September 30 The Truth

John 1:15-18 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” 16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
 
SOME 60 years after the event, John wrote, “John testifies.” This is as if John, the apostle, were writing of current events about John the Baptist’s preaching. John is reporting on the preacher’s preaching as current. True preaching is relevant to those who hear. (Luke 8:8b “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”)
    He goes on to report John defines Jesus as eternal: “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” John is flesh. Jesus is God in the flesh. The eternal God is before and after mortal flesh. Jesus was in the beginning with God. He came in the flesh. He is now alive with God.        The apostle affirms a lasting argument for Jesus as the divine Son of God.
   John then beautifully summarizes the Bible: From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Yes, we can praise God from whom all blessings richly flow into our lives. Jesus has fulfilled the Father’s plan to bring one blessing after another upon the earth. What are those blessings?
   In Jesus, we have the blessing of the Law perfectly fulfilled for our salvation. We are then blessed to be God’s children. God blesses us with our daily bread, the forgiveness of our sins and protection from temptation. He blesses us further with peace, joy, faith, hope and love. We love God,  and we love one another because the Lord has so richly blessed us to bring his salvation to mankind.
   Then John affirms Jesus’ relationship with the Father. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. God became flesh. The Son has come and preached God’s truth. He has shown to us the works of God in the flesh. We know the Father because the Son has come. He has completed his work. The Son of God made flesh is risen. He is now with God the Father.
   Boldly and brilliantly John writes the gospel’s sure foundation. Now it is time to testify to the reasons John has written, “the Word was God and the Word was with God.”
 
Prayer: Help me see, Holy Spirit, one blessing after another through my divine Savior. Amen.