I am glad you decided to join us as we take this adventure to fellowship with God by engaging His Word. Here are some thoughts from me after reading this first chapter. I invite you to put the things that stick out through this journey of reading the book of John over the next 21 days.
When I first ever read the first chapter of John, I was really confused because I wondered why does the John, the author, address Jesus as “the word?” Why doesn’t he just call Jesus by his name? As I consider this I ask the reverse question that is why does he call Jesus the word? Well, I think this has to do with Jesus role in the world, and also it brings insight into the way the Word, the Bible, plays in our life. First of all think about how the world was created by the spoken word of God. This is a fascinating connection because since God used words to create the world, He is also using the Word to restore the world back to Himself.
We can also make another connection between the Bible being God’s Holy Word and Jesus being described as the word. Jesus is both God and man who made his dwelling among us. Well, God’s Word is totally inspired by God through man. As we go on this adventure the next month reading God’s Word, realize that in many ways you are meeting with God directly. As I think of this it makes me shutter as well as get a buzz in my heart that I am not reading the Bible, simply to learn about God, or hear stories of Jesus, but rather when I read His Word I get to meet with God Himself. See this journey of reading His Word less as a time of devotions to show your dedication to Christianity, but rather a fellowship time with your Father.
The key point to this first chapter and the verse that sets up the whole book is verse 14. As one version puts it, “God moved into the neighborhood.” Think about God moving into Carter Hall and living here at Cal. HELLO! Crazy thought isn’t it. That’s the kind of God we serve. The kind who John the Baptist(who is not the John who wrote the book) can say I’m not worthy to untie his sandals, yet He willing to come into our neighborhood.
I look forward to going on this journey with you. Please post thoughts and let’s take this journey as a community.
1 comments:
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
For some reason the first thing that came to mind when I read this chapter was this or it's one of the many things that came to me. The way I understand this is that Jesus is life and the life is the light of man (AKA all human kind??). So does that mean that Jesus came down to Earth not only as a human but he also had the hope and dreams of all men? I only say this because maybe Jesus came down not as a typical human but with the human spirit and our attitudes and something else??? I'm not sure why that verse came out to me but I thought it was pretty interesting!
The other thing I love about this chapter is it says in 1:5 "The light shines in the darkness" and that Jesus is the light. I know that in people's lives there always some kind of darkness in our lives and that things sometimes goes wrong but I think this would change the way that most people think. I mean I know that when I thought of Jesus (way back) as an old historical figure that was a great person that still worked in our lives and that we all were trying to become like. But to imagine that Jesus is a person that can give us strength no matter what is an inspiring thing! Plus when I was going to college both here and before I always asked myself and seen that on blogs and Facebook that the "The Lord gives me strength" and I always looked like Huh?? How are you getting strength from the bible? Not sure if this is making much sense but hopefully it is! :)
And then the next verse that caught my interest was 23 John answered by quoting the prophet Isaiah: "I am 'the voice of someone shouting in the desert: Make a straight path for the Lord to travel!' " My question for this is did God (The Real GOD) tell John that this was he was supposed to do?? Or did Jesus?? Because I think something lacking today is that obviously we do not hear from God or Jesus direct (at least I don't think so) and it always interested me in how people were called from God himself.
And finally this one really caught my interest: I did not know who he would be, but I came baptizing with water in order to make him known to the people of Israel." I think in the Christian faith some people's lives are like that! Most people do not know who or what Jesus is but we prepare the way to make it known to people.....
And then it says in the next verse: I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and stay on him. So is this to say that the Spirit is a real thing that we could see??? I mean in today's world the Spirit is around and still working but I think this is the first time I've actually read about how the Spirit was actually SEEN with human eyes!
The other part I liked about this chapter was when Nathaniel got kinda smart &$$ and said there's something good coming from Nazareth. And then when Nathaniel came back Jesus said I have known you before you were under the fig tree. Nathaniel wasn't aware of Jesus but Jesus was watching him!
And then finally the last verse Jesus says "I am telling you the truth: you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man". I mean as a college student I don't really think about where Jesus came from and where he came from. I tend to focus on the here and now.
But it shows very vividly how Jesus came down to Earth and influenced everybody to follow him. Plus I know in today's world there are people attacking Jesus saying he might not have been the Son of God that he was a simple prophet or that he was simply crazy. I mean is today's world so skeptical and dark that they have so much darkness that they can't believe anything?? Ought to be interesting to see what happens in Chapter 2.
Talk on this tomorrow. Peace out!
Tony
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