Not A Better Life, His Life

This powerful exploration of John 1:9-18 confronts us with a sobering truth: we're not just looking for a better version of our current life—we need an entirely new one. The message cuts through the self-help culture that promises improvement and optimization, revealing instead that Jesus came to diagnose our spiritual death, not merely manage our brokenness. We're introduced to the concept of 'true light' versus 'false light,' where false light represents anything that promises life, clarity, and freedom but ultimately cannot save us. This could be our self-reliance, our achievements, our relationships, or even our religious morality. The text challenges us to identify what we're holding onto—like someone clinging to furniture during a flood while a rescue helicopter hovers above. Jesus isn't asking us to add Him to our existing strategies for coping with life; He's inviting us to let go completely and receive an entirely new identity as children of God. The grace upon grace He offers isn't about becoming a better version of ourselves through effort, but about receiving the Zoe life—God-breathed, resurrection life—that only comes through surrendering to the One who stepped into our mess, absorbed our sin, and rose bodily to offer us what we could never achieve on our own.