Reading

• Mark 1:1
• John 1:1-18
• Luke 1:1-4

Devotional

The apostle John opens his account of the earthly life of Jesus in the same way that GOD began the book of Genesis—at the creation. Prior to becoming a man, Jesus was not “Jesus.” In eternity, Jesus was “the Word.” The Greek word for “word” is “logos.” The word logos can also mean “reason,” as in an expression of thought or idea.

GOD is the most supreme and complex Being in existence, which isn’t really surprising because, after all, He’s GOD. It doesn’t take long for a person to begin stumbling over themselves as they try to verbally explain GOD. The truth is that we don’t fully understand GOD, because our minds aren’t capable of fully understanding Him. However, we can (and should) understand what He’s saying to us in His revealed Word. The message for us here regarding Jesus is this:

1. Jesus is GOD.
2. Before birth, Jesus was the Word.
3. As the Word, Jesus was intimately involved in the creation of all things.

Jesus is also life. Notice that John didn’t say that Jesus has life or that He did live at some point; no, Jesus is life! The more completely we know Jesus the more deeply we experience life. You see, life is so much more than just breathing and existing. Jesus came to show us that in ways we could physically see. Today we read these things and we see by faith. One day we will all see Jesus by sight again.

As the life, Jesus shined like a blinding bright light among the darkness of men. The darkness didn’t understand it. Jesus came to become the King of the Jews and His people rejected Him. But others have received Him and they are blessed with the opportunity to become adopted children of GOD as a result.

John and his friends saw the glory of Jesus. Jesus was special, something the world had never seen (and hasn’t physically seen since), and even though they didn’t understand it at the time, the disciples knew Jesus was special. Jesus is full of grace and truth. He’s the only One who has seen GOD, because He was there with the Father in heaven. And Jesus has declared (that is, shown to us) the Father.

Who can read these truths regarding Jesus and withhold rejoicing? How amazing is our GOD, and our Savior Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, Immanuel, God with us!