Saturday, July 18, 2015

word:

ya know, John doesn't hang back at the beginning of his gospel.

He doesn't make any attempt to slide into this long narrative about the life of Jesus.

He jumps right in with a towering & definite statement about the personhood of Jesus,

     a statement that is at the very heart of what everyone has thought &/or said about identity of Jesus.

So, brace yourself - hear it is!



John 1

1
 In the beginning the Word already existed.

  The Word was with God,

  and the Word was God.

2
 He existed in the beginning with God.

3
 God created everything through him,

  and nothing was created except through him.

4
 The Word gave life to everything that was created,

  and his life brought light to everyone.

5
 The light shines in the darkness,

  and the darkness can never extinguish it.


  6 God sent a man,

        John the Baptist,

     7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.

8 John himself was not the light;

     he was simply a witness to tell about the light.

9 The one who is the true light,

     who gives light to everyone,

     was coming into the world.


10 He came into the very world he created,

        but the world didn't recognize him.

11
 He came to his own people,

        and even they rejected him.

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him,

        he gave the right to become children of God.

13 They are reborn;

       not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan,

       but a birth that comes from God.


  14 So the Word became human

        and made his home among us.

He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.

And we have seen his glory,

     the glory of the Father's one and only Son.


15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds,

      "This is the one I was talking about when I said,

           'Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.'"


16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.

17 For the law was given through Moses,

        but God's unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.


18 No one has ever seen God.

But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart.

     He has revealed God to us.


Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!

Does that roll your socks down, or what?!

Now, go back & read it again & write down the verses that stand out.

No comments: