Scripture: John 1:10 (ESV) – “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him.”
John 1:10 reveals a staggering reality about humanity’s response to Jesus Christ: “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him.” Here, we confront the heartbreaking truth that the very Creator of the universe walked among His creation, and yet He was not recognized or received.
Reflect on the weight of this verse. The One who spoke the cosmos into existence, who formed the mountains, filled the oceans, and breathed life into every living creature, came into the world He made. He took on human flesh, humbling Himself to dwell among us. Yet, in an extraordinary act of blindness and rebellion, the world did not know Him. This ignorance was not due to Christ being hidden or ambiguous; His presence and works made it abundantly clear who He was. Rather, the world did not recognize Him because it loved darkness more than light.
This tragic rejection is rooted in human sinfulness. Despite the overwhelming evidence of God’s handiwork in creation, people are spiritually blind, willfully ignoring the One who created and sustains all things. As Paul writes in Romans 1:20, God’s invisible attributes have been clearly perceived in the things that have been made, leaving humanity without excuse. Yet, because of our fallen nature, we suppress the truth and turn away from our Maker.
Let this truth serve as both a warning and a call to self-examination. Have we, in our own lives, failed to recognize Jesus in areas where He is clearly at work? Are we so preoccupied with our own desires, ambitions, or worldly pursuits that we miss the presence and authority of the One who made us? Even as believers, we are prone to spiritual forgetfulness, overlooking the Lord’s guidance, grace, and sovereign hand in our daily lives.
Moreover, this verse challenges us to think about how we engage with the world as followers of Christ. If the Creator Himself was rejected, we should not be surprised when the world resists the gospel message. Yet, our mission remains: to make Christ known with love and patience, even in the face of opposition. The world may not know Him, but we are called to shine His light and share His truth, praying that God would open blind eyes and soften hard hearts.
Reflection Questions:
- Are there areas in your life where you have neglected to recognize Christ’s presence and authority?
- How can you faithfully represent Jesus to a world that often does not know or understand Him?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are grieved by the reality that Your Son was not recognized by the world He created. Forgive us for the times we have overlooked or ignored Your presence in our lives. Help us to see You more clearly and to live in a way that honors Your sovereignty. Equip us to be faithful witnesses, sharing the gospel with a world that desperately needs to know its Creator and Redeemer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
*edited and modernized from John Calvin’s sermon on John 1:10*
Covenant Presbyterian Church 