From 'He' to 'We'

Day Twenty                           

From ‘He’ to ‘We’                  

Acts 2:29-32

A subtle change happens in verse 14 of John chapter one. For the first time, the author steps into the story. He stops describing events in the third person, as a dispassionate observer. In verse 14, John moves from “He” to “we.” For the first time, John shows us his hand. He cannot continue to write about the coming of Christ as though he was not personally involved. John is no longer a reporter, trying to be evenhanded in describing events; it is no longer possible. Having walked with Jesus for so many years; having witnessed so much of His ministry, having endured His agony, and having experienced the ecstasy of resurrection, John knows that he must bear his own testimony. He tells us what he saw – “we have seen His glory.”

There comes a time, for all of us, when it is no longer possible for us to view Christianity from the outside. Many people begin by treating Jesus Christ like any other man. We listen to the stories of His life and we put together a biography that, we think, will enable us to understand Him. But it doesn’t work. Jesus doesn’t fit into our neat, prearranged pigeon holes. He blasts through them. He demands that we make our minds up. He’s not like Alexander the Great or Napoleon Bonaparte. We may treat the source materials in the same way, but we soon realize that, if even a tenth of what we read is true, then Jesus does not belong in the same category as any man. His claims are greater; His actions are without parallel. Napoleon’s exploits led to the death of thousands, but he did not raise a single person to life. There is no Lazarus in his biography. Alexander conquered vast tracts of land. His empire covered half the known world, but with his death it evaporated. Jesus, on the other hand, never commanded an army. He had little more than the clothes upon His back when He was led away to die, crucified between thieves. But, today, millions call Him “Lord.” No army marches with His banner, but He is loved by believers in almost every land. How do you write a biography about someone like that? Do you discount the miracles as make-believe, just because no one else has made the lame leap for joy like Jesus? Do you refuse to accept the resurrection, because “things like that don’t happen”? Do you reject the virgin birth as an old wives’ tale, meant only for children?

At some point, you have to ask yourself, “If even one tenth of what I read is true, how can I not put myself in the equation? How can I claim to be dispassionate when what I see and hear rocks me back upon my heels?” That’s when the story has to move from being about “what Christians believe” to “what I believe.” That’s when you finally understand that the Word did not become flesh to satisfy an abstract principle of Law; He came for you.

Lord Christ, forgive me for the times when I have judged You, when I have attempted to read the story of Your coming as though it had nothing to do with me. Teach me to see myself in Your motivation, and to believe that, in Bethlehem, You were born so that I might step into Your story, and be saved. Amen.