John 1:10-18 (NRSV)
Read John 1:10-18 on biblegateway.com
Verse 10He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. Verse 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. Verse 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, Verse 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. Verse 14And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
Verse 15(John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") Verse 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Verse 17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Verse 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.
Devotion
As a missionary working mostly one-on-one with individuals and beside pastors, I often ask “How do you self-identify yourself as a Christian?” The answers range from a blank stare to powerful testimonies of God´s blessing in their lives.
This passage from the Gospel of John, helps us by speaking to the identity question. If we can identify ourselves as someone who has “received, grace upon grace,” then we are acknowledging that we have a powerful relationship with the fullness of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and know that God is working in and through us. God’s Word guides us to sin no more, and to truly believe in Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. With this new life identity we can affirmatively share with the world the Good News that comes by faith in Jesus Christ.
Prayer
God, we know that you created us out of love to fulfill your purpose for us. Allow others to see in us that we are your children, who proclaim the truth that we are ones who have received your grace, and who know that we are identified by our faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
Interested in digging deeper into today’s text?
Read more here.