John 1:31

"I do not know much about this man, " John continues, "other than he is soon to become known to all of Israel.  This is the reason I am here baptizing people with water."  John 1:31

It must have been tough being John.  His father and mother were elderly before he was born, and they did not get any younger after his birth.  His father was a priest of significant importance, and his mother must have been a lady of repute due to her husband’s position, and also due to the fact that she had a “miracle” son in her old age.

He must have heard something about his cousin Jesus, or perhaps not. He says he does “not know him.” After all, he may have still been young when his parents passed away.  Coupled with the fact that Jesus and his parents had gone to Egypt to escape Herod’s homicidal intentions, only to later move up north to Nazareth, it can be safely surmised that they did not know much of each other.  John must have lived a life of high expectations, but deprived of many of the things that most children take for granted-- parents.  He must have been repeatedly told by whoever raised him that he was special and that God had a special purpose for him.  After all, he was a miracle child!

Some rebel against such heavy expectations.  Not John!  Oh no, he took those lofty scenarios and delved head first into the role God had placed in his heart.  When did he first feel the call to preach?  When did he know God has chosen him to usher in the coming of the Messiah?  He may not have known much about “this man”, but he certainly knew a lot about The Man!  And he knew that he was born to lay his life down to ensure the Desire of all the Ages would have the appropriate entrance.  God had placed him in such a place and at such a time.  He would be busy doing what God set before him in the place where God had placed him, until his mission was through.  There are moments when that thought both enthralls and frightens me at the same time.  Is the time coming soon when I will be called to lay my life down for my Lord?  What will that entail?  What will that mean?  Will I be ready? 

John 1:30

"This is the Man I mentioned to you preciously when I said, 'There is someone coming in my wake next to whom I pale in comparison.  In fact, although He is arriving after me, He antecedes me as well.'" John 1:30

“Behold the Lamb!” is such an awesome statement.  I mentioned yesterday that this seminal statement of John is the Good News wrapped up in one sentence.  There is no truth greater than this to a miserably lost sinner.  These words inject hope into the bleak outlook of God’s wayward creation that groans for deliverance (Romans 8:22).

The two Johns are on the same page when it comes to how they see the superiority of the person and mission of Jesus compared to themselves and everything else!  John, the apostle, describes Jesus as the Word, the Light, Creator, Life, and One with God.  John, the baptizer speaks of Jesus as the One greater than he, the Most Worthy, the One greater than Elijah, the Lamb of God, and even the One before and after him.  Please note that John is not referring to his birthdate, since he is about six months older than his cousin Jesus.

It is in their unequivocal unanimity regarding the pre-existence of Jesus that we find the bedrock of their united proclamation.  This is not just another prophet; this is not just another teacher sharing his light; this is not just another good man.  This is God-Man—the Truth, The Light, The Life, and ultimately the Lamb of God that has come to wipe the slate clean for all of creation.  The two “John rivers” have merged as one in their admiration and adoration of the “Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8.  I wonder at times if maybe I’ve heard this so many times that it doesn’t register any longer.  How sad.  I need to stop for a moment daily and let it sink in again…for the first time. “Behold the Lamb!”

John 1:29

The following day John sees Jesus approaching him from a distance.  When he sees him he shouts, “Look, everyone!  It’s the Lamb of God who removes the sin from all creation!”  John1:29 EFP
 
Boom!  With those words John fulfills his calling.  His thirty years of life find their success the moment he speaks the words.  He could have died then and there and his life would have been complete. Wow!  It must have been awesome to be so certain of the path God had set out before him.

John had just told his persistent “visitors” not a day before that there was a yet unknown individual on his way who would take the ministry he had begun to a totally different level.  I am not certain John totally understands the scope of Jesus’ ministry, but he does know one thing—“Behold the Lamb of God!”  John and Jesus’ births have both been defined by miraculous beginnings.  John’s parents were beyond the customary procreative years, but here he is, a personal testimony to the power of God to perform the impossible. 

Jesus’ birth is ushered in by angels’ songs and visits from a wide-range of worshippers.  His life has already been spared from the clutches of King Herod.  Yet he lives thirty years of obscurity, other than that fateful visit to Jerusalem and the temple on his 12^th birthday.  This is the moment—the joining of two lives—two missions, one beginning to spring forward even as the other is commencing its path to closure.  “Behold the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world!”  That is my message to the world in one sentence.  It’s simple, perhaps even a bit offensive to some.  But it is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe it like John! (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18)  I’m in!

John 1:28

Just for your information: These previous event take place at Bethabara, on the other side of the Jordan River, where John is baptizing.  John 1:28 EFP

This verse seems to me to be nothing more than a point of reference—just information.  The statement seems more than a bit anticlimactic, since we already know that John iss baptizing people, although this is the first time we have a reference to the Jordan River as the place where he is engaged in doing most of his ministry.

Depending on your source, “Bethabara” either means “house of the ford” or “house of confidence.”  I tend to lean towards the first, although the second seems so much more attractive an option.  It makes sense that John would be performing baptisms at a “shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading” (yeah, I went to Wikipedia!).  It was an easily accessible place in the river where people could access from both sides, but with access to plenty of water.  That’s it.  It was a convenient but otherwise unremarkable place in an equally unremarkable river.

But (and you can hear it coming) God does not need remarkable places (or people, for that matter) to usher in remarkable events.  He just needs access to make an otherwise mundane place a holy place—set aside for the extraordinary!  I may be quite ordinary in many ways—a simple “ford” in the backwaters of life.  But God uses that watery ford to cure leprosy (2 Kings 5); usher in a victory (Joshua 4); or even anoint the Promised One (John 1:29).  I guess that would make it a “house of confidence” after all!

