John 1:12-14 — Born of God

So far we’ve seen how the Word, Who was and is God, Who is the Life and [True Light] of all people, came into our world to enlighten every person.  Came into our world of darkness, but darkness did not eagerly take Him, the world He made didn’t recognize Him, and even His own people did not receive Him.  BUT [12 But as many as received Him, to those who believe in His name, to them He gave the right to become children of God]  Whoever DID receive the True Light, Whoever DID believe in His name - all these get the right to become children of God.  And remember, this is not just believing about.  Knowing things about Jesus.  [Receiving = believing (IN).  Believing = Trusting].  Trusting in Jesus --> The right to become children of God.

This right, this authority to become God’s children - this is not merely a mind-boggling unparalleled privilege of unprecedented proportion.  This is a guarantee.  When you have authority, you have the [guarantee] of that thing happening for you, or thru you.  This is my right.  I have the authority to receive it or do it, whatever it is.  And the authority-granting Power is pledged to back it up.  They guarantee that [right].  For believers, THIS particular authority [12], this guarantee is given and backed up by God Himself.  Whoever receives Jesus, to any and all who believe/trust in His Name, is guaranteed - by God Himself - to become a CHILD of God.

THIS word for child does not mean a very young person.  Oh, you’re just a child.  It’s not just any old child.  This word is about the relationship with the parent [A child vs MY child].  This child is the true child of the parent in question.  Belongs to their family.  When you and I trust in Jesus, we become a true child of our Father in heaven.  We truly belong to His family [Rom. 8:15b-16 …you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God].  When you trust in Jesus, suddenly the nebulous God up there in the heavens somewhere is now “Our Father”…  He's MY Father.

But we become a child of God.  It’s this same verb of the noun, genesis.  You become, you come to be something else.  You were NOT that, but then you came to BE that.  In other words, when we are born the first time, out of our mommy’s tummy, we are not truly children of God.  Not in this sense.  Spiritually speaking we are born not children of God but actually children of wrath [Eph. 2:3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.].  Look at that life.  It’s all about what I want.  It’s all about me.  Children of wrath - this is really bad news.  But John is saying, we CAN come to be true children of God, actual members of His family.  But what does it mean to become a true child of God?  

[13 ...who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.]  Born of God.  Born of God.  What does that mean?  God is spirit [John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”].  God is spirit —> we’re talking about a spiritual birth.  Because… [Eph. 2:1  And you were dead in your trespasses and sins…]  Even tho we were physically alive, we were dead.   Our spirits are dead - from the moment of conception.  The Light of Zoe is out.  The spiritual death, this separation from God, we inherited from our first father, Adam [1Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.  Rom. 5:18   So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.].  Zoe.

We all get bios life in the womb, passed down from Adam, but NOT zoe life.  From Adam we get death.  Physical death, and spiritual death.  So much [death] in our world, images of death.  Death truly haunts our reality.  The Lord really meant it when He said, this one thing I’m telling you NOT to do, if you do it, you will die [Gen. 2:17 “…but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”].  When we’re conceived as babies, our spirits are actually dead.  And we are born separated from God and His zoe life.  His Light is out in our hearts.  Darkness, remember?  Living/walking in darkness.  But there is good news! God made a way back to Zoe.  To Him.  Born of God.  The right to become true children of God!

And yes, God is the One Who makes it happen.  He is the One Who so wants it to happen!  He wants it for you and me way more than we do.  This spiritual birth, John says, we are born of God’s will [13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.].  This is God’s [thelema], God’s [desire].  THIS is what HE wanted.  He wanted us to be restored.  God so wants us to have Zoe, to enjoy abundant life with Him, this vital connection to Him.  You know how much He wants it?  You know how much He wanted it, for us, AND for Himself?  He wanted it SO MUCH!  [God SO loved…].

But THIS birth is NOT of blood.  NOT from some fleshly desire, in some heat of passion.  NOT because some couple wanted to make it happen.  This is definitely NOT a biological birth.  Spiritual birth is not a result ANY thing that ANY person does.  It happens because God SO WANTS it to happen.  All we have to do is receive.  Receive Him.  Believe IN Jesus.  God sent the Word, the Light of life, AND He has sent messengers, so many messengers with messages of words to tell us about the Light.  And when we believe, when we trust in The Message, we are authorized and guaranteed to become the true children of God Himself.  Actual members of HIS family.  Children of the Light. [Rom. 9:8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.]  Born of God, in His family.  God’s promise.  Guaranteed by God Himself.

