shining (or... thoughts from John 1.1-1.18)

I must admit, things are going well. We're starting to see more and more students at OTTS on weekdays - I'm guessing we're going to push 20 today, although we might only have five. It's a toss up every day that OTTS is open, but that's fine. When I started here, I figured attendance would go up once school ended, because students have much more free time and nothing to do. But I realize now that attendance is much more sporadic and sparse during the summer. But the words getting out, and more and more students are starting to show up. We'll see what happens.

I'm starting a series on John for HYPE Youth Group, and I really want to share one of the awesome things God's showing me in John 1.1-1.18. Hopefully, none of my students reads this blog; it'll tip 'em off for tomorrow!

I've always been a little confused when reading the introduction to John, because the passage can transition so quickly from, "[Jesus'] own did not receive him," to, "To those who did receive him..." I've always thought there was discord in that statement. Or in, "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." If we can't understand the light from within the darkness, how can we ever come to understand the light? I guess it's easy to assume that John means, "Most don't understand," or, "Most didn't receive him." But I always thought that was a bit of a superficial gloss to make the passage more understandable.

But I think there's another option (maybe it's apparent to everyone else and I'm just catching on, but here goes!). Stuck in the middle of this story of Christ is John the B. He always seemed awkwardly wedged in... Verse 7 reads, "He (John the B.) came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe." I always figured that it was, "Through Jesus all men might believe," but now I think it might be, "Through John the B... Through the faithful witness of John the B., all might believe." This is confirmed in some way in John 1.35. John the B. is chilling with two of his disciples. Jesus walks by, and John exclaims, "Hey, look! The Lamb of God." His disciples are like, "Woah! You're right!" and the follow Christ. Their eyes are opened; the light shines in their darkness!

In the same way, in John 12.35-36, Jesus says, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light."

If we've put our trust in the Light of the World (uh, Jesus, duh!) then we're children - sons and daughters - of the light. So Authentic Faith - true faith, is shining in the dark. It's allowing our faithful testimony to point others to the true light of the world. It's being faithful so that, "Through [us] all men might believe."

And, we need to keep our heads on our shoulders. Just like John the B., we need to remember that, "[We ourselves] are not the light; [we] come only as witnesses to the light."

So, blessings as you shine!