Key Verse: “He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name.” (John 1:10-12 CSB)
Each one of us is faced with important decisions that we make throughout our lives. The most vital of those decisions is what we choose to do with Jesus. How will we respond to Him?
For the Jewish people, they had been eagerly awaiting their Messiah to come. They knew that one day, the One whom God had chosen and anointed, would come to fulfill all of God’s promises to them and establish His kingdom.
Sadly and ironically, when Jesus arrived on the scene claiming to be the Messiah and proving it through His teachings and power, the Jewish people in most cases didn’t know what to do with Him. He wasn’t necessarily what they wanted or were expecting. As a result, while some chose to accept Jesus, most chose to turn their backs on Him. Some even went as far as having Jesus crucified.
John spoke about this, in the opening section of his gospel account of the life and teachings of Jesus. Referring first to John the Baptist, the Apostle John said that he had come “as a witness about the light, so that all might believe through him” (v.7). John the Baptist came to “testify about the light” (v.8) who is Jesus Christ.
But not everyone was willing to accept John’s testimony about Jesus. In some cases, because of their spiritual blindness or limited vision, they did not recognize or fully understand who Jesus truly is. “He was in the world, and the world was created through him,” John said, “and yet the world did not recognize him” (v.10). In fact, they could not recognize or see who Jesus was, because “the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing” (2 Corinthians 4:3).
There were others though who may have recognized Jesus’ true identity, but simply chose to reject Him. “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (v.11), John said. They may have understood what Jesus was claiming about Himself. But at the end of the day, they did not want or welcome him. They did not receive Him for who He is and why He had come.
Each one of us has the same decision to make. What will we do with Jesus? Will we recognize Him and receive Him for who He truly is? John makes an incredible statement about those who choose to respond in this way. “But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name” (v.12). This is the glorious doctrine of adoption. When we choose to receive Jesus by faith, we are given the authority or right to identify ourselves as His daughters and sons. In Christ Jesus, God makes us part of His family. But this is only for those who choose to receive Jesus.
To truly receive Jesus is not simply an intellectual exercise. It’s not just about believing certain facts about who He is and what He has done. True belief in Jesus means to receive Him by grace through faith for yourself. It means confessing your need for a Savior and acknowledging Jesus as the only one who can be that for you. It means turning away from your old ways of thinking and living, and surrendering yourself to Jesus and following Him.
In John 6, many people turned their backs on Jesus and walked away from Him because they took offense at what He had said. Jesus asked His disciples if they too were going to go away. But Peter replied to Him, saying, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).
So what about you? What will you do with Jesus today? Will you recognize Him for who He truly is? Will you receive Him into your life as your Saviour and Lord? Will you choose to follow Him with your whole heart? To those who do receive Him, God gives them the right to be called a child of God.
Prayer: Jesus, I thank you for the promise that when I receive you as Savior and Lord, you give me the right to be called a child of God. Thank you for the gift of faith. I choose to follow you today with my whole heart. Help me to do that more fully. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
