Image from holytrinityhillsdale.org
Hear the podcast here: https://bit.ly/3EhbA0P
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And 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. 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.'") 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known. (John 1:1-18 NRSV)
A most wonderful Wednesday be yours dear ConCafe family! I trust that you, dear Friend, are ready for Christmas and all that is bringing to you. I ask for prayers for Emmit Currie, who underwent knee surgery on Monday; may he recover well as he may face yet another one soon. Prayers also for my wife, Nellie, who see an orthopedic doctor later today. The MRI reveals a fracture in her femure and other things that we know our doctor will address. Pray also for one another, for your own needs, for the Church, for the world, and other needs you may be facing.
Most Saturdays when I was between 6 and 7 years old, would find me in the cool confines of the Texas movie theater in Kingsville, Texas. It was one of about three or four movie houses we had in that small south Texas town. The other indoor theatre was one for showing Mexican movies, and it was an interesting shaped moviehouse, for it resembled a tent and it was named La Carpa. I don't recall ever going there except to drop off my mother when she would have a movie night with her sisters on rare occasions. The other theater was a drive-in theater with two live chimpanzees in a cage near the neat playground under the screen. Nothing beat the Texas though. The neat thing was I could get in for nothing if Mrs. Randall was on duty at the box office. She was my grandmother's boss and so i would get in free. If she was not working, then a whole dime (ten cents) would get me in. We never knew the times of the movies and whenever we got there we would go in see the movie and we would remember the part where we had come in, and usually some would whisper quite loudly, "This is where we came in!" and would make their way out of the theater. Others would make it very loud and dramatic and noisly leave the theater. If the movie was good, we would stay and see it again; there was no pressure on anyone leaving the theaters; ten cents was the passport fror as much air conditioned comfort as one needed.
Now, I'm very particular about watching a movie, a television show, or any other show from the very beginning. There's something about missing the very first of a movie or show that may make the rest of the movie difficult or unpleasant to watch. This passage takes us all to the very beginning of everything. When nothing existed in the world, God created all things, and present with Him was His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. John tries to share that drama with us with these simple words, "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 came into being through Him, and without Him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the light of all people." Whoa.
Jesus is the Word. In Spanish, it is more clearly defined, Jesus is the Verb. Quite a difference between a word and a verb. John uses "word" to indicate all that God did in and through Jesus. Jesus came as the Son of "I am," the active, eternal, involved God. Jesus came not as a declaration but as a conversation; not a one-word says it all, but a caring, listening, sharing, responding dialogue with the living God. And Jesus is God. He is the Second Person of the Trinity. Every aspect of His life and being speaks of the love and concern of God both then and now, and for all time.
In a couple of days you may be in a dark church with a candle in your hands. The pastor(s) will light a candle from the Christ candle, and then the pastor will then light other candles until someone will come and share their light with you. As you see that light, hear again the words from this passage, "In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." Those are the most powerful words your mind can share with you at that precise moment; you are hearing that in Jesus, that precious baby, whose birth we are celebrating. true life can be found, and that is a life free from sin, from guilt, and burdens and weights; for He can remove all of those from you, and that very life is light (think candle and how it does indeed pierce the darkness) can be the way you share Him with others. This is the beginnning of the Christmas journey, where you can say, "This is where He came in," and then use that as a rallying cry to you to do what you can and what you need to do to fulfill the awesomeness of God in your life. The passage speaks of the "power" given to those who received Jesus as Savior can become "children of God." And from Him we have received grace upon grace; from Christ has come grace and truth, and we have to make Him known.
As we were asked yesterday, how can God make Himself known? It won't be through God's finger writing in the sky, "I am real," it will be through our words, our lives, and our actions that will allow people to see God. And, for many that will be the best Christmas gift they have ever received.
PRAYER: Loving God; in Jesus You have revealed to those in darkness the light that can take away the sins and hurts of the world. It matters not what we have done, You stand ready to forgive all things, and to love all people. Equip us to be reflectors of the light and love of Jesus, so that we can give all who seek, the best Christmas present they could ever want; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show someone the blessings of light and love in real ways.
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr. THERE WILL BE NO CONCAFE's UNTIL NEXT MONDAY!