This is a different kind of family, tho.  Not of blood.  This family is not a bunch of blood relatives, maybe who gather on occasion at some family [reunion].  This is God’s family.  He is our Father, ALL those who believe in Jesus, and WE who believe are all brothers and sisters in Christ.  Family.  WE gather all the time to learn more about Him, and to celebrate this One Who makes us one.  Who makes us family.  Who makes us His.  Born of God.  This is the re-genesis of zoe, the igniting of spiritual life.  And this Light is kindled in us, our spirit is made alive, we are born of God when we receive Jesus.  As many as receive Him.  When we eagerly take Him and believe in Him.  Have you done this?  When are you going to believe?

Note that John gives us three triple-clauses (double ands) in this prologue:

1:1  In the beginning was the Word, AND the Word was with God, AND the Word was God. 

10  He was in the world, AND the world was made through Him, AND the world did not know Him. 

14 The Word became flesh, AND He dwelt among us, AND we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Note the progression of the three climax statements here: 

The Word was God --> The world did not know Him --> We saw His glory.

But WE saw His glory, John says.  The world didn’t recognize Him, they didn’t know Him [darkness, remember?] - but John did!  We DID know Him!  And we saw His glory, he says.  Glory is God’s blazing breathtaking greatness and goodness.  To see Jesus, this Word Who was God, to receive Him, to eagerly take Him, to know Him is to have a glimpse of how brilliantly glorious He is.  The Light of His truth and glory blazes up and shines in your heart.  The Light is shining… The darkness, it did not eagerly take it.  BUT whoever does, as many as do receive Him, who believe in His Name (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God. 

Patrick Henry once said, “The most cherished possession I wish I could leave you is my faith in Jesus Christ, for with Him and nothing else you can be happy, but without Him and with all else, you’ll never be happy”

How about you?  Have you received Him?  Will you eagerly take Jesus into your heart today?  Born of God.  There is no real Zoe, no lasting joy apart from Him...

John 1:9-12 — (Did Not) Know Him

We're looking at Good News in John's Book.  And we're in the [Prologue, vv1-18].  So far John’s shown us the Word God Who always was.  Everything else WAS NOT - and came to be - thru Him.  The Word gave life to all living things and gave people the capacity to receive Zoe Life, the Light of men.  We see Light shining in the darkness, but the darkness not eagerly taking it.  And a man named John sent from God as a witness, with words about the Light.  Pointing to the Light, to this Word Who was God and [in Whom was life].  The goal of this witness, of John's entire book - is to introduce us to the Light.  

The Light of men.  This Word created people with a vital connection TO the Light.  That we could know Him, relate to Him, enjoy a personal forever relationship with Him.  Zoe Life - the abundant experience of God’s glory.  But that Light in us was extinguished.  The first couple disobeyed God, and all their descendants including us are born separated from God.  From the Light.  From His life.  We’re born with the need to be reconnected to Him, to the Light.  Jesus.  

[9  There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.]  Have you ever watched the [sun rise]?  Owing to the rotation of the earth, that not-so-distant star comes into our “world” every morning, like clockwork.  Literally.  In fact it NEVER fails to light our world.  And it literally enlightens every person, without bias.  No exception.  Race, creed, gender, age, socio-economic status.  That’s how it is with Jesus.  The True Light.  He came into the world to enlighten every person, like a blazing sun rising in our hearts.  To rekindle the Light of God’s eternal Life in us.  He offers ZOE to every person - that’s what John says.  And John calls Him the True Light because there are many false lights, which present as ways to somehow rekindle God’s glorious zoe life in our hearts - but are counterfeits.  Gurus, and self help schemes, mantras and medicines, and technologies, and so many false religions.  Google [live your best life] and see how many different things come up.  Not that these are never helpful.  But there is only one True Light.  In Him only was and is Zoe.  The Light of Men.  And for John, to see Jesus, to know Him, was to know for certain that He was, He is the True Light.  Who came into the world to enlighten every person.

