In the beginning.....Every good story starts with a beginning, even fairy tales.
We do not realize it but when we share a story about ourselves we usually start with "in the beginning". This is what John is doing, he is starting his story. Many scholars refer to this part of the gospel as the prologue.
What is a prologue?
"What is past is prologue." Shakespeare
We discussed last week that there is NOTHING more powerful than the word of God. And it is my prayer that this truth will dwell in your hearts.Prologue comes from two Greek words
Pro = before
Logos = word
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives the background details.
Have you ever read a book that took you away. The writer was so good that you were caught in the story because the words came alive. I hope you have.
John here says that THE WORD came alive. The word that was with God and that was God. The word without which nothing that is would be.
What did this mean to a Jew? v. 17 gives us a clue.
"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
The other word for law is Torah, which is the word of God given to Moses.
I compare this to listening to your favorite band on your IPod and seeing them in concert. I like the band Skillet and listening to their songs usually makes me run faster but seeing them in concert makes me breathe the fire!
When the Word came alive we were breathing the fire! There are many cross references between the prologue and the rest of the gospel. You can download the form here.
What is past is prologue.....
Look up Psalm 90:2 and Ecclesiastes 3:11
Picture a big tent. God is the tent. All at once he seed the beginning and the end. We are just a dot, a molecule in there somewhere but we are inside the tent.
Knowing this will bring you peace in time of distress and loneliness. You are in His tent.
"He is before all things and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17
So even when you think you are falling apart, you are not because He is holding you together.
This is what John wants you to know without the shadow of a doubt. The word dwelt among us and we have seen him.
You cannot make something like that up.
You cannot fake it.
"You can fake Christianity, but you can’t fake Christ.
You can fake church, but you can’t fake change.
You can fake communion, but you can’t fake commitment.
You can fake religion, but you can’t fake relationship.
You can fake dedication, but you can’t fake devotion.
You can fake faith, but you can’t fake fruit.
You can fake holiness, but you can’t fake godliness.
You can’t fake real."
The Matt Maher StoryMatt Maher
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