On Sunday, I will begin preaching through the book of John. As the missional crowd knows, John contains some of the most explicitly missional themes in the NT, including John 20:21, where Jesus says to his disciples, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
Recently, I sat down with a good elder friend of mine, and we went through the first 18 verese of John 1. We sought to read these verses "missionally," as we ought to read the entire Bible. This will, I think, be the start of a "missional commentary" on John that I will start. Here are some missional insights from the text:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Missional thought - This passage is often used to talk about/combat non-Christian ideas of God's nature, such as the Mormon idea that Jesus was a created being and not fully God. While this discussion might be missional for this particular people, there are larger missional themes in these verses. Jesus is the God who becomes human to give light and life to humanity. As a church and individually, therefore, we are called to be life and light to the world. We shine in the dark, and the dark has not overcome us. The themes of life and light are common in John.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
As with John, we testify to the light of Jesus. We are lights (Mt. 5:14-16), but reflective lights.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
When we understand that Jesus was not recognized nor received by the world, then we should not be surprised if the world does not understand or receive us. But to those who do, we have a wonderful opportunity to help them become children of God. This decision that they make is their own and open to all. It is not available just to Jews, but to Gentiles. It is not up to a husband--it is a decision that a wife must make. In some ways, it is not even our decision, for it was first God's decision to make us his children.
14 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.
Jesus became "flesh" and "dwelled" or tented/tabernacled amongst us. He was really human--something which John the disciple could have witnessed to readily. As Alan Hirsch said, it is theologically significant that for 30 years Jesus lived incarnationally in Nazareth without a miracle, in obscurity. This incarnational living would have helped him as he sought to start a movement around the kingdom of God. Missional leaders should take note of this. And this verse points out that it was because Jesus became flesh and lived amongst the people that they saw his glory and saw that he was full of grace and truth.
Grace and truth here may be more complementary here than two separate things--graceful truth or truthful grace. This is certainly the case when Jesus speaks of worshiping in "spirit and in truth" in John 4. This should be spiritual truth or truthful spirit.
How can we be graceful truth to those around us with whom we have "tabernacled?" This is a missional question.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John can on the scene as a powerful prophet, but he had to become lesser so that Jesus could be greater. Missionally, this means that we should promote Jesus more than our church. He is the one to be glorified.
The phrase "we have all received grace in place of grace already given" is a bit obscure. What is the grace already given? Is the first grace our creation, and the second gift Jesus? Most translations have here something like grace upon grace or blessing upon blessing. We have indeed many blessings, and our missional task is to use our blessings to be a blessing to others.
The law came through Moses--and there was no missional charge associated with it. Grace and truth came through Jesus, and there is a missional charge attached to him!
Finally, while no one has seen the Father, we see what the Father is like most clearly by looking at the Son. In the same way, if we live incarnationally, we can make the Father known to people by living like Jesus.
What missional themes do you see in this passage?
Comment
Brother, I am so happy that you started Missional commentary on Book of John . it will be very useful to all saints, preachers and leaders like me . thank you for your tireless efforts and various methods to teach the God's words .
here I like your words quoted above are ...
(The law came through Moses--and there was no missional charge associated with it. Grace and truth came through Jesus, and there is a missional charge attached to him!.)
thank you for your great work through MON .
12 members
19 members
20 members
35 members
57 members
57 members
46 members
93 members
48 members
29 members
© 2024 Created by James Nored.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Missional Outreach Network for the Missional Church to add comments!
Join Missional Outreach Network for the Missional Church