Anchor My Faith

Title: The Word

It appears very clear, from our previous lesson, that the Word was God and was manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. As we look more closely at our text, which is: “¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1 – 3 ESV), one might wonder why the name “Word” was chosen to refer to Jesus.

Words are what we use in communicating with one another; it is how we convey our thoughts, give directions, or make request. God created humans and needed to communicate to us who he was and his will for our lives. “¹ Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1 – 2 ESV). The Father’s Son, Jesus, was his main source of communication and so the name “Word” perfectly reflects his mission.

Before leaving our text, we need to read what Paul said about Jesus: “¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15 – 17 ESV). If one wants to know what God is like, look at and learn about Jesus; want to know where everything came from and holds together, look no further than at Jesus; want to know if he is eternal, consider the fact that he existed before all created things.

What other man has ever existed that can make the claims Jesus did (which we will study in depth in coming lessons) and then live a life that demonstrated his claims, lived without sin, and was willing to die a shameful death on the cross for our sin? Jesus has become the pivot point of history. What we do with Jesus and his claims, determines where we will spend eternity. What we do with Jesus is the most important decision we will ever make.

Prayer

Father, thank you for providing, through the person of Jesus, a wonderful image of God. Thank you that as we study his life and what he said and how he lived we can learn about you and your will for our lives. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that indwells every believer, that provides us will the ability to obey your will. Thank you for the promise that you will guide me in writing future lessons, through which we will learn about Jesus and how to live.