Jesus and Beginnings
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. —John 1:1-3
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands. . . —1 John 1:1
Now when John says that Jesus“was from the beginning” and“in the beginning,” that’s a really important truth. The Bible teaches (Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 11:3, Psalm 33:9) that somewhere in eternity past, Jesus Christ the Lord spoke and the worlds were formed. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is very God of very God. Never was there a time when He was not! He is not a contingent Being; we are contingent beings. We are contingent upon the grace of God. We are dependent upon the creation of God. We rely upon oxygen. We’re contingent upon a lot of things. God depends on nothing. And Jesus Christ is God. That’s what John is saying.
When John speaks of Jesus in John 1:1 he speaks of His eternality saying, “That which was from the beginning with God.” Now we’re into it! This beginning was a person“which we have heard.” See, the disciples—they heard some things. That doesn’t mean hearing like some people hear me during sermons—there but really not hearing me because their minds are already into something else. When he says, “We have heard,” he means, “We connected. We remember. We got it. We were into it.”
But not just heard, but “Which we have seen with our eyes” because as good as hearing is—Jesus would say, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15). Do you know what’s even better than hearing? Seeing! Hearing’s good. But seeing and hearing is way better. But he just didn’t see and hear: “which we looked upon and have touched with our hands.” Seeing and hearing is good until you get to touch. What John saying is, “I didn’t take a mail-order course about Jesus, okay? I didn’t get this out of a book. I was there, man! I was with the One who began it all! I had a real, personal experience with Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the ultimate beginning. You haven’t really had a beginning until you have met Him. If you haven’t, you can meet Him by faith today. Acknowledge your sin and need for a savior and accept God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life.—James MacDonald
Journal:
· What was the thing about Jesus that most drew me to Him?
· What do I most appreciate about Jesus today?
Prayer
Father, I am humbled today to think that the One who spoke the universe and all its parts into existence also wants to call me friend and walk beside me each day. I’m thankful for all He did and does for me, and I’m overwhelmed by the fact that He is willing to live in me, guiding and strengthening me for each day. Thank You for the permission to place all my cares and needs into Your hands under His name and authority. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