Many of us grew up in a Christian family.  Came to know the Lord early.  We know He is the true Light.  We can’t remember a time when we DIDn’t know Christ.  When God WASn’t in our life.  I do.  But I know.  I remember what it was like, growing up in an unbelieving home.  Looking back now, it was like the light was just off.  Literally.  Living in darkness.  And when darkness presses in, surrounds you, any light will seem like [a beacon of hope].  But I didn't know God personally, nor was I about to eagerly “take Him”.  I never talked to Him - except maybe in a pinch.  Maybe not even in a pinch, tho.  Maybe when I cussed (altho that wasn’t talking TO Him, so much).  I never really even thought about God.  And I had no hope.  No hope of eternal life.  Any hope of living my best life was false hope.  I was on my own, my own best efforts - which were never going to be good enough.  And I was living on [cotton candy].  It was going to leave me empty, for sure.

Really knowing someone is qualitatively different.  I’m talking about when you’ve met them, you know their name, you know they know your name, you can call them or text them and they will answer.  [Jer 33.3].  That's how it is when you come to really know Jesus, Whose life is the Light of men, and He takes up residence in your heart, He fills it up.  That hole that nothing else could fill, the infinite abyss, it’s full.  And only Jesus fills the hole in your heart.  Piercing the darkness, drives it away.  That’s what True Light does…

John says the True Light came into the world.  Now for John, the world is not so much the [great blue orb] which is in orbit around the star we call the sun.  In John, the world represents the specific sphere of darkness which did not eagerly take the Light [v 5].  What must it have been like for the Word-Who-was-Light to come into this world? [10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.]  Remember, “John” - his book - is about knowing Jesus.  Not knowing about Him; no, recognizing Who He really is, and really knowing Him.  Personally.  The Light of men.  His Light was shining.  Had been shining.  Since the beginning.  But the world had not eagerly taken Him.  He made the world - every thing on this planet - including and especially every person - His special creation, made in His image, made in His likeness - and when He showed up in person as a person, the world didn’t even recognize Him [so much so that at one point at least it made Jesus weep].  People like me didn't recognize Him - not at first.  But the more I read about Jesus, and the more I saw the lives of those who were following Him, the more it became clear that He really is Who He claims to be.  He came to light up our lives.  Maybe you’ve noticed - folks who are truly following the True Light, who have eagerly taken Him into their hearts, there is a light in their eyes.

There are three did-nots in this prologue:  5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

Notice the progression: The Light came into the darkness - but the darkness did not eagerly take it.  The Light came into the world - but the world did not know Him.  [This by the way is still true for billions of people around the world.  For tens of thousands of people right here in our own city.  They were made by Him, in His image, to have a personal relationship with Him, to live forever with Him in heaven, but they don’t know Him.]  And The Light even came to “His own” - but they did not receive Him.  God had sent them so many messengers over the centuries.  With words, telling His people about the Light, the Savior He was sending to them.  [Is. 9:2  The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.  A Light for the whole world:  Is. 49:6  He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a Light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”].  But even those who were supposedly His people did not eagerly take the Light.  Just because you grow up in a supposedly Christian country, or the Bible belt, just because you grow up in a supposedly Christian family, doesn’t mean you are going to eagerly take Jesus and follow Him.  It sure doesn’t make you a Christian.  What makes a person a Christian?  [12 —> But as many as received Him, even to those who believe in His name, to them He gave the right to become children of God.]

As many.  Whoever.  Whoever takes Him.  The Light is shining… And the darkness did not eagerly take it.  BUT as many as DID take Him, whoever does receive Him, who believe in His Name (Jesus), to them He gives the right to become children of God.  This word for receive means, to take.  Now it may or may not have been offered.  but in this case, something IS being offered: the Light of life, eternal life thru Jesus.  And John says, [Receiving = believing (IN).  Believing = Trusting].  This is not just knowing facts about Jesus.  The devil knows facts about Jesus.  He even knows Who Jesus is - but he doesn’t really know Him.  He doesn’t trust in Jesus.  And this is a present tense verb.  Believing in Jesus in the present.  Ongoing, enduring faith, trust.  The root of this word means, being persuaded, being confident about something.  And our trust, our confidence is not in how much confidence we have.  It is in what gives us confidence.  It’s not about how much faith I have.  It’s the object of my faith, my trust.  In what/who am I trusting?  What gives me confidence of eternal life?  Only Jesus can really do that.  Are you and I trusting in Jesus today?  How well do we know Him today?  Are you and I eagerly taking Jesus today?  That's the main point today - Know Him… He is Him.  He's the One.  He's the Life.  Know Him.  Do you?

