14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
I remember when I was young of being anxious for a special event or time. It would be hard to sleep and that thing was constantly on my mind. I can only imagine the prophets and those chosen by God to hear of the coming Messiah. They must have been so excited about finally getting a deliverer to save them from their anguish.
When Jesus finally arrived, you would expect a huge and glorious welcome. In the same way the angels sang to the shepherds is how they should have embraced Jesus. He was everything that is good and holy. His words carried untold wisdom and his heart overflowed with love. Someone like that should have been quickly embraced. He carried with him the glory of the Father. What more could people ask for?
And yet we know the story. There was a disconnect as to who the Messiah would be. The people didn’t want love or wisdom. No. The people wanted power and might. They wanted a warrior and fighter. Soft kind words should have been angry war cries. Had Jesus come like that, he would have been accepted and worshiped.
It begs the question, how could a people whose whole existence was being sons of God miss the mark so widely? How could people so sure of God and His will be so wrong? Can we, people today who also claim to be children of God and who know God more than anyone else also fall into that trap?
Do we carry the same arrogant thoughts? Are we as sure as the Jews of Jesus’ day? Are we worshiping a form of God who isn’t actually found in the Bible?
How can we know and be sure that we are seeking the right character and image of God?
It is only through honest study of the Bible, guided by the Holy Spirit. We cannot rely on traditional thoughts. That is what the Jews did. We cannot take passages for granted or avoid ideas of passages that we don’t like or understand. If it’s in the Bible, we should study and wrestle with these passages and ideas. We must be completely open and willing to the Holy Spirit. Only then can we be safe from falling into the same mistakes of the past.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2023-11-24 18:21:372023-11-24 18:21:37Failures of the Past
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13
Growing up I’d often here people ask- What would you do if you could do it all over again? The idea of a do-over or of going back to your childhood and having a second life is something that people have fantasized about since the beginning. How many nights did Eve dream of simply walking away from the serpent? How many times did Noah think about what he could have done differently to reach all of those people who rejected the warning of God and died in the flood? How often did Lot look down the valley at the statue of salt and just wish he had been closer to his wife to keep her eyes forward? David must have thought about being a better father to Absalom. Peter must have had nightmares of rejecting Christ at the trial. We know that Paul suffered with what he did to Christians before his conversion.
How about you? What are your regrets? What would you go back and change if given the chance? Perhaps it was not spending more time with a loved you while they were still alive. Perhaps it was the choices you made in school and your career. Perhaps it was a missed opportunity or a grave mistake.
Although we cannot go back and change our past (which is probably a blessing because you are who you are because of those choices and actions) the Bible does say that you can have a second chance at life with Him.
As Christians we are born again. All our past mistakes cannot be corrected but they can be forgiven. You do not have to be defined by your
past life or errors. When you are born again in Christ, God seen a brand new person with no baggage. Through the Holy Spirit, who works through people here on earth many times, we too can see ourselves the same way.
God is ‘The God of Second Chances’. God wants you, through Him, to choose a new beginning and follow a better path. With Him, all things are possible. Many new doors can be opened on this new path. You are no longer imprisoned to a dark and bleak future.
If you haven’t yet, let God make you anew. Have a fresh start with Him in your heart.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2023-11-18 06:45:062023-11-18 06:45:06Born Again
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
John 1:9-11
The world, and in particular the Jews, did not recognize the creator of the world. They did not recognize their God who journeyed with them in the desert and delivered them from Egyptian slavery. They did not recognize the person that they prayed to and studied in the synagogues. What happened?
The most obvious thing is that they didn’t expect a human being to be their God. They didn’t understand the prophecies about the coming messiah. They had painted a different picture and explanation of those ideas. They thought a human, only human, man would be their messiah and not God himself. So when Jesus tried to explain that difference, they couldn’t understand. That light was too blinding.
The second problem is in their interpretation of what the messiah would be like. They expected a powerful warrior who could gather the people and fight the Romans. Jesus was the exact opposite. He was meek and mild. He fled from crowds and avoided physical fights. Again the light was too different for them to accept.
The third problem, and the key problem, is that they were too disconnected and far from God to hear the truth and understand and trust it. Only those few who truly followed Jesus were able to discern God’s voice and learn the things that God was trying to explain. It took time but those few would allow the Spirit to impress their hearts that yes, Jesus was the Son of God. It took time, right up to the Pentecost, but they were able to hear and accept that Jesus was not going to fight the Romans with swords but to win them into salvation. He was going to fight sin and the Devil, not human prisoners of sin.
