When The Hero Dies For The Villain

SCRIPTURE

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:1-14‬ ‭NLT‬

‬ “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. 

‭‭John‬ ‭1:14‬a MSG

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OBSERVATION

RECOGNIZE - Verb

• To acknowledge
• To admit as being
• To take notice of
• To show appreciation

Rejection - Verb

• to refuse to accept
•       to refuse to consider
•       to refuse to submit to

Believe 

Accept 

Reborn

Douglas Mangum

For Jews, John’s use of logos would have evoked the phrase “the word of Yahweh.” This title was an important part of biblical traditions about Yahweh and His effective power over the universe. The phrase was regularly used to refer to Scripture as divine law (Isa 2:3), written instruction (Psa 119:11), and prophetic revelation (Hos 4:1; Ezek 6:1). More important, the “word of Yahweh” was depicted as an active force at work in the world to accomplish His will (Isa 55:11; Jer 23:29). This force was the agent through which Yahweh created the world (Psa 33:6, 9; Gen 1:3, 6, 11).

For Greeks, the idea of “the Word” as God’s active agent on earth would have resonated with the Greek notion that the Logos was the stabilizing principle of the universe.

“One day Jesus was in the Temple area teaching the people. He was telling them the Good News. The leading priests, teachers of the law, and older Jewish leaders came to talk to Jesus. They said, “Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who gave you this authority?” 

Jesus answered, “I will ask you a question too. Tell me: When John baptized people, did his authority come from God or was it only from other people?” The priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish leaders all talked about this. They said to each other, “If we answer, ‘John’s baptism was from God,’ then he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe John?’ But if we say that John’s baptism was from someone else, the people will stone us to death. They all believe that John was a prophet.” 

So they answered, “We don’t know the answer.” So Jesus said to them, “Then I will not tell you who gave me the authority to do these things.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20:1-8‬ ‭ERV‬‬

APPLICATION 

“Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us. Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person. But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us. We have been made right with God by the blood sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger. I mean that while we were God’s enemies, he made friends with us through his Son’s death. And the fact that we are now God’s friends makes it even more certain that he will save us through his Son’s life.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:6-10‬ ‭ERV‬‬