Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Logos

How powerful are words in your life. . .are words you say just words or do they mean something more? I was reading last night from a commentary on the book of John that I have recently decided to spend some time in. And the author of the commentary was giving a brief background on the Jewish culture and he was talking about how John really focuses on Jesus being the "logos" or the word. As I was reading I came upon this statement that stuck out in my mind; "To the Jew a word was far more than a mere sound;it was something that had an independent existence and which actually did things."

I feel like words dont mean anything to us Americans anymore. I always hear the statement that is somewhat along the lines that actions speak louder than words. I do believe that is true, but I however also believe that we need to place a higher emphasis on the words we say and hear. In Biblical times, there were not 2 or 3 Bibles in every household sitting on the coffee table or in the drawer next to your bed. All they had were words, they didn't have the New Testament in 8 different versions as we do today, so they would gather around and have these meetings and share the gospel through words. I do understand that we do need to know our culture and know how to reach our culture and I know that our culture is one that says that actions do speak louder than words and so I understand that we do need to be people of action, but I believe we as Christians need to place a higher emphasis on the words that we say and hear and like the Jewish culture in the time of John, may they not be a "mere sound", but may they be "something that had an independent existence and which actually did things." May the words we use, bring action, may the words we hear, may they cause us to be people of action and not just let them go in one ear and out the ear. God created the heavens and the earth by speaking words.

"If you wish to see that word of God, if you wish to see the creative power of God, if you wish to see that word which brought the world into existence and which gives light and life to every man, look at Jesus Christ. In him the word of God came among you."

4 comments:

v.taimani said...

i read your blog "no one told me".. port hope it is brother.. whatever whenever.. lookin forward to june 30.. love you man..

v.a.

v.taimani said...

its funny to me that i put "love you man" at the end of my last post.. its as if for us guys we cant just tell another guy that we love them without the attachment of man, dude, bro, etc. for it might make us feel that we are frou frou or a softy.. please excuse my temporary insecurity.. i love you tim.. i look forward to crossin paths with you soon enough..

shalom..

Clinton said...

vaka you still followed "i love you..." with an attachment. but then maybe our culture and western mind does have different "words" for love much like the ancients did. For when you say "i love you man, dude, bro, etc..." you are saying I love you like a friend, a brother. when you say "i love you" maybe it quietly suggest that passionate love. but then when you say "i love you tim" it has the undertones of agape.

Tim. I love you. hahaha

SarahAnnFair said...

well tim, i have jumped on the bandwagon too...i read your posts all the time, so i figured I'd get one too. :0) I miss you like crazy. i love you tim.

haha.