Mike
Scriptures:
John 1:1 John 20:31 Hebrews 1:1-4 Revelation 1: 12-18 Philippians 2:9
The writer of Hebrews, in his first chapter verses1-4, is probably, chronologically, the first to introduce us to The Word made Flesh. The Son has been set above all, the channel of creation, providence and redemption. He is the far-travelled Light of the world. The creator of the universe Who voluntarily left His throne and made a portion of Himself visible, and, in doing so, created the greatest chasm that humanity could ever cross. From Infinite Majesty to death on a Roman cross, that we might be ransomed from death.
It’s a massive concept to grasp. He is not one among many, of Him alone could it be said that His nature was co-existent with the Father. He is on the throne, not merely because of His original nature, but as the reward of His obedience unto death.
Jesus bridged that unbridgeable gulf between this finite world and infinite majesty of the Father, between the visible and the invisible.
Jesus Christ is the Visible, tangible evidence of the unsearchable Father. Jesus in the flesh was the Son of the Invisible unsearchable Father Who dwells in the Spirit.
It is also the writer of Hebrews who tells us that we accept these things by faith, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”, and this is only the start of the story.
The story for us is continues on the Isle of Patmos. John is reunited with the glory of the risen Christ, so living by faith is no longer an option and no longer true for John, the evidence of things unseen no longer applies. Faith no longer comes into the equation, John has seen and believes, consequently the emphasis of John’s gospel is different. It is focussed on believing, and believing appears 70 times in the book of John. John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John’s gospel begins by telling us that In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God, yet this relationship was lacking rather than incomplete. God desired to share this tremendous relationship with a family, and in His foreknowledge saw His own family before the beginning and visualised one day spending Eternity revealing His nature and Person to them.
John continues to tell us that 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.
“2000 yrs ago You looked out upon us through the eyes of Jesus Christ and spoke to us through His mouth. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.
You, the self-existent One from Everlasting, chose to reveal Yourself to a family and so began the beginning. You created the universe, angels, myriads of beings, the worlds, the ages, the times and carefully planted each one of Your children into the seedbed of this world at a time, best suited for them grow into an eternal, everlasting relationship with You, the Creator.”
God is the Self-Existent One from Everlasting to Everlasting, Who, from before the beginning, shared a relationship with the Son, a relationship confirmed by Jesus in John 17. He tells us of the glory He had with the Father before the world was, authenticating the Father/Son relationship that existed before the beginning, along with the desire for a family. This is the clearest picture we have of the Father’s tender love .
What the book of John records is complete confirmation of who Jesus is, the I AM the very I Am Who met with Moses, and provides us the absolute recipe for our end time’s survival. documenting the relationship between the Bridegroom and His Bride.
Prayer: Thank You God that You appeared as the Word, took on flesh, looked out on humanity through the eyes of the Father and spoke to us face to face as Jesus Christ.