John 1.6-8 - Sent from God

Last time we looked at the first “God-send”, the first thing God sent out just in that nick of time, to help us out of our pinch.  He sent out Light.  We’re all born in spiritual darkness, separated from the eternal life God offers.  And God is sending out, He’s shining the Light of His truth in the darkness.  Believing IN Him, This Word Who was with God and IS God, trusting in Jesus the Word of Life reignites the Light in our hearts, it reconnects us TO the Life, the zoe of God, the abundant glorious experience of Life with Him, life as it was always meant to be.  [In Him was life], the Light of men.  And just how big is our pinch?  Desperate [a matter of life & death].  We must reconnect to the Light, to this One in Whom is Life, the Light of men.  Our eternal life - AND our zoe in this life - depends on it

With that in mind, John now introduces us to another God-send.  Not The Light itself, but a man. [6  There came a man sent from God]  There came to be (same word as came into being in v3) a man.  A person.  Everything came to be through the Word, especially people, and now a specific person comes to be.  And sort of like how light goes out from its source, this man was specifically sent out from God.  [apostello] - which gives us our word, apostle.  One sent out.  In this case, by God Himself.  A God-send.

God "sends out".  He sends out light.  Sends out angels.  In extreme circumstances He sends out plagues and locusts and droughts.  But mostly, usually, God sends out people.  He sends out people, people.  This word is [anthropos].  Anthropology = the study of man, of people.  And our author John tell us that there came to be this particular person, who had been sent out from God, by God.  His name was…wait for it…John.  Technically he’s the first John we meet in this book.  And John our author doesn’t go into the details of the birth and history of this first John.  What matters to author John is WHY this first John came and WHO sent him.  There came to be this person, sent from God.  And here's one takeaway: Your past and even your personality don’t matter as much as Who sends you and why.  All we read is, God sent —> and John went.  He showed up.  We don’t need to know where he grew up.  What he’s like.  What he likes to eat for breakfast.  Where he went to school.  We don’t need to know what he used to do.  God sent and John went.  The Lord is not looking for perfect people.  He’s looking for available people.  God sent and John went.

Why was John sent?  God has wired us as inquisitive beings - we instinctively ask the question, "why?"  There's a Greek word that answers our why - [hina - it means, "in order that" - it appears 145x in John] [7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.]  John gives us the hina right in the middle there.  The verse should read, He came as a witness in order that he should testify about the Light.  God sent John to be a witness.  In fact this one we call John the Baptist could be called John the Witness.  A witness has witnessed something, they saw it, they know something about it - AND they have agreed to testify about it.  They’re going to talk.  They’re willing to confirm some fact [Deut. 19:15b  “On the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.]. Often the challenge is getting [the witness to talk]. You’re not really a witness if you're unwilling to testify (UNavailable).  The Lord is looking for available people.  Available witnesses.  God sent John AS a witness [noun], IN ORDER THAT he should witness [verb] about the Light.  John was available.

And so this man named John sent from God came as a witness - with words.  With a Message of words.  God sends messengers with messages to people.  He communicates using words with His image-bearers who use words.  That’s what The Word does, what He’s done since the beginning.  He communicates with words.  And often times He delivers these words via messengers.  The OT word for these [messengers] is malakh.  Both angels AND people are called malakh.  The malakh shows up, carrying a message.  They may also have some commission to fulfill, specific task(s) to carry out.  And more or less the malakh officially represents the one who sent them.  A special function of God’s malakh is that they, by their very presence, present an aspect of God’s glory.  This is perhaps more obvious with angels?  But that’s something else that God’s messengers do - they present an aspect of God’s GLORY:

2Cor. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  2Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.  1Cor. 10:31  Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.  Believers can shine an aspect of God’s glory in all that we do.  But specifically, the Lord says: Acts 1:8  You (all) will be My Witnesses.  One message John gives us in his book is that God sends all those who believe the Message about Jesus to communicate that message to others.  God sends US - all we who believe in Jesus to be messengers.  God•sends.

Obviously the response to the malakh, to the witness will vary.  2Chr. 36:15-16  The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy.  Important point: the witness is not responsible for the verdict.  For the response.  The job of the witness is come forward and speak up.  To faithfully tell, to confirm the truth about what they saw, what they know. 