John 1:27

The John continues responding. "The One who arrives after me—the one you don’t know, well, let me just say that I pale by comparison, in fact, I don’t even deserve to untie his sandals.”  John 1:27 EFP

John was much later described by Jesus as “second to none.” (John 5:36)  He was a trailblazer, a pioneer, a powerful voice calling a depraved generation to live lives worthy of the God who claimed them as His own.  Through his powerful preaching and passion, many came to repentance and were changed for the better.  John could have chosen to seek center stage—he certainly had the following.

But John always chose to take the “road less traveled.”  He was not seeking the limelight.  He understood his calling from God as one consisting of paving the way for the Anointed One.  His prophetic voice ushered in the Kingdom of God and the accompanying salvation for all who believed.

Yet in his own self-deprecating way He clears the air of any confusion as to who he is and who is the great I AM who will come in his wake. His ministry is powerful—but the One following him is the “Almighty Father.”  John preaches repentance leading to conversion—but the One about to arrive on the scene will preach truth leading to salvation.  We don’t deserve to even untie his shoes, but he becomes the One who becomes the sin-bearer for all of us—something He didn’t deserve.  Now perhaps you understand why John felt so humbled by the One who about to make his appearance.  I wonder at times if I am equally humbled by the gift of heaven or if has become so familiar that it has lost its life-changing power in my life.

John 1:26

John responds, “Listen, as you can see I baptize people with mere water, but there is One among you that you don’t even know.”  John 1:26 EFP

John’s response to the latest challenge from the Jewish interrogators is as surprising as it is revealing. As you recall they asked John “by what authority” do you baptize?  In other words why do you do what you do?—mainly preach and baptize people in the river. 

His response is surprising in that he once again deflects the attention from their question.  He makes reference to water baptism.  This is pointing out the obvious!  After all, the reason they were sent is because he is creating such a commotion through his preaching and baptizing people in the Jordan River.  He simply states what they already know—I baptize people in the river with river water.  It is a simple, yet powerful description of what he does.  It is a baptism of repentance—a life-changing experience for those who come and enter the baptismal waters of the Jordan.

But then he follows it up with a somewhat cryptic preface, “But there is One among you….”  That must have seemed like a strange and ominous follow-through statement to his questioners.  It must have been unsettling to this group, who had come seeking an audience with him, to see their question inverted back on them with a reference to someone other than the one they were questioning.  To make matters worse, they do not even know this person.  “So how does this answer the question?” they must have thought.  Little did they know that The One referenced by John is The Answer!  The One he speaks of is The Authority!  He is all I need to know.

John 1:25

"They press the issue, "Well then, on what basis and on whose authority do you baptize people if you are not the Christ, if you make no claim to be Elijah, and you say you are not the Prophet either!  What gives?" John 1:25 EFP

This is indeed a fair question, particularly if you are a Pharisee. This period of time in Palestine has been ripe with Messianic pretenders and rabbis that stir up the masses with all sorts of ideas about overthrowing the Romans and such.  There is an uneasy sense that something is about to happen that will shake the status quo, and it does not sit well with the people in power.

John the Baptist is just the latest in a series of prophetic voices emanating from the desert.  I am certain they question all of them as they appear.  After all, they are “protecting the flock.”  They are personally invested in the future of Israel and want, in fact, the Messiah to come.  Of course, they have their own ideas of what the Messiah will look like and how he will act, but that is a side issue now.  They are simply asking, “What are your credentials?” “Where do you get your authority and information?” If he was not going to clearly tell them who he is, at least he can come clean in terms of his authority!

This created a stir in my mind when I considered what this means to me.  I recalled the whole fiasco with the seven sons of Sceva.  In that case it was an evil spirit that asked, “Who are you?”  His exact words were, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" (Acts 19:15).  What are my credentials?  What is my authority?  If the best I can muster is that I have authority from my church and my ministerial credentials, than I am in deep trouble.  There has to be more!  I will be challenged, am I always ready to respond?  What will be my answer?  Will it be a true reflection of reality?

John 1:24

The inquisitors had in fact been sent by the Pharisees-- the protectors of Jewish orthodoxy. John 1:24 EFP

The Pharisees.  Much has been said about this group of religious leaders.  Songs have been written about their strange ways--most not flattering.  Jesus also provides some very strong commentary on their hypocrisy.  I do not recall reading anything in Christian literature that is unequivocally positive, although it can be argued they were the pillars of religious society in Jesus' time.

They are religious leaders, and as such they protect the traditions established in the hope of honoring God and his law.  The people of Israel have been exiled because of their unfaithfulness to the expressed will of God.  The Pharisees want to ensure this will never happen again.  They will, by all means available to them, prevent the nation from falling into idolatry and unfaithfulness.  This does not seem like a bad thing, does it?  How can you fault them from trying to protect the people from false prophets and wannabe-Messiahs that pop up on the religious radar with regularity?

But it is the "dark side" of Pharisee-ism that transforms them into the greatest threat to genuine spirituality and faith.  First, behavior becomes the end-all measure of all spirituality.  Living a life that portrays allegiance to the Law is the goal.  They believe if the entire nation can do this for even one day, the Messiah will come.  But this quest for strict obedience leads to a second malady-- hypocrisy.  By definition hypocrisy is being something other than what you portray yourself to be outwardly.  It is an inconsistency between what you say and how you live--between the principles you claim to honor and the things you do when no one is looking.  I have a lot to learn about the Pharisees, hopefully with the result that I will not duplicate their demeanor or the unintended damage their wreaked on themselves and others.