Today, Jesus continues to shine light onto the world. She shines light on us. Is there light which is also to bright or different for us to see? Are we like those of the past who can be surrounded by light and yet fear it? Are you in a relationship with God to allow him to slowly and carefully show you the truth and light? Are you willing to change and be molded inside and out by him?
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2023-11-10 17:16:342023-11-10 17:19:01Afraid of the Light
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John 1:4-5
Before we talk about John, it is important to see what Jesus himself said about him.
11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.14 And if you are willing to receive it, he isElijah who is to come.15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Matthew 11:11-15
There has been no one greater than John. That is a powerful statement from Jesus. When you think of Moses, David, Samuel, Elijah and more of the heroes of the Bible, it’s hard for me at least to place John above them. John’s story is barely recorded in the Bible. He preached and baptized but very few words are recorded. He very quickly is put in jail and then beheaded. How can he be considered greatest above people born?
The next question of course is how can he be the greatest and also the least of all those who will be in heaven?
Let’s try and answer to these questions. He is the greatest because unlike all the other prophets and heroes who prophesied of the coming Messiah, John was the one to actually baptize him into his role. John witnessed and was a part of the fulfillment of the great promise of the Old Testament. In that way he is given an exalted position and title. He was the one chosen to introduce the light into the world. A very weak comparison would be like the person who finally carries the Olympic torch into the stadium and lights the big fire to start the Olympics.
But John is also the least because although being part of the beginning and being so close to the Messiah, he was kept at a distance and actually reduced by God so that Jesus could be increased.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:30
John was so important and yet his story is all but pushed to the side. We must accept that our lives can follow in the same way. Just because our names might be forgotten in history because we didn’t do something world changing, doesn’t mean that we aren’t important to God’s work. We must accept the role God has for us and accept that for many of us, our true reward will only come at the end.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2023-11-03 08:39:552023-11-03 08:39:55A Man Sent from God
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:4-5
It was the life inside of Jesus that creates us. That same light was supposed to be the light and guide in our life. If we had not sinned, we would have had an intimate connection to Jesus through that creation and life. Instead we sinned and broke that connection. Not only did we lose light and direction, we also lost the life of Jesus which is eternal. Instead we were given, through grace and mercy, a few years to reconnect with him. We should have just died. The world should have ended with Adam and Eve but God couldn’t have an end like that.
Not only did God give us a few years of life, he also decided that his light should return to the earth. Through his sacrifice, Jesus was born like us so that the light found in creation would once again shine on earth.
And so the light come down to the earth and into the darkness. You would think that seeing light in darkness would be a great thing for everyone but the exact opposite happened. People became so used to the darkness that the light scared them and they ran away. The darkness, as bad as it was, also concealed sins and problems. People felt that the darkness kept them from being exposed. They didn’t realize that it was the same darkness that was creating the sins they feared to show.
Not only did people fear the light but the Bible here says that they did not comprehend it. God had become so distant that they no longer remembered what God looked like. They confused what was good for bad. They called a sinless man a sinner. They beat one who cured and killed one who raised the dead. Everything was backwards on the earth when light came down.
And now there is us. What do we do with the light? Do we recognize it? Do we fear it? Do we run away from it?
God’s light is just as much here today as it was when Jesus came to earth. The same mission is in effect, to connect humanity to God again. What can you do to help that and what are you doing that may be hindering it?
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2023-10-27 10:47:442023-10-27 10:47:44Light on Earth
2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
John 1:2-3
There are those who debate whether Jesus is God. Besides the first verse which tells us that he was God, these verses here too make a strong emphasis of that point. One of the main aspects of God is that he is Creator. If someone of something didn’t create us, than it’s not God. You cannot separate God from Creator. You can have a powerful being who can act like God, but without this key characteristic, it cannot be God.
But verse 3, the Bible is making it very clear that Jesus, the Word, created all things. The emphasis of ‘all’ and the repetition of ‘and without Him nothing was made that was made’ make it very clear that Jesus is our Creator. This was written on purpose. John was really trying to make the point that yes, Jesus is God, because of this vital point- he is Creator.
Now you can see how this might create an apparent problem. If Jesus the Son of God is Creator, does that mean that God the Father isn’t? Does the Father stop being God if he’s not a Creator? The Bible explains this issue in several places but I’ll show it in Hebrews.
