We will be spending each day in the month of July reading a portion of the book of John. Read the scripture text for the day and then share a comment about it in the comments section. We look forward to interacting with one another and we allow the Word of God to speak to us.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. 19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou ||that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
I’ve read this passage of scripture so many times, but the part that jumped out to me this time was the attitude of John the baptist in Verse 27.
27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
John the Baptist knows that Jesus is going to be preferred over him and his ministry will overshadow his own, but he is so humble about it and still chooses to continue in his ministry.
It’s not in this passage here, but once Jesus comes on the scene you don’t read that John the Baptist got upset and tried to turn the attention back to himself, but rather allowed himself to fade off so Jesus would be the one people followed after.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not
It reminds me of the love and patience I must have towards those who do not yet know God or those who haven’t had a true relationship with Him.
If they are filled with darkness how can they comprehend without seeing the true light of God?
Vs 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men
When we are IN Jesus that’s when we have life! Even John made it clear that he wasn’t the light but pointed to the one who was the light!
I love continuity of Apostle John’s writing in chapter 1 with the entirety of God’s Word. Yes, it is the Gospel according to John, about the life, ministry, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, John’s Spiritual insight to Christ’s deity is greatly showed in his writings.
John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
1John 1 :1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.”
Genesis 1 declares the order of creation by God, and John 1 declares the Creator of it, manifested in flesh; as he does in Revelation 4 when the 24 elders cast their crowns at His feet and said “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
The darkness cannot overtake the light! The “darkness comprehendeth it not” is a reminder that light will always prevail. If we keep moving in light darkness will have to fade!
I love how the NLT says “the darkness can never extinguish” the Light!
John is showing what humility really is, he is out doing the works of the Lord but it has nothing to do with who John is or what he can offer to the kingdom of God. He says plainly he is not the light but sent to bear witness of that light, and when the Pharisees send people to question John he simply says he is a voice and that the one who is coming he isn’t even worthy of unloosing the shoe of the one coming! John has the vision of more of Christ and less of me.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Revert back to –
Genesis 1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
°both meaning God is our creator
•John was sent to prove that God exists.
°John was not the light, but was sent to bear witness of the true light.
°We are all here to bear witness of that same light by the holy ghost.
If you don’t have the Holy Ghost it would be hard to understand that God and Jesus are one.
Here you will also see that John was baptizing people in the Jordan River ( not sprinkling but submerging)
Grateful for the WORD!