John 1 - The Life Recovery Bible

1:1-13 The same Power that created the universe is available to create a new life from our shattered hopes. The light of life that exposes and drives away the darkness of the human race is the same light that brightens the dark corners of our world. This source of all life and true light of the world is the source of all recovery. Eternal life and true recovery are ours when we believe what God says, renounce our tendency to do things our way, and receive the one whom God sent to help us.

1:14-18 The true light of the world became a human being known to us as Jesus Christ, who was full of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. Through Jesus, who was both fully God and fully human, we can know what God is like and enjoy a relationship with him. Jesus Christ came to bring us God’s unfailing love and forgiveness and to reveal God’s faithfulness to us. God’s forgiving grace says, “I forgive you for your wrongs; I love and accept you freely for the person you are.” His faithfulness says, “I will follow through on all I have promised.”

1:19-28 John the Baptist was an original messenger of repentance and recovery. He was not the true light or source of recovery; he merely pointed to the one who was. Likewise, those of us in recovery reflect God’s light and merely point the way to recovery. We should not draw followers to ourself any more than John did. We are mere beggars telling other beggars where to find food. When we lay aside pride in our achievements and abilities as John the Baptist did, we are better able to serve Christ by showing fellow strugglers the way to recovery.