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Devotional Reading Proverbs 8:22-36
Main/Key Scripture John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
Printed Text
John 1:1-5 (KJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Companion Text
Hebrews 1:1-3 (KJV)
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
A. Introduction
I. Purpose :The First Witness of John the Apostle,
The first chapter of the Book of John is a critical chapter in the Holy Bible. It is misquoted by several other religious groups (cults) or just overlooked and not recognized at all. This passage is one of the defining points of Christianity in all of the Scriptures. In fact, it probably reaches the highest of human thought. What is the thought that reaches the height of human concepts? It is this: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is...
the Word of God• the Creator of Life• the Very Being and Essence of Life ,Jesus Christ is God in the Flesh.
This truth does not require deep thought or some logical explanation for anyone to understand. It is setting the foundation for all that follows in the New Testament and all confirms all that was written in the Old Testament. A quick reading of this passage leaves a person with mere words being spoken and might have them disinterested, not even close to understanding what is being said. However, the importance of knowing the truth is at the very foundation of life. This cannot be overstated, for it determines a person’s destiny. Jesus Christ is the Word of God; He is Eternal, Creator of all things and is Life. People must hear, receive, and understand this knowledge to avoid being lost forever in (Darkness) a place absent from the Grace and Love of God. Darkness is not just the absence of light but also the absence of knowledge. Proverbs 2:9-13 Hosea 4:6 2 Corinthians 4:6
II. Background Biography
Apostle John: The name means God’s gift · John, Apostle and Evangelist; son of Zebedee, Matt. 4:21; a fisherman of Galilee, Luke 5:1-10; a favorite apostle, noted for zeal and firmness, John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7. He wrote as a main theme about Jesus’ love. As he stated in John 21:20 “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. Jesus’ love is clear throughout the Bible, especially in the Gospels , it is John’s focus to let us know for a certainty that God loves us . You know this in reading John 3:16-17.
John remained at Jerusalem till about a.d. 65, after which he went to Ephesus. Later John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos, where he writes the Revelation of Jesus Christ a later release around a.d. 96. John’s other writings were written in Ephesus. The fourth of the Gospels, the Book of John reflecting Jesus Christ’s ministry in Judea and the three epistles. I, II, III John.
The Word Greek word transliteration : (logos) Strong’s Number G3056, from G3004 (lego) meaning something said including the thought , by implication a topic, subject of discourse , also reasoning, the mental capability of thought or motive.
B. Enlightenment (Open Our Eyes)
The answer to all that exist in this world rested in the understanding of the Word, for the Word was understood by both Gentile and Jew.
Verse 1
John used this common idea of the Jews and Gentiles to present Jesus Christ to them so they would understand. To understand that in the life of Jesus Christ (the Son), that he expressed the fullness of God (the Father ) in speaking to the world, speaking and demonstrating just what God wanted to say to man and do for man.
God has given us much more than mere words in the Holy Scriptures. God has given us Jesus Christ is, The Word. As The Word, Jesus Christ was the picture, the expression, the pattern, the very image of what God wished to say to man. The very image within God's mind of the Ideal Man was demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the perfect expression of all that God wishes man to be. Jesus Christ was God's utterance, God's speech, God's Word to man. Jesus Christ was the Word of God who came down to earth in human flesh to bring man into a face to face relationship with God. Jesus was the Word of God who came to earth to live out the Logos Word of God.
Verse 2
John wanted to assure his Jewish reader that at the start of all things was God and his Word. This shows the perfect fellowship of God the Father and God the Son in eternity. John faced a serious problem in writing to the Gentiles, (non-Jewish world). Most Gentiles had never heard of the Messiah or Savior who was expected by the Jews. The idea was foreign to them. However, the Messiah was the very center of Christianity.
The Jews saw a word as something more than a mere sound. They saw and knew the Word as God, from the teachings of the prophets especially from Moses’ Book of the Law. To the Jews God Word was alive with real actions accompanying it. The Word existed with power—it possessed the power to express something and to do something. This is seen in the Old Testament where The Word of God was seen as the creative power of God, the power that made the world and gave light and life to every man. Genesis 1:3-11; Psalm 33:6; Psalm 107:20; Psalm 147:15;Isaiah 55:11).
