In Him was Life
The book of John holds a special place in my heart. While the Epistles were written by men who truly knew God and wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the Synoptic Gospels are faithful records of what Jesus did and said - there is something different about the Gospel of John.
It probably has something to do with the fact that its author - John - was Jesus' best friend. As such when I read it I find myself only able to consider it prayerfully. The other books in the New Testament I can read like a textbook and dissect them as I try to understand their meaning but it feels presumptive to do so to John. Because in the Gospel of John we have the testimony of the man who was closest to Jesus when He walked the earth. So while the whole Bible is the Authoritative and Inerrant Word of God, John has always been different for me.
The Book of John starts right off in the first paragraph with a curious phrase. After declaring Jesus to be the Creator of the Universe in the first 3 verses John makes a puzzling statement, "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men." Its cryptic because it doesn't say that Jesus was the Light - which is certainly also true (see John 8:12) - but rather points out that there is a substance called "life" that is found in Jesus and causes people to be able to see reality.
"Life" - ζωή (pronounced "Zoe" in the Greek) - is a very large subject in the Book of John. It takes center stage in many of the famous verses in this Gospel. Of which include John 8:12, 4:14, 6:33, 7:38 and even the most famous verse in the Bible - John 3:16. It is spoken of in John both by the author and by Jesus Himself as a noun. But different from the way it might be used today to reflect an experience of one's time on earth (where someone might say "Ah yes - such is life") rather in the Gospel of John it is spoken of as a substance. In Him was Life and the Life was the Light of men. A substance that allows men to see.
I had my first prolonged experience with the Life of God after I had gone on an extended fast. Fasting is a wonderful tool that enables otherwise strong and healthy people to humble themselves before God. I like to say that fasting is instant humility because when you fast you are acquanting yourself with the fraility of your body and your dependence on food. Something happens to your heart before the Lord when you do this. And God always responds by giving a greater measure of Himself to us. So much of my discovery of the different ways in which God touches me has come from fasting.
After I had gone on a prolonged water fast I would find myself filled with a sense of living freshness that enabled me to focus on God for long periods of time. I would go into the prayer chapel at my school with my Bible and I would close my eyes and start to think about God. Then I would feel a sense of God upon my heart and I would rest in that awareness of God upon my soul. While I did this I would often find that in my mind I would start to see different Scripture in new light and I would write these things down so I could study them out later in the Word.
This became my first prolonged season of encountering the Life of God I have to say that touching His Presence in that way ruined me for anything else.
The Words of Eternal Life
We see in Matthew 4:4 that Jesus says "Man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God." The word "live" is ζάω (pronouced "zao") in the Greek and it is the root word for "Zoe".
So we understand then that one of the ways that God brings life to His people is by speaking to them. In fact those who have sensed the Life of God on His Word are the ones who stick with Him during times of offense. We see this in John chapter 6, which chronicles a deliberate and purposeful attempt by Jesus to offend His disciples. In one of the most fascinating accounts in Scripture we read of Jesus attempting to turn people's eyes from what He could give them to instead look towards having a relationship with Him. He declares that He is the Bread of Life who is greater than natural bread that will only fill your stomach for one meal but that knowing Him produces a satisfaction that never leaves us.
When these words caused consternation amongst the crowd He responds by making it more offensive. He moves further from bread and calls the crowd to seemingly commit canabalism by saying, "My Flesh is true food and My Blood is true drink." We know now - after the fact - that Jesus was referring to us receiving the sacrifice of His Body and Blood on the Cross by faith for eternal life because when you eat meat the death of the animal that you are eating becomes the very thing that furthers your life because you need to eat to live; in a similar way we receive by faith that Jesus' Death was the very thing that we need for everlasting life. But in the moment that was likely unclear to the crowd that Jesus was speaking to. And telling a crowd of Jewish people who have been groomed by God in the Old Testament to despise canabalism might be one of the strangest and most offensive things a preacher could do, but it didn't phase Jesus. And it truly turned out to be as offensive as we might think because we see in John 6:66 that "as a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore."
Yet there were 12 who stayed. And among the 12 was Peter who when asked if he would leave too declares, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Why did the 12 stay? Or maybe better put how did the 12 stay when their Leader was calling them to canabalism? They had touched the Life that is in the Word of God.
Touching the Life of God that comes from Him speaking to your heart through the Word is what will build your faith to the point that you have staying power with God. So that no matter how offended your mind may become at something in the world, a tradgedy in your life or something that God has said or done you find yourself unable to leave because you know that in Him is life.
