The Word Became Flesh

Intro

I found it hard to write my sermon this week

Because John 1:14 is one of my favourite verses in all of Scripture

It is rich and profound (even wrote a 20 page paper on Tabernacle/Temple imagery)

What pressure!

But it’s one of my favourite verses because of what it means

So you may or may not like the sermon, but that is beside the point

What truly matters is that you can comprehend with your heart, soul and mind that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (continue reading and pray)

What Incarnation?

The Word became flesh

Up until now, the Apostle John has been declaring the divinity of the Word (Jesus)

He was preexistent of Creation, an integral part of Creation, with God… he WAS God

Without detracting from any of these things, John highlights the truth that Jesus became fully human

Flesh = physical form = human being

Born as a baby; Mary and Joseph were told that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Mat. 1:18; 20)

Fully God; fully man

The theological term for God taking on flesh is the incarnation (as I have called it, What Incarnation?)

Cf. Philippians 2:6-7.

Jesus “emptied himself”

By leaving heaven (we aspire to be there)

By giving up some of the advantages of divinity (but never stopped being divine)

*Use God card illustration*

Cf. Colossians 2:9.

Fully human, fully divine

Jesus “took on the likeness of men”

Was human in every way; lived the full human experience

*Share about Men’s Feast talk*

He grew up in a family, obeyed his parents, worshiped God, worked as a carpenter, got hungry and thirsty, went to parties, made friends, celebrated holidays, and like every athlete doing a postgame interview, he loved his mom.

God incarnate is relatable

He perfectly understands our experience (because He experienced it)

We can relate to Him easier (not on some distant, unapprochable throne)

God Moved into the Neighbourhood

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us

Dwelt = tabernacled

In the same way that God’s presence was localized with His people in the tabernacle, God’s presence was localized in Jesus the incarnate Word

Mercy seat; pillar of cloud and fire; placed at the centre of camp

This is why Jesus is called Emmanuel, which means “God with us”

Not just a nice thing to say, He was truly HERE

Also not just a truth of when Jesus was walking on the earth

He is still “God with us” (in the midst of His church in Rev. 1)

The fact that Jesus took on flesh to be with us is incredibly personal and relational

Eugene Peterson in the message describes this verse as, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood”

Faithful to the Greek word (related to tabernacle, literally means to take up residence)

How did Jesus transform lives? By getting up close and personal; through relationship and physical proximity

How do we as a church carry on His ministry? In the same way!

Which is why COVID restrictions were so difficult (missing out on incarnational ministry)

*Talk about Harry Lehotski’s ministry*

Get to know your neighbours, host people for dinner… the gospel has never been meant to stay at arms length

We Have Seen His Glory

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory

The tabernacle was not just about God’s presence, it was about His glory

Glory cloud filled the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and temple after completion; only the High Priest could enter 1 time a year on day of atonement

The glory of God used to be present in the tabernacle; now it is present in the Word made flesh

Up until this point in history, it was impossible for human beings to see God’s glory

Cf. Exodus 33:17-23.

Moses caught a glimpse of God; his back… but in Jesus we truly see God’s glory

As John describes it in verse 18, “The Son has made the Father known”

Comes from the truly unique nature between the Father and the Son

“the only Son” = “only begotten Son”

Don’t get hung up on “begotten” (like Jesus had a beginning)

Remember, John has gone to great lengths to remind us of the eternality of Christ

Describing the incredibly unique nature of this Father/Son relationship

“one and only Son”

Only Jesus was with God in the beginning; only Jesus participated with the Father in Creation; only Jesus is God made flesh; only Jesus reveals to us the face of God

While so much of this promise is physical, it goes even further

To make God known is not to show what He looks like; it is to reveal what He IS like

What is God’s character? What is His heart? What are His priorities? What does He love? What does He despise?

In Christ, we get to know God better; we get to know Him truly

*Talk about first impressions about Mark… and how he has become an essential friend*

If God feels distant or unrelatable; if the church has given you a negative first impression; it is Jesus who makes God known

Get to know Him… it is worth it.

The First and Second Advents

When we celebrate all that the first advent (coming of Christ) represents, we also celebrate what His second advent (coming) means for us

1st advent = Jesus comes to dwell with His people; 2nd advent = Jesus comes to dwell with His people

Cf. Rev. 21:1-4.

1st advent = Jesus comes to reveal God’s glory; 2nd advent = Jesus comes to usher us into God’s glory

Cf. Rev. 21:23.

1st advent = Jesus came to show us God’s face (make him known); 2nd advent = Jesus will come to allow us to see God’s face

Cf. Rev. 22:4.

We have hope in both of these advents of Jesus Christ only because of His work on the cross

Guess my favourite part of the youth skit… no the dragon (close second), but the cross

Cf. Philippians 2:8-11.

THIS is why Jesus came to earth; THIS is why He will return

Grab hold of the hope of Christmas by placing your trust in Jesus; God made flesh, dwelling among us and showing us who God is, now and forever

Pray