The Life-Light

Okay. It's been awhile since I last blogged. But hey, it's a new year, and we have a new series to discuss at The River... so my plan is to post some initial thoughts on the upcoming Sunday morning sermon and/or conversation early each week. Of course, I'm already a week behind, but what the heck! Last Sunday, we started two new projects. The first is a focus on the Gospel of John (each week we'll look at another chapter, focusing in on one particular story or passage). This series will lead us right up to Easter, and is called, "Love In a Nutshell." The second is a challenge to read the Bible through in a year (New Testament, Old Testament, New Testament)... by reading four chapters per day. We have simple but effective bookmarks with a daily reading checklist (in quarter year increments) to aid you in your endeavor... so let me know if you'd like one. I'd be glad to mail a set to you if you don't live in or near the Burg. click here to send an email request.

So, starting with chapter one (last Sunday's message)... we talked about Jesus, the Life-Light.

Scripture:  John 1:1-18

"In the beginning was the Word" (Greek, logos). Echoing Genesis, the first book of the Bible, the Gospel of John makes it clear right from the beginning that Jesus was no ordinary human being. He was the Word of God, who - even prior to being born in our world as Jesus - has always been at the Father's side as the Son. Yes, I know, it's difficult to grasp this eternal mystery.  But remember - unlike us - the Lord is not bound by our rational concepts of time and space.

Anyway... Genesis tells us God the Father spoke the words, and is therefore the creator of the universe. However, the Son of God was there "in the beginning" (of human history) and, as the Word of God, is a co-eternal agent of creation alongside the Spirit of God. "Through him all things were made..."

Okay... it's all pretty mind-bending for certain... but what's it all supposed to mean for you and me? Well, for one thing, this passage tells us that words are far more powerful than the world would like us to believe. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can... build others up to do impossible things, or rip their confidence apart, and leave them emotionally destroyed.

Hmmmm... in light of this, perhaps we need to ask ourselves a few questions:

• If God was willing to speak our world into existence (and He did)…
• And if God was willing to create humans in His image (and He did)…
• And if God is willing to offer us words of forgiveness (and He does)…
• And if God provided spoken and written words to us that revealed His holy love to all of creation… through an instrument we call the Bible (and He did)…
• And if God desires to give us the gift of salvation… the gift of eternity (and He does)…
• And if the Son of God, a.k.a., the Word or Logos of God… That is, God’s love, God’s wisdom, God’s character, God’s heart… if all that embodies the holy nature of God were to come to us and demonstrate how profoundly how much He loves us (and He has)…
• What then, should be our response?
• Are we willing to let the Life-Light of Christ shine in and through us?
• What might that look like this fresh new year?