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Hebrews 1:1-2
God the Father is also Creator in the fact that it was his idea and plan. You could say that the Father was the Architect and Jesus was the Builder. They both played a part in the creation of not just this world but the entire universe. When you read Genesis 1, you’ll see that the Holy Spirit was also present at creation though his actual role is not clearly stated.
The key of course to all of this is that we are not some accident. We are not random formations and evolutions. Our beginning was clearly planned and executed which should give you hope that your future is also clearly planned.
I hope you can take some time to look at all that God has created around you, including yourself, and realize the love that is shown in what you see.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2023-10-20 13:46:402023-10-20 13:46:40Creator of All
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
Jesus is called by John as the Word. This is done because Jesus was that voice that brought creation and the universe into existence. It was Jesus’ words that formed stars, planets, galaxies, molecules, atoms and everything in between. It was the same voice that raised the dead and healed with a simple word. The word of Jesus is truly a powerful thing.
The first verse of John’s gospel tell us a lot about Jesus and God. In just a few words we find that Jesus was with God, therefore separate and distinct from God but also that he was God. This opens up the great mystery of trying to understand an explain God. How can Jesus both be with and be God? I don’t think our human minds nor our limited vocabulary or understanding can truly give an answer that adequately explains this question. What we do know is that God the Father and Jesus are distinct being, both existing at the same time while not being in the same place. In that way Jesus could be ‘with God.’
We also know that Jesus and God are both one and equal:
30 I and My Father are one.”
John 10:30
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
Philippians 2:5-6
This unity and equality is why Jesus not only can be ‘with God’ but can also ‘be God.’ Although that may not explain it all for some, it is what the Bible itself offers as an explanation. We have to be open to the fact there are things about God that we will not fully understand until we are standing by him in heaven.
What John clearly does in the start of his gospel however is to make Jesus the center and focus of his good news. Jesus was there at the very beginning. He was the word. He was with God and was God. That is why Jesus is able to be the savior the world needs. No one else can claim to be who Jesus is. No one else could take our place in death. I pray that we can also make Jesus our center and focus.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2023-10-13 18:08:442023-10-13 18:08:44In the Beginning
Failures of the Past
/in Pastors BlogFailures of the Past
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
I remember when I was young of being anxious for a special event or time. It would be hard to sleep and that thing was constantly on my mind. I can only imagine the prophets and those chosen by God to hear of the coming Messiah. They must have been so excited about finally getting a deliverer to save them from their anguish.
When Jesus finally arrived, you would expect a huge and glorious welcome. In the same way the angels sang to the shepherds is how they should have embraced Jesus. He was everything that is good and holy. His words carried untold wisdom and his heart overflowed with love. Someone like that should have been quickly embraced. He carried with him the glory of the Father. What more could people ask for?
And yet we know the story. There was a disconnect as to who the Messiah would be. The people didn’t want love or wisdom. No. The people wanted power and might. They wanted a warrior and fighter. Soft kind words should have been angry war cries. Had Jesus come like that, he would have been accepted and worshiped.
It begs the question, how could a people whose whole existence was being sons of God miss the mark so widely? How could people so sure of God and His will be so wrong? Can we, people today who also claim to be children of God and who know God more than anyone else also fall into that trap?
Do we carry the same arrogant thoughts? Are we as sure as the Jews of Jesus’ day? Are we worshiping a form of God who isn’t actually found in the Bible?
How can we know and be sure that we are seeking the right character and image of God?
It is only through honest study of the Bible, guided by the Holy Spirit. We cannot rely on traditional thoughts. That is what the Jews did. We cannot take passages for granted or avoid ideas of passages that we don’t like or understand. If it’s in the Bible, we should study and wrestle with these passages and ideas. We must be completely open and willing to the Holy Spirit. Only then can we be safe from falling into the same mistakes of the past.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
Born Again
/in Pastors BlogBorn Again
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13
Growing up I’d often here people ask- What would you do if you could do it all over again? The idea of a do-over or of going back to your childhood and having a second life is something that people have fantasized about since the beginning. How many nights did Eve dream of simply walking away from the serpent? How many times did Noah think about what he could have done differently to reach all of those people who rejected the warning of God and died in the flood? How often did Lot look down the valley at the statue of salt and just wish he had been closer to his wife to keep her eyes forward? David must have thought about being a better father to Absalom. Peter must have had nightmares of rejecting Christ at the trial. We know that Paul suffered with what he did to Christians before his conversion.
