John 1:1-18

I'm trying to lead a Bible Study of a few girls this summer and we will be going through two chapters of John a week and a chapter of Crazy Love (by Francis Chan) a week. So, to help keep me accountable of my daily readings, I will be posting my notes on this blog! Enjoy!

John 1:

v. 1

"The Word" - Greek, Logos

Introduction of Jesus

"Word was with God"

"Word was God" -- Introduction of the Divine Trinity (Three in one)

v. 3

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (knowledge). The light shines in the darkness (sin), and the darkness has not overcome it (evil, Satan)."

We cannot be overcome by Satan if we are followers of Christ. We will stumble and go through hard times, but Christ will always prevail and will always use every situation in our lives for our greater good and His greater glory.

How does this fact encourage you to live?

v. 8

"He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light."

This is what we are called to do. We may not even know what we want to be when we grow up, but we should know that our purpose is to represent and share Christ.

v. 12-13

"But to all who did receive him, who believe in His name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will or man, but of God."

This is our Salvation.

"Receive Him" - Not only an acceptance of facts (for "receive" implies more than merely understanding), but welcoming him and submitting to him in a personal relationship.

"Born, not of blood… but of God"- Neither physical birth nor ethnic decent nor human effort can make people children of God- only by God's supernatural work (adoption).

v. 14

"The Word became flesh."- The most amazing even in all of History. Our Creator, our Almighty, Holy, Eternal, Omnipotent, Omnipresent Son of God (aka God Himself) took on human nature and lived among human beings.

Philippians 2:6-11 (Kenosis Passage- Greek for "emptiness")- "Jesus Christ, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped (Garden of Gethsemane), but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross…"

"Made himself nothing" - Greek kenoō means "empty, pour out" or "to give up status and privilege"- Christ had all the privileges of the king of the universe and gave them up to become an ordinary Jewish baby bound for the cross. He had every right to stay comfortably where he was in heaven, but his love drove him to a position of weakness for the sake of sinful mankind (whom he KNEW would reject him, spit on him, and torture him).

What does that mean for the way I should live?

v. 16-17

"And from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

"fullness"- everything that Christ is and does and became

"grace"- God's unmerited favor that brings blessings and joy- free, undeserving gift

v. 18

"No one has ever seen God" in a full, complete way. There have been people who saw glimpses of God in the Old Testament, but never the fullness of His glory.

Before Jesus came to earth, the only ones who could get physically near God were the high priests. They had to go into the Holy of Holies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_of_Holies) totally clean and with a string tied to their ankle in case they weren't completely clean. Jesus's appearance on earth completely changed everything. People, not matter what ethnicity or ranking, could not tough him and hear him. And even now, we have the privilege and ability to speak directly to him! I often forget how much of an honor that is! Jesus came and died so that we could communicate with him and through that, we could share a joyous relationship!

Don't forget that.