Jesus is the Living Word

 

We are familiar with the story of the birth of Jesus as recorded in Matthew and Luke. In these two gospels we are given two different perspectives of Jesus’ birth. But in the gospel of John, we are given a third perspective, one in which John reveals to us Jesus as God in the flesh.

 

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 

John establishes that the Word, Jesus, was not just with God in the beginning, but that He is God from the beginning.

 

This means that Jesus is not just a godly man or a great spiritual teacher or a prophet. Jesus is God.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging and receiving Jesus as who He really is – God.

 

John 1:4

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

 

Jesus is life.

 

Paul says in Colossians 3:4 that Jesus is our life.

Jesus says in John 14:6 that He is the life.

 

Jesus is life means:

He is the source of our life both physical and spiritual.

Our every day lives are to be lived with Jesus as our Lord.

Our lives are to manifest Jesus to the world.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living everyday with Jesus as our life.

 

Jesus is light.

 

In 1 John 1:7 we are told that we are to walk in the light as Jesus is in the light. When we do that, we experience fellowship with other believers, and we are cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus.

 

In John 8:12 Jesus says that He is the light of the world.

 

Jesus as the light of the world means that He will illuminate our lives so we can see where we are going and be able to avoid falling into sin. He as the light gives warmth to us. He will be our peace.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living in a relationship with Jesus so that He is our life and light.

 

John 1:14

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.

 

Jesus is God in the flesh, and He is characterized by grace and truth.

 

Jesus is grace. He does not give us what we deserve because of our sin, but He gives us more than we deserve - forgiveness and eternal life. He does this as a free gift, not because we deserve it or could ever earn it.

 

Jesus is truth.

 

Jesus never lies.

Jesus always fulfills what He says He will do.

Jesus never leads us to wrong or harm.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is believing that Jesus is God in the flesh and that He is the truth and that He offers us forgiveness and eternal by His grace and not by our works.

 

Before I close this devotion, I want to share with you that on December 31 I will retire from full time pastoring. I will not be retiring from serving Jesus. I will continue to write these devotions. If anyone you know wants to receive the devotions, just have them send me their email address. They can also just go the Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls blog and all of the devotions are there. I also do a Facebook video teaching Monday morning through Thursday morning at 8:00. Beginning in January 1 will be doing the Facebook on Monday mornings at 8:00 on Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls Facebook page and on my personal Facebook page, Joe Byers. I pray that both the devotions and the Facebook teachings with be used by Jesus to help and encourage others.

 

With Jesus as the Word, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

Joe