April 5 - John 1: Speaking Salvation into Existence

I'm so glad that we're beginning the book of John at this time, right before Easter.  We just read about His crucifixion and death as we finished Luke and now we're immediately reminded that He is the "Life-Light,"  that through Jesus, God is "speaking salvation into existence" (Peterson), that like John the Baptist we can call out, "This is the One!"

As we  read through the first three gospels, there was a pattern of Jesus telling his disciples and the people he heals not to speak of him, to keep it quiet.  Yet, here we have John the Baptist blurting out the absolute truth about Jesus and Jesus doesn't ask him to keep it under wraps.

John pointed him out and called, 'This is the One!  The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me.  He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word....  I am not the Messiah... I'm thunder in the desert..."   (John 1:15, 20, 23)

The very next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, 'Here he is, God's Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world!  This is the man I've been talking about... I knew nothing about who he was - only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer.... I'm telling you, there's no question about it: This is the Son of God."  (John 1:29-30, 34)

Jesus let John the Baptist loudly proclaim truth about Him.  John says that he knows nothing about Jesus except what He's been tasked to say:  that He is the Messiah, the Son of God.  What strikes me about John is that he's not speaking out of a personal experience with Jesus or from a point of personal blessing.  (He lived in the wilderness, foraging for his food, considered by some to be a lunatic.)   When others wanted to give him glory, he pointed it straight to Jesus.  He knew that he was second.  John demanded nothing from God, had no conditions for his relationship with Jesus.  He was simply living in the Life-Light and Jesus let him speak - loud and clear.

In contrast, my relationship with Jesus depends way too much on what I experience, how I feel, and my current circumstances.  I compare my lifestyle, what ministry I've experienced, what spiritual knowledge I've gained and base my relationship with Christ on those.  Not at all like John.   Too often, I don't live in the Life-Light, but in the shadow of myself, forgetting who He has made me to be.

But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and who would do what he said, he made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves.  (John 1:11-12)

"In this world you now inhabit, communion with Me is not defined by an experience of Me.  Nor does it depend on blessings from Me.  To really live is to release My Son's life through yours, in any circumstance, no matter what you feel, to relate as He related, giving when no one gives back, loving when no one returns love, forgiving when no one deserves forgiveness, suffering in the place of those who should suffer."  (66LL)

Father, as I enter the time of celebration of Your Son's death and resurrection, thank You for Your consistent redefining of life for me.  I want to release Your Son's life, even though I feel so inadequate and unable.