Hi, I'm Lysa TerKeurst and this is Dr. Joel Muddamalle, and I'm
really excited about what we're going to be teaching today. I remember when I read John
Chapter 1, and I was so shocked that it clearly says that Jesus was present at creation. And I
never knew that when I first read John Chapter 1. And since I learned that years ago, I've continued
to study and I keep thinking, "OK, if I missed Him when I originally started studying the Bible -- if
I missed Him at creation -- then maybe I've missed Him in other unseen places
of my life too." He doesn't just disappear -- I mean Jesus doesn't just appear in Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John -- but disappear in the Old Testament. So, Joel, why is this so important?
JM: Yeah, you know, one of the things that I've thought a lot about, Lysa, is that
it's almost like if we're not thinking closely,
it's like Jesus is waiting in a green room somewhere for His grand appearance, you know.
LT: Yeah, that's good. I mean that is a good point...
JM: Think about it. Because here's the thing that the ancient Israelites and the people of God have
believed from the very beginning -- that God is one, and while also being one he is co-eternally
three persons -- and we know the three persons are God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Spirit. And so it almost feels like, yeah, you know Jesus and the Holy Spirit might just
be taking turns in the green room until it's their grand opportunity to come into human history.
But what you have just described, John Chapter 1 actually tells us
that that's not the case. And I think this is such a comforting and assuring reality,
because it tells us something about the character and the nature of God...
LT: And the consistent presence...
JM: ... and the consistent presence of God.
LT: Let's read a little bit from John chapter 1. John Chapter 1, verse 1, "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him
all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life
was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome
it." And then it goes on to describe something else. But then let's skip all the way down to
verse 14. "The Word became flesh..." So, "In the beginning was the Word. [That means in creation was
the Word], the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning, and through
him all things were made." When we get down to verse 14 of John 1, we see, "The Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us." And so, who's being talked about here? It's definitely Jesus.
JM: It has to be Jesus, and there are a couple interesting things here.
One is that that word in verse 14 that says he dwelt among us, the literal way
that Greek word could be translated is that he tabernacled amongst us. And I'm just curious,
what else do we see in the Old Testament that has the word or the phrase, the tabernacle? It is...
LT: Yeah, as the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, they carried the
tabernacle, or the ark of the covenant, with them.
JM: And, at the very center, at the holiest place, they believed that the presence of God himself
was with the people of God. And so, here in this miraculous incredible way,
what John does for us is, he lets us know that the desire of God from the very beginning was
always to be with His people, and the way that He was with His people was through His own presence.
And if Jesus was present in the very beginning, in creation, that tells us something about the
way that Jesus is always going to be present and active, even in the unseen and unexpected
places of our own lives. And if we go back and just read, I think we should just do this.
Let's go to Genesis Chapter 1 and just read the first few sentences. "In the beginning
God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over
the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." And so,
if we read Genesis 1:1 in light of John 1:1, we find the presence of God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Spirit. And it tells us that in John 1, that Jesus is light and that the light of Jesus
overcomes the darkness. Well, what does God do in creation in Genesis Chapter 1? He, He creates all
of creation and He overcomes the darkness. How does He overcome the darkness? The power of His
Son, Jesus. LT: That's so profound, and I think if we can truly remember that there is never a time
in our life, no matter what we see, no matter what we feel, no matter what's happening around us, no
matter what other people say, no matter what other people do, no matter what other people don't do,
no matter if it seems as if our life is really going toward a path of good, or it feels very
confusing because not very much seems good right now, here's what we can always know --
God is not a do-nothing God. He is with us and His presence is our comfort, and through the
power of Jesus and understanding where Jesus has been present all throughout Scripture,
maybe we can have more confidence that Jesus is working in the unseen places of our life
as well. And if we really understand this, we can start to have more confidence when we pray,
when we process our life, and when we decide what perspective we're going to have as we look at
everything we face in life. I know it has helped me so much,
Joel, to say, "If Jesus has never been absent, He's not absent in my life either. And where Jesus
is, good is being worked. And where Jesus is, the light is overcoming the darkness, and where
Jesus is, there is good ahead." So, I think as we start to have a better perspective and
a better lens through which to look at life, we will better understand that we can have
confidence that we're not alone. I know sometimes it feels like some of these Christian sayings
that we have, like "We're never alone" or you know,
"Make sure to, you know, lift your eyes from where your help comes from," -- beautiful Bible verses,
beautiful truth. But if we don't know how to practically believe it in the depth of our soul,
then when we get on shaky ground. We can start to lose perspective. We can start
to lose hope. We can start to feel like, "Maybe I am really alone."
JM: Yeah. LT: And I just think this study, "Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament,"
is going to help us more clearly see how Jesus is present
in our unseen places as well. And I'm so excited about this.
JM: Me too, Lysa. As you were talking, I was thinking. One of the most, I think, unexpected
places that we see it, and John 1 actually shows us this is, it connects the power of Jesus
to creation. So, like, right now as we're filming, there are these leaves that are falling off of the
trees, right? And John 1 says that, "In him all things were made, without him nothing was
made that has been made." And the same way that we know that as the the leaves fall off of the tree,
that there is going to be a time when new leaves will grow on this very tree.
And, to think for just a moment that the only way that this could be possible -- this is what
John 1 is telling us, and we're reminded of in Genesis Chapter 1 -- is because
it's the power of God who creates and sustains and renews all things. In the same way that these
leaves will be renewed, these trees will blossom again; that is somehow also happening in our
lives as we continue to trust in the power and presence of Jesus.
LT: Absolutely. I remember I had a situation one time, where I went to New England to speak
and it was in early fall, before the leaves had come off the trees. And they'd had a snowstorm,
and so the snow fell on top of the trees that had not yet released their leaves. And so,
as we were driving through the city, I asked, "Did you have some kind of tornado here recently?
Or even a hurricane?" because there was just so much debris and destruction to the trees. And
they said, "No, we had an early snowfall before the, before the trees released their leaves." And
it was such a visual picture to me -- that it is so important that we trust the timing and that we
understand -- sometimes in order to prepare us for the next season, while it may feel like Jesus is
absent -- what may be happening is, He's telling us, "Release what you need to release from this
season, so that when the next season comes, that the weight of the next season won't crush you."
And I think that, I keep that in mind a lot. And so, there are so many ways that we can remember
the presence of Jesus, the instruction of Jesus, but, most of all too,
the comfort of Jesus. So, Joel, I want to wrap up today with a prayer
that I pray often. And I think this sets my mindset to remember the presence of God
and the presence of Jesus in my everyday life all the time. So this is my prayer:
"God, I want to see You. God, I want to hear You. God, I want to know You. I don't want to just know
facts about You; I really want to know You. And God, before my feet even hit the floor today,
I say yes to You." And I don't always know what assignment I'm saying yes to,
but as I go through my day after saying that prayer, I so often will look for the presence
of the Lord in my life because I know I invited Him to do life with me that day.
And also during the prayer, I say, "God, I release my will for Thy will, because I'm so confident You
will," which is back to that release again. You know, I think when I pray, sometimes I want to make
all of my suggestions of how this should go or that should go. And I do still make suggestions,
and I do still think sometimes like, "Oh God, please let this be the way it goes."
But, I'm learning to release my suggestions to God and fully accept whatever it is that
He brings into my life, knowing that the presence of Jesus is with me so I can not only walk up to
whatever's next, but He'll completely carry me through
whatever is next. I hope that that blesses you and helps you today. God bless.