Topic: Jesus Christ
Most historian scholars believe that Jesus was the greatest teacher in the early AD. The History Channel shows that He was the greatest prophet in the early church era. Just like Pharisees, many today’s people believe that Jesus was the one of us, but he was the greatest teacher that we had in the history. Was Jesus the greatest teacher that we had in the world history? Or He also was the God of the Bible, who came to the world and paid our debt of sins on the cross 2000 years ago? What does the Bible say about Him?
Throughout the Old Testament era, many people of believed that there will be Messiah coming down to the earth and would live among them. Moses, Elijah, Micah, and other greatest prophets of the Old Testament, even King David, proclaimed that there will be the one true Messiah will appear to the world in near future. I don’t believe that God didn’t silence during the last 400 years before the New Testament era would begin. Although we don’t have record on the last 400 years of the Old Testament, I believe that God was still speaking in each of His children individually.
Yet, some today’s Christians don’t understand that Jesus was more than a greatest teacher as He is in our generation. Most Catholic believe that Jesus was the Son of Virgin Mother Mary, but they refuse to believe Jesus is the God and there is nothing beside Him, such as Virgin Mother Mary—Queen of Heaven (see Jeremiah 44).
Let’s read John 1:1-5 and discover that Jesus is the light of the world.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
As we read in this passage, John said that there was somebody on the universe in the beginning of time. In Genesis 1:1, the book begins by saying “In the beginning God…” But here, John begins “In the beginning was the Word…” John uses Genesis 1:1 to clarify who God is. In his case was the Word. That is God’s spoken Word. The Bible says that God spoke the Word to create this world as we read in Genesis 1. His Word is so powerful to use to create us and to use defeat Satan (Matthew 4:1-11).
Now, let’s focus on the verse 2, He was in the beginning with God. In this verse, John speaks about the Second Person of Trinity, which is the Son. Now, don’t misinterpret this. I understand that some preachers have hard time to interpret John 1:2. John doesn’t say that there is another god in the Trinity. Although the Second Person of Trinity is Jesus Christ, He is the same God that we studied about in John 1:1 and in the Old Testament. We cannot separate God the Father and God the Son in two different places, because they work together, include God the Holy Spirit, as unity. I do believe that Jesus was in the beginning with God, especially when we see a capital U in the word “Us” in Genesis 1.
In the verse 3 makes clear that Jesus was God the Father’s agent involved in creating everything in the universe. Paul says in Colossians 1:16-17, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” And the author in Hebrews 1:2, “…has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds…”
Many scientists believe that there is a Big Bang Theory, which it was explored to form the universe. Although that is quite impossible to create the world by itself as evolution suggest, there was somebody outer space who spoke the Word to begin to form the universe. If there was not spoken word before the creation, why can we speak today? There is no need to have theory to approve that the spoken Word existed in the beginning of the world.
Now, let’s discuss about the Light, which is the current topic in the message.
In the verse 4 of John 1, John indicates that Jesus came to the world as Light. This is the pre-incarnate work of Christ. Why he used the word “light” to describe Jesus Christ? If we revisit the Old Testament history, God’s people were in darkness—corrupted by sins nature, so they cannot see the light of other side. Isaiah 9:2 predicted that those who walked in darkness have seen a great light, which will be the coming of Messiah, Jesus Christ. If we don’t have Jesus Christ in our lives, we would be still in the darkness of sins.
According to the first part of John 1:4 indicates that in Him was life. Jesus Christ was the life giver and He still is. He gave us life by dying at the cross. Throughout the Gospel of John, we will see that He is the life giver and the direction to the light to eternality. As we read verse 5, the darkness cannot comprehend the light. It cannot destroy the power of light, because it has so much of energy. If we close to the sun, for example, we will surely die and burn.
Also, we need to understand that the power of Light can defeat the darkness. Just as the power of darkness cannot have the victory over the light, Satan cannot defeat us easily if we close to Jesus and fight with Him.
What we do now as believers of Jesus Christ?
We understand that living earthly life for Christ is not easy to do. Look around our communities and other parts of world. There are more divorce rates in Christian home than within non-Christian homes. Many teenagers are getting lost to reach their goals because their parents are wrestling each other and decide to divorce as a result. Many natural disasters are occurring in the every year and they are getting bigger. The enemies of are preparing for war to against God’s land as the prophecy is unfold. Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Who are witnesses in our generation before the Lord returns? We know that there are many preachers and missionaries around the globe today. But the Bible says that they are several false witnesses who proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and deceive many. I am trying not to watch many Christian programs, but hear from God directly. We need to learn to hear from God directly if we like to become truly witnesses for Jesus Christ.
Jesus taught us to be the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). I am not talking about becoming fame as Bill Gates or Dr. Oral Roberts, but witness for Christ. We do not need to earn Bachelor college degree or build the Bible University to become a witness for Jesus Christ. I thank God for Bible Colleges or Universities to equip us more about God’s words, but we need to be ready to share God’s Word to others, no matter what ages we are or how far we educated. God can use even a 4-year old child to proclaim His words to others.
Are you ready to be a witness for Jesus Christ to reach the lost souls? I heard that many Christian students are suffering for Christ in their public campuses, because their schools are not allowing let Christians share their faiths, except for those who are not Christians. During the Columbine Littleton High School shooting in April 1999, one of Christian girls, Rachael, died by the one of gunmen by testing her faith. She died for Christ when the gunman asked her if she believes in Jesus Christ. Although the risk was high, she received the victory for Jesus Chris.
Are you ready if Satan would come to test your faith? If you are not sure to be a witness for Jesus Christ, please make your right decision as you are alive today.
Are you saved? Are your love ones and friends saved in the grace of God through Jesus Christ? The purpose of this study is to help you to become closer relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3.)
If you are lukewarm in your relationship with Jesus Christ and want to know Him as your personal Savior and Lord of your life, please consider asking Him to forgive your sins and invite Him into your life. Paul says, "That if you confess with your mouth, `Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believed and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10.) If you have done in your private room or workplace, then you need to tell to your friends or love ones about what you have done, so they may rejoice with you and want to have that relationship with Christ in their own life. There are many occults in the world, which do not know the love of God and His great plan for those who believe in Him. As it is written in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