John 1:23

John answered their latest question quoting words spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “I am the voice of the one shouting in the desert, ‘Get ready for the soon arrival of The Lord.’" John 1:23

John finally gives in to their persistence.  But even in his concession he does not even use his own words, but those of the prophet Isaiah.  It is one of the most beautiful and powerful passages in all of Scripture.  In it God speaks words that describe a time when his wayward children will experience a personal and living encounter with him, not a second-hand experience but a first-hand and life-changing face to face moment.  I will quote the entire passage from the New International Version.

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.  A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." Isaiah 40:1-5 (NIV)

If these words are not a thinly veiled reference to the coming of the Messiah, what can they possibly be saying?  This event is that which both John the Revelator and John the Baptist dedicated their entire life to sharing, each in their own way.  John the Baptist is the fire that burned brightly but for a short time.  John the Revelator provides a light that shone steadily for a longer time.  Both know that the moment has arrived and they have a part to play in ushering it in and in spreading the news.  Am I any less called to proclaim THE LORD'S soon second coming?  Does that news burn in my soul?  What will I do with this earth-shattering Good News?  Is my passion for His coming waning?  Is my zest for living today overwhelming my desire for a world not confined by time and space?  I pray that my message will not be muffled, even if I end up being a lone voice shouting in the wilderness.

John 1:22

So finally they insist, “Who are you then?  Give us a straight answer we can take back to the people who sent us for answers.  Just tell us—what makes you tick?" John 1:22 EFP

It was bound to happen; John the Baptist is being somewhat cryptic in his responses. He is not apparently interested in making it easy for these uninvited inquisitors.  He tells them who he is not (The Messiah).  He rebuffs their attempts to peg him as a second coming of Elijah or even the promised Prophet whose arrival had been predicted by Moses millennia ago.

The emissaries of the leaders yet to be identified individually are not going to give up without a fight.  "Who are you then?" they insist.  They finally admit they are not really speaking for themselves, but for a mysterious cartel of power-brokers back home.  They ask for more clarification so they don't return empty-handed to Jerusalem.  It is in this context that they ask the next question.  It is a question that gives me much reason to ponder.

I wonder what my answer would be if I was asked, "What do you say about yourself?  What makes you tick?"  In other words, apart from anything anyone might say about me; regardless of any titles, earned or attributed, who do I say I am?  What defines me in my own eyes and estimation?  Second only to what God thinks of me, what I think of myself in our heart of hearts is critical.  Why am I here on earth?  What is my mission in life?  What has God assigned to me as your life's work?  I am at a place right now where I am being pushed to reassess my answer to that question.  I must take the time to listen to what God has to say.  I should do it more often.

John 1:21

So they ask John again, “Well then, who are you?  Are you the prophet Elijah?”  And John says, "'No, I am not!'  They continue, “Are you The Prophet?” To which he answers again, “No!"  John 1:21 EFP

It is almost expected the inquisitors would not have been satisfied with his initial response declaring who he was not.  The logical follow-up would have been, "O. K., you told us who you are not!  Well then, now tell us who you are!" if not for one small detail.  They had been sent to John the Baptist because they knew who he was.  News of the powerful preacher of the desert undoubtedly has reached the big city.  Jesus has not yet appeared on the scene, so it was just this peculiar prophetic voice calling all comers to repentance.

They begin a prophetic checklist.  These people know their Scriptures!  They begin with Elijah.  After all, he had been swept away in a chariot of fire, so perhaps he had come back for a second visit.  They know the answer before John gives it to them.  I sense they really want to ask the second question all along, "Well, are you The Prophet?"  The impending answer must have made them shudder.  They knew of the words of God and Moses recorded in the Torah (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18).  What if John was The Prophet, why would they not have been in the loop?  His answer may have relieved them a bit.

John, is not the Christ.  He is not the second coming of Elijah.  And he is not the Prophet spoken of by Moses.  Each of these individuals represents a different expectation to the people and to the religious leaders.  Elijah is unique in his ministry and in his fiery rapture into heaven.  The Prophet also brings pre-ordained authority from God.  The Messiah brings the expectation of deliverance from the hated Romans.  None of these matches John's calling.  He knows who he is not-- that is important.  But he also knows who he is and the purpose for which he is called.  There is an empowerment that comes from knowing I am fulfilling the purpose for which God called me.  There is no reason to compare or contrast.  It's not a contest.  It is a calling, and I have my personal mission field.  I will pray that God affirms me in my calling where I stand through who I am…in Him.

John 1:20

John did not shy away from freely confessing—without hesitation, "I am not the Christ." John 1:20 EFP

What a strange way to respond to the question, "Who are you?"  I am quite certain that the last time someone asked me, "Who are you?" or "What's your name?" I did not respond in the negative, "I am not Dustin Hoffman!" (Penny, my wife, says I look like him—something to do with Rain Man, I think).

By the way, in case you have not noticed, we are dealing with John the Baptizer again, not John the Revelator.  As you may recall he has been spending an inordinate amount of time on the banks of the Jordan River baptizing those who come to him and also proclaiming the soon arrival of the promised Messiah-- the Christ.  He not only calls his listeners to repentance but also announces the advent of the Kingdom of God.  That's a lot of good.  He is truly a special man.

