The Logos

The next few weeks we are going to be writing and speaking from the book of John, the fourth gospel found in the Bible. John, the author and one of the closest companions of Jesus, postulates that Jesus is God. Knowing his audience, he begins his book in an astonishing manner. He introduces his readers to Jesus as the Logos. This may have absolutely no significance to us today, but to the readers of his day, it was revolutionary. John 1:1 coupled with verse 14 shouts out to us that the one eternal has contacted the temporal, the cosmic Christ is joined the ranks of humanity, what is infinite identifies with the finite. It is heaven touching earth and earth touching heaven.

“Logos means in classical Greek both "reason" and "word." The translation "thought" is probably the best equivalent for the Greek term, since it indicates, on the one hand, the faculty of reason, or the thought inwardly conceived in the mind; and, on the other hand, the thought outwardly expressed through the vehicle of language. The two ideas thought and speech, are indubitably blended in the term logos; and in every employment of the word, in philosophy and Scripture, both concepts of thought and its outward expression are closely connected.” Christianity.com

“The Stoics, philosophers who followed the teachings of the thinker Zeno of Citium (4th–3rd century BCE), defined the logos as an active rational and spiritual principle that permeated all reality. They called the logos providence, nature, god, and the soul of the universe, which is composed of many seminal logoi that are contained in the universal logos. Philo Judaeus (Philo of Alexandria), a 1st-century-CE Jewish philosopher, taught that the logos was the intermediary between God and the cosmos, being both the agent of creation and the agent through which the human mind can apprehend and comprehend God.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/logos

The point to this is simply, Jesus is more than an idea, a thought, a plan, nature, the soul of the universe, but a divine person, not an it, but a He. The word, (logos) was all of the above, but so much more. Jesus is more than a concept, an idea, a philosophy; he is a God who took on humanity. John 1:14 (NIV)  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

This has profound implications for us. When we understand Jesus as logos who became flesh, now I not only have the idea (for an example of love) but I have the person who is love living inside of me. We all have our own “logos” (thought and reason) determining our lives, But when the Logos or the eternal word takes up residence in me, thought and reason take a whole different perspective. No longer is Christ esoterical, hard to comprehend, spiritually distant or even an irrelevant concept. Instead, he is real, a person, and one who lives in our thoughts and functions in our reasons. It is for this reason, Apostle Paul says, Galatians 2:20 NIV…Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This Sunday, I will be sharing on the implications of the Logos living in us. This message transcends the philosophies of the day, the religions of the world, and our very best intentions. What an exciting time awaits us, as we let the Logos live in us.

Sunday Celebration

We are meeting in person on Sundays at 10:30am, as well as on Facebook Live on the Kootenay Christian Fellowship Church FB Page, for those not feeling comfortable attending a public gathering. We will use best practices and accepted protocols to ensure a safe environment for all worshippers gathering with us. Our service will be short and there will be no coffee or food offered at this time. After service is over, we invite you to socialize outside the building.

We are also on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNT9GnRlN0fPZdvqmaUV_LA

Please subscribe to our channel while you are there.

Looking forward to seeing you all in person or on Facebook Live on the Kootenay Christian Fellowship Church FB Page. https://www.facebook.com/kootenaychristianfellowshipnelsonbc

Jim Reimer, Pastor

September 17, 2020