It probably has something to do with the fact that its author - John - was Jesus' best friend. As such when I read it I find myself only able to consider it prayerfully. The other books in the New Testament I can read like a textbook and dissect them as I try to understand their meaning but it feels presumptive to do so to John. Because in the Gospel of John we have the testimony of the man who was closest to Jesus when He walked the earth. So while the whole Bible is the Authoritative and Inerrant Word of God, John has always been different for me.
The Book of John starts right off in the first paragraph with a curious phrase. After declaring Jesus to be the Creator of the Universe in the first 3 verses John makes a puzzling statement, "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men." Its cryptic because it doesn't say that Jesus was the Light - which is certainly also true (see John 8:12) - but rather points out that there is a substance called "life" that is found in Jesus and causes people to be able to see reality.
"Life" - ζωή (pronounced "Zoe" in the Greek) - is a very large subject in the Book of John. It takes center stage in many of the famous verses in this Gospel. Of which include John 8:12, 4:14, 6:33, 7:38 and even the most famous verse in the Bible - John 3:16. It is spoken of in John both by the author and by Jesus Himself as a noun. But different from the way it might be used today to reflect an experience of one's time on earth (where someone might say "Ah yes - such is life") rather in the Gospel of John it is spoken of as a substance. In Him was Life and the Life was the Light of men. A substance that allows men to see.
I had my first prolonged experience with the Life of God after I had gone on an extended fast. Fasting is a wonderful tool that enables otherwise strong and healthy people to humble themselves before God. I like to say that fasting is instant humility because when you fast you are acquanting yourself with the fraility of your body and your dependence on food. Something happens to your heart before the Lord when you do this. And God always responds by giving a greater measure of Himself to us. So much of my discovery of the different ways in which God touches me has come from fasting.
After I had gone on a prolonged water fast I would find myself filled with a sense of living freshness that enabled me to focus on God for long periods of time. I would go into the prayer chapel at my school with my Bible and I would close my eyes and start to think about God. Then I would feel a sense of God upon my heart and I would rest in that awareness of God upon my soul. While I did this I would often find that in my mind I would start to see different Scripture in new light and I would write these things down so I could study them out later in the Word.
This became my first prolonged season of encountering the Life of God I have to say that touching His Presence in that way ruined me for anything else.
The Words of Eternal Life
We see in Matthew 4:4 that Jesus says "Man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God." The word "live" is ζάω (pronouced "zao") in the Greek and it is the root word for "Zoe".
So we understand then that one of the ways that God brings life to His people is by speaking to them. In fact those who have sensed the Life of God on His Word are the ones who stick with Him during times of offense. We see this in John chapter 6, which chronicles a deliberate and purposeful attempt by Jesus to offend His disciples. In one of the most fascinating accounts in Scripture we read of Jesus attempting to turn people's eyes from what He could give them to instead look towards having a relationship with Him. He declares that He is the Bread of Life who is greater than natural bread that will only fill your stomach for one meal but that knowing Him produces a satisfaction that never leaves us.
When these words caused consternation amongst the crowd He responds by making it more offensive. He moves further from bread and calls the crowd to seemingly commit canabalism by saying, "My Flesh is true food and My Blood is true drink." We know now - after the fact - that Jesus was referring to us receiving the sacrifice of His Body and Blood on the Cross by faith for eternal life because when you eat meat the death of the animal that you are eating becomes the very thing that furthers your life because you need to eat to live; in a similar way we receive by faith that Jesus' Death was the very thing that we need for everlasting life. But in the moment that was likely unclear to the crowd that Jesus was speaking to. And telling a crowd of Jewish people who have been groomed by God in the Old Testament to despise canabalism might be one of the strangest and most offensive things a preacher could do, but it didn't phase Jesus. And it truly turned out to be as offensive as we might think because we see in John 6:66 that "as a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore."
Yet there were 12 who stayed. And among the 12 was Peter who when asked if he would leave too declares, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Why did the 12 stay? Or maybe better put how did the 12 stay when their Leader was calling them to canabalism? They had touched the Life that is in the Word of God.
Touching the Life of God that comes from Him speaking to your heart through the Word is what will build your faith to the point that you have staying power with God. So that no matter how offended your mind may become at something in the world, a tradgedy in your life or something that God has said or done you find yourself unable to leave because you know that in Him is life.
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