THE ETERNAL SON

January 2

Bible Reading: John 1

John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

I must be getting old. The hospital I was born in no longer exists. The submarine I served on (as a part of the commissioning crew no less) was long ago scrapped. Even the nuclear power plant I worked at was demolished years ago. Things on earth are like that. They all have a beginning and an end. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine anything not having a beginning. But Jesus has always been and will always be.

We begin our reading plan “in the beginning,” but not just in a beginning verse, but in the beginning of all things. And, as our passage declares to us, Jesus was there in the beginning! Each gospel account focuses on a different aspect of Jesus’ identity. The book of Matthew starts with its genealogy, which proves Jesus to be the promised king of Israel. Mark’s gospel begins in the desert, and includes no mention of Jesus’ birth, since his focus was on Jesus as the obedient servant (the details of a servant’s birth are not important). Luke presents Jesus as the perfect man and his genealogy delineates Jesus’ lineage from Adam. As with Mark, the gospel of John includes no details about Jesus’ birth. Instead, John goes back to the beginning, for Jesus is the eternal Son of God who has always been!

“Christ’s existence did not begin when He was conceived in Mary’s womb and born into the world several months later. As an eternal divine being, He had always existed without beginning and end throughout eternity past.”

Renald E. Showers

Not only is Jesus eternal, He is also the creator of all things. Such thoughts challenge us. Everything we see and touch has a beginning of some sort. But not so Jesus! He has always been and will always be. His eternity and our mortality work to persuade us of our desperate need for Him.

“Out of eternity our Lord came into time to rescue His human brethren whose moral folly had made them not only fools of the passing world but slaves of sin and death as well.” 

A. W. Tozer

How precious, therefore, is the truth that Jesus Christ has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10).  We all have a desperate need for Jesus!  The only question then is to what extent do we realize that!

“There never was a time when the Word was not.  There never was a thing that did not depend on Him for its existence.” (including you and me) —Leon Morris

FAIREST LORD JESUS
Fairest Lord Jesus,
ruler of all nature,
O thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish,
Thee will I honor,
thou, my soul’s glory, joy, and crown.

Fair are the meadows,
fairer still the woodlands,
robed in the blooming garb of spring:
Jesus is fairer,
Jesus is purer
who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
fairer still the moonlight,
and all the twinkling starry host:
Jesus shines brighter,
Jesus shines purer
than all the angels heaven can boast.

Beautiful Savior!
Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor,
praise, adoration,
now and forevermore be thine.

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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