Roads Day 5 Jesus & Charcoal Masks: Digging Deeper

1) What implications might these verses have for an atheist?
Atheism is not a modern perspective, or even one that came along thousands of years ago. The ancient poems of the psalmist speak of those who claim, “there is no God.” (Psalm 10:4, Psalm 14:1) Undoubtedly, there were countless atheistic perspectives the apostle Paul encountered when he traveled as a missionary. In his letter to the Romans, Paul says, “And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right.” (Romans 1:28) The Christian reality, based solidly in the unchanging truth of Scripture, is vastly different than the reality of the atheist, as Sara painted for us in today’s Journey Study. These verses in John’s gospel could entirely alter reality for one who says, “there is no God”; every phrase is pregnant with the intrinsic truth that God simply is, and has always been. More so, the author John, who lived and walked and ate and traveled with Jesus as an eyewitness to Christ’s life, unequivocally states that, without Jesus (personified with the “Word), “not one thing was created that has been created” (verse 3). Nothing is possible without the very existence of the fullness of God.

2) What is the “darkness” vs the “light”?
Darkness is the separation of man, because of sin, from the Eternal Light, who is God Himself. The light of God is everlasting and utterly independent, not resting on any one or any thing outside of Himself to maintain it. “Light” is eternal hope and connection of relationship through community, as evidenced through the triune community of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Light is found in the God of life. He doesn’t receive life from an outside source, rather He is life and has chosen to give life to humanity. Through this creation of mankind, and the world around us, the Lord is making Himself known (Romans 1:20). The light, which is ultimately given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, shines of its own accord, powered by the Living God, to shine in the darkness.

3) What deep needs are depicted in these verses?
That which the “created” needs, is first seen in the Creator as we mirror Him. In these verses, we see at least three distinct identifiers of God’s essential being.
“The Word was with God, and the Word was God” (verse 1) God is a Being of community, fully satisfied within Himself by carrying on community between three distinct persons as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God eternally exists in three distinct persons.
“In Him was life” (verse 4). This identifier has a dual meaning. First, He is indeed the very Source of physical life, but He is also the Source of spiritual life. Only God creates a soul and only God can give the fullness He intended through a spiritual relationship with Him. God is eternal life.
The third identifier of God’s essence is also found in verse 4, where He is described as Being Light. Light, by its own essence, is self-evidencing and naturally makes itself known simply be existing. This is the case with God. His light draws humanity to Himself as He makes Himself known throughout creation around us. God is everlasting light.