16. Who is Jesus
16. Who is Jesus
John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Adam sat in his room with his bible and his journal opened. They had agreed to work through the Gospel John. The goal, Henry said, was to get to know Jesus. But not just as a character in a story or as a figure of ancient history. Rather, to know him as someone who is alive and at work in their lives.
Adam was excited. He knew Jesus was alive. Jesus had talked to him, awakening him out of his zombie-like sleep. The first part of the school year was a real adventure. As he was getting to know Jesus, he was also getting to know the kids in the group.
Ben was solid. He really appreciated how he had invited him into the group and helped the guys really dig into the bible. Pete had a mouth, but he had a good heart. Nick was sharp, you can tell he knew a lot, a real reader. Schuyler was strong. He really felt safe around him. Even Tom was alright. He seemed to be struggling with something, but he kept hanging out.
Then he thought about Emma. His heart beat a little faster. She was gorgeous. He was intimidated by her. Felt like jelly when she was around. He’d love to get to know her better.
He grabbed his thoughts and began to read [John 1:1], “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The gospel is beginning with a puzzle. He knew the whole book was about Jesus, but he pondered the riddle.
He wrote in his journal, Jesus=the beginning=the Word=God.
Okay. He’s got a sense of Jesus. They talk about him all the time. “In the beginning” sounds like how the whole bible starts in Genesis, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” That’s clear enough. What’s with “the Word.” What’s that about?
Now he’s focused. He loved riddles. He read on. [John 1:2] “He was in the beginning with God.”
That’s curious, he thought. Everybody knows Jesus was born at Christmas.
[John 1:3] “All things were made through him,
and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Hold on. Slow down. He stared at the words, “All things were made through him.” Wait a minute. Through who? God made everything. But it’s talking about Jesus. Jesus made everything? But Jesus was born at Christmas? He let himself hang in that question, that tension. How does that work?
He put his pen down and stared out the window. The sun was shining, but it was a cold, frosty day. He liked how the car windows iced up on mornings like this. It was a hassle for his mom when she had to race off to work, but he liked how it made the world seem alive, changing, moving, not the same all the time. The sun reflected bright off the windshield.
As he pondered a thought formed. “Take a look at the beginning in Genesis 1.”
He flipped to the front of his bible and looked at the first few verses. Genesis 1:3 jumped from the page.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
“And God said…and there was”, “And God said… and there was.” That refrain began to roll in his head with a gentle persistence. “And God…and there was.” As he meditated on the phrase, slowly emerging like a fade in from the darkness came, “the Word.”
Suddenly his head was filled with a rush ideas like water in a water fall.
In the beginning…the Word…God said…Jesus…light…life…all that is…creation. You use words to speak. God spoke. Creation came. Jesus is the Word. God spoke Jesus. No. Jesus is the Word God speaks. God speaks and there is life. Jesus is life.
Adam was writing was a joy-filled intensity. Man, what a puzzle!
And then, [John 1:14] “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Of course the Word became the flesh! The flesh the Word becomes is Jesus! That’s Christmas! That’s the gift! That’s grace!
Adam began to laugh. Out loud. He thought about the Christmas presents under the tree. He thought about how excited he got as a little kid expecting great things on Christmas morning. The rush of getting up early, of tearing into the wrapped boxes, seeing the stuff. And then the come down. The disappointment. Just more stuff that gets left on the shelf. But Jesus! The true gift! The grace of God that is the foundation of everything!
“We have seen his glory….”
Adam stopped. He put down his pen. No more words, no more ideas. Instead: wonder.
Adam began to worship.
Scripture Reference:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
[John 1:1]““The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,”
[Proverbs 8:22-30]
Discussion Questions:
Discussion Questions:
Think about your beginning of this group and why you first came and answer these questions below.
- Why have you shown up to the group this far?
- How has this community impacted your faith? Has it impacted it at all?
- How has God met you here?
- What about this group leaves you pleased but not satisfied? What more do you need from this group?
Assignment:
Read Chapters 1 & 2 in the book of genesis and answer these 4 questions in your journal:
- Who created everything?
- Why did he create everything
- What was/is the role of man and woman in the creation story?
- Where was Jesus and what was Jesus role in creation? (Refer back to John 1)