Verse 3
How was John going to present Christ so that a Gentile could understand? John used the Gentiles’ understanding of the spoken word.
The Gentiles or Greeks saw the Word more philosophically. When they looked at the world of nature, they saw that things were not disorganized, but organized. Everything had its place and moved or grew in a logical manner, including the stars above and the vegetation below. Therefore, the Greeks said that behind the world was a mind, a reason, a power that made and kept things in their proper place. This creative and sustaining mind, this supreme reason, this unlimited power was said to be the Word. The Word was also seen as the power that enabled men to think and reason. It was the power that brought light and understanding to man's mind and enabled him to express his jumbled up thoughts in an orderly fashion. More importantly, the Word was the power by which men came into contact with God and expressed their feelings to God
Verse 4
This simple statement by John has turned the entire world upside down.
Man has live a life full of unanswered questions. Questions such as: Why am I here? For what purpose do I exist? What is the meaning of life?
John answered those question with the simple statement in him (Christ) was life.
Life is the quality and essence, the energy and power, the force and principle of being and John was saying all of this rest in Jesus Christ. Without Christ, there would be no life whatsoever. Life is in Him; within His very being all things existed and have their meaning or being in Him. Proverbs 8:22-31
Life is all that a man must be and possess in order to live perfectly. This is what is meant by life. Life is completeness of being, absolute satisfaction, the fullness of all good, and the possession of all good things. Life is perfect love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Galatians 5:22-23).
Whatever, man may think of as life, it exists in Jesus Christ. Even the legitimate cravings of man that are sometimes entangled with evil—such as power, fame and wealth—are all included in the life given by Jesus Christ.
Verse 5
To understand this verse, one must look at the earlier statement by John when he says; the life was the light of men. Jesus Christ is the incarnation of Life and that in Jesus resides the truth of the Father’s will for the life of man to live or walk in light not in darkness.
The very nature of Light is to reveal, strip away (John 3:19-20), to root out chaos (Genesis 1:2-3), and to guide and set free. (John 12:36, 46).
It shows the way, the truth, and the life for man (John 14:6).
However, the nature of darkness is to block out, hid cover up, mislead and restrict, to bind up or the blind. As shown in Scripture to describe both the state or position and the works of man. The natural man walks in ignorance, of Jesus Christ, of God as revealed by Jesus Christ and of the real purpose and destiny of life as shown by Jesus Christ.
Darkness is real by the existence of sin in the life of man. This causes man to stumble and fumble about in this world. He knows nothing other than the things of this world as he sees them. His only hope is the hope of living a long life before death overtakes him. He walks in darkness, ignorant of real life now and hereafter. (John 12:35, 46).
1. The darkness refers to the world of the natural man who does not know Jesus Christ and is therefore hostile to light.(John 8:12).
2. The darkness symbolizes unpreparedness when evil occurs (1 Thes. 5:4-8).
3. The darkness is loved by men. Sinful men do their evil deeds under the cover of darkness. Men therefore hate the light because the light uncovers their evil behavior (John 3:19-20).
C. Practical Application- Faith Without Works
· Discuss your understanding of this lesson.
· How does this lesson relate to you?
· Would apply this to your life? Why? Or Why not?
D. Summary
Jesus Christ is the Light and therefore the source of Life: He is the way to life and He is the truth of life. He is the very substance of life, its very being and energy. Therefore, man has a way out of darkness. For darkness can never overtake light or ever understand light naturally or spiritually when the Life is in Christ Jesus.
(John 5:26; 1 John 1:2 John 17:2-3)
This is the very thing that is unique about life—it is eternal. It lasts forever and it is rewarding. It will eventually exalt the believer to the highest life and place and position. (Rev. 21:1-5.)
Jesus Christ is the Mind, the Reason, and the Power that both made and keeps things in their proper order. John 5:22
Jesus Christ is the Light, the Illumination, and the Power that penetrates the darkness of the world. 1Peter 2:9, Colossians 1:13, 2 Corinthians 4:6
E. Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
I come to you now with a heart of thanksgiving, for you have given of yourself through your love for me Jesus Christ so that I may have life and have it more abundantly. Teach me in the way I should go , that I may fulfill the purpose you have for me. Thank You Lord. This I pray in Jesus name Amen