How about you? What are your regrets? What would you go back and change if given the chance? Perhaps it was not spending more time with a loved you while they were still alive. Perhaps it was the choices you made in school and your career. Perhaps it was a missed opportunity or a grave mistake.
Although we cannot go back and change our past (which is probably a blessing because you are who you are because of those choices and actions) the Bible does say that you can have a second chance at life with Him.
As Christians we are born again. All our past mistakes cannot be corrected but they can be forgiven. You do not have to be defined by your
past life or errors. When you are born again in Christ, God seen a brand new person with no baggage. Through the Holy Spirit, who works through people here on earth many times, we too can see ourselves the same way.
God is ‘The God of Second Chances’. God wants you, through Him, to choose a new beginning and follow a better path. With Him, all things are possible. Many new doors can be opened on this new path. You are no longer imprisoned to a dark and bleak future.
If you haven’t yet, let God make you anew. Have a fresh start with Him in your heart.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
Afraid of the Light
/in Pastors BlogAfraid of the Light
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
John 1:9-11
The world, and in particular the Jews, did not recognize the creator of the world. They did not recognize their God who journeyed with them in the desert and delivered them from Egyptian slavery. They did not recognize the person that they prayed to and studied in the synagogues. What happened?
The most obvious thing is that they didn’t expect a human being to be their God. They didn’t understand the prophecies about the coming messiah. They had painted a different picture and explanation of those ideas. They thought a human, only human, man would be their messiah and not God himself. So when Jesus tried to explain that difference, they couldn’t understand. That light was too blinding.
The second problem is in their interpretation of what the messiah would be like. They expected a powerful warrior who could gather the people and fight the Romans. Jesus was the exact opposite. He was meek and mild. He fled from crowds and avoided physical fights. Again the light was too different for them to accept.
The third problem, and the key problem, is that they were too disconnected and far from God to hear the truth and understand and trust it. Only those few who truly followed Jesus were able to discern God’s voice and learn the things that God was trying to explain. It took time but those few would allow the Spirit to impress their hearts that yes, Jesus was the Son of God. It took time, right up to the Pentecost, but they were able to hear and accept that Jesus was not going to fight the Romans with swords but to win them into salvation. He was going to fight sin and the Devil, not human prisoners of sin.
Today, Jesus continues to shine light onto the world. She shines light on us. Is there light which is also to bright or different for us to see? Are we like those of the past who can be surrounded by light and yet fear it? Are you in a relationship with God to allow him to slowly and carefully show you the truth and light? Are you willing to change and be molded inside and out by him?
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
A Man Sent from God
/in Pastors BlogA Man Sent from God
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John 1:4-5
Before we talk about John, it is important to see what Jesus himself said about him.
11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Matthew 11:11-15
There has been no one greater than John. That is a powerful statement from Jesus. When you think of Moses, David, Samuel, Elijah and more of the heroes of the Bible, it’s hard for me at least to place John above them. John’s story is barely recorded in the Bible. He preached and baptized but very few words are recorded. He very quickly is put in jail and then beheaded. How can he be considered greatest above people born?
The next question of course is how can he be the greatest and also the least of all those who will be in heaven?
Let’s try and answer to these questions. He is the greatest because unlike all the other prophets and heroes who prophesied of the coming Messiah, John was the one to actually baptize him into his role. John witnessed and was a part of the fulfillment of the great promise of the Old Testament. In that way he is given an exalted position and title. He was the one chosen to introduce the light into the world. A very weak comparison would be like the person who finally carries the Olympic torch into the stadium and lights the big fire to start the Olympics.
But John is also the least because although being part of the beginning and being so close to the Messiah, he was kept at a distance and actually reduced by God so that Jesus could be increased.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:30
John was so important and yet his story is all but pushed to the side. We must accept that our lives can follow in the same way. Just because our names might be forgotten in history because we didn’t do something world changing, doesn’t mean that we aren’t important to God’s work. We must accept the role God has for us and accept that for many of us, our true reward will only come at the end.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
Light on Earth
/in Pastors BlogLight on Earth
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:4-5
It was the life inside of Jesus that creates us. That same light was supposed to be the light and guide in our life. If we had not sinned, we would have had an intimate connection to Jesus through that creation and life. Instead we sinned and broke that connection. Not only did we lose light and direction, we also lost the life of Jesus which is eternal. Instead we were given, through grace and mercy, a few years to reconnect with him. We should have just died. The world should have ended with Adam and Eve but God couldn’t have an end like that.
