Bible Study

Title: Jesus the Word
Date: Aug 16, 2010
Topic(s): Jesus, God
Scripture: Revelation 19:13, Genesis 1, John 1:1-18

<  previous date

next date  >

Jesus has many names: Messiah, the Christ, Savior, Shepherd, Lamb, King, etc. You can find them scattered throughout the pages of the Bible. Some names tell us about His authority or what He does for His people. Others give us a glimpse of His character as faithful, holy or righteous. One name carries a unique distinction: it reflects something about Jesus and about God the Father. It's "the Word of God."

What Does God Say?

Usually, we talk about the Bible as the Word of God. Everything that God has to say to us is recorded in this collection of writings we call the Bible. It reveals His plan from eternity past to eternity future. But Jesus is also the Word of God. Revelation 19:13 describes a future vision of Jesus, "He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God" (ESV). He does in person what the Bible does in writing--reveal the truth of God to us. He is the Word--the whole communication--of God to man.

The Word is also used as a name or identifier for Jesus in John 1:1. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." As the Word, Jesus existed before time, before the beginning, with God and as God. This shows us that Jesus is not just connected to God, He is fully God. As the Word, we also learn that Jesus "was in the beginning with God" (John 1:2) and "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:3). The Word is how the creation of the world happened. Remember Genesis 1 records the act of creation? "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Genesis 1:3, ESV).God said--He spoke the word--and it happened. No guesswork; God--Father and Son--spoke and the world was created. Genesis 1 includes at least eight "God said" statements that brought our world into being and established man in God's image. It all happened by the Word.

The Word is a powerful concept throughout Scripture, directly referring to Jesus and indirectly to the communication from God to man. God wants to speak to us; to communicate His great love, mercy, holiness and purpose. And Jesus came to earth to put a human form to that communication. He spoke to us as God for God.

My Thoughts

In the Old Testament, you find many references to "the word of the Lord" or "God spoke to" followed by a message of instruction, judgment, guidance or prophecy. Use a concordance or an online "keyword search" such as the one at biblegateway.com to find some of these examples.

• What were some of the messages God gave?
• What does this tell you about God's desire to communicate with people?

What does it mean to know that Jesus is the Word? Read John 1:1-18 again and look for Jesus as the Word (and the light), keeping in mind that verses 6-8 refer to John the Baptist.

• What does the Word do for those who believe?
• What does He reveal about God the Father?
• What do we receive from Him?
• What does it mean for you personally to know Jesus as the Word?

My Part

Jesus communicates with us still--through the written word of Scripture and through the Spirit. It's good to see Scripture as the Word of God, revealing the mind of God, the heart of Christ and the power of the Spirit to us in a way we can understand and go back to again and again. In Revelation, John the apostle is told over and over to "write down" what he sees and hears so that others will know and anticipate what is to come. The whole Bible is put into your hands so that you can know the Word of God.

Picking up a study like this one is a great step; what else are you doing to get to know the Word of God? What do you do to listen to or read the message revealed by Jesus? What benefits have you seen in your life from connecting to the Word? How do you share it now with others?

Options

• Print Format
• Email a friend
• Help us provide Bible Minute

Search: