The most precious treasure in the world, the most dynamic power the world has ever known came to us over 2000 years ago as a gift given to the world.  That gift was sent to all peoples of the world and it is freely given to anyone who seeks it.  That gift holds the secret to eternal life and eternal glory and is the source of great joy to those who receive it.  This powerful and infinitely precious gift is the Word of God.  God sent forth, as he had promised, his Word that would accomplish his purpose of salvation, redemption and restoration of a world broken by sin.  This Word would bring healing and freedom to a sick and dying world that was enslaved in sin.  God spoke his promise through Isaiah the prophet, “So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” (Is 55,11)  In the fullness of time, God fulfilled his promise, and sent forth his Word and John tells us in the Prologue of his gospel, “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” (Jn 1,14)  It is the truth that would set the world free from the slavery of sin and reveal the freedom of the children of God.  

    Jesus, the eternal Word of God, came into the world so that we might have life and have it in abundance. (Jn 10,10)  Jesus told his disciples, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.  But there are some of you who do not believe.” (Jn 6,63f)  To accept the Word of God and to believe his teaching gives us the power to become the children of God. (Jn 1,12)  The words that Jesus will speak are the words of the Father, full of love, mercy, compassion, grace and truth.  Jesus affirms this truth throughout his time on this earth:  “Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not my own but is from the one who sent me.  Whoever chooses to do his will shall know whether my teaching is from God or whether I speak on my own.  Whoever speaks on his own seeks his own glory, but whoever seeks the glory of the one who sent him is truthful, and there is no wrong in him.” (Jn 7,16ff)  “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.  Why do you not understand what I am saying?  Because you cannot bear to hear my word…Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not listen, because you do not belong to God.”” (Jn 8,42f.47)  “Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.  I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.  And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.  Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him:  the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.  And I know that his commandment is eternal life.  So what I say, I say as the Father told me.” (Jn12,44-50)  “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.  The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.” (Jn 14,10ff)

    The final prayer of Jesus to the Father was to give thanks that the Words of Life that Jesus brought to the world were given to the apostles so that they might go out to the ends of the earth.  “Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.” (Jn 17,7f)  Simon Peter affirms his acceptance of the Word of God:  “Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”” (Jn 6,68f)  The Word of God, incarnate in Jesus, opens the way of faith as Paul tells the Romans, “Thus, faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Rom 10,17)  To the Thessalonians he expresses his gratitude for the gift of faith in the Word of God:  “And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.” (1Thes 2,13)

    That precious and powerful Word will be opposed by the world in all ages but as God promised from the beginning, his Word will achieve the end for which he sent it:  “But the word of God is not chained.” (2Tim 2,9)  “We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end, for it is said:  “Oh, that today you would hear his voice:  Harden not your hearts.” (Heb 3,14)