Alongside John 3 v 16, verse 14 is probably the greatest single verse in the Bible. We have noted that John has already presented the reader with certain great themes and words which dominated his thoughts and were the reasons why he wrote this Gospel. The first and possibly the greatest word in the English language is GRACE. This word has two basic ideas behind it: something completely undeserved, given freely. Jesus Christ coming to live on earth-moving into our neighbourhood, as the Message Bible translates verse 14-is an act of pure love from God. We are helpless in our poverty; God is munificent in His kindness. The second basic idea is that of beauty. To many in my parents' generation, Princess Grace of Monaco was the model of beauty and charm and here we see Jesus presented as bringing to earth the glory and loveliness of God The second is truth, a dominant theme in the fourth Gospel. Jesus is the embodiment of truth: Remember His declaration, ''I am the way, the TRUTH and the life''. To experience truth we must look to Jesus, to find truth and to see it begin to take its rightful place, we must know Jesus in an utterly committed and absorbent way. Jesus also communicates truth-amongst all the grey of life, the entanglements, the blurred vision, Jesus guides and shows us the right way. We now have the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth: He is Jesus in us, an ongoing guide, protector from lies and wisdom-bringer. Have you been in a situation when others around you have been confused, maybe in a panic, and you can see clearly the thing to do? That is the Holy Spirit in you, the wisdom of God. The truth sets us free; the more we move to living in truth rather than lies, the more we are untangled from the things which would destroy us. Jesus Christ fully embodied God and was the manifestation of His glory. We must remind ourselves that God the Father was utterly committed to His Son. Throughout the Gospels there is no sense of division. From birth to crucifixion, Son and Father were one. Jesus was fully obedient to His Father and the love of God shone out through Him. The wonder is that so many opposed Him or just ignored Him!
top of page
Search
Recent Posts
See AllThe last day of Advent and today we look at the remaining few scriptural verses which refer to the birth story. We may ask: 'Where did Luke, Matthew and Mark get their stories from?' The answer is par
2
Shepherds were a despised group of people amongst God-fearing Jews. However much they tried, they could never have kept the details of the ceremonial part of the Law. What we miss from a cursory readi
2
We come to what are the core verses for our modern-day interpretation of the Nativity. But we notice that there is no record of a kindly innkeeper or animals surrounding the Christ-babe. It was quit
5
bottom of page