Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Word made flesh, the eternal Son through whom all things were made. I write to you, dear brothers and sisters, scattered across the nations yet united in the one hope of our calling, that you may be strengthened in faith, renewed in mind, and filled with the knowledge of Him who is from the beginning. To the churches of every tongue and tribe, to the weary and the joyful, to the seeker and the saint: may the Spirit of wisdom rest upon you as we ponder the mystery revealed in the Gospel of John, chapter one, verse one: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Beloved, consider the weight of these words, breathed by the Holy Spirit through the pen of the apostle John, who leaned upon the breast of our Savior and bore witness to His glory. This is no mere greeting or passing thought, but a declaration of eternal truth, a foundation unshaken by time or tempest. “In the beginning”—before the stars were kindled, before the earth was framed, before the breath of life filled the lungs of man—there was the Word. Not created, not fashioned, not summoned into being, but was—ever-existing, unchanging, eternal. This Word, dear ones, is not a fleeting sound or a written mark, but the living expression of God Himself, the Son who is one with the Father in essence and glory.
Let us marvel together at this mystery: “the Word was with God.” Here we see the communion of the Godhead, the fellowship of Father and Son in the unity of the Spirit, a love so perfect and complete that it overflows into all creation. The Word was not apart from God, not a stranger or a servant merely sent, but with Him—distinct yet inseparable, face to face in eternal intimacy. And yet, John proclaims an even greater wonder: “the Word was God.” There is no division here, no lesser deity or created intermediary. The Word is not a shadow of divinity but divinity itself—fully God, possessing all power, all wisdom, all majesty. What comfort this brings to us, frail as we are, that the One who would later tabernacle among us is none other than God Himself!
To you who labor under the burdens of this world, hear this good news: the same Word who was in the beginning is the One who upholds all things by the power of His will. The chaos of the seas, the vastness of the heavens, the breath in your lungs—all came to be through Him, for “all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3). When you gaze upon the mountains or hear the laughter of a child, you behold the handiwork of the Word who is God. When you feel the sting of sin or the ache of loss, know that this same Word has not abandoned you but has drawn near to redeem you.
For this, beloved, is the heart of our faith: the Word did not remain distant, enthroned in unapproachable light. No, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He who was with God and was God took on our humanity—born of a virgin, cradled in a manger, walking the dusty roads of Galilee. He hungered as we hunger, wept as we weep, and bore the weight of our transgressions upon the cross. Why? That we, who were far off, might be brought near; that we, who were dead in sin, might live through Him. The eternal Word spoke life into the void at creation, and now He speaks forgiveness into the hearts of all who believe.
Therefore, I urge you, saints of God, to fix your eyes upon this Word. In a world of shifting shadows and empty promises, He alone is the truth. Men may boast of their wisdom, kings may trust in their power, but all their words will fade like the grass of the field. Yet the Word of God stands forever—yesterday, today, and unto the ages of ages. When doubts assail you, when fears whisper in the night, return to this truth: the One who was in the beginning is with you even now, for He has promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Let this knowledge stir you to worship, dear ones. Lift your voices in praise to the Word who is God, who reigns with the Father and the Spirit, one God in three persons, blessed forever. Let it also compel you to love, for as He has dwelt among us, so we must dwell among one another—bearing each other’s burdens, speaking truth in gentleness, and shining as lights in a darkened world. The Word became flesh not to condemn but to save, and we, His ambassadors, must reflect His grace to all.
To the young in faith, I say: cling to this Word, for it is your life. Study it, treasure it, let it dwell in you richly. To the seasoned believer, I exhort: do not grow weary, for the Word who was in the beginning is the same who will return in glory to make all things new. And to those who have yet to know Him, I plead: come to the Word who is God, for He calls to you with open arms, saying, “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37).
Now may the God of peace, who spoke the Word into being and sent Him forth for our salvation, strengthen you in every good work and word. May the Spirit illuminate your hearts to see the glory of the Word made flesh, and may you abide in Him until that day when we behold Him face to face. Grace be with you all.