This is how everything got rolling, at least according to John. It’s a story of a promise and an ironic twist that can give us hope.

John 1: 1-18 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 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 received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ “16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

As P.C. as I Get

Not going to lie to you kids, lots to cover above and just full disclosure I’m not sure that what I’m seeing you’re going to be seeing and it doesn’t mean I’ve got it all wrapped up in the ramblings below. Your thoughts are at least as accurate as mine. (No I did not receive full political correctness in the mail yesterday)

Who is that guy?

There’s tons of good news in John 1: 1-18 not the least of which is that the grace we receive every day comes from God in the person of Jesus Christ. The crazy thing is that even though everything came from him the world didn’t recognize him.   Even though he came to be with his own, us humans, we didn’t recognize him any more than the darkness understands the light (which is Jesus). The good news for us is that even without recognition, understanding or even acceptance that Light STILL shines!

Some things never change

It was true when Jesus walked the earth as a man and it’s still true today as you and I live here on this earth. In fact the very truth that God’s own Son met with all of the above should give us hope beyond measure. See as we go through our lives doing what we can, being who God wants us to be and praising the God who had us as an idea (just as he did his own Son) we can be secure that our trials, our difficulties, our frustrations, our hurts, all the stuff we encounter; is the same thing that Jesus ran into. The great part is that because he came and lived and taught and died for us our efforts although flawed can have meaning. You see? There’s that grace thing again and I’m here to tell you: No bigger gift. It’s a lot to digest, I know, but it’s more than worth it.

Something to think about

The idea of Jesus, as the Son of God, being here on earth is sometimes a bit hard to comprehend. Why would we, knowing that our God is a loving God, not believe that our Father in heaven would do everything he could so that we might know him and understand his love for us?