In the Beginning
Starting Unit Two, the lesson from April 7 takes from John 1:1-13. This is a ‘milk’ lesson - that is, something that new believers can take, as well as older believers that need a review.
In the first few verses of John’s introduction, we get the message that Jesus is God. John said to his Jewish readers who had an Old Testament background that Jesus had a history, and it went all the way back to creation.
John 1:1 NIRV - In the beginning, the Word was already there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Genesis 1:1 NIRV - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Note the similarity here. Have you ever asked yourself, “what beginning?” The beginning of what we call Creation - everything - the universe and all that it contains. The beginning is the moment that everything we could ever see, feel, smell or hear was created by God!
God doesn’t have a beginning, because He exists outside of time. Time itself is something that was created. We experience it as one moment after the next. God is not confined to this, and He sees the beginning all the way to the end! That’s how He knows what is going to happen and could tell the prophets.
We like to say that God is bigger - but that’s not technically correct. He exists outside of the universe. Big is not a good adjective, but it does help our mortal minds understand it a little better.
Jesus is God
Back to the verses, we know God created everything. John is telling us that Jesus was not created, like the moon and stars - Jesus was there before time began, because Jesus is God.
John 1:3 NIRV - All things were made through him. Nothing that has been made was made without him.
John is really driving it home here! Not only was Jesus ‘around’ but He was active in Creation itself. All things - ALL things. What was created without Him? Nothing.
Life and Light
John 1:4-5 NIRV - Life was in him, and that life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness. But the darkness has not overcome the light.
John is telling us that Jesus has life within Him. Not death, not despair, but life! And that life was a light in the darkness.
Think for a moment about this. Literally speaking, darkness is where you can’t see. It usually associated with cold.
John is not talking about darkness as in ‘the absence of light’ as we would call a dark room. He is referring to the darkness that we feel when we feel like the world is crashing in on us. When we feel alone… scared… hurt…
The World’s Darkness
Darkness also refers to Sin. When we wallow in our sinful ways, we are living in darkness. We are refusing to look toward the light.
If you wake up at night and the electricity is off, you stumble in the darkness. What is the first thing you reach for? A flashlight, or your smart phone. Darkness = bad. Light = good.
Now think about someone turning a light on but you shut your eyes tight. You know you are going to stumble, but you feel comfortable in the dark. You can pretend the light is not there and ignore it.
This is the way the world looks at Jesus. Jesus says it is wrong to steal, to lie, to hate someone. The world says it is okay to cheat someone, as long as you are not caught. To lie about the reason you are late for work. That it’s okay to hate someone that doesn’t look like you or believe the way you do.
Some people will shut their eyes to the light, because the light shows them the truth.
Eyes Open or Shut?
Have you shut your eyes to the truth? Have you turned toward the world instead of Jesus? Perhaps you have never met Jesus - you’ve never even given Him or God a second thought. Let Him open your eyes! We have ALL sinned and we have ALL shut our eyes. He has paid the price for our sin. Turn to Him and be forgiven!
Maybe you’ve already met Him - chosen to follow Him and have decided to shut your eyes to part of the truth. There are Ten Commandments, and maybe you’re keeping eight of them, but one or two? That won’t hurt anything, right? You’re shutting your eyes to them. Open them NOW and ask Jesus to forgive you!
My Prayer
Grace to you and the Love of Jesus! Please reach out if I can help in any way!
Perfectly said! I wish people would stop trying to analyze and understand God. Because, they cannot. I wish I could just sit back and enjoy the comfort of knowing that he’s there for each other to believe.