Day 2: John 1:1-18
The identity of Jesus and what that means for us, is the reason John wrote his gospel.
Demonstrating that Jesus is God so that we can have life and forgiveness through him, is the effect John was hoping for – John expressed that clearly, later in the gospel (20:30-31).
And John wasted no time getting to the point when he started writing his gospel, laying out in this opening section the themes he would return to time, and time again:
- Jesus existed in the beginning (v.1)
- Jesus was with God the Father from the beginning (v.1 &2 )
- Jesus not only was WITH God, but he was also God himself (v.1)
- Everything was made through Jesus (v.3)
- Jesus is the source of all life (v.4)
- Jesus is THE light that we all need (v.4)
- Jesus has, is and will defeat evil (v.5)
- The world belongs to Jesus (v.10)
- Becoming children of God is the gift of Jesus to give (v.12)
- Jesus took the form of a human and lived on earth (v.14)
- Jesus – while on earth – showed his glory (v.14)
- Jesus is the only Son of God the Father and he came from God the Father (v.14)
- Jesus came to earth full of grace and truth (v.14)
- Jesus became the source of grace and truth on earth – it wasn’t just words (v.16-17)
- Jesus is the only one who has seen God the Father… (v.18)
- Nobody is closer to the Father than Jesus (v.18)
- It is through Jesus that we may know God the Father (v.18)
John had a point to make, and he figured if a point was worth making once, it was worth making about another 16 times, immediately.
We can see here from John that his gospel wasn’t a whimsical act of recording history, or a tribute to a wonderful man, but a very concerted, highly concentrated attempt to help you, make you see the truth about who Jesus was before he came, who he was when he came, and who he is now.
Which raises a question we will come back to repeatedly as we work our way through the gospels: who do YOU think Jesus is?
Paul T Reynolds 
It struck me again this morning the mind-blowing-ness of: 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Thank you Jesus and please make me a real Christian!!!
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