January 2
JOHN 1
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. – John 1:10-18
JOHN 1 REJECTED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
God gave his only begotten Son so we can be reconciled with him
He loved humans he allowed Christ to die on the cross to save us from sin
Jesus became like us so he can appease his Father’s wrath
But his own people did not receive or recognize him at all
They didn’t believe he was God’s Son and rejected him instead
By doing so, they failed to see God’s glory in the Savior he sent.
In this account, John shares to us the revelation of God’s design for all humans. We were all created through Christ and for one reason alone: to bring God the glory. We witness God’s steadfast love to his people when he solved the sinful nature of humans. He gave his one and only Son Jesus Christ so he could erase the gap that was built when we gave in to our sinful nature. If the world was created for the purpose of God being given glory which was ruined by the fall of Adam and Eve, how come we don’t give God the praise?
When Jesus was born, he was conceived in Mary’s womb. Because he was of virgin birth, his coming to this world was not received well. He was rejected by his own people. He came from humble origins and did not assume an earthly kingly position.
REFLECTION
• If Jesus himself was rejected, how should we react when people reject us?
