“Where did we come from?” “What was it like in the very beginning?” “Who was there?” These are some of the big questions of life.
The book of John will tell us about what things were like in the very beginning. John 1:1–5 says, “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.”
The Bible never seeks to prove the existence of God; it just assumes His existence. Every person in this world has the knowledge of God written in their hearts and revealed to them through creation. As a matter of fact, a person who does not want to believe in God must work very hard to convince themself that He does not exist because the evidence for God is everywhere. If someone was to tell you that a particular building just evolved out of nothing over millions of years, you probably would not believe them because it is obvious that a building must have a builder.
In the same way, creation must have a Creator. This is obvious as we look all around us. The Bible’s purpose, then, is to help us come to a personal knowledge of this God and Creator. The way that we come to know God is through His Son Jesus Christ. In John 1, we are introduced to Jesus. Here He is called “the Word.” We learn several important things about Jesus, the Word:
First, Jesus was in the beginning. Many people think of Jesus just as the baby in the manger or as the one who died on the cross, but He is more than that – He is the eternal God who has existed from the very beginning.
Secondly, Jesus is co-existent and equal with God. He is “with God.” God is one, but He is made up of three separate yet equal persons. Jesus also “is God.” Though he is a distinct person from the Father and the Spirit, all three of them are completely God.
Now, this concept is difficult for us understand but one that shows just how amazing God really is. Jesus is not only eternal and God, He is also the Creator of the world. Jesus was not created. “All things were made by him.” Every single thing that was ever created was created by Jesus. Finally, we see that Jesus is the source of life. “In Him [is] life.” He is the thing that holds everything together. “by Him all things consist” (Col 1:17). The life that comes from God is the thing that give us light and direction in this world. Unfortunately, when we sin, we cut ourselves off from the life and light that comes from God. John 1:5 says that that light shone in the darkness but the darkness comprehended it not (in other words those in darkness could not understand it).
As you can see, just as you might buy a computer and take years to understand all the various facets and functions of it, so when we come to know Jesus we discover that He is more and more amazing than we ever expected. Two thousand years ago, Jesus, the eternal God, the Creator of the world, the Giver of Life, the Light of the Word, came into the world. Some received him and some believed on Him. Many rejected Him.
What have you done with Jesus? Have you received the life and light that comes from accepting Him as your Saviour?