The Gospel on Trees

John 1:1-28

One of the WOW!'s for me in reading John chapter 1 again is the revelation that the 2nd Person of the Trinity, Christ the Son, was actively involved in Creation. John wants us to know this. We are to revel in it, but also feel the spiritual travesty when Creation distances or dismisses itself from Christ.

God the Son did not sit on the bench during Genesis 1:1. He was instrumental in creation -- God created everything through him (v.3). He was comprehensive, even exhaustive in the extent of creating -- nothing was created except through him (v.3b). It is He who actually instilled Life into all created things -- The Word gave life to everything that was created (v.4).

Thus, the appalling guilt of not attributing Creation to Christ; of Creation not recognizing its own Creator, the One who gave it life! Don't we feel the common affect of the Fall and shared responsibility for it as we read that Creation not only doesn't recognize Him, but his own people reject rather than receive Him? He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. (vv.10-11)

Does it seem the drive to discover life elsewhere among the stars is subconsciously fueled by desire to dismiss the uniqueness of us, Christ, and His Gospel?! That if I can find some creature that does not need Him, then perhaps nor do I? One of the things I wrestle with when I hear of yet some other globe spinning out there that could possibly incubate life, is that John tells us Christ created ALL. And yet he says it was to this world, to our people, and to my sin and need for rebirth that Jesus came to give life and then give it again. And what could Life possibly be without Him?!

PPaul


Some favorite sage words of saints before:

"The initial step for a soul to come to knowledge of God is contemplation of nature.” Irenaeus

“God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” Martin Luther

“The creation is quite like a spacious and splendid house, provided and filled with the most exquisite and the most abundant furnishings. Everything in it tells us of God.” John Calvin

“Now if I believe in God’s Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the star, trees, apples, as I reflect that He is Lord over all things.” Martin Luther

“Some people, in order to discover God, read books. But there is a great book: the very appearance of created things. Look above you! Look below you! Read it. God, whom you want to discover, never wrote that book with ink. Instead, He set before your eyes the things that He had made. Can you ask for a louder voice than that?” St. Augustine