Fun way to read the Bible!
John 1:14
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
1. And
This small word has so much in it!
A. And means that there was something before
B. More importantly, it means that there is something more to come!
In this case, we know that the Old Testiment was what was before. A Religious system designed to show how Awesome and Holy and Pure God is, and how much we are not. A two sided covenant that could only be kept by one side. A system designed to show us exactly what sin was, and that sin separates us from God. "And" what comes next?
2. The
This small word also has a lot of meaning!
A. It means a specific thing to be named.
B. John didn't use "a", or "some", or "a few" word(s); He said "the" word, a very specific word!
In this case, we know that "the" word, is in reference to Jesus Christ!
3. Word
The word, Word and word have two different meanings!
A. "Word", the Language of God!
B. "word", the Language of men.
The "Word" of God! The Language of God! Jesus Christ, the 2nd person of the Trinity!
It's all about Jesus!
4. Became (Be Came)
Compound word! Be Came!
A. God's name is I AM! Or how about BE IS or maybe just BE! I AM is the present tense, active from of the verb "to be". So God's name is also BE!
B(e). Came, yep that is right, Jesus "came" to us! We can't get to God, so God "came" to us!
Be came to us! He came to us as a man, Flesh and Blood!
5. Flesh
Flesh and Blood, like us!
A. The outer surface of our bodies.
B. All of God, packed into a body just like ours!
God came to us and Be Came like us! How amazing is that?!?
6. And
But wait there's more!!!!!
A. More than the Laws of the Old Testiment!
B. Now more than Jesus coming to us and taking on Flesh!
God keeps giving and giving and giving....He can definitely outlast the energizer bunny!
7. Dwelt
To live, to make a place your home!
A. Jesus walked upon this earth! Just like we do!!!
B. Jesus called a little town called Nazareth, Home!
God dwelt (made His home) among us!
Well...y'all get the picture!
Take one word a day, there is so much that God can say to you in just one word! And don't go quickly over the little words like "and" and "the", God chose those words for a purpose! They all have a very specific purpose for being there! Give each word a day, and let God speak to you through each individual word! It's a ton o' fun!
Here is another passage that can be a lot of fun to study this way!
Philippians 2:5-11
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
So there are a lot of words there, you could do maybe two or three per day!
God Bless,
In Christ,
David
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
1. And
This small word has so much in it!
A. And means that there was something before
B. More importantly, it means that there is something more to come!
In this case, we know that the Old Testiment was what was before. A Religious system designed to show how Awesome and Holy and Pure God is, and how much we are not. A two sided covenant that could only be kept by one side. A system designed to show us exactly what sin was, and that sin separates us from God. "And" what comes next?
2. The
This small word also has a lot of meaning!
A. It means a specific thing to be named.
B. John didn't use "a", or "some", or "a few" word(s); He said "the" word, a very specific word!
In this case, we know that "the" word, is in reference to Jesus Christ!
3. Word
The word, Word and word have two different meanings!
A. "Word", the Language of God!
B. "word", the Language of men.
The "Word" of God! The Language of God! Jesus Christ, the 2nd person of the Trinity!
It's all about Jesus!
4. Became (Be Came)
Compound word! Be Came!
A. God's name is I AM! Or how about BE IS or maybe just BE! I AM is the present tense, active from of the verb "to be". So God's name is also BE!
B(e). Came, yep that is right, Jesus "came" to us! We can't get to God, so God "came" to us!
Be came to us! He came to us as a man, Flesh and Blood!
5. Flesh
Flesh and Blood, like us!
A. The outer surface of our bodies.
B. All of God, packed into a body just like ours!
God came to us and Be Came like us! How amazing is that?!?
6. And
But wait there's more!!!!!
A. More than the Laws of the Old Testiment!
B. Now more than Jesus coming to us and taking on Flesh!
God keeps giving and giving and giving....He can definitely outlast the energizer bunny!
7. Dwelt
To live, to make a place your home!
A. Jesus walked upon this earth! Just like we do!!!
B. Jesus called a little town called Nazareth, Home!
God dwelt (made His home) among us!
Well...y'all get the picture!
Take one word a day, there is so much that God can say to you in just one word! And don't go quickly over the little words like "and" and "the", God chose those words for a purpose! They all have a very specific purpose for being there! Give each word a day, and let God speak to you through each individual word! It's a ton o' fun!
