The Essential Jesus Day 1

Who is Jesus: Truth Beyond Facts

PRAY: O Lord, as I begin this new journey through your Word, please grant me the presence of your Holy Spirit. Give me discernment and a listening heart. I want to see Jesus. Amen

READ: John 1:1-18

REFLECT: I am reminded of a song in the movie “The Sound of Music”. It goes something like this, “Let’s star at the very beginning. A very good place to start. When you read you begin with A B C. When you sing you begin with Do Re Me.”

So we begin the Essential Jesus Challenge at the very beginning. A very good place to start. And so we begin with a question: Who is Jesus?

The opening chapter of John reveals who Jesus is by boldly declaring, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

Jesus is the Word. On hearing those words, we are immediately transported back to Genesis 1:1-3—God said and it was so. God’s Word accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish (Isaiah 55:11). It is living and active; like a double edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is unstoppable (2 Timothy 2:9). The Word existed from the very beginning. Everything in all creation exists because of the Word. He was with God—in fact he is God!

Then John tells us that the most amazing thing happens. The Word takes on human flesh. He becomes human (John 1:14). He lives among us. His name is Jesus (1:17). Later we will learn that Jesus walks, eats, and hangs out with friends, family and disciples. He works with his hands. He gets hungry and thirsty and tired. He experiences abandonment, pain and suffering. Jesus is fully human!

Jesus is more than a mere man, more than a good teacher, more than an amazing miracle worker, more than a great leader, more than an innocent man put to death by the powers of this world. He is God in the flesh. He brings God’s grace and truth. He makes God known (John 1:18). And whoever receives him and believes in him becomes a child of God (John 1:12-13).

Want to know who God is? Look at Jesus.

Want to know what it means to be human? Look at Jesus.

Jesus is the light in the darkness. He reveals who God is. You can know who created you and who you are created to be.

APPLY: Who is Jesus to you? What does he reveal to you about God? Why would God take on human flesh? Have you received Jesus?

PRAY: Gracious Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to the world through Jesus. Grant me the grace to receive him; to walk in his light and not in the darkness. Amen.