Before Jesus was born, He created the world and everything in it. He was not an observer of creation but its Chief Executive! Indeed, there was no part of creation which was not personally brought into being by Him. Time only started when He made the physical universe, and He is still its Master. Where did all the energy come from? It came from the 'Word' who was God the Son. He was also the source of all light and life. What an amazing person with inexhaustible power and intricate mastery, fitting everything together perfectly!

It is always a tragedy when people remember a famous product brand but forget its inventor; or when a painting is prized although the character of its artist is unknown. That is how it was for Jesus. The whole world was created under His authority and by His power (John 1:3), but when He arrived in person He was not recognised. Although He was born into a Jewish community that considered they were God's special people, they did not accept that He was God and eventually conspired to crucify Him.

John the Apostle had spent three years with Jesus and, in many ways, was the closest to Him of all the disciples. This verse is John's inspired (by the Holy Spirit) summary of Jesus. Jesus was the Word of God, the Almighty One who was made visible in a human body. He was God who spoke through a human mouth; and yet by His teaching, signs and wonders showed He was no ordinary man. Jesus was not just a good man who presented God, but God Himself; demonstrating the perfection of God's design for humanity.

It is very important for citizens to know the laws of their country - but there are no prizes for keeping the law. The law only functions when we break it – and then its role is to identify our failure and the punishment which we deserve. The same is true with God’s law. Of course, if we keep His Word then we stay in relationship with Him and can enjoy His blessings. But the problem is that none of us can keep any part of God’s law perfectly – so the law keeps condemning us.