And so, God - the Word - sent out a witness, a person with words - words about the Word.  And his name is John [Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.”].  It’s a traditional Hebrew name, a shortened form of [Johanan].  It means, the Lord is (or has been) gracious.  God gives undeserved favor.  John's parents had been unable to have any kids, and in fact had really grown too old to have kids, but the Lord was gracious to them and gave them this son in their old age.  This name reminds us that, God is gracious.  But there’s more to this name than just what God is doing for this one couple.  The Lord is getting ready to show His grace to the entire nation of Israel [Lk 1.16 “And he (John) will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.].  And really to the whole world —> so that ALL should believe.  God IS gracious.

Let’s not miss the end goal of this particular witness - [7] …so that, in order that ALL might believe through him.  All.  That word in the Greek means ALL.  Everybody needs to believe.  And our English here says, so that all might believe.  But that’s not how the Greek says it.  It’s a strengthened form of the subjunctive.  Not in order that all might believe, but that all [SHOULD] believe.  Author John is really saying, John came as a witness so that all WILL believe through him.  There’s [expectancy], urgency, and scope to our vision, our calling: we want to give [ALL people] the chance to choose to (hear and) believe the Message, the Truth about Jesus.  [All of Jesus for All the World]

[8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.]  John the Witness was NOT the Light.  He was a great witness.  Many people came out to hear him.  But we need to be super careful not to place too much weight on the messenger.  That IS what fallen people do.  Someone comes along with a great message, and maybe they have an eloquent or entertaining way of delivering their message, and we prop them up.  We follow them.  We go out of our way for them, to hear them.  To a certain extent we can put our trust in them.  We may even idolize them.  But sooner or later, all human messengers prove to be all too human.  They are not perfect.  I’m not perfect.  Far from it.  The goal of the witness is to tell people, to point people to the Light.  John the Witness was a great witness - particularly because he pointed people like author John to the Light.  To Jesus.  As we’ll see, author John starts out following John the Witness, but he points him to Jesus.  [“He must increase; I must decrease…” Jn 3.30]  So that all should believe.  So that they will trust in the words about the Word Who Was and is The Light.  That’s our calling - to believe, AND to help others believe in Jesus.  [Is 6.8]  He must increase…

A decent name for our children? Johanan has given us the name John/Jon: Sean/Shawn, Jean (French), Giovanni (Italian), Juan (Spanish), Johann, and Hans (German), Jan (Dutch), and Ivan (Russian).  The female versions include Joanna, Joanne, Jan, Jane, Jani but also Hannah has given us Anna, Jana, Ann/Anne, Nan, Nancy, Anita (Spanish) and Annette/Nanette (French). 

John 1.4-5 - The Light of Men

In the beginning was the Word.  This Word was God - [4] In Him was life], and the life was the Light of men.  The Creator of all life, and the Sole Source of Zoe life: Shalom.  Peace, overall well-being.  Life as it was always meant to be.  Life in the Light, inexpressible joy flowing from a personal abundant relationship with the God Who made us to live with Him forever.  But there is darkness - [5] The Light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  Meaning, the darkness did not eagerly take the Light.  Let’s drill down on this a bit more.

So, IN this One Who was The Word, the Speaking Communicating Relating Creating Word, in Him WAS life, this zoe - the power and quality of enduring abundant glory and overall well-being, and this life WAS the Light of men.  It’s this same imperfect tense, back in the beginning, always was.  He made us with glorious potential, He so wants us to have, to experience zoe, a life of joyful overflowing relationship with Him.  The Light of men.

One overarching theme in John is that the mass of humanity is no longer experiencing zoe, does NOT even have zoe.  WAY too many people do NOT enjoy this overflowing abundant existence, this vital relationship with the only true God.  Our lives are NOT illuminated by the light of His presence and His power, by His love and His joy, by His truth.  This is not new news.  People are walking not in the Light but in darkness.  Their minds are darkened.  But it wasn’t this way in the beginning…

So, WAY BACK in the very beginning, what was the first thing God created with spoken words?  Light [Gen. 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.].  Do a quick google - scientists agree, without the sun (and its light) life would cease to exist.  Without light life never would have been able to exist in the first place.  Medicine tells us that are so many health benefits of sunlight.  Somehow, in more ways than we can even begin to understand, much less appreciate, life and light do go hand in hand.  But light is not only that which makes physical/biological life viable [bios], light also describes a state of spiritual alive-ness.  Intellectual and spiritual awareness.  Light represents understanding [i.e. the light is on].  The life was the light of men.

