His Present Is His Presence

The Presence of Jesus has impacted our dark world to such extent that the forcefulness of His brief life divides our global calendar into BC (Before Christ) and AD (the Latin phrase anno domini, which means in the year of our Lord). BC and AD separate the old from the new. Why has His presence been so important to mankind? Let’s take a quick look in the Bible:

The Apostle John starts off his biographical book about Jesus with these words, “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. 2 He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him (Jesus) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” 

• John introduces Jesus as eternal God, then as the creator.  
• He follows with a short description, “In him (Jesus) was life.”  
• John proceeds with a simple synopsis of “life”, “life (Jesus) was the light of all mankind.”
• He wraps things up by making this powerful statement, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”  He let the people of this dark world know that when His light shines in the darkness of our world, “light” always wins.

Furthermore, John 1:14 makes a “forever” forceful statement, “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  The life of God (Jesus) dwelt on this earth among mankind revealing the glory of God. Hebrew 4:13 states that He was fully human, “we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”  Why is this so influential? This Man-God became a sinless sacrifice for each of us paying the cost of our sin on a brutal cross enabling us to have a personal relationship with God Himself.  2 Corinthians 5:21 states that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  Jesus has saved and restored us by His life, death, and resurrection. 

He has gifted eternal life to you.  Like any other present, it is no good unless you receive it.  John 1:12 proclaims, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  You can experience the very presence of God by simply receiving Jesus into your heart.  It is a gift not something you work to deserve.   

John 15 presents a beautiful metaphor of the intimacy of His presence in the life of a believer. “⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing...⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

HIS PRESENT IS HIS PRESENCE.