Happy New Year, CrossTrain family! At no other time in the year does it seem more appropriate to be learning the next verse in our series. As Pastor Doug has said, the new year shouldn’t be a time that we simply say “I’m going to stop doing this or that”, but rather it’s an opportunity to reflect and to strategically and prayerfully plan how we may take a step towards God and into what He may have for us. If you haven’t joined the CrossTrain families in our family Scripture education, this is an excellent time to jump in, it’s certainly not too late!
We spent the first several weeks learning through scripture what the Bible is, while this last week we began to learn about who the Bible says God is. We’ll continue this week in what is among the richest and most beautiful passages in all of scripture and we will begin to introduce what is God’s highest revelation of himself, the Trinity.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5
Why this verse? I am convinced we could spend all of our years marinating on this passage and the depths of what God is communicating to us while never exhausting it. It beautifully draws us back to Genesis 1, “in the beginning”, and begins to plainly declare the divinity of Jesus. Absolutely foundational to the Christian faith is this truth: Jesus is God. Yet simultaneously He is distinct from the Father while also equal with the Father. We continue to learn that all things, yes ALL THINGS, were created through him (we’ll get more into this next week). Finally, we learn that Jesus has life in himself and is dependent on no other. His light brings the knowledge of truth and salvation to a dark world.
Follow up questions that John 1:1-5 can answer:
Is Jesus God?
Is Jesus the same as the Father?
Who created everything?
Was Jesus created?
Where can we find true life?
These truths are incredibly deep, but let us not be overwhelmed! You will be amazed at how the Holy Spirit will guide you in conversations with the family as you begin to open these ideas up for discussion! There are great opportunities to start discussions with other families about these passages as well! Don’t forget about the “Practical Theology” classes beginning January 18th that could also help further teach on these topics to make it easier to explain to the kiddos.
We love you all very much and pray that the time learning this passage would be fruitful and life giving to our families. We pray “that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, […] bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:9-10. Until next time, may God richly bless you by the grace and mercy won by Jesus Christ!
We love you all,
Adam and Audra Griffin
Family Ministries
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