In The Beginning… (John 1:1)


 

Friday, December 27, 2024


Psalm 140

Isaiah 29:13-24

John 1:1-18


Observance: John, apostle and evangelist


In The Beginning… (John 1:1)


The Bible has been described as a play. (I am not exactly a regular at the theatre, so I think of it as a movie.) Imagine you are watching a movie, and then halfway through someone comes in and starts asking questions “Who is that? Why did they do that? What’s all this about?” While not only being annoying for those who started at the beginning, it leaves the person confused about what’s going on. And when you get to the climactic conclusion at the end, the payoff is much better for those who were there for the whole story.


We have just celebrated Christmas – the beginning of the climactic conclusion for the story God has written about his creation. It doesn’t make much sense if you don’t know what happened beforehand – and the payoff isn’t as satisfying, either.


This story is a story that goes back into infinite eternity. We get just enough of a glimpse of what that looked like to know that the first day of this universe was very special. The story then twists and turns, with personal drama, psychological thrills, a love story or three, and some great big battle scenes. You even have a bit part in it! It’s not a speaking role, but your name appears in the credits at the end.


John the evangelist trusts that you have at least a passing knowledge of the story so far. He begins his gospel with the same words that start the book of Genesis: “In the beginning…”


In the beginning, some wonderful things happened. But then some terrible things happened. God made a promise, a promise that marks the turning point between the Garden of Eden and the world that came after the Fall of Man: that the woman would give birth to a child who will be the enemy and ultimate destroyer of the evil one. This is where John places his gospel: that child was none other than the Word who was with God, the Word who is God; the One through whom everything was made; the One in whom is life itself.


We all know instinctively that there is a prehistorical infinite eternity; and we know that there is Someone who inhabits that infinite eternity. What does it mean that that Someone entered into this finite universe of matter? Why would he do such a thing? How are our lives now transformed by this mind boggling blend of that which we understand with that which is beyond all human understanding?


Eternal Word of the Father: you spoke this universe, everything in it, and even me into being. Lead me down the path of discipleship after you, so that I may always discover more of the infinite love you have for me.

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