When I first sat down to read this first chapter of John I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to take from it. I didn't see anything, yet there is so much. So I prayed and asked to God to show me what he wanted me to take from this first chapter of John. Then I read again, and again. It took me a while but once it started it just seemed like so much was popping out that I was a bit overwhelmed. What was I thinking trying to read through a book of the Bible? There is so much that can be covered and discussed! So as I read the book of John and as I blog about it I will probably end up just highlighting some key things that stood out to me. It would be great to hear what anyone else gets as they read so please comment and leave your thoughts as well!
As I read John my goal is to understand and to become closer to Christ. I want to learn more of him and know more of him. So as I read I ask; what am I learning about Jesus? One of the first things that really struck me is verse eleven, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." What a feeling that must have been? To come to a people that have received so much from God and be completely and utterly rejected! Yet this isn't what really hit me, the thought that gets me is would I have rejected Christ? So I start to wonder why did his own reject him? What were they missing? I want to know because I consider myself one of his, but I don't want to make the same mistake. I don't want to miss out on Jesus.
In verse 12 there is a promise though, "But as many as receive him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God..." This is what happens when we don't reject him! This is so powerful in the way that it confirms what I read in Steps to Christ, about how it is not of myself that I can become the child of God. He gives me that power, because of myself I can do nothing. I love this promise of being incorporated into the family of God by letting Jesus into my heart; by receiving him.
Towards then end of the chapter I see a glimpse of the Christian experience. There are two men that follow Jesus, but from a distance. They don't get too close, they're curious and want to know who he is. Then Jesus turns to them and asks "What do you seek?" The two men answer that they want to see where he dwells, and then Jesus says "Come and see." They then abide with Christ, there is this time of bonding, getting to know Jesus. Then they go off to find others to bring to Jesus. I feel like even though Jesus isn't here in the flesh with us anymore that the experience is quite the same, at least for me. I know that for awhile I followed at a distance. I wasn't quite sure how far I wanted to go, or how close I wanted to be. Then boom, I hit this period in my life where the questions kept coming at me; what do you want. what are you looking for? It was then I that I felt the need to get closer to Christ, to go all in and really get to know who he is. And when I experience Christ, when I see and feel him in my life, I can't help but to want to tell others, and have them experience the same joy! The parallel is crazy!
I know these were some disjointed thoughts on fragments from the first chapter of John, but this is what spoke to me as I read this week. Overall though, from this first chapter I see an introduction of Jesus as God who came to walk with and redeem man.
Tash, this is so great! I love reading John through with you! I think the thing that stands out most to me, is what you already mentioned: with Jesus, you're either all in or your not. There's no sitting on the fence - the fence belongs to the other side. It's go big or go home. Go all in, take a risk and get to know Him, or don't. He doesn't pressure, but He continuously chases after, pursues us. And, along with that, just look at His first disciples. One of them Jesus meets for the first time and changes His name from Simon (meaning the one who hears the Word of God) to Peter (meaning rock). This is a common everyday guy who goes from just hearing about God, to working passionately for Him and being solid as a rock in his relationship with Jesus (even though he messes up quite a lot). And then there's Nathaniel, another man who's life is changed the moment He decides to give Christ a chance. Bottom line - if we just give God a chance, open our hearts even just a little, there's no doubt that our whole lives will be transformed. What does John 1:16 say, "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another." Wow, to live with Christ is awesome!
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