In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.In him was life, and the life was the light of men.In him was life; and the life was the light of men.In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
9 sermons cite this verse
… And nothing came to be without him What came to be in him was life And the life was the light of humankind The light is shining in the darkness And the darkness has not overcome it There came a man sent from God His name was John. He came as a witness to the light so that all people would trust, would believe through him. He himself was not the light. He only came as a witness to the light. The true light who gives light to all people was coming into the world. He was in the world. And though the world was made through him, the world did not know him. He came to his own people, but his own people did not receive him. but to those who did receive him, to those who are trusting in his name, he gave them the authority to become children of God. Children born not in a natural way, not of a human decision, not of a husband's will, but children born of God. …
… He showed us a way through that. In him, in him was life. And that life, specifically that way of life was the light of men. He taught us a different way of living, a different way of thinking, a different way of loving. He taught us a different way of perceiving the world around us. He lit up everything and he lit up everybody with that light, including God the Father. We were so confused about what God was like and he kept saying to us, you wanna know what God is like? Watch me, look at me. If you've seen me, if you've camped with me, if you've woken up in the morning around a campfire with me, if you've eaten with me, if you've watched me with other people, you have seen the Father in action. He lit up everything, including the Father. And then he says this, and the light, who's Jesus, the Logos, the light shines in the darkness. And he would say, and it was so bright at times, that exposed so much, we felt so stupid, we gave all the wrong answers. …
… us that the word he's speaking of is Jesus. He says, through him, all things were made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light of Jesus, it shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. If you want to read the Bible wisely, Remember that Jesus is king. Every page and every passage points to him, and that context is everything. That's what helps us understand what we are actually reading. Now, all of that, I never would have seen or learned if 10 years ago I didn't make a decision to read the Bible more days than I don't. All of that I only ever saw because I learned what the goal of reading the Bible is. And I found some really helpful guides along the way. And so for you, if you want to experience the power of God in a different way, in a new way, in the new year, commit to read the Bible more days than you don't. And if you want to make Bible reading more sustainable, I think one of the best things you can do is make it more enjoyable. …
… and the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. The question we have is, is that worth the wait? Like, is what God has done, is that worth the wait? Because think about this, from the beginning of the story, from the actually very first story. Here's Genesis chapter one and two, chapter three, everything falls apart. But in the midst of Genesis chapter three, Genesis chapter three, verse 15, God promises, he promises that there is going to be one who crushes the head of the serpent. There is gonna be one who restores all things. And then the whole rest of the story is people waiting from Abraham to Isaac, to Jacob, to the judges, to the kings, to the divided kingdom, to the civil war, to exile, through all the whole entire story, all the way to Jesus. is that worth the wait? I was thinking about, you know, this, think of right now, Christmas Day. I think a lot of us, we get really excited. …
… Without him nothing was being made that has been made. And in him was life. and that life was the light of all mankind. Friends, he is the life. He's not a supplement to your life. He's not like I wake up and I'll take my vitamin C and my vitamin D and my magnesium and what other things you need, fish oil, all that stuff. And then I'll take a little bit of Jesus. I just have just that little bit of Jesus. That's my good supplement of Jesus for today. I feel good. No, no, no, no, no. He is life. Every breath in your lungs is borrowed from his generosity. Without him, there is no true life. And in this world, friend, people are looking for answers. They're looking for purpose of life. They're looking for the meaning of their existence. They're trying to search for joy and for peace. It's something that lasts. and Jesus is telling them life is found in one place and in one person. …
Speak to the parched corners of our souls. Bolster our hearts and guide our steps this Advent. This we pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, the light who awaits us, nestled in the straw. Amen. This year on our Advent journey, we are paying close attention to tabletop mangers and nativity scenes. We're asking how did the diverse characters around the creche get there? How did all these folk make their way to Christmas? This morning, as Natalie mentioned, is Gaudete Sunday. Today, Christians all over the world light the candle of joy. And we've been gifted by our boisterous, rascally, and still touchingly reverent children with a joyful creche. Part of the joy comes from the fact that Christmas pageants emphasize the presence of animals at the nativity. And it makes sense. Jesus was born in a barn. Barns are homes to all sorts of critters. Animals must have looked down on the newborn king. Not so fast, say biblical scholars. They point out that the Gospels make no mention of animals when describing Christ's birth. …
… want to show you life eternal life over and over and over again emphasized by Jesus in the life of Jesus listen to this John chapter 1 verse 4 this is the introduction to who Jesus is gives us a picture this is his identity it says in John chapter 1 verse 4 just want to show you some places where we see life and eternal life. In him, verse 4, in Jesus was life, and that life was the light of men. His very essence was life. In him, life is found. Now look over in John chapter 3. John chapter 3, verse 14. This is Jesus' conversation with this guy named Nicodemus. He's telling him, you need to be born again. Well, what does that mean? Listen to what he says in verse 14. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have what? Eternal life. Then we know the next verse. Quote it with me if you know it. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him will never perish, but will have eternal life. That's the picture here. He's giving eternal life. John chapter 4, verse 14. He's having a conversation with this Samaritan woman at the well, crossing all kinds of boundaries. And what does he say to her? He says, whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water, welling up to …
… He was in the beginning with God, and all things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Now, there's no passage in all of Scripture that more clearly affirms the deity of Christ than the prologue of John's gospel that says of the second person, the Logos, that He was with God in the beginning and that He was God, and that He is also the Creator of all things, that nothing comes to be except through the power of the Logos. And it says, in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And this is the light now that shines in the darkness as the Logos Himself, the ultimate light source, comes to this world, the great light that comes into the midst of the darkness is not comprehended by the people of darkness. …
… And he says in verse 4, in him was life. In Him was life, and this life, this life, was the light of men. So often, when the Scriptures describe the natural fallen condition of this world, it uses the antonyms of these words. It speaks in terms of death, and it speaks in terms of darkness. As I was reading through this for this Sunday's sermon, I don't know how many times I've read this prologue, but as I was reading through it this week and came to this verse, and Him was life, my own soul responded because I thought when I go back over my lifetime and rehearse the meaningful moments of my own personal experience. Clearly, the most defining moment in my whole life was the moment of my conversion to Christ. The moment when the lights went on, and we sometimes in a mocking way speak of people who have seen the light. Well, beloved, that's what John is saying here as he says later on, we beheld His glory, obviously referring to the Mount of Transfiguration when Christ began to shine His divine nature, breaking through the veil of His humanity. …