Without Him
Read John 1:1-18.
I took a brief break from blogging because—well, honestly, I needed to. I told a couple of people that I had no more words to share. That wasn't exactly accurate; it wasn't like I quit talking or writing. But between cardiac rehab, still trying to get back into the groove of church and life, and all the things that come with having a senior in the house, the blog required more words than I had. Sometimes, a good rest will give you perspective and new, needed energy. Now, we launch into Lent, and a trip through the Gospel of John. (I may be a bit rusty...have patience with me!)
The "prologue" of John packs quite a punch. It wraps up a whole lot of theology into a few verses, and in many ways is meant to echo the creation story in Genesis 1. John wants us to understand that the one he is going to be telling us about is no ordinary man, not just another prophet or preacher or teacher. This is the Word made flesh. This is God on foot. This is the one who was there at the very beginning.
But John also invites us to consider what the world might have become if Jesus had not been, if he had not come. There are a lot of folks today who loudly proclaim that the world would be better off without any religion, and while I don't want to really get into that whole debate here, the reality is that, without Jesus at least, we would be missing many things from our world, things we have come to depend on.
John says Jesus, the Word, brings light and life. Those are two things I especially appreciate! Jesus also brings salvation and the opportunity to get to know God. In fact, to know Jesus is to know God himself. Without Jesus, without the Word, that opportunity would not exist, in John's view. Even more than that, creation itself wouldn't exist; you and I wouldn't be here at all! John says, "Without him nothing was made that has been made" (1:3). Without Jesus, nothing would exist.
But, in what some might say is a "more practical vein," think about how many hospitals and health care facilities carry the name of "Saint" someone or a denominational name (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, etc.). Though many of those institutions no longer have direct connections to their church, the name itself indicates those places were started out of the compassion of people following Jesus. The same could be said of many educational institutions; some of our most well-known colleges and universities began because Christian people saw a need and tried to meet it. Even today, when disasters strike, the churches and the people of faith are usually on the scene before any governmental agency—and they stay there long after as well! Without Jesus, would any of that happen? We can, of course, debate that question, but I will argue loud and long that it is his compassion, his care and concern for people, his mercy and grace that motivates his people to respond in such ways. Without him and the transformation he brings into people's lives, we as a people would likely revert to our fallen nature and care only for ourselves.
John asks the question: what would the world be like without Him? Without this Word of God made flesh? And so I ask the question: would you want to live in a world like that?
The Word became flesh and lived among us...he moved into the neighborhood (to quote Eugene Peterson)...he became one of us so that we would listen, follow and emulate him. As we begin this Lenten journey into John, may that indeed be the journey we find ourselves on.
I took a brief break from blogging because—well, honestly, I needed to. I told a couple of people that I had no more words to share. That wasn't exactly accurate; it wasn't like I quit talking or writing. But between cardiac rehab, still trying to get back into the groove of church and life, and all the things that come with having a senior in the house, the blog required more words than I had. Sometimes, a good rest will give you perspective and new, needed energy. Now, we launch into Lent, and a trip through the Gospel of John. (I may be a bit rusty...have patience with me!)
The "prologue" of John packs quite a punch. It wraps up a whole lot of theology into a few verses, and in many ways is meant to echo the creation story in Genesis 1. John wants us to understand that the one he is going to be telling us about is no ordinary man, not just another prophet or preacher or teacher. This is the Word made flesh. This is God on foot. This is the one who was there at the very beginning.
But John also invites us to consider what the world might have become if Jesus had not been, if he had not come. There are a lot of folks today who loudly proclaim that the world would be better off without any religion, and while I don't want to really get into that whole debate here, the reality is that, without Jesus at least, we would be missing many things from our world, things we have come to depend on.
John says Jesus, the Word, brings light and life. Those are two things I especially appreciate! Jesus also brings salvation and the opportunity to get to know God. In fact, to know Jesus is to know God himself. Without Jesus, without the Word, that opportunity would not exist, in John's view. Even more than that, creation itself wouldn't exist; you and I wouldn't be here at all! John says, "Without him nothing was made that has been made" (1:3). Without Jesus, nothing would exist.
But, in what some might say is a "more practical vein," think about how many hospitals and health care facilities carry the name of "Saint" someone or a denominational name (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, etc.). Though many of those institutions no longer have direct connections to their church, the name itself indicates those places were started out of the compassion of people following Jesus. The same could be said of many educational institutions; some of our most well-known colleges and universities began because Christian people saw a need and tried to meet it. Even today, when disasters strike, the churches and the people of faith are usually on the scene before any governmental agency—and they stay there long after as well! Without Jesus, would any of that happen? We can, of course, debate that question, but I will argue loud and long that it is his compassion, his care and concern for people, his mercy and grace that motivates his people to respond in such ways. Without him and the transformation he brings into people's lives, we as a people would likely revert to our fallen nature and care only for ourselves.
John asks the question: what would the world be like without Him? Without this Word of God made flesh? And so I ask the question: would you want to live in a world like that?
The Word became flesh and lived among us...he moved into the neighborhood (to quote Eugene Peterson)...he became one of us so that we would listen, follow and emulate him. As we begin this Lenten journey into John, may that indeed be the journey we find ourselves on.
No I would not want to live in that world. It’s a mess even now, but without Him, it would literally be hell on earth!
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