Jesus asked the following question of His Apostles,“But who do you say that I am?”  Is Jesus just a good man, or good teacher, or great prophet in your heart? Is He just the founder of the Christian religion? Or is He the Son of God, the creator of all things who went to the cross to pay the penalty for your sins? If so, then is the light of God that is born from the life in you? Are you spiritually alive or are you spiritually dead? Are you in the light or in the darkness? Are you sins forgiven or are you condemned already?

15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15 (NASB)

Several years ago when I liven in Kansas I served on a jury for a few days. We tried a criminal drug case. It was heart rending. All through the trial we were subjected to evidence and testimony that were all vivid markers of the deep darkness to which our world is in bondage. Even though my life is far removed from that of the drug culture and that of the police who must operate in it, but not be part of it, I still felt compassion for those people who do not have the light of life from our Lord Jesus Christ.

The state of Man in this world is not one that the marketing people on Madison Avenue try to portray. Instead, we learn from the Bible that this physical life is short. There are spiritual realities for all people that, when ignored, make the temporal most important. This is tragic and more prevalent in those all around us than any of us like to believe. What does the Bible say about this?

17 I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. 18 I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.” 19 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. Ecclesiastes 3:17-20 (NASB)

If we stopped there we would have a pretty hopeless outlook on this life wouldn’t we? However, God has not left His creation, Man, in this hopeless and vain existence which is only a few short years on planet Earth without any hope. He sent His Son, Jesus to us. Why? Did He come to teach us how to live better in this life? Did He come to heal the sick and show us that we must live as He did in order earn a way out of this existence to a better life? Who is Jesus? We must all answer that question one way or another.

15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15 (NASB)

Who do you say the Jesus is?

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 apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5 (NASB)

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NASB) 

This is John the Apostle’s introduction to his gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is telling us who Jesus Christ is. Who is He? He is the Word. What does that mean? The Greek word John used that we translate as “Word” here is λόγος (logos). Before we define λόγος please notice that the “Word” existed in eternity before creation. To tell us that Jesus is the “Word” or λόγος, John is revealing that He is far more than a great prophet or good teacher or healer. In Greek, the word λόγος literally means, the “intelligence.” It signifies the rational principle of “divine reason, “mind,” or “wisdom.” John, however, gave λόγος an Old Testament and Christian meaning. For instance, Genesis 1:3 says, “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” God’s Word brought the world into being. Other examples are found in Psalm 33:6, Psalm 107:20 and Proverbs 8:27 where God’s Word is His powerful self-expression in creation, wisdom, revealtion, and salvation. John took those expressions and made λόγος refer to a person, our Lord Jesus Christ. By doing this, John is showing us that Jesus Christ is God. As we saw in v3 all things were made through him and without him was not any thing made that was made. Jesus Christ is the creator. He is God.

What else can we learn from John 1 about who Jesus is? Look at v4. In Him was life and the life was the light of men. The Greek word translated as “life” in v4, ζωὴ (zōē), is not referring to physical or biological life, but the principle of life in the Soul and Spirit. This is spiritual life. What is the opposite of life? It’s death. So, in the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, is spiritual life. That life is the light of men. The Greek word for “light” in v4 is φῶς (phōs). It speaks of a light that is not kindled nor put out by men. The Greeks used it to speak of the light of the Sun. John is using it to show that those who experience the “life” from our Lord Jesus Christ are also filled with this light. The light that comes from the spiritual life from Jesus Christ is the evidence of spiritual regeneration. When men are drawn from the darkness into God’s light it means that essence of Christ’s character in holiness and purity is becoming manifest in their life. If this evidence is lacking then the spiritual life which brings it is more than likely not there. If there is no regeneration into the light of God then eternal life is also not present. Therefore, those whose character is not growing in God’s light are still in darkness and, therefore, are spiritually dead.

Look at v5. Again we have the word φῶς, but in this verse John shows us that the opposite of God’s light, which is the evidence of a regenerated heart, is darkness. This Greek word is σκοτία (skotia). It means darkness with the prevailing associated idea unhappiness or ruin.

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