Not only did God give us a few years of life, he also decided that his light should return to the earth. Through his sacrifice, Jesus was born like us so that the light found in creation would once again shine on earth.
And so the light come down to the earth and into the darkness. You would think that seeing light in darkness would be a great thing for everyone but the exact opposite happened. People became so used to the darkness that the light scared them and they ran away. The darkness, as bad as it was, also concealed sins and problems. People felt that the darkness kept them from being exposed. They didn’t realize that it was the same darkness that was creating the sins they feared to show.
Not only did people fear the light but the Bible here says that they did not comprehend it. God had become so distant that they no longer remembered what God looked like. They confused what was good for bad. They called a sinless man a sinner. They beat one who cured and killed one who raised the dead. Everything was backwards on the earth when light came down.
And now there is us. What do we do with the light? Do we recognize it? Do we fear it? Do we run away from it?
God’s light is just as much here today as it was when Jesus came to earth. The same mission is in effect, to connect humanity to God again. What can you do to help that and what are you doing that may be hindering it?
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
Creator of All
/in Pastors BlogCreator of All
2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
John 1:2-3
There are those who debate whether Jesus is God. Besides the first verse which tells us that he was God, these verses here too make a strong emphasis of that point. One of the main aspects of God is that he is Creator. If someone of something didn’t create us, than it’s not God. You cannot separate God from Creator. You can have a powerful being who can act like God, but without this key characteristic, it cannot be God.
But verse 3, the Bible is making it very clear that Jesus, the Word, created all things. The emphasis of ‘all’ and the repetition of ‘and without Him nothing was made that was made’ make it very clear that Jesus is our Creator. This was written on purpose. John was really trying to make the point that yes, Jesus is God, because of this vital point- he is Creator.
Now you can see how this might create an apparent problem. If Jesus the Son of God is Creator, does that mean that God the Father isn’t? Does the Father stop being God if he’s not a Creator? The Bible explains this issue in several places but I’ll show it in Hebrews.
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Hebrews 1:1-2
God the Father is also Creator in the fact that it was his idea and plan. You could say that the Father was the Architect and Jesus was the Builder. They both played a part in the creation of not just this world but the entire universe. When you read Genesis 1, you’ll see that the Holy Spirit was also present at creation though his actual role is not clearly stated.
The key of course to all of this is that we are not some accident. We are not random formations and evolutions. Our beginning was clearly planned and executed which should give you hope that your future is also clearly planned.
I hope you can take some time to look at all that God has created around you, including yourself, and realize the love that is shown in what you see.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto
In the Beginning
/in Pastors BlogIn the Beginning
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
Jesus is called by John as the Word. This is done because Jesus was that voice that brought creation and the universe into existence. It was Jesus’ words that formed stars, planets, galaxies, molecules, atoms and everything in between. It was the same voice that raised the dead and healed with a simple word. The word of Jesus is truly a powerful thing.
The first verse of John’s gospel tell us a lot about Jesus and God. In just a few words we find that Jesus was with God, therefore separate and distinct from God but also that he was God. This opens up the great mystery of trying to understand an explain God. How can Jesus both be with and be God? I don’t think our human minds nor our limited vocabulary or understanding can truly give an answer that adequately explains this question. What we do know is that God the Father and Jesus are distinct being, both existing at the same time while not being in the same place. In that way Jesus could be ‘with God.’
We also know that Jesus and God are both one and equal:
30 I and My Father are one.”
John 10:30
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
Philippians 2:5-6
This unity and equality is why Jesus not only can be ‘with God’ but can also ‘be God.’ Although that may not explain it all for some, it is what the Bible itself offers as an explanation. We have to be open to the fact there are things about God that we will not fully understand until we are standing by him in heaven.
What John clearly does in the start of his gospel however is to make Jesus the center and focus of his good news. Jesus was there at the very beginning. He was the word. He was with God and was God. That is why Jesus is able to be the savior the world needs. No one else can claim to be who Jesus is. No one else could take our place in death. I pray that we can also make Jesus our center and focus.
God bless,
Pr. Steven Couto