John 1:9-13

John 1:9-13 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 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. Yet to all who received 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.

God created man in his image; he breathed life into dust, and through that breath, his light to every human being. The brilliance of our Father God, who is, and was, and is to come, gave mankind an awareness of existence. Job 38:36 says, He has endowed the heart with wisdom and the mind with understanding. Along with understanding, man's awareness expanded to a consciousness of the space and time continuum: knowledge of the past, present, and future. We have the God-given ability to adapt to our surrounding environment, including the inclination and the skill to create new elements, to construct imposing structures, to harness the resources of the natural world for our benefit, to explore space and the wonders of the universe, and to create a technological world that few could have imagined just a generation or two ago. God's breath of life endowed us with amazing abilities and even greater responsibilities. Humanly speaking, nothing appears impossible to mankind with the many gifts and abilities we inherit from our Creator God.

God's breath in us leads to amazing yet sometimes daunting results. The tower of Babel account reveals the immense extent of our creative and sometimes destructive powers. If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Genesis 11:6 (Interestingly, the computer once again has connected the whole world with one language.) Nevertheless, even though mankind received a measure of God's cognition and ability, they did not recognize the Creator of all life when He came to Earth. Their darkened hearts and sinful flesh failed to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Living Word, Son of the Living God. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. They could not clearly see or accept the giver of life and light. Even his own people, the Jews, did not receive him as the Messiah, the Creator. Blinded by earthly proclivities and prone to believing they knew what God would do, their darkened hearts rebelled against God's authority and turned away from HIS plans and purposes. Therefore, Jesus came to his own, yet his own did not receive him.

Thankfully, the message of Christ does not end with defeat. As we well know, God had an even greater plan: to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. We who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior are children of God not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. We are his new creation: people born again into the light and life of God's kingdom. In the beginning God made us in his image, but the deception of the serpent combined with man's selfish desire to rule and reign and do things his own way brought darkness on the Earth. Knowing this would happen, God's marvelous plan was not to make a people who would interact with him occasionally, but to make us children of God, joint-heirs with Christ Jesus, a people of faith and hope eternal.

For this to happen, the redeemed had to comprehend the extent of good and evil: to know what God knows. Through our own volition and the call of God on our lives, we who are IN CHRIST, chose by faith to place our lives in the hands of God through Jesus Christ and his redemptive and transforming work at the cross. Jesus is God, Creator of all that is and giver of eternal life. IN CHRIST we are born again into a kingdom that will never end, never see corruption, sorrow, or plan. The true light has come into the world. God's incorruptible seed abides in us, and we are IN HIM. Praise his name and rejoice, for the light has come to dispel the darkness. BREAKFAST COMPANIONS, WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE ON HIM TODAY; RELY UPON HIS MERCY, LOVE, AND GRACE. YOU AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD WILL BE SAVED. God promises his beloved children all the peaceful fruits of righteousness and life eternal as we follow and trust him. We will never die: we will live with him forevermore. Early this morning as I prepared the breakfast, my wife, Jacqueline, played the song: "All Because of Jesus." She sang the words: I'm alive because I'm alive in you. Embrace this truth and sing along with us.