Beginnings

My first bible teacher and one very dear to my heart was J. Vernon McGee.  He was the first one who showed me the the bible is a manual for living my daily life with purpose and meaning.  He went home to be with the LORD in the late 80's but he still can be heard daily on the radio teaching his practical and warm hearted messages on his broadcast "Through the Bible Radio".
In addition I still receive his newsletter; just think the ministry he founded is still honoring Christ 30 years after his death.   This is a description of "bearing fruit that will last".
    Regarding Jesus, Dr. McGee said; " it was no accident the Son of God identified with the human race as a carpenter--He was always a builder.
His work of repairing, beautifying and construction is still going on today".

From his newsletter this month I freely quote;
  Mark 1:1-3  The beginning of the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2) As it is written in the prophet Isaiah:
  Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You
  Who will prepare Your way;  3) the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
  'Make ready the way of the LORD, make His paths straight'.

   That is not the beginning of either John or Jesus. It is the beginning of the gospel when the Lord Jesus came to this earth and died on a cross and rose again.  That is the gospel.
    There are 3 beginnings recorded in Scripture.  Lets consider them in chronological order.
     1.  "In the beginning was the Word" John 1:1
            This goes back to a dateless beginning, before all time. I look at the universe I know it began somewhere and that somewhere is God.  I don't know anything about that because it had no beginning and I cannot comprehend such a fact.  God came out of eternity to meet us, He was there before anything else.
   2.  "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" Genesis 1:1
This is where we move from eternity to time.  I believe God created time at this point.  No one can guess the date of the creation; ideas range from 6000 years to 3 billion years, that is quite a gap.  We know so little but when we come into His Presence and we will begin to "know even as we are known"  we will realize how we "saw through a glass darkly".  I believe we will be amazed at our own ignorance as we look back.  Our God is a great God and He has plenty of time; "a thousand years is as a day to Him".
Trust His timing, it is always right.
    3.  "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ"  Mark 1:1  is the same as "that which was from the beginninig" 1 John 1:1.  The good news has a date.  It goes back to Jesus Christ at the precise moment He took upon Himself human flesh.  Jesus Christ is the gospel.
      Yes, the good news is this; God became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory. Emmanuel, God with us.
Kelly