Think about it: where there is NO light what do you have?  Darkness.  [Gen. 1:2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep]  Have you ever been awake in the dark?  In total black darkness?  No light?  And tried to move around?  How does that go for you?  Physical darkness and the inability to see [blindness] can be quite debilitating.  And there is a SPIRITUAL blindness, where the light is out in our souls.  Spiritually dead.  No zoe life, no overflowing relationship with the God Who so loves us.  Shalom eludes us.  Spiritual blindness, walking in spiritual darkness is just as debilitating as physical darkness, but for God’s image bearers, for people it’s even worse, because we’re tempted to think we CAN see.  This presumption appears in force during adolescence.  We are self-aware, and we believe that we know what time it is - even when our spiritual light is out.  This is bad news…

Darkness.  Is. 59:9  Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, but behold, darkness; or brightness, but we walk in gloom.  Darkness is the term used to describe the downward regression and the broken fallen state of man: Rom. 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Eph. 4:18 ...being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart.  The brokenness of man, our state of spiritual separation from the God Who is Life and Light - this is darkness.  And  darkness is now the default condition of humanity.  Life lived apart from our Creator.  In Whom alone is the Light of men.  There WAS a time - back in the beginning, when we had the Light.  The first couple, they enjoyed zoe, this unhindered abundant relationship with their Creator.  The Light was on.  Walking in the Light.  Life as it was meant to be.  But they chose to go their own independent way, turned their back on the light, and the Light of eternal zoe was snuffed out in their hearts.  Now all we their descendants are born with that light OUT.  Darkness for us is unavoidable.  Eccl. 11:8 Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many.  Many times when we’re not sure what to do.  Where we’re going.  Days of darkness.  And without outside intervention, this darkness will consume us.  Luke 11:34-35 “The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.  Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.”  In other words, it’s not about the light I see out there, it’s about the Light in here.  The lamp of the body - are my spiritual eyes clear enough to see and embrace the truth about the God Who made me?  About Jesus?  That He loves me.  In Him IS life.  And His life is the Light of men.  Do I have His Light?

Now, can there BE life in the darkness?  Yes, yes there can.  But it’ll be a form that falls far short of shalom.  Sub-human.  Life in darkness will invariably be Mis-shapen.  Think Gollum - twisted and broken.  And incredibly selfish - cuz you’re just trying to take care of yourself.  Trying to get through the dark night of a soulless dog-eat-dog existence.  Devoid of the things that make life worth living, far short of zoe, life as it was designed, the Life that God proclaims as very exceedingly good.   Because God is Light, and the life of God, the life He gives, the life He designed us to live, in His presence and full of glory, full of breathtaking goodness, is found in the Light.  In Him.  [In Him was life], and this zoe - His abundant eternal glorious life - was the Light of men.  The Light of men.  [5 The Light shines in the darkness…]  God did NOT design human beings as His special word-wielding image-bearers and then just leave us all to our own devices.  The Light IS shining, is still blazing in the darkness.  Even after we kicked God out of our hearts, even after death set in and we became separated from the life of God, His Light was still shining.  God’s light is always shining, shining to rescue us from darkness. 

Psalm 18.28  “For You are my lamp, O LORD; and the LORD illumines my darkness.“  Is. 9:2  The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.  Whatever your darkness is.   John 8:12  Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 12:46 “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.

Light is the first “God-send” we encounter in John.  Life.  The Light of men.  The Word speaking everything into existence, giving bios-life to all living creatures and imparting the Light of zoe-life to people.  And even after we extinguished the Light in our hearts, God is still faithfully sending out, shining the Light of His Truth for all to see.  Blazing across the heavens.  Ps. 19:1  The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.  And NOW God has sent THE Light, the Word Who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them out of nothing, Who made us to experience this glorious abundant life of zoe with Him forever, sent Him to be our Guide in the darkness, to lead us OUT of darkness.  Out of that place of brokenness, and uncertainty.  The question is, when the Light comes, when the dawn comes, when the Light of God’s Truth is dawning in your heart, what will you do?  Will you harden your heart?  Or will you eagerly take the Light into your heart.  It’s never too late.  Will you believe in Jesus today?