But when asked who he is; when tempted by his enquirers to make a name for himself beyond his calling as prophet, he first makes it clear who he is not.  He is many things and is perhaps gifted in many ways, but he is not the Christ.  He has a mission from God and a message of hope, but he is not the Messiah.  I would also do well to remember that too.  I am not the Christ (that seems obvious!).  There is only one Messiah, and it's not me (although at times I may act that way)!  The Messiah is the One and Only Word of Life, Light, and Truth.  The Christ is with and one with God!  Last time I checked-- I was not.  Being God is best left to God.

John 1:19

In fact, this is the testimony John gave about Jesus to the religious and priestly leaders from Jerusalem who were sent by the Jewish authorities to question John, mainly with the question, “Who are you?” John 1:19 EFP

Note the sequence of this text.  There is a testimony.  It is given by John.  It is a testimony about Jesus.  It is a testimony given to the religious leaders.  They are sent by the Jewish authorities.  They are sent from Jerusalem.  They are set to John.  They are sent to question him. Their main question is, "Who are you?"

We will have to wait another day for his answer to their specific query, but we already know that his testimony is all about Jesus.  John is unapologetic about the fact that the core of his testimony is Jesus, not himself.  That's pretty awesome.  The answer to the question is always Jesus.  Everything flows from that non-negotiable springboard of faith.  Everything runs toward that inexhaustible ocean of truth.

Wouldn't it be nice if all I was and all I believed flowed from and found its purpose in Jesus?  Imagine the difference it would make!  My witness is about Jesus, because it is He who redeemed me.  My life's testimony is also Jesus, because it is He who lives in me.  My song in the melody He places in my soul.  My words find their genesis in the Word of Life and Truth.  I want that for my life-- my reason, my goal, my path, my vision, and my all is Jesus.  Is that your answer to the question, "Who are you?"

John 1:18

No mortal eyes have ever seen God in all his glory; the One and Only God who is always at the Father's side, He alone makes God known to us. John 1:18 EFP

Today's verse is a bit problematic.  It's not that there is something inherently wrong with the statement, it's just that...well, just take a look.  First of all, it clearly states that "no one has seen God."  But Exodus 33:11 says, "THE LORD would speak to Moses face to face..." Clearly there is something I am missing.

Secondly, there is an unexpected turn in the middle of the text that caught me off guard at first.  Did you catch it?  John is making a reference to 'the One and Only God,' which seems to naturally draw us to picture of God the Father.  Then John makes the startling transition "who is always at the Father's side" when referring to the "One and Only God."  Whaaaaat?  It’s not that this statement is not consistent with what John stated earlier in the passage, it's just that the starkness of the concept of Jesus God becomes almost unintelligible.  There is no difference between the One and Only God and God the Father who is one with the Word who is another name for Jesus who is called the One and Only God!

Just to be clear, the whole concept of the Godhead is really a mystery, although people have tried to understand it for millennia.  Just when you think you got it-- you don' get it at all.  But suffice it to say that no one could better represent, describe, speak for, and reveal the character of the One and Only God than the One and Only God who is with the Father forever past, present, and future.  That part I get...sort of.

John 1:17

For unlike the law, which was given to us by Moses; grace and truth comes to us through Jesus Christ!  John 1:17 EFP

Grace and Truth.  The Law and the Prophets.  That is quite a contrast; a verifiable standoff.  Think about how John’s statement would have sounded to a first century Jewish believer, to whom it was addressed.  The Law and Moses certainly had no meaning to the Gentiles.  But this comparison was tantamount to fighting words to devout Jews; a head-on collision between two revelations; one by and one of God.  Yet understanding the difference makes all the difference in the world.

Note the contrast.  First, there is the distinction regarding how these two revelations took place.  They first came to us through Moses, the second through Jesus.  It would be a fair comparison between two giants of salvation history, except for the fact that John has already made the earlier assertion that Jesus is God in the flesh.  One can say that Jesus handed the first (and second) set of tablets to Moses on Sinai.  He was there in the beginning and He has now walked among us.  Score that one clearly for Jesus.

The second contrast is in what was given.  This is kind of awesome to me as I develop the thought in my brain.  God had already given His law.  The Jews knew about it; they had memorized it and passed it down through their generations.  That is how the law was passed down-- one generation repeating it to the next.  Law can be memorized and legislated.  Grace and truth are a totally different animal.  This one requires special delivery!  This one cannot simply be transmitted through spoken language or a written record-- it has to be incarnated.  It is not a matter of passing down information or legislation, this revelation has to be personal.  And it was.  Grace and truth are only understood through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  Believe it or not, that's the truth John is inspired by God to deliver.  And it's just the beginning....

John 1:16

From His abundance we all benefit and are blessed by the gift of His grace, in double measure no less.  John 1:16 EFP

What began in verse 14 from the lips of John, the beloved now comes full circle through the inspired words of John, the Baptist.  John, the author of this Gospel is building a case for the full divinity of Jesus and he draws from the words of Jesus’ cousin to nail down the uniqueness of this particular Word of God.

I like the words he chooses to begin this statement—“we all benefit”.  That includes me and you and every member of the human race.  Grace is given to all, no exceptions.  Since it is not deserved or earned, we all qualify for this gift from heaven wrapped in human flesh.  In verse 14 John, the Revelator describes the Word as “full of truth and grace.”  Now in verse 16, John, the Baptist describes the Word as “grace upon grace”, or “in double measure” as translated in this personal free paraphrase.  Grace becomes the primary vehicle for revealing God.  That’s awesome!

