John 1:1-18
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Hebrews 1:1-4
God's Final Word is His Son
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Acts 1:1-11
Jesus Ascends Back into Heaven
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Before anything else existed, there was Jesus and He was with God...He has always been alive and is Himself God...Jesus created everything there is—nothing exists that He didn’t make...He is the Creator of all things...He created man...And He would talk to man in different ways long ago...He spoke first to Adam and Eve, later through the Patriarchs, then to our fathers through the prophets, in visions, dreams, and even face to face, telling them little by little about His plans...Eternal life is in Him, and this Life as well...He is Life, and helps us live life to the fullest...He gives us eternal life for those who believe in Him...
But now when a Special Baby was born poor in a manger in Bethlehem, He was born the Son of God...He was born in such a way that no man, or woman, or child is favored over another...He was born with no fame or reputation, but that quickly changed...He grew in stature and in Godly Wisdom, like no other...He knew and knows Scripture and the Bible like no other...So God has spoken to people through His Son and He has given everything and all authority...His Life gives Light to all mankind...His Light gives man hope...He is the Light of Life..His life is the Light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish this Light...God sent a man named John the Baptist as a witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is the True Light...John himself was not the Light; he was only a witness to identify that Jesus is the Light...After John, the One who is the True Light arrived to start teaching...Jesus teachings would be the most important things ever taught on earth...He would speak the greatest words ever spoken and do things that would shine on everyone coming into the world...His Word was God's Word...But although He made the world, the world didn’t recognize Him when He came and dwelt on earth...Even in His own land of Israel and among His own people, the Jews, He was not accepted...Only a few would welcome and receive Him...But to all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God...All they needed to do was to trust Him to save them...All those who believe this are reborn!...Not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan—but from the will of God...And Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, was seemingly like a young Baby boy...But He is so much more...Jesus became a Man and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness, mercy, grace, and truth...And His Disciples and those who believed and followed Him got to see His glory—the glory of the Only Son of the heavenly Father!...God’s Son shines out with God’s glory, and all that God’s Son is and does marks Him as God...He controls the universe by the mighty power of His command and His will...He is the one who died to cleanse us from our record of all of our sins..He then ascended back to heaven and sat down in highest honor beside the great God of heaven...