Jesus Revealed Pt. 1 - Jesus: God Manifested!Sample
In the Beginning...
Thoughts on the Passage
There is so many things here. I will go through just a few of them.
First, Jesus is described as the Word of God. This is unusual because it is not a typical concept that we see anywhere else in the Bible. John is actually taking a Greek philosophy concept and applying to Jesus. There were two Greek words that we translated into English as “Word”. Jesus is called the Word (Greek word – Logos) and this has a specific meaning. Logos often means a written word, but it can also be used as a spoken word and at times other things (like the person Jesus). It means a physical representation of a thought or concept. So a written word is putting our thoughts down on paper (a physical representation of my thoughts). A spoken word expresses the thoughts of our heart and mind (a verbal expression of our thoughts). Jesus is the physical expression of God. We cannot understand God, so God gave Jesus as a physical expression of who He is and what He is like. We will see Jesus in just this way in the book of John.
Second, Jesus is the creator – as the Word. He created this world as an expression of the heart of God to create a beautiful world and put us in it as people. It was not a random act, it put God’s expression into reality.
Third, in Jesus there is life – the Word of God releases life to this world. Life is not just existence, it is much greater. Life releases light to mankind – it shines in a dark world and opens up the opportunity for life to mankind. God seeks to release life into mankind – it is the desire of His heart, and Jesus as the Word of God releases it to us.
Fourth, the darkness cannot quench this light. Light is not the opposite of darkness, darkness is the absence of light. So when we Jesus comes into our world, our darkness can not blot it out – it must disappear. So it is with the life that God gives through Jesus. It cannot be quenched by darkness, instead this life removes darkness in our lives.
Fifth, Jesus – the Word of God – is not just as expression of God, He is God. To fully express God to us, Jesus must be fully God. Nothing created could express God completely. Jesus must be God to do this.
Summary, Jesus is the Word of God – the expression of God in all His passion and love for us. He wanted us to not just see Jesus, but to receive life (God’s life). The darkness we have (we cannot understand God on our own) is removed when we see Jesus.
The only thing that can stop light – is blindness. Yes, many people are blind. But we will see that Jesus can heal blindness as well.
Application to our lives
We are adopted sons and daughters of God. How well do we speak as a Logos word to our world? It will not be a perfect Word like Jesus, but it is a word. Do we release light that dispels darkness? Do we reveal the heart of God to our world? Do we open the door for Jesus to shine with perfect clarity on others?
Let’s be a word of God to our world.
Time to Pray
Father, Jesus looks just like You because He is who You are. I cannot understand that very well. I just know that He represents You perfectly because He is Your Son. So today I ask that Jesus - the Word – reveal Your heart to me. Reveal Your heart for mankind. Reveal Your passion for me. It is greater than I can comprehend, but when I look at Jesus, I will see it. Shine the light of Jesus on my darkness – and remove it. Then You will become clearer to me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture
About this Plan
We are all born of a woman—an unchanging fact. We are the manifestation of both parents, and as we grow, we see both physical and characteristic similarities. Jesus, although born of a woman, was not the manifestation of Mary and Joseph – but of God Himself. In Plan 1 of 19, John shows us how Jesus isn’t just the Son of God – but God Himself.
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