Revealing the Light Within
Do you ever wonder what our faith would be like without the Gospel of John?
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 came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. - John 1:1-5
This week we begin the Gospel of John in our Tuesday night Bible Study.
We will go slowly, taking a chapter at a time and looking carefully at the words John uses and how he uses them.
John begins his Gospel with vivid imagery, turning the source of all being into the essence of the Word, and then spreading that essence as light penetrating the darkness.
We are reminded of Jesus telling his disciples how the light of a lamp needs to shine and be seen, rather than hidden, and it is this light that we envision ourselves carrying as followers of Christ.
We get our mission to be like Christ from this image of the light bearer. We go out into the world spreading the light of Christ through our actions, serving and loving one another.
A few of the light bearers I have met will even talk about Christ, sharing the Good News of his coming to save, but most let the light shine silently.
If we accept what John tells us, that the life that came into the world is the light of all the people, then we should be able to see that light in all people, not just in the ones who know they carry it.
That, I believe, is the message of Jesus. Believe because we are saved, rather than believe to be saved.
If we could all see that God has given us the gift of knowing of our salvation, perhaps we will stop hurting each other and turn to God.
So, those who walk in darkness do so of their own will and ignorance. They don't realize the light they are hiding could show them the way.
So, we pray for them, for all who have buried their lamps, that they may see the light we bear and seek to bring theirs forward.
More to come...