John 1:1-2 and 14

[Ric]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word
became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his
glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
–John 1:1-2 and 14
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
All true ministry is “incarnational” - it involves people to
people contact, human touch, and genuine physical care. While
Heartlight is an Internet ministry, it will never live in
cyberspace. It must be carried into the daily life of
believers who are committed to share the grace of Jesus with
their FRANs (Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors).
Just as God purposely sent Jesus at the right time to the right
place, he did so with us. We are here to bless others, “not
just in word, but in deed and truth!”

MY PRAYER…
Glorious Father, thank you for putting me where I am. I
know I am here to do your work and carry on Jesus’ ministry.
Help me seize the opportunities you give me today to bless
others in the name of Jesus. Through him I pray. Amen.

 

[Teresa9]

Ric:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word
became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his
glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
–John 1:1-2 and 14
New International Version

THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
All true ministry is “incarnational” - it involves people to
people contact, human touch, and genuine physical care. While
Heartlight is an Internet ministry, it will never live in
cyberspace. It must be carried into the daily life of
believers who are committed to share the grace of Jesus with
their FRANs (Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors).
Just as God purposely sent Jesus at the right time to the right
place, he did so with us. We are here to bless others, “not
just in word, but in deed and truth!”

MY PRAYER…
Glorious Father, thank you for putting me where I am. I
know I am here to do your work and carry on Jesus’ ministry.
Help me seize the opportunities you give me today to bless
others in the name of Jesus. Through him I pray. Amen.

Dear friend

The Gospel of St John is my favourite Gospel, I love it because although in some places it is difficult to understand it draws Jewish tradition and Christianity to it’s climax and also because it is written with so much love by the writer. I also find it touches me deeply whenever I read the Gospel of St John, it has a special place in my heart and I love it deeply beyond words. Also the only clear reference to the Eucharist in conjunction with the feeding of the 5 thousand and the last supper is mentioned in John, He writes where Jesus says that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood (John 6). This is especially dear to my heart also. I love St John.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

 

[Les_Richardson]

The point of your thought is a good one. It is the same drawback that TV ministry or Radio ministry has as compared to the pastor and priest operating directly in the parish with aid of lay-people. There is no substitute for that.

However, from the same passage we might reflect that before there was physicality, before there was anything of creation, there was the Word, the Logos. The derivative ideas that we take from that Greek understanding of Logos are myriad, ie. words, ideas, teaching, symbols, creativity, but very simply we can see that before anything was created the conception, the idea, the personification of it was in the Mind of God.

So in the order that is God’s making, the Word comes first, then the creation. So too, in our very limited creative capacity, the idea must come first, the concept, the conception.

Isn’t it amazing how God has ordered us and given us a share in creativity? I know my greatest pleasure in work is when I am able to make something. Think of it, then make it. That is built into us from God I think.
Thus it is also that we can see just from this very first passage from St. John’s Gospel that we must know and understand, receive the Word first, to have the experience of the Word. That is, knowledge precedes experience, not the other way around. Much of New Age spirituality today reverses this, mindlessly seeking experience before knowing what it is an experience of.

Indeed, St. John’s Gospel is a goldmine of understanding, which is not surprising since he was so personally close to our Lord.