In the beginning was the Word

... and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (John 1:1,2). Someone has said the gospel of John is so simple a child can understand it, and so deep you could drown an elephant it it. The prologue (vv1-18) is akin to the overture in an opera, many of the major themes of the gospel are encapsulated in it. Here we see the deity (the Word was God), and the pre-existance of Christ (with Him in the beginning). He is with Father God (verse 2) but separate from Him (made Him known), but in intimate relationship with Him (in His bosom verse 18). Also in verse 18, He “exegesato” Him. That is He exegetes Him, explains Him, interprets Him, declares Him. Jesus could say to Philip “If you have seen Me, You have seen the Father” (14:9). The theology of John is thoroughly Trinitarian, and we meet the third person of the Trinity at His baptism (verse 32). We also learn more about the Holy Spirit from John's gospel than from the other three put together (Chapters 14 through 16).

“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (overcome or extinguish) it” (verses 3,4). So Jesus who is the Word (verse 14) which spoke into the darkness, and all things (nothing without Him) including light, came into existence through His spoken Word (Genesis 1:3). And darkness does not extinguish light, rather light extinguishes darkness. There is no contest, and in the same way there is no contest between spiritual light and spiritual darkness. And the powers of darkness have power only to the extent that we allow them to have it. And this is why we need to know that we who believe who are born again through His blood have the right and the authority to be children of the living God (verse 12). And if children then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). In particular we have been given authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19).

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, but the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, 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 (verses 10- 13). He was in the World, in fact the Jesus who is the Word, became flesh (verse 14), He became one of us. He is full of Grace and truth, and out of this fullness He freely gives us grace upon grace (verse 16). Many did not and do not receive Him. The whole thing about free will was and is risky. But the privileges and the glory and the future and the suffering of those who do receive Him, are not to be compared with with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

Lord Jesus, I am reminded again this morning that salvation is free, but it will cost us everything that we are and have. But on the other hand the eternal cost of not receiving You is unthinkable. Help me Lord to choose You and Your will and Your Kingdom each and every day. And thank You Lord that when we see it, it is so very, very clear. The Christian life is not easy Lord until we totally surrender. But then in the words of Roland Baler “I can't believe I am truly free to choose to do Your perfect and lovely good pleasure. In Your lovely Name I pray!