I do not to be the brightest or the most brilliant to understand God.  In the eons before the Word, God revealed himself through truths, commands, laws, and ceremony.  It was important for these truths to be passed on to ensure God would be known.  But now with arrival of the living Word of God, it is grace that becomes the manner and means through which God reveals His character.  God is grace. The Word, yet to be revealed by name, is come to live with sinful and sullied humanity.  Grace has been delivered in an incarnated God!  I should never doubt what God’s intentions are toward me—I am a direct recipient and beneficiary of heavenly Grace!

John 1:15

John makes a public statement about the Word and passionately declares, "This is the One I was talking about when I said, 'The One who comes into the picture after me is the main event.  Although He comes after me He precedes me in every sense of the word." John 1:15 EFP

John the Baptist was an incredible individual.  He is one of those characters that stand out in the annals of history.  Beyond the camel skins and locust, beyond the passionate preaching and fruitful evangelistic efforts, he is a singular figure with a unique mission—to usher in the coming of the Messiah.  He is one of those figures that evoked my son’s questions about people being born for a specific reason, after which they die.

He was born before his cousin, and he was already a powerful voice of God in the desert long before Jesus enters the scene.  His messages called for repentance and justice.  Crowds came from far and wide to listen to his words.  Many were baptized in the Jordan River as a result of his preaching in the power of the Spirit of God.  Yet, one day his messages take a strange turn—at least in the ears of those accustomed to his past passionate appeals to confession and contrition.  He begins suddenly to make references to One who would soon appear.  His arrival, he states, will overshadow his ministry in every way.  In fact, he implies his ministry’s purpose consists of nothing more than to usher in the coming of One greater than him.

John’s life is a testament to one who is consumed by a single-minded purpose—to introduce Jesus, the Word of Life and Light, to the world.  Yet, in a sense, I am called to be just that.  It ought not to be my singular goal to make a name for myself, although that may happen.  My life should not be an end to itself.  My life, my deeds, my career, all that I am and do, are in a very true sense swallowed up in my mission and calling to usher Jesus into my world, to my friends, to my family.  I fail miserably!  It is God who ought to shine through my words and actions.  Everything else I do finds ultimate meaning in this.  The opposite is also true—everything I do loses its ultimate meaning if it does nothing more than put the focus on myself.  I could use a little more John in me.

John 1:14

And this Word we speak of becomes human-- one of us, and He lives in our midst.  We see the glory that is his as the one and only son of our Father in heaven.  What we see in him is the epitome of grace and truth.  John 1:14 EFP

John has a way with words.  This is one of those classic statements that are succinct and packed with meaning.  Whole theological treatises have been dedicated to the topic contained in this short verse.  This passage casts a whole new dimension into the picture John is describing of the Word.  What he says is unheard of and amazing; it would forever change the way the Almighty is seen—not only as a transcendent being that is above it all, but an imminent being that is invested in the lives and trials of those He created.

Think about it for a moment:  let’s set aside all the pictures of deities that existed outside the Jewish tradition.  Certainly, most of those pictures portray the gods as capricious and often arbitrary regents that are mostly entertained by the puny humans that inhabit this world.  Some gods, by some quirk of fate, shared our space but only as a way to gain entrance back into the world of the gods.  On the other hand the Jewish concept of God allows for the “angel of the Lord” or even an epiphany by Moses or Abraham with the Almighty. This divine being walks and talks with humans.  He eats with them.  He seeks to reveal himself to humanity.  But John takes this to a totally different level.  “The Word became flesh.”  Four words change the landscape of the connection between God and humanity forever.

God does not simply visit humanity—He stays with us.  God is not satisfied with sharing space and time with this fallen race—He becomes one of us.  The incarnation changes everything.  He feels our helplessness.  He laughs at our jokes.  He experiences infancy, adolescence, youth, young adulthood, and maturity.  We not only hear of him, read about him, or in rare occasions see a veiled demonstration of him; we become a part of him, or better stated, He becomes a part of us.  Our flesh and blood!   He is our God.  He is Son of God with us.  He is Grace in us.  He is Truth for us.  Wow—a million times wow!

John 1:13

These new members of God's family are not mere siblings born in a physical sense, and not as a result of a human choice or even a couple's desire to procreate.  None of these apply!  These family members are born solely through the will of God. John 1:13 EFP

John is describing something extraordinary and supernatural.  This is not your run-of-the-mill birth, as amazing as a birth might be.  This right bestowed on the ones who believe in the Word of God, is not brought into this familial existence as a result of a human action; in other words belief does not cause it to happen.

Faith in the One who brings “life and light” to all the world (verse 9) is not the catalyst of this new experience, although it sounds as if that was what John is saying.  But he clarifies this when he states in three different ways that new family status granted believers in the Word is not a physical relationship; it is not the result of a human choice; and, it is not a consequence of human desire.  There is no human element to this change of status.  It is totally a God-thing.

It is not my will that makes it happen—it is God’s will.  It is not my intense desire that causes it to come to fruition—it is God’s desire.  It is not my choice that convinces God to let me in.  No!  That choice was already made “before the foundation of the world.” (Ephesians 1:4).   So when we are tempted to believe that we are “all that,” let this text set you (and me) straight!  In the classic words of E. G. White, the robe of righteousness that changes our status from spiritual street urchins into full-fledged sons and daughters of God “has in it not one thread of human devising.” (My Life Today, pg. 277).  I like my odds in that scenario.

