Lord’s Day, Vol. 5 No. 50
The Meaning of Life
The grappling for meaning in life finds its ultimate rest with the Giver and Sustainer of life, the Person of Jesus Christ. The search to find the “meaning of life” finds its end point or beginning point in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures gives a full and abundant life.
John 1:1-4, 14 (KJV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men… 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(1) Beginning (v1-2)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
In the beginning, before there was time and space that defines our world, was the Word with God. That Word was God. Any person in John’s day familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures would understand the phrase “in the beginning,” to refers to the opening verse of Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) John reaches back even farther into eternity past to declare the living and true God, the Self-Existent One, the Uncaused First Cause, the Creator God, the Giver of life. In the beginning, even prior to creation, existed along with the God the Father – the Word (cf. 1 John 1:1) – Jesus Christ!
The word Jesus means “Saviour”. And the word “Christ” means “Messiah”, the Anointed One of God. This is described as He that is to come in the Old Testament Scriptures.
John identifies the Messiah when he testifies in 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
God exists in the Person of the Creator, called the Word. The Word was with God (1:1). The Word, Jesus Christ, was there at the beginning with God. He was the “Determinator” of life.
He exists, in the beginning, before time and space. And yet this Being, came in human flesh, Emmanuel, God with us. This is the mystery of godliness. It was by the power of this Word, that all things come into being.
(2) Begetting (v3)
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
The greatest statement of truth that Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things. Through Him all things were made (1:3). John revealed that everything came into being through Jesus, the God who took on human flesh, is startling indeed.
(3) Being (v4)
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
The prophet Isaiah, who looked forward to that time when Jesus would be born, said “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)
Light is symbolic of life. Jesus is the Source and the Giver of life. He was that great Light. Life proceeds from Him. Jesus healed the lame man who was unable to walk all his life. He brought life back to his withered feet. He caused the blind to see! How can this be! There was no need of a hospital in Israel when Jesus was on earth. And He caused the dead to rise to life again. How can this be except “in Him was life”!
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. To perish is to face the judgment of hellfire for our sins after we die. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. That we may go to heaven after we die. Jesus Christ is the only Saviour of all mankind. May we embrace and worship Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, through repentance of sins and faith in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures. Amen.
Yours Lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee