Tag Archive for John 1

See the Eternal Son

2017-10-11 Devotional with Hymn, One with Our Father No comments

from the book, ONE WITH OUR FATHER
John 1:1-9; 17:24; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:15-17 

There is but one God, the Father,
from whom are all things and
we exist for Him;
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
by whom are all things, and
we exist through Him. (1 Corinthians 8:6, NASB)

See the Son in His eternal magnificence.
Nothing existed before Him.
From the very beginning,
He is with God, and
He is God.
He is the Father’s only Son,
one with Him in every way.
The Father and Son are two persons,
not interchangeable,
yet nothing separates them.
They are one substance.

The Son is the Word of the Father,
sovereign and
creative.
He is completely responsive to the Father.
All the Father’s purposes, all His heart,
the Son brings to full and perfect reality.

See the Son:
all the Father’s life and
all the Father’s light,
pure, unborrowed, uncreated.
See the Son,
overflowing with all the infinite wealth that is the Father.
See the Son,
totally invested,
totally absorbed in the loving will of His Father.

Father, I want to know Christ.
I want a living share in His relationship with You,
in His glad obedience to You, whatever the cost.
I want to share in His Word,
His death,
His resurrection,
His Spirit, and
His eternal glory in Your presence.
Father, I ask for a
constant and complete oneness with You
in Jesus Christ. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: We Can Know Our God Transcendent
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

from Prepare Yourself for Worship

2017-01-14 Devotional with Hymn, Prepare Yourself for Worship No comments

Prepare for Epiphany

Father, we who walked in darkness
have seen a Great Light.
The Sun of Righteousness has risen over us.
The Light of all the nations has dawned.

Your glory has appeared, and
we have seen it.
It is the glory of Your only Son,
who has come from Your own intimate presence.
His glory shines brightly with
Your grace and
Your truth.

Jesus is the Light of the World.
As we come to worship this Epiphany,
we come to the Light.
We walk in the Light.
We lift the Light so that all can see Him.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Light of Every Nation
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

The Father’s Only-begotten Son

2015-10-15 Devotional, Pictures of God, Uncategorized No comments

from the devotional book, PICTURES OF GOD

Read John 1:1-18

In the Old Testament, we first hear God calling Himself Father in relationship to the whole people of Israel. Then when the nation of Israel is formed and becomes a monarchy, God’s fatherhood is applied specifically to the king. God blessed the king as His “son” in order to bless all His people. This father-son relationship began with King David, then was extended to all David’s descendents on the throne. It reached all the way to Messiah, the Ultimate King. He would be a Son of David, and in that sense a Son of God, like His predecessors.

However, when Jesus Messiah arrived, He proved to be God’s Son in a deeper and richer sense than anyone had dreamed. He had not been created by God, then adopted as His Son, as David and all his descendents had been. He was the only-begotten Son of God.

John 1 affirms that Father and Son were together at the very beginning.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (vv.1-2, NASB)

There was never a time when the Father existed that the Son did not also exist. The Nicene Creed states their relationship well:

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.

The term “only begotten” refers to a son or daughter who is “unique,” “one of a kind”. John uses it to describe Jesus’ father-son relationship with God.

The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:14, 18, NASB)

Because Jesus had spent an eternity in intimate, undivided fellowship with the Father, He revealed Him to us in a unique, complete, and beautiful way.

Jesus the Word

2015-02-26 Devotional, Pictures of God No comments

from the devotional book, PICTURES OF GOD

John 1:1-3

Do the opening verses of John remind you of any other passage of scripture?

John opens the story of Jesus with a retelling of the creation account from Genesis 1. He makes the parallels obvious:

  • In the beginning
  • “The Word” reminds us of God speaking the world into existence.
  • Darkness…emptiness…light

But John writes to give Jesus His proper place in the creation account. When all things were created, Jesus was at the very heart of the process.

What does John mean by referring to Jesus as “the Word”? What is a word? It is a means of self-expression, of conveying one’s will, intent, heart, and mind. So when John refers to Jesus as the Word of God, he is saying that Jesus is God’s expression of His own will, intent, heart, and mind.

But remember from Genesis 1 that God’s Word is more than just an expression of intent. God’s Word carries the full authority of our Sovereign Creator. He speaks, and it happens.

Jesus is that sovereign, active, powerful, creative Word of God. Jesus is not just an expression of God’s will. He is God’s will in action, bringing into reality all that the Father desires and commands.

All things came into being through Him [through Jesus], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:3, NASB)

By Him [Jesus] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17, NASB)

Since the very beginning, Jesus has been God’s Word, bringing to reality all the Father’s will. It was true when God spoke worlds into existence. It is true today. Think of all our loving Creator wants for us and for His creation. Jesus Christ is His sovereign, creative Word, bringing about all the Father’s will. He is God’s sovereign, creative Word in you, fully accomplishing all your Creator wants for you.