John 1:12

But to all those who let him in—to those who believe his is who he says he is; to those he grants the honor of being called his brothers and sisters. John 1:12 EFP

This text states two specific things that need to happen in order for us to have the honor of being counted as part of the family of God.  The steps are specific.  One is to let “the True Light” in—to allow the light to enter and dispel the spiritual darkness that fills our lives.  Revelation 3:20 speak of Jesus knocking at the door of our hearts, waiting for an invitation to enter.  God does not force his will on anyone.  He is the consummate gentlemen—he knocks and respects our choice not to let him in.  However, something very special awaits those who let the light in.

Secondly, John states that there is a faith component to this “letting him in.”  In other words, you don’t let anybody enter your house.  You don’t answer the door to any stranger that comes knocking.  And if you happen to open the door, or look through the peephole to identify the person seeking entrance, that does not ensure automatic entrance.  You have to have a level of trust that the person does not mean you harm or that he or she is more than just a mere nuisance.  To “believe in his name” means that we believe that the name he claims for himself is truly merited and fitting.  He claims to be sent from God—the Word; the true light from heaven.  Only when we are willing to confess that Jesus is truly the anointed One from God and make a choice to live lives worthy of his calling can we begin to experience the promised blessing.

And what is this promised blessing?  Only a person who has grown up in a tight knit family or the person who has always longed to be part of a united family understands the meaning of this text.  Being part of a loving and supportive family is a privilege of immeasurable value.  In spite of my many shortcomings, I love my family and I would lay down my life in a second to save them from harm.  It is what comes with belonging to my family.  Imagine the benefits that come with belonging to the brotherhood and sisterhood of the family of the Almighty!  Let him in!  Believe in Him!  Two simple yet profound actions that set in motion a life-changing process that alters the direction and substance of our lives.

John 1:11

In the end, He comes to his very own people-- those He created, but they refuse to take him in. John 1:11 EFP

Yesterday John makes the astounding declaration that the world to which the Word came—the very world He brought into existence, failed to recognize Him.  The people He came to bring back into the true light are so lost in darkness so oppressive they can not even recognize the light.  The darkness appears to swallow up the very light it came to dissipate.

Today the apostle adds a second tragedy to the appearance of the Light of God on earth.  Not only could they not recognize or in fact refused to recognize him, they apparently refuse to receive him even when they recognize him.  This is a description of the world during the time of John—the world into which the Word and Light of God comes and the very ones He seeks to save.  They apparently want nothing to do with his mission of mercy.

As easy as it would be to marvel at the blindness of those living during the first advent, it is sobering to consider how similar our situation remains today.  The Light of God still shines down among us, and the Word of God is still heard in our midst, yet we are so blinded by the tsunami of distractions and the glitter of pursuits, both vain and worthy, that we fail to see or hear the still and small voice of the Almighty calling us to come to the Light!  What’s more, we are in such a state of busy-ness and triviality that we fail to hear the knocking on the door of our lives and leave our only hope of salvation standing outside in the cold.  He comes to us—we are his people; his family!  Yet even today we refuse to take him in.  We choose the darkness inside and keep the light outside and at a distance.  How sad!

John 1:10

He, that is, the True Light actually lived in our world, but although the world came into existence because of him, it did non recognize him when he was here.  John 1:10 EFP

Well, John is beginning to unfold more and more of this masterpiece statement of faith.  He first introduces this entity as the Word—with and equal to God.  This Word is present and responsible for all that is created at the beginning of human history and beyond.  Secondly, he describes this “Divine Verb” as light and life—a reference to creation.  This ever-present light and life is unrecognized and misunderstood by the prevailing darkness that it invades.  Sin blinds creation to the light. But the light is there for everyone to enjoy and employ in order to see clearly and escape the darkness.  It is the only Light, in its ultimate and truest sense.

Now John introduces the notion that this Light was actually in our world, not only during creation but at a point in history when he (a person) is seen by beings that have the ability and opportunity to see the light.  The first time the light appears, darkness dissipates into the dawn of creation.  The world literally comes to life until sin enters and once again casts the world into darkness!  This time, apparently, he comes into the very world he had created millennia previous, only to be unrecognized by the creation he once breathed into existence.

What a sad picture is coming into focus.  It would be as sad as imagining my children failing to recognize me.  I cannot imagine the sorrow that would invade my soul to see my children in such a state that would cause them to either be unwilling or unable to recognize me.  I imagine it might be similarly painful to see me in a similar state of Alzheimer’s, unable to recognize and relate to those I once loved.  How the heart of God must have been broken to see a world totally ignore or misunderstand his heart.  And when he chooses to revisit his creation and pour out his Light once again on this world darkened and dank by the ravages of sin, the result, it seems, is almost identical to before. They don’t see it. They don’t recognize it.  They are blinded to the light, not by it.  Now what?  Stay tuned.

John 1:9

This True Light, unlike any other minor source of illumination, provides light to everyone who exists on this dark orb called earth. John 1:9 EFP

 

There is true light and there is just…well, light.  What’s the difference?  Isn’t light light?  Does it not stand in contrast to darkness—and is true darkness somehow different from simple or basic darkness?  These may seem odd questions, but the fact is that this text makes a distinction between light, not false light mind you, but light—the kind that helps us see in the dark, and true light that is somehow different from the previous light in some unique sense.

I believe the difference is not in the essence or even the intensity of the light, but rather in its pervasiveness.   I do not believe John is saying that the Word is the true Light because the light shines brighter and more powerfully than all others.  One could argue this point, but I can also see how it might be contested convincingly.  After all, this light would have to compete with other luminaries that have made a name for themselves, and now inhabit the literary worlds of history, science, and other human achievements.  There are mega-stars of the entertainment world that have performed before millions, perhaps billions, and left their wares to remind fans of their talent and impact.  These are all lights in their own right.  They shine bright and intensely—but then their light dims and eventually dies.  They become in the end, for all intents and purposes, historical footnotes, of different import, but footnotes nonetheless.

