There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
If you are in Vietnam and yell the name, “Nguyen!”, a third of the people will turn around. So it is with John in the Bible. If you yell “Yochanan!” in first century Israel, John the Baptist and the author of this gospel will turn around. It is strange to see these verses in the middle of the prologue about God the Son, Jesus Christ, the Word. The John that John writes of here is another John. It is John the Baptist. It is here for a reason. It presents the contrast between the last prophet and the Great Prophet. It is the difference between a child of God and the Son of God. It demonstrates that the man, Jesus Christ, was no mere man.
So many people go to church and do not know or believe the great contrast between the Godman and mere mortal man. They call Jesus a great moral teacher and a great example when they should say he is the Great I AM! If you yell “Sinner” anywhere in the world, everyone will turn around…except Jesus. That shows us who Jesus is and who we are. The contrast could not be starker. Today, at the sound of the name, “Jesus Christ”, may we turn from our sinful life and bear witness about the light that all might believe Jesus is Lord.
Dear Lord, thank you that we do not worship a man like us but a God like no other. May we shine his light that the world may Jesus, in him we pray. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church