The Word

John begins his gospel account with a salute back to Genesis...In the beginning. (I must admit that after nearly ten months in the Old Testament, it was a ray of sunshine (or Sonshine) to open up my reading and find that I had entered the New Testament)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1,2)
John begins his gospel account by letting us know some deep truths about Jesus. First, he tells us that Jesus is the "Word". Not "a" word or "some" word, but "The Word". Jesus is called many things in the Bible, the lamb, the light, the Son, the Alpha and Omega, etc., but John introduces us to Him as the Word or even better… the Logos. In about 600BC, a Greek philosopher was the first to use the word Logos and used it to designate "the divine reason or plan which coordinates a changing universe". John uses it to designate the being that spoke everything into existence.
These two verses put to bed two major theological controversies that exist today. First, Jesus was there with God in the beginning; before there was time or creation, Jesus was. Jesus is not a created being; rather He is "the being" that created. (Col 1:16) Jesus was there with the Father and the Spirit and through his words, spoke everything into existence. (John 1:18) Second, Jesus was and is God. Jesus was "with God", and he "was God". A modern day translation renders that statement like this ... "the Word was a god". There is no basis for this change in translation. The exact same word is used in both instances, so why would you translate them differently just a few words apart, unless you are trying to promote a doctrine.
Then we get to verse 14 and are given the best news that man has ever heard. 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. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. That is almost too good to be true. God put on the flesh of humanity and came down here to live with us. And we got to behold His glory.
Sometimes I can get jealous of others. In general, I would not like to have lived in this world 2000 years ago, but to meet Jesus, it would be worth it. President Obama visited my old high school today and my son and daughter got to see him. They waited hours yesterday to get a ticket and hours today to get in to see him. And that was for a 20 minute speech from a man that we elected President! What would it have been like to meet the son of God? Would I have waited hours in line to get a ticket to see him, God in the flesh? You bet!
It was exciting for President Obama to visit Wilkes County, but nothing like God putting on his human suit and making his visit to his creation. That is big news, that is news that really makes a change... even change you can believe in. John gives us a great first chapter to kick off his telling of the gospel, or as it really should be called.... the good news. God the son, took on flesh, left his home in heaven and came to live among mankind. The "One and Only" came for us to see his glory and show us how to live out our lives in ways that bring Him glory. He came to make God known to us. Good news? Great news!