But what makes a light the true and ultimate Light is the ability to a find pervasive permanence in the lives of people who fall under the influence of this Light.  John would argue that this particular Light has impacted the entire world with light, since light exists because the true Light willed it into existence.  But there is also a sense in which this true light makes light available to all.  Without this Light we would all be in a state of total darkness; without any hope of escape.  The true light is here; it is a reality although not realized by many who have not discovered it or who may refuse to recognize it.  We would be indeed in dire straits if not for the Light, whether we believe it, accept it, or not. And that is, we will discover, John’s ultimate purpose in writing this Gospel treatise.  I, for one, choose to believe.  But this belief comes with a cost.  We will discover this as we continue this journey into the Light.

John 1:8

This John—he was not actually the Light, rather he was one who saw and recognized the Light when he saw Him.  John 1:8 EFP

Children are amazing.  Their energy is something to be admired.  Their ability to create, destroy, and imagine both, is almost limitless. My grandson, Ruben “the Hero” is a prime example.  The “Hero” moniker is a self-designated title to distinguish himself from the cadre of Rubens that inhabits his little world.  He must have concluded one day that almost everyone alive is named Ruben, thus he requests to be called Hero. 

The name has more significance to him than simply a means to self-identify; it is also a testament to his ability to imagine himself with limitless power over the lesser beings in his world.  He is stronger, faster, and more agile than everyone else he knows (except his father for some reason).  It is amazing (and sometimes painful) to see him try to exert his power over others.  Most of the time I, and his uncle Robert—the  primary foci of his domination, are willing to overlook his harmless efforts.  Occasionally however, we choose to remind him “who’s boss” by immobilizing him with our superior strength.  This does not detract “the Hero” in the least!  He continues to wiggle and fight and exert this “super-strength” on us in a perceived attempt to overwhelm us with his prowess and free himself from our puny clutches.  Sadly, we usually relent, thus feeding his mystique.  Oh, well.

But the fact is he is not the super-strength being he believes himself to be at this tender age.  One day he will come to grips with the fact that he is not all-powerful.  There is only one who is, and that being does not live in our mortal realm.  Likewise John clearly has no allusion to being the Light, although he is most certainly a light, or witness, to the Light—the Word, of, from, and one with God, who is the creative force behind all that exists in and beyond our world.  We are and can never be the Light, only a light that points to the source.  Things get all messed up when those roles are mixed up.  One could argue that is how we got ourselves into this “sin” mess to begin with.

John 1:7

John was sent to testify about the Light he had seen.  It was God's plan that as a result of his witness about the Light everyone who heard him might come to believe.  John 1:7 EFP

Well, there you have it—the answer to the question, “Why did God send John?” This is in addition to, “Who is this John?”  The identity of the Light is only partially revealed; the light is the Word, since it is the Word that gives light to the world through His life (verse 4).  That’s all we know so far.

But let’s follow the previous conclusion established in the previous verse, that is, we are also called by God to perform a special task.  Here we see our mission in life.  Number one is to testify about the “Light we have seen.”  Number two is to give every person with whom we come in contact, the opportunity to believe in the “Light” we introduce to them.

Two things become quite clear.  We have to see something (in this case, someone!) in order to testify about what or who we have seen.  Finally, without our witness there are many who might never have the opportunity to make a decision about the yet-the-be-revealed Word who gives light and life to the world.  Bottom line, we all have a witness to give—either a witness about ourselves or a witness about the Word.  I pray for you, my loved ones, if the witness you give is about you—then let it be good.  In this way your witness will point to the only One worthy of our devotion—He is our True Witness, and He brings light and life to all.  There’s some good news to share!

John 1:6

There was a man named John who was sent by God to perform a specific task for him.  John1:6 EFP

The apostle John has just finished making a powerful statement regarding the Word of God.  He has not yet divulged the identity of the Word, but that will come later.  For now, the apostle suddenly changes gears and introduces another character in this developing narrative.

We know the new personality in this story is named John.  We don’t yet know to which John he is referring—himself (Matthew 4:21), the Baptist (Matthew 3:1), the relative of the high Priest (Acts 4:6); Peter’s father (John 21:35); or Mark, whose other name was John (Acts 12:12).  He does clarify that this particular John was sent from God, although he will not tell us for what he was sent until the next verse.

Although this statement is a description of a special person with what seems to be a unique task to complete assigned to him by God, I can’t help but think it ought to be the way people ought to describe us.  I remember my son Ruben asking me one day if certain people are born for no other reason than to fulfill a specific mission.  I had trouble with that thought, since I considered that tantamount to being used.  But in retrospect, are we not all created, called, or sent by God for a special purpose?  What we do with our lives is the means through which God can accomplish the unique purpose for which we were all called.  What is said of John, or Peter, or Moses, can be said of any of us at some level.  Why not?  “There was a man named Ruben.  He was sent by God.”  If God sends us, there must be something special He has called us to do.  Are we ready?

John 1:5

The Light of which I speak shines in the darkest of places, but the people living in this darkness that the Light dispels fail to understand anything the Light reveals.  John 1:5 EFP

There are few people who prefer the darkness to the light.  Most people try to avoid the darkness for their own good.  In fact, I am not too fond of the darkness myself.  I don’t know if it because of the scary stories I heard growing up about evil things that lurk in the dark or the life lessons I learned about bumping into sharp corners and the painful toe-stubbing outcroppings that remain unseen in the absence of light. 