Here is another passage that can be a lot of fun to study this way!
Philippians 2:5-11
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
So there are a lot of words there, you could do maybe two or three per day!
God Bless,
In Christ,
David
posted by Mark 1:17 at 3:09 PM
3 Comments:
I just wanted to mention that I commented on this post (well, one aspect, anyway) on my new (not Youth Ministry related) blog that I started with one of the guys from Daily Disciple.
My main beef was with your assertion that The Old Covenant was a system designed to keep men from God.
It also (as the title indicates) picks up our old debate of "religion vs. relationship". You had mentioned about continuing the discussion on another venue that was more appropriate. My new blog seems like it could be that place...if you're interested.
For the record, I think your treatment of the word "And" is entirely off base. It refers to what came before, yes. But not in a chronological sense, but a linguistic sense. It doesn't refer to the Old Covenant, but what was written about the Word in the first verses of the chapter.
Anyway, my new blog is The Three Nails
God bless!
My Dearest Gregory,
Let us take a breif look at the Jewish Religion.
There are 613 laws. All which were to be kept 100%!
How many festivals with Strict and Specific ways that things were to be done.
And the Temple / Tent of meeting.
The tent, wow, from that discription (not that God discribes things bad, I just don't understand it) I couldn't even begin to get it right. I am very glad that Moses got it. Only Moses could go in and meet with God (John Johnson) and his family couldn't meet with God).
Same with the temple.
You and I would never be allowed past the outer court...the court where Jesus threw the tables, The court of the Gentiles! Only the priests could enter into the Holy place and only once a year the High Priest could enter into the Most Holy Place and there were so many rules and regulations that needed to be followed.
Now let us compair and contrast that with Jesus Christ.
Anyone, who has a sincere heart. A repentant heart, can enter into fellowship with him. If a rule or law is broken, Jesus offers forgiveness. A disciple of Christ can enter into fellowship with Him, on the shores of a lake, on the top of a mountain, at work, at home, on the road, and yes still in the temple, but we are not resticted as to how far we can go, Jesus has broke those barriers. When He died the cloth that marks off the Holiest of Holies was torn, giving us access!
God revealed to us just how Holy, and Pure, and Righteous HE IS through these laws and regulations. That was it's purpose! The purpose of Jesus Christ was to allow us to once again enjoy a right relationship with God through Him. Christ in us. This relationship hadn't occurred since Adam and Eve, and God was now giving us a way to to I am not but I know I AM! He must increase and I must decrease!
I also want to caution you from limiting God. Yes, "and" does refer linguistically to what is contextually before it. But, what is before it is also Chronological. John 1:6-7 "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe." through him. vs.9-13 "The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him. who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."
Christ was not received by who? His own people. And who were the leaders of the Jews? The Pharisees, the guys who were supposed to know and keep the law!
The scripture gives us awesome details of who the Christ is. They should have been the first to fall at His feet. But then again, they were perfect weren't they (insert sarcasm). Christ even said, those who are not sick do not need a doctor. He came for the sick. Until we all recognize that we are the sick and that we need Christ to heal us. We Are The Pharisees!
We try to GET TO God through the law and good works. When that was just a shadow of what was to come in Christ!
"And" in this case does refer to both linguistic and chronologic items of the scripture.
If you truly want to know what I am about! Check out www.thewayofthemaster.com
also, read anything by Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, or Matt Redman.
Notably, Joshua, the son of Nun, also spent time in the tent of meeting.
And ultimately, I'm not sure that we're arguing, so much as talking past each other...I assume you brought up the part about the Law teaching us about God's holiness before you read my blog post, just as I brought it up in my reply there before reading your reply here. LOL
Yes, Christ opened the doors to Heaven, so that we might approach the throne of God boldly--but the gates are still not opened wide! He still has criteria of how we must approach Him in holiness--otherwise sin is of no consequence (Romans 5), but as St. Paul points out rather adamantly in chapter 6, that thought is "Out of the Question!"
For a fuller response, check out my reply to you at The Three Nails. I'm enjoying this discussion, but as you said the last time we had it, your blog is perhaps not the best venue.
God bless!
Post a Comment
<< Home