When we read a biography of a person, the story usually begins at the start of that person’s life. The Gospels are biographies of Jesus Christ, and the Gospels of Matthew and Luke do that, telling various accounts of Jesus’s birth and even a few events in His childhood. However, in our Scripture passage today we read an account by the Apostle John that goes back all the way before creation, declaring how Jesus, as the second Person of the Trinity, was there before the beginning, before the universe even existed. Jesus always was, and always will be. At a specific time in history, Jesus took human form and became a man, while remaining the Lord of glory. Although He took upon Himself full humanity and lived as a man, Jesus never ceased to be the eternal God who always existed.
In verse one we see John referring to Jesus as the “Word”. This term is an expression that both Jews and Greeks of his day used to refer to God’s wisdom, reason, and intellect. The Word was an agent in creation (Psalm 33:6), and was the source of God’s message to the people through prophets and His Law.
A main focus in our passage, and throughout John’s Gospel, is that of Jesus being the Light. We’ve all been in a dark room, or out in the dark at night. There have been countless times I have stubbed toes, while stumbling around in the dark at night. We also stumble around in the spiritual darkness of sin in our life and this world. Just as we turn on lights in our homes and outside at night to prevent getting hurt, we need to look for the Light of Jesus in our life to avoid falling into sin. We need to seek out His Words in Scripture, and He will lead us to His truth. Walking in the dark can bring fear. However, if we follow Jesus, we will never walk in darkness. The light of Christ goes before us. His light shines in the darkness, which cannot overcome it. We don’t need to fear. If we are in Jesus’s light, He will give us safety and comfort.
Have you ever noticed that when you open a door to a dark room or closet, the darkness doesn’t come streaming out, making part of the lighted room dark. No, rather the light from the lighted room streams into the dark closet and brings some of that light to illuminate the darkness. In a sense the light is stronger than the dark. Jesus is the Light of this sin darkened world. Satan, the prince of darkness, tried to defeat Jesus, but he could not overcome the Light of the world (vs. 5). The darkness of evil never has and never will overcome or extinguish God’s light. When we follow Jesus, the true Light, we avoid walking in the dark and falling into sin. When we stay in the Light of Jesus, despair cannot overwhelm us. Once we have come into the Light by accepting Jesus as our Savior, our responsibility now is to reflect that light out into the world, just as the moon reflects the light of the sun (vs. 7-8).
John continues on in our passage by telling us that though Jesus, as God, created the world and all of humanity, mankind has neither recognized nor accepted Him (vs. 10). His own people, the nation Jesus was born into and who were called apart by God, did not receive Him (vs. 11). Though they had the Sacred Scriptures which spoke of Him, and were to be His messengers to prepare the world for the Savior, they still did not accept Jesus, choosing instead to reject their Messiah. However, the good news that we read here is that whoever does receive Jesus, accepting Him as their personal Savior, will become a child of God (vs. 12). Only those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior are born again become children of God. God is creator of everyone. Everyone is His creation, and He loves everyone, but not everyone is His child. As stated in verse 12, only those who have received Jesus as their Savior are children of God.
As John closes this passage he tells us how Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, became fully human (vs. 14). He experienced life as we do - temptations, grief, sadness, happiness. He experienced the same things any other human experiences, except sin. Jesus is more than just a great teacher or prophet. He is “God with us” - Emmanuel (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is the exact representation of God because He is God (Hebrews 1:1-3).
If you haven’t already, turn to Jesus as your Savior. Walk into His light, and out of the darkness of this sin-cursed world. Become a child of God, which would be the best way to start off this new year!
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