When God begins the week of creation the first thing He creates is light.  Although He could have worked in the dark, he chooses to work in the light when he initiates the creative work of this world’s genesis.  Into this void the light of God illumines the pitch black world with no shape or form.  When the light of God bursts into this earthly realm, nothing remains the same.  The world is transformed—animate and inanimate objects come into being by the power of the Word’s divine will.  Light reveals color and hue and nuance and texture—it is a myriad of shapes and sizes and gestures and functions.  Light reveals what is there before anything created is called into existence.

Yet in this text the apostle John restates this Light—the Word and Verb of God, once again fills the world with light.  The Light reveals things that had previously been hidden or obscured by ignorance and prejudice.  Misconceptions about God are rampant and God is dishonored.  The Word has come to shed light where only darkness has reigned prior to His arrival.  But the text ends with the sad declaration, “they fail to recognize the light.”  They miss the point of His coming.  They misunderstand His message.  They close their eyes to the light and miss the salvation that has arrived with His coming.   Don’t miss it yourself.  Open your eyes to the light!

John 1:4

Life is in him, and that Life is the Eternal Source of darkness-piercing Light for all of humanity.  John 1:4 EFP

The Word is forever.  The Word is Creator.  The apostle John has made two fundamental assertions about the Word, but has yet to identify who the Word is.  Today he adds two more divine qualities to the two already ascribed:  The Word is “The Life” and the Word is “The Light.” 

I actually see these two qualities as subsets of the previous declaration that the Word is “Creator.”  It is as if John is making a reference to Creation and expanding the direct association of the Word to the creative activities of that first week on this planet.  When God came to the moment of creation it was he that brought life to an orb that was “dark and void” (Genesis 1:2).  Life could not have begun without the presence of God initiating it.  In fact, on the first day the creation narrative states that God said, “Let there be light!” and light appeared where no light was present before. I believe this light was not associated with any external source other than the life-giving light of God’s presence.

I cannot help but see a passionate desire by the aging apostle to draw from that allusion to creation in order to establish an even greater truth related to the spiritual re-creative work of the Word on behalf of the same humanity He created to begin with.  Think about it, the Creator becomes the re-Creator.  The light of creation becomes the light that re-directs his lost creation.  The Life-Giver breathes life into a dying planet.  Something amazing it at work!  The Word of God is ever-working (John 5:17).  It is in His nature to work.  We are the focus of that never-ceasing activity.  It sure is nice to know that God works so hard in order for us to fully live the life He created us to live and to clearly see the beauty He offers in exchange for the ashes of our death-bound existence without Him.  It sure beats languishing blindly, groping our way through the darkness of sin and death.  That, after all, becomes our ultimate choice—the choice that John is placing before us.

John 1:3

All creation exists as a result of the Word; in fact, nothing created was ever created without the Word creating it.  John 1:3 EFP

The apostle John is being quite systematic in his approach.  He is building a case for the total divinity of the Word.  He leads off with a statement of faith (verse 1).  Now he is breaking it down (verses 2ff).  These are qualities of God being applied to this mysterious “Word” who has yet to be identified.  There is no question John wants to make sure there no doubt remains about the status of this entity.

The first divine quality ascribed to the Word is “The One who Is Forever.”  Just as God has no beginning or end, so the Word exists as long as God exists.  The moment when God did not exist cannot be fathomed since without God nothing is.  Existing for eternity past is a quality reserved for God alone.  All creation finds its beginning in God, and flows from God, but God, in turn, has no source.  God forever is—period. The Word shares that quality.

There is now a second quality that is being attributed to the Word —“The Creator.” While we as created beings can create from material that exists, only God claims to create ex nihilo—out of nothing.  It is an innate quality of God to create.  It can be said that God has forever been creating, first the matter from which all other things have come to be, but also at times simply by speaking them into existence (See Genesis 1, Psalm 33:9).  God is defined by that which He creates.  Now the Word is given that title, not because it needs to be, but because there is no way to separate the two.  The Word is Creator. 

The statement is comprehensive in nature.  It does not limit the creative activity of the Word to what was originally created, but to all that is created.  In a sense, all the ability of the created to subsequently create is derived from God.  We create because the Word who originally created us placed the desire and ability to create within us—a little piece of the Word.  I like that.  We are undeniably like our Creator—He made sure of that.  How does that impact what we do with that ability?

John 1:2

Did you get that?  The One called the Word is with God before time begins.  John 1:2 EFP

Just in case you didn’t get it the first time, John repeats himself.  “The Word was in the beginning with God” is the succinct statement of the apostle.  In typical Jewish literary technique, he repeats for emphasis.  If you want anything emphasized—Repeat it!

Why does the apostle feel it is necessary to repeat this simple statement?  The Word was present with God from the beginning; before anything else existed; before creation; before any light existed other than that which emanated from divinity itself.  Yet, repeat it is what John does.  I know I have to repeat things to make sure I am being heard. 

Perhaps it is because the apostle was inspired to make crystal-clear what would one day be questioned and attacked.  This foundational statement of faith would be in danger of being minimized and relegated to the heap of irrelevance.  But the aging disciple of Jesus knew this could never be, since there was something significant beyond the words that impacts the entire picture he was beginning to paint.  For the salvific masterpiece to be revealed in all its glory, the total divinity of the Word needed to be established beyond a shadow of a doubt.  He has only hinted as to the identity of the Word; that revelation will come later.  Whoever the Word is, he inhabits eternity.