Creator, Father, King #348

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

WORDS ARE CRITICAL TO our lives. We communicate with them thousands of times a day. We speak with them, write with them, read them, and listen to them.

God is a God of words. He spoke the universe into being. He personally relates and communicates to us primarily through the written words of Scripture.

However, one Word (notice the capital W) reigns supreme above all. This Word isn’t merely a grouping of letters that forms an element of speech. This Word is a Person. This Word is whom the apostle John praised to begin his Gospel:

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

As Christmas approaches, let’s consider the glorious Incarnate Word.

What’s It Mean?

With the first three words of his Gospel, “In the beginning,” John beautifully links the Word to Genesis 1:1. And who is this Word? It’s none other than Jesus Christ, the immortal Son of God who existed in eternal triune glory with the Father and the Spirit before time began.

Two thousand years ago, the Son left heaven’s holiness and majesty to shine his light into the oppressive darkness of a sin-stained world. He came to offer hope to the downcast and set the captives free. He came to save lost sinners like you and me. “The Word became human and made his home among us” (John 1:14).

Jesus fulfilled every word written in Scripture and obeyed every word the Father spoke (2 Corinthians 1:20). As the Incarnate Word, Jesus revealed everything the Father wanted to convey about himself. “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” Jesus said in John 14:10. “The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.”

The Word entered our world—this is the glorious message of Christmas—and spoke words of life to us. Do you believe?

Now What?

Use your words to tell someone about the Word today!

Did You Know?

The Bible also refers to Jesus’ existence before Creation in Hebrews 1 and Colossians 1.