Before the Beginning, There Was Jesus
The Gospel of John opens with one of the most staggering truths in all of Scripture: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Unlike the other gospel writers, John doesn’t start with Bethlehem or Nazareth. He takes us all the way back before time began to remind us that Jesus has always existed.
John’s purpose is clear. He tells us in John 20:31, “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” This isn’t abstract theology. It’s a direct invitation to believe, to receive, and to live in Jesus Christ.
Who Is Jesus?
This is the most important question anyone can ask. John begins by establishing that Jesus is eternal, Creator, and the source of all life. He didn’t begin in Bethlehem. He entered Bethlehem. Everything in creation, from galaxies to molecules, bears His inscription.
In Him is life—both physical and spiritual. We breathe because of Him, and we are made alive eternally when we put our faith in Him. Jesus is not part of our story; He is the Author who lovingly writes us into His.
What Must We Do?
John introduces us to John the Baptist, who came to bear witness to the Light so that all might believe. That remains the call today: believe and bear witness.
Belief is more than intellectual agreement. It is trusting your life to Christ and living as though He really is Lord. Bearing witness means making much of Jesus with every part of life. Our jobs, families, and daily routines are temporary, but pointing people to Jesus has eternal significance.
Who in your life is far from God but close to you? Bearing witness begins there.
Who Are We?
John 1:12–13 tells us that all who receive and believe in Christ are given the right to become children of God. This identity is both a reality and a process. We are children of God by relationship, and we are becoming children of God as we grow into the privileges and responsibilities of that relationship.
Forget that truth, and life feels like living as an orphan—fearful, striving, and anxious. Remember it, and life is marked by boldness, peace, and joy.
What Did Jesus Do?
John declares, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us… full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). This is the heart of the gospel: God became man. Jesus didn’t stand far off but came near, taking on flesh to reveal God’s character and redeem humanity.
From His fullness, we have received “grace upon grace.” We don’t try harder to save ourselves. We surrender more deeply to the One who already has. Real transformation doesn’t come by willpower but by grace.
Surrender Is Life
The message of John 1 is not only about who Jesus is but about what that means for us. Before there was a beginning, there was Jesus. At the center of history, He became flesh, went to the cross, and rose again to give life.
When we surrender to Him, it isn’t loss. It is life. Eternal, abundant life that starts now and lasts forever.