Followers

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Logos-Light-Life

A recently retired friend of mine, a Anglican priest, wrote this sermon in which he points to the dynamic Word, the Logos, as the key to living a life pleasing to God. Here is what Paul wrote:

Living in the Word - Rev Paul Taylor, LL.M.

The Gospel of John is unique. St. John Starts off by stating that in the beginning the Word was God and God is the word. The Word is a dynamic and not passive concept. This parallels Genesis. In Genesis the earth is a void (chaos) and the Word of God brings order to the chaos.

John using this image shows that the Word is God. John talks about light and the darkness not be able to comprehend the light. It is the Word that brings the light into the world.

The Word is used through out John's Gospel. John then goes on to say that you can be believe in God. You can believe in Jesus Christ, but if the Word is not in you then you are not a believer
(cf John 5:38,8:31, 8:37, 8:43 , 14:23, 15:3,15:25).

These passages only skim the gospel of John. The point is that the Word has to be in you and that you have to live according to the Word.

One can be a cradle Episcopalian and know the prayerbook and the hymnal well. For these people the word is something those dreadful Bible thumpers talk about.

You can be a Catholic and go to Mass every week. The word is something those awful protestants talk about.

You can be a Baptist and hear the preacher talk about the word and it sounds just great.

You can be a continuer and worship the missal and talk about how catholic you are. "What word?" you ask.

You can be born again and raise both hands at every service and sing the hymns from memory.

Who needs the word? You have the spiritual connection. It matters not whether the spirit is holy roller or New Age you've got the spirit.

John doesn't mention any of these people. John is there to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Read it all here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Traditional Latin Mass reads the Gospel of Johnn at every Mass at the end (the first chapter)

Anonymous said...

The "Word/Logos" is Jesus.
Jesus is God and Man.

Alice C. Linsley said...

Indeed, Michaelis!

The generative Word is a theme of Genesis. By Him are all things created.