The Truth

Read John 1:1-18, Luke 1:1-4
 
John 1:15-18 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’” 16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.”
 
SOME 60 years after the apostle John witnessed John the Baptist’s preaching and ministry, the apostle wrote, “John testifies.” This is as if John were reporting on current events about John the Baptist’s preaching. John was testifying to the preacher’s preaching as current because true preaching is continually real to those who hear. (Luke 8:8b “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”)
    John then told how John the Baptist defines Jesus as eternal: “Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.”  The preacher 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. John then beautifully summarizes the Bible: From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. Yes, we can praise God. Jesus has fulfilled the Father’s salvation plan to bountifully bless mankind.
   In Jesus, we have the blessing of the law perfectly fulfilled for our salvation. We are then blessed more abundantly as we are 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, kindness, faithfulness and love. We love God, and we love one another because the LORD has so richly blessed us to bring his salvation to our souls.
   Then John affirms Jesus’ relationship with the Father. No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
   God, Three in One, 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 the Father. The Holy Spirit reveals this truth to God’s children.
   Boldly and brilliantly the apostle John wrote the gospel’s sure foundation. Now we continue through the gospels to more personally understand how, in the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)