Terry Storch

Writing about life, leadership, faith, and anything else I find interesting.

John 1:9-18 - Grace upon Grace

 

John 1:9-18 - Grace upon Grace

Just to get my head fully back into the book of John, I am reminded the Gospel of John has a key and central purpose. This entire book was written, so we will come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is fully God and fully man. The opening of this Gospel connects back to the Creation story, the story, and narrative that these readers would understand and connect with. After the creation story, it goes right into John the Baptist, and him being sent to point to the light. 

“There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:6-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Diving into the area I am focusing on today is verse 9-18. Some of this is odd to me, and I am not sure I fully understand. This is happening more and more to me...not understanding. As my faith grows, I have become more comfortable with not understanding, and recognizing part of maturity is realizing not knowing is ok. 

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When I read “was coming into the world” it leaves me wondering what happened before Jesus. They did not have a true light, the law was not a true light, but the law was pointing to Jesus. Just interesting and intriguing to me to process this, and think about pre-Jesus in the flesh. However, just as I write that my mind struggles because we also just read in the beginning of John that in the beginning was the Word, and “He” (Jesus) was with God. So, the thought of pre-Jesus really doesn’t exist, right? So, what we have is a Jesus coming to the world (God with flesh). Again, here I could go down a rabbit hole, but let's move on. 

“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:10-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus, (v3) all things were made through him... but, we the people of the world did not recognize him. 

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:12-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I read all of this and do find it really odd that the creator of it all, everything...came into this world, and the world did not recognize him. How strange is that? I recognize my father and mother, I see animals born, and they recognize and have a bond with their mothers. But, our creator comes into the world, and we do not recognize him. However, it does shift to language of some - maybe who do not recognize him but did receive him. The text here does not say these who received him, recognized him. This sounds like faith, faith to believe while not recognizing. Faith to believe while not fully comprehending or understanding. I loved reading this;

“The end of the story is not the tragedy of rejection, but the grace of acceptance.” (Morris)

And then Spurgeon put it this way;

“The man is like a watch which has a new mainspring, not a mere face and hands repaired, but new inward machinery, with freshly adjusted works, which act to a different time and tune; and whereas he went wrong before, now he goes right, because he is right within.” (Spurgeon)

Whereas man went wrong before, now we do right, because He (Jesus) is right (God) within us. This is the transformation, the salvation, the great awakening. Born of God, awakening to Him and the ongoing transformation and the ongoing salvation. 

“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.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus was grace and truth. Such a powerful verse and something we need to soak in fully. Looking at Jesus live as the model, the model of grace and truth. Love. Glory. Grace upon grace!

“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭1:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We have all received, grace upon grace!

My takeaway right now with grace upon grace is the grace I need to extend to others. Our creator, the creator of everything, extends grace upon grace. Who am I to not extend grace? Jesus, our model, Christ, God, Creator in the flesh modeled love and grace. He is truth. Jesus is life. Lord, may I continually be transformed by your loving grace, awakening to who you are and living it out in my circle and community. Amen 

other writing
John 20 - The Gospel

John 20 - The Gospel

The Gospel, the Good News! Jesus, Son of God, was born of Mary, lived as the Son of Man, died, and rose to life to rescue the world and bring about a new life. The central message of the gospel. Jesus, the centerpiece! John 19 & 20 cover the brutal death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

In this scene, I can not imagine how the disciples felt. John describes them as overjoyed...but those words just fall short of what I can imagine this moment was like.

John 19 - The Magnitude of the Cross

John 19 - The Magnitude of the Cross

The day of Jesus' crucifixion fulfilled 28 Old Testament prophecies. Scripture was fulfilled! Beyond that, trying to wrap my mind around what happened this day, on the cross, and fully grabbing the magnitude of the cross is mind-boggling.

Sure, we can dumb this down or simplify it to a place where I just don’t believe it is anywhere near accurate. We can get into penal substitution and argue over was God full of love or was God full of wrath and hate that he killed his son. To me, John 3:16 is pretty clear on the love part.

John 18 - Jesus levels an army

John 18 - Jesus levels an army

In John 18, we come to the great betrayal. Judas came with the soldiers, officials, and chief priest and Pharisees. We know the scene. But this morning, I saw something I don’t remember reading and surly don’t remember learning about.

“So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭18:3-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 17 - The Lords Prayer

John 17 - The Lords Prayer

John 17 is Jesus looking heavenward and praying to God the Father. So much beauty and mystery in this prayer. One thing that jumps out to me is that Jesus, fully God, and fully man prayed. Jesus is God fully. Why did he need to pray, He was One with the Father, He was God...and yet he prayed. This is so powerful;

“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭17:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 16 - What does it take to believe?

John 16 - What does it take to believe?

By the end of John 16, Jesus had done countless miracles, preached some amazing sermons, transformed so many lives, and developed a close and personal relationship with his disciples. So, when reading these verses, I am just utterly confused on so many levels.

“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭16:28-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 16 - Undervaluing God in Spirit

John 16 - Undervaluing God in Spirit

Jesus’ time on earth is quickly coming to a close, and he finishes up his last sermon or teaching to his disciples as they walk to Gethsemane. This final teaching was a heavy one that no doubt left his disciples with a heavy heart. Jesus said it this way;

“...None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭16:5-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus goes on to say;

John 15 - Constant Growth

John 15 - Constant Growth

We were built for growth, constant growth. From birth, all the way until our death, we were designed by God for constant growth. The problem is, we often can find ourselves stuck in a belief, a phase, or a part of life where we stop growing.

One of the most brilliant investors embodies this understanding. Charlie Munger, at 96 years old, is still learning and growing as a person. I love this quote:

“Knowing what you don’t know is more useful than being brilliant.”
- Charlie Munger

John 14 - The Gift of Peace

John 14 - The Gift of Peace

John 14 opens with Jesus, saying, Don’t let your hearts be troubled. And the chapter closed down with Jesus saying Don’t be troubled or afraid.

A message that needs to resonate with our spirit and our inner self. This was such a good reminder, reading through John 14 over and over. This passage lifted off the screen.

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart…

John 14 - Troubled Hearts

John 14 - Troubled Hearts

The world today seems so volatile and chaotic. Everywhere you look, whatever we read and see on TV just seems to be troubling. Last night, I noticed my lovely wife Tweeted this;

“I can’t be the only one who watches the news and is simply embarrassed right now, right? (Dear Jesus, we tap out. Come on back.)”

I find this first humorous, but then I also find it sad. It’s true, watching the news as a Christ-follower is pretty embarrassing. In John 14, we see Jesus…

John 13 - Unselfish Concern

John 13 - Unselfish Concern

Summarizing John, chapter 13, looks like this. The Lords Supper takes place. Jesus washes the disciple's feet. Jesus calls out Judas, and Satan enters him. Night comes, Judas leaves, and Jesus says he must go, and where I am going, you can not come. To cap it all off, Jesus also calls out Simon Peter and tells him that he will deny and completely disown Jesus three times. Whoa, a really full chapter, and historical day.

Nestled in the wrap up of the day is the parting message Jesus leaves his disciples, a message Jesus is sharing with us right now.

 
thoughtsTerry Storch