John 1:1-28

Summary
In this scripture, John briefly describes the beginning of all things, the word existed before all things with God and by it all things were created. The word carries life that gives light to all men, such a great light that darkness cannot extinguish. John the Baptist came as a witness to this Light that gave light to everyone in the world, the world still did not recognize or receive Him as the light but for those that receive, He gave gave them right of sonship. The scripture further explained how the word became human and dwelt amongst men, we saw his glory and John testified of him as the convener of grace and truth and the only begotten son of God.
The Jewish leaders inquired of John about his identity but he was quick to tell them that he is not the Messiah but have come to prepare the way for the Messiah.

Life Application
Everything came and exists through the word, the word is light and the word is Jesus Christ. He was with God in the beginning of creation and everything was created by him and for him including you. If he created us and we were created for him then he alone knows exactly what we are created for. We should derive our identity from him and not from the world around us. Everything he created has a record of being good and perfect and you are not an exception. You are fearfully and and wonderfully created for greatness and victory. Hallelujah!

Personal declaration
I am created by the word of God, I am created for the word of God and the word is working through me to bring me to my greatness.

Reading – John 1:1-28

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and^[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah

¹⁹ Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders^[c] in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. ²⁰ He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

²¹ They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

²² Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

²³ John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”^[d]

²⁴ Now the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

²⁶ “I baptize with^[e] water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know.²⁷ He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

²⁸ This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Footnotes:

1. John 1:5 Or understood
2. John 1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who
3. John 1:19 The Greek term traditionally translated the Jews (hoi Ioudaioi) refers here and elsewhere in John’s Gospel to those Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus; also in 5:10, 15, 16; 7:1, 11, 13; 9:22; 18:14, 28, 36; 19:7, 12, 31, 38; 20:19.
4. John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
5. John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33 (twice)