John 1: Light for all

Captain Ian Hammond explores God’s solution to dispel the darkness of our world.

Key text

John 1:1-14

The opening to John’s record of the life of Jesus is beautiful, powerful and perhaps just a bit confusing. Who is John so passionate about? Who does he want us so desperately to meet, develop a relationship with and commit our lives to following? What do we think John means when he says: ‘in him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind’ (v4)?

From personal experience, I know who John is talking about. Sometimes, however, that familiarity clouds what I’m reading and leads me to miss the depth and beauty of what John is saying.

Pause and reflect

As you carefully read the study passage, what stands out to you?
Who is John introducing?
What does ‘the light of all mankind’ mean to your life?

John’s first three words – ‘In the beginning’ – remind us of the opening of the Creation story in Genesis 1. There, we read that God spoke and all that we know in our world – and much we don’t understand in our universe – came into being. We discover the utter power of God.

John links this creation-bringing power to the person he wants to introduce – the One with God, who is the God through whom everything created was made.

Pause and reflect

What links can you see with verse 14?
John tells us that the glory, the power and the sheer wonder of God have come to live with us. Take some time to think about that – the creator God living with and in you.

John uses the analogy of light and emphasises its importance by repeating the word seven times. Why is light so significant to John? What does he want us to think about and know? What does light mean to you?

Perhaps the key question is: What does light represent in biblical terms?

In the Bible, light is about holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom, grace and hope. It’s also about God revealing himself – revealing his love, goodness, grace and the hope that he alone brings.

John is telling us that Jesus living among us reveals God to us in all his greatness and all his love. This love cannot be earned. It is so graciously given.

Pause and reflect

What difference does Jesus make to you?
What difference does Jesus make to our world?

In verses 4 and 5, John explains that Jesus is the light for all mankind. There are so many ways to think about how this can make a real difference. Jesus, the hope for all mankind, reveals the love, goodness and grace of God. We also have the practical elements of having light – we can see where we are and where we’re going. Jesus enlightens us about the good things to aim for and the bad things to keep away from.

These are practical things, but there are also deeper emotional things.

Pause and reflect

Think about how it feels to lay down in the beauty of God’s creation and relax on a warm sunny day.
How do the light and warmth make you feel?

Sitting here on a wet cold day, I can imagine that feeling of warmth and how it eases my aches and pains. I remember feelings of joy and optimism, and that sense of being held and blessed, safe in warmth with no clouds on the horizon and nothing hard looming.

To stay free of darkness, despair and hopelessness, we need to turn to and live in the light and love of Jesus.

John wants us to know Jesus, who expresses all the fullness of life God wants for us.

In verse 5, John brings out a contrast to light. The darkness here has biblical significance: evil, sin, pain, death and despair.

What difference does Jesus, the Light, make to this darkness? Jesus shines into it, pushing back the negativity of our world, holding it away from us or sitting with us in it.

How sure is John that Jesus will win this struggle with darkness? John is absolutely certain. He believes that darkness – all the evil, pain and nastiness of our world – will never overcome the light, love, hope, safety and grace that Jesus brings into our world (see v5).

To stay free of darkness, despair and hopelessness, we need to turn to and live in the light and love of Jesus.

Pause and reflect

John outlines another benefit of living in Jesus’ light and love in verse 12. What is it?

John wants us about know that those who receive Jesus are given ‘the right to become children of God’ (v12). Can you imagine the difference this can make to us and to the world?

Receiving Jesus’ light brings us access to all the goodness and hope and love of God and, more than that, we will see that God treats us as his children. Not only has the creative power of God come to live with us and in us, but – because of the gracious love Jesus brings – the great creator God also adopts us as his children; loved by him, cared for by him, held in his arms.