Threads: How the Whole Bible Points You to Jesus, the Light of the World
Matt Massey |
February 5, 2026
You want the Bible to make sense. You want it to feel alive, relevant, and not like a museum exhibit or a rules manual you only open when something goes wrong. The problem most of us face is how to read a book written by dozens of authors over thousands of years and still find a single, living thread that runs through it all. The good news is that there is one. The whole Bible threads to Jesus. Understanding that changes how you read, how you live, and how you shine in a dark world.
Why the Bible isn’t mainly about you
It’s tempting to read Scripture with the question, What’s in this for me? or How does this apply to my life right now? Those questions aren’t bad, but they can become the wrong starting point. The Bible’s primary purpose is to reveal who God is and who Jesus is. When you start there, you’ll discover that understanding Jesus leads you to know who you are meant to be.
Think of the Bible as a tapestry. If you stare at a single thread and ignore the rest, you miss the picture. When you step back and see how the threads weave together, the image becomes clear: Jesus is the central figure from Genesis to Revelation. That means every odd story, ancient law, psalm, and prophet connects to the same story of redemption and restoration.
“Everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
That is the pattern Jesus pointed to. He didn’t say the Bible was self-absorbed. He said it points forward to him.
Genesis 1: Creation, light, and the beginning of the thread
Genesis opens with one of the most powerful phrases in Scripture: “In the beginning, God.” That statement sets the stage: God is the eternal Creator who speaks the universe into order. The first thing God reveals in that ordering is light. The Hebrew word for light points to something more than a physical glow. It’s an illuminating presence that dispels void and brings life, order, and harmony.
When the text repeats “God saw that it was good,” the word “good” in Hebrew describes wholeness and right order. Creation isn’t a patchwork of random things; it is a good design meant to flourish under God’s life-giving presence.
What light in Genesis tells you about Jesus
Genesis’ primordial light prepares you to recognize the same reality later revealed in Jesus. The light that starts creation is not a created thing like the sun. It’s a presence that defines everything it touches. That presence is intimately linked with the triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—working together to bring life.
John 1: The Word becomes flesh
After the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, John rewrites the opening of Scripture with fresh eyes. He begins:
“In the beginning was the Word… The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
John makes the bold claim that the divine presence, the creative Word that brought light and life in Genesis, is now revealed in the person of Jesus. The same life that ordered the cosmos is the life that calls you out of darkness and into light.
That link changes everything. The Bible no longer reads as a collection of discrete genres and ancient customs. It becomes one continuous story about a God who pursues a broken world by sending a Savior who inaugurates a new creation.
What it means for you: Be with the Word, become like the Word, do what the Word did
Reading the Bible to find Jesus isn’t an academic exercise. It’s a practical roadmap. When you see Jesus on every page, three things begin to happen:
- You spend more time with Jesus than on screens. The average person spends hours a day on devices. Imagine replacing half that time with Scripture and prayer. Your perspective shifts, your habits change, and your capacity to love and serve increases.
- You become a reflector of light. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” Being a follower doesn’t make you the sun. It makes you a lamp placed on a stand. Your life should reflect his life so others can see and ask why you glow with hope and peace.
- You act with love and courage in everyday places. Shoveling a neighbor’s driveway, listening to a co-worker in pain, inviting someone to talk about faith—these are practical ways your light shows. Good deeds are important, but you also need to use words to point people to the Savior behind the deeds.
Practical rhythm to live the threads
Here’s a simple weekly rhythm to help you move from reading to living:
- Carve out a daily block of time—start small, fifteen minutes—and read Scripture with the question, Where is Jesus on this page?
- Form or join a small group to discuss five short readings a week. Scripture comes alive when read together.
- Reduce screen time intentionally. Replace a scrolling session with a short passage and prayer.
- Look for one practical way to reflect light in your neighborhood or workplace each week.
Worship, communion, and community
Reading Scripture and practicing the life of Jesus doesn’t stop at private devotion. Worship and communion train your heart to remember who the light is and what he has done. Community is essential. Scripture is meant to be read in the context of other people who can challenge, encourage, and pray with you.
When you gather, worship is not about entertainment. It’s the main course. It’s where you declare that Jesus is God and invite the Spirit to dispel darkness in and through you.
Final invitation: Become a person of the Book and a person of the Light
The Bible is not primarily a rules manual, a history textbook, or self-help. It is a story that points you to the Word who became flesh. When you read the Bible looking for Jesus, you find clarity, hope, and a purpose that rewires how you live.
This week commit to two things: spend more time in the Word than you do online, and intentionally be the light where you live. Invite a friend to read with you, join a discussion group, and look for simple ways to serve. As you do, the darkness around you will begin to lift—not because you are perfect, but because the light of Jesus is now in you and through you.
Let your life point people to the light. Let your reading of Scripture be less about checking boxes and more about encountering the One who brings new creation. Be the kind of people who, when asked, others say, I want to know the God they know.