saints. God’s word functions on your eyes and works like a cornea transplant to see with eyes of faith. God’s word functions on the body to open your hands to serve and care for your enemy. God’s word functions on your mind bringing about faith and trust. God’s word functions on your heart softening it to love. God’s word functions on your soul to press out hope.

What kind of authority is this? Reading the news or understanding science cannot come close to this kind of power and authority. And, once you’ve experienced it, as painful as it is to be killed and brought to new life, well… you just can’t get enough of it. This gospel word given to us in Christ—a lived, died, and raised to new life word authors and creates our lives. And don’t forget that this word, first says, you are sinner.

Jesus promises something important about sin. He forgives it. So, be put to death sinner and be raised to new life in faith. This Gospel truth will forever transcend any other news or information in our lives. It re-centers and resets our minds in faith and trust in Christ. 

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

MONDAY - MEDICAL PERSONNEL

Pray for our doctors, nurses, and all medical professionals to have strength, wisdom, endurance, and alertness.

You Shine

“I’ve seen the light!” It’s the stereotypical expression of the religious experience. We say it more in exaggerated, joking tones than anything else. But you know what? I have seen the light! You have, too.

Of Jesus, John writes, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”¹ The apostle teaches us who Jesus is—the Son of God who lived among us in human flesh for a specific time and for a specific purpose before returning to the Father in heaven. He came and He left, but His presence remains; it always will. Says John, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”² True enough, we see Him beaming all around us, and truth be told, He glows through you.

Jesus shines from you who have known Him all your life and from you who discovered Him later in life. He shines from you who turn to God in grief, and He shines from you who comfort the brokenhearted with care. The Light shines from you who struggle against the dark powers of addiction and from you who faithfully walk beside these daily victors. He shines through you on the left and through you on the right who share eternal citizenship in a Kingdom not of this world. Jesus shines from you who stand boldly as mighty oaks of faith; He shines from you who cling to Him with seed-sized belief. He shines through your faith; He shines through your forgiveness. He shines through your compassion; He shines through your humility. He shines through your brokenness; He shines through your healing. He shines through you.

“You are the light of the world,”³ taught Jesus to the eager crowd. In this confidence and in this joy, we step into a new day and, once again, “shine like stars in the universe as [we] hold out the word of life.”⁴ For we have seen the Light, and, in Him, we are light, too.

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16).

Father, send your Spirit, that I may shine today in what I say and do. Be pleased with your people; be glorified in us. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Christ in me is life.

¹ John 1:4
² John 1:5
³ Matthew 5:14
⁴ Philippians 2:15

Listen to John proclaim Jesus Christ as God in John 1:1-14.

Talking With and Reading The Word

John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” 

It’s been a constant, seasonal struggle for me to get into the Word. I’ve made a lot of excuses for it: I hear the Word on Sundays; I read other books that reference the Bible, that’s enough; it’s not relevant to me; it’s boring; I’m not entertained; I THINK about God… isn’t that enough? I’ve known in my soul that these are poor excuses, and I’ve certainly been missing the point. Reading the Word isn’t for my entertainment (though it can certainly be thrilling), and I really don’t get enough from secondhand resources- how could I be when I’m not looking into it, reading and seeing Truth for myself?? 

Recently, the encouragement to get to know Jesus more through reading the Bible has struck a chord in me like never before. In this passage, I’m even more encouraged by knowing that Jesus is the Word made flesh. If I want to know the flesh and blood Jesus more, then I need to read the ink and paper Word. Now, when I open my Bible, the passages are fresh- like I’m seeing them for the first time. The words of our amazing, awe-inspiring, mighty God that made the Universe- the WHOLE UNIVERSE- are right in front of me. And I get to read them! I get to replay in my mind how He might've said them, discover what was going on around Him at the time, how He must’ve been feeling. I get an intimate look into the One who brought light into this world. 

And you know what’s more exciting to me? Jesus is alive and well, then, now, and forever. So when I don’t quite understand something, or I have more questions, or I want to delight in Him and what I’ve just read about Him, I can talk with the living, breathing Word. My excuse of “it’s not relevant to me” flies out the window because I can ask Jesus how His word might apply to me. I get to talk about life on Earth with He who is the light that shines in the darkness, He who shines light into my own darkness, He who is the Word made flesh for each and every one of us to know. 

John 1:1-14

The Word Became Flesh

At times I can be very cynical, and I suspect many people can be too.  And who can blame us? Look at how we sometimes respond to each: “The check’s in the mail”. “I’ll get to it tomorrow.” “Yeah, I knew you might have problems with that.” And so on and so on ….

 

Logos is Greek for Word

Today’s reading is John 1:1-14. The Old Testament is full of God’s promise of a savior. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Ezekiel, Elisha and others speak of the Messiah. Even Moses hinted at the Messiah 1500 years before he came. In today’s reading we learn that God kept his promise. The Word became flesh!

 

Our savior Jesus Christ, true man and true God, put aside his heavenly crown and lived with us on earth. He became one of us!

 

Jesus

He ate, he bathed, he bled, he wept and he smiled. He healed people and fed them. He suffered and died for our sins. He even rose from the dead and came back to earth. He finally ascended into heaven!

 

Yes, we humans can be cynical, but there is proof that God kept his promise. The Word became flesh. Many, many witnesses saw Jesus and what he could do. Some of these witnesses put pen to papyrus to leave an historical record of his life. We are blessed because we can read these eye witness accounts!  

 

Rarely did Jesus speak for himself; he let his actions speak for him. Angels announced his birth. John the Baptist testified about Jesus. God let it be known Jesus was his son when John baptized Jesus. After his death, angels announced Jesus resurrection, and sure enough, Jesus appeared to his disciples in his resurrected body.

 

And after his ascension, his disciples went here and there testifying what they had witnessed.

 

Even though we have historical records, it is difficult to believe that the Word became flesh. Fortunately for us, Jesus sent a counselor, the Holy Spirit, to us. But that is a different topic.

 

Yes, the Word became flesh. And because of it, we celebrate Christmas.

 

Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!

John 1:1-14 The Word became Flesh

I love to read these verses, there is a musical quality that is pleasing to the ear.  A number of years ago I saw a bulletin cover with these words on it and a contemporary depiction of the manger scene below them.  It was so simple yet complex.  These words are life-changing words if and when we allow them to permeate our minds and hearts. These Words will meet us where we are and take us to the next level.  Read the passage below and see if you don't feel something stirring within; something new and wonderful.

The Word Became Flesh
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 men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed Holiday with family and friends!

Read John 1:1-14 here

Listen to John 1:1-14 here

John 1:1-14

The following verses are some of the most poetic lines in Scripture.  Having just finished the Christmas season the meaning of these Words ring familiar.  Monday we read in the first chapter of Genesis, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Today we are called to the beginning once again where we discover in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.


John 1:1-5 (NIV) reads like bullet points / a parallel with Genesis 1

• 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 men. 
•  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 

Can you identify when God became real to you?  Do you know when the Word became real to you?  I recognized there was a God early in life, as a very young child.  Like many children do, I grew up and found myself in a place where I still believed, but that belief meant nothing to me, until, someone allowed themselves to be used by God to reach me.  Has this happened to you?  Is this a story you should be telling so as to impact someone else with the Good News? 

Everyday is a day to proclaim the Gospel; to tell some one about the light that shines in your life.  There are many ways to do this, and today is the day to begin.  No one is guaranteed a tomorrow.



Read the John 1:1-14 text here.  Listen to an audio reading of the John 1:1-14 text here.