Yahweh is God almighty, the god above all gods. Jesus precedes all things - making him God very God. He has the supremacy of the oldest. Jesus explains this to the Pharisees when he says, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58) Jesus identifies himself as Yahweh, and states that he was around before Abraham.
John 1:16-17
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Jesus is older than Moses, preceding the scriptures. Jesus' truth is superior to the scriptures meaning that the scriptures testify about Jesus. Grace and truth come through Jesus. The scriptures show us moments in God’s Story in different places in time where God’s truth is represented. That truth is Christ who is from eternity to eternity.
Jesus has made God known. He is the image of the invisible Father. We know who God is by observing Jesus in the scriptures, by examining God’s character and commands in the scriptures, and by learning God’s story. Our faith is not about what we do, it is about who we know. Knowing Christ, knowing the incarnate word as truth.
The Word as Son of God
January 28, 2024 • Anthony Delgado • John 1:10–14, Romans 1:19–21, Matthew 15:7–9, Matthew 28:19, Philippians 2:9
John clarifies that what we see in God’s unique son is the fullness of grace and truth.
It’s fairly rare that people reject God entirely. It’s rather that they believe things about God, even though they do not really know God or know Christ. To receive Jesus Christ, you give up your interests and adopt God’s interests; you live for the glory of God, the Father, not the glory of self. When someone receives Christ by forsaking allegiances to self and to this world–they see Jesus as King–they should be baptized as children of God. And then, the evidence of their salvation is in what they “see” when they receive Jesus Christ.
The Word As Light
January 21, 2024 • Anthony Delgado • Galatians 6:15, John 1:1–9, Genesis 1:2–4, Isaiah 9:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17
In the scriptures, the Apostle John portrays life as light. Jesus’s light is evident throughout the biblical story, not just in creation but also in his incarnation. Not only does the light of Christ illuminate us with life, but the light of Christ illumines the atmosphere around us.
Light has a witnessing quality; its energy always points back to its source. The ministry of light is to live life before others so that they see the light of God in us. Christianity is the way to the Father, the light that shines in human hearts to show them the eternity their hearts long for.
The Word as Almighty Creator
January 14, 2024 • Anthony Delgado • John 1:1–3
Every utterance and truth of God is credited to Jesus as the incarnate Word of God.
