Preparing for Jesus - John 1

The beginning of John opens with high anticipation. "In the beginning..." is a direct reference to the beginning of Genesis, the very opening of the Bible. In doing so, John pulls captive the Jewish audience. Now, when we read through John 1, we read knowing that the story is about Jesus but think about the very first time someone read this document. They didn't know who it was about. And so, as they were to read John 1, it is with great anticipation and high expectations of who this "Word" might be.

In verses 1-5, the Word is
- Eternal
- Existing in Creation
- The beginning of Life
- An overcomer of darkness

The anticipation increases...

In verses  6-13, the Word was
- Was a part of the world ("In what way" they might ask...)
- Rejected
- Permission giver

The anticipation increases...

All culminating in verse 14 which is the shocker.

The Word put on flesh and dwelt among us. The Message translation says it this way:

"The Word became flesh and blood

and moved into the neighborhood.

We saw the glory with out own eyes,

the one-of-a-kind glory,

like Father, like Son,

Generous inside and out,

true from start to finish."

And the rest of John tells this story. 

The anticipation begins...

Now, put your self back in the shoes of the first time reader again... What might be the next thing you would expect to read about "The Word." That he demonstrated his power? That he came on the scene and immediately created a powerful institution? Maybe he becomes a military leader and leads a great army to bring Israel to prominence again?

Some people actually thought that to be true. Now look back at the chapter. 

Trivia Question: What is the first name for Jesus that someone "speaks" in John? For real take a second and look through John 1 and find it....

Answer: "Lamb of God" by John the Baptist in John 1:29.

And all the anticipation and high expectation has left the room and the image for the Word has been replaced with a sacrificial animal. 

And that's the theme of John, the sacrifice of God that put on flesh to live among the people. 

Application: When we take on the life of Christ, we are taking on the same humility that he took on. We are living the same life of servanthood and the same living sacrifice.  

The anticipation increases...