The Incarnate Word
Tony Schachle
The Story of Jesus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
SCRIPTURE TEXT
SCRIPTURE TEXT
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
OUTLINE
OUTLINE
1. The Eternal Word - [vv. 1-2]
2. The Divine Creator - [vv. 3-5]
3. The Rejected Light - [vv. 6-11]
4. The Gracious Invitation - [vv. 12-13]
5. The Word Became Flesh - [v. 14]
BIG IDEA
BIG IDEA
The Incarnate Word, who created all things, entered our world, took on flesh, revealed God’s glory, and now offers life to all who receive Him.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
When we think of Christmas, our minds usually go to a stable in Bethlehem
a young mother,
a carpenter,
shepherds,
angels,
and a newborn child.
But John begins his Christmas story somewhere else entirely.
Not in Bethlehem.
Not even in Nazareth.
John begins before time itself.
“In the beginning was the Word…”
John wants us to understand something crucial:
The baby in the manger did not begin at Christmas.
Christmas is not the beginning of Jesus
It is the arrival of the eternal Son of God into human history.
On Christmas, we are not just celebrating a birth.
We are celebrating the Incarnation.
That the eternal Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.
MESSAGE
MESSAGE
The Eternal Word (John 1:1–2)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Incarnation (God becoming man)
The Hypostatic Union (How Jesus was and is both fully God and fully man)
Connection to Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Before there was time, space, matter, or light—the Word already was.
The Meaning of “The Word” (Logos)
The Greek word logos means:
Word, speech, expression
Reason, meaning, logic
Revelation—God making Himself known
The Jews spoke of God as “the Word.”
The Greek philosophers believed the power that gave order to the universe was “the Word.”
John takes a familiar concept for both of these groups and makes a stunning claim:
The Word is not merely a impersonal force that holds the universe together.
The Word is not even merely something God spoke.
The Word is a person and that person is God Himself.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
The doctrine of the Trinity is outlined here.
One God, Three Persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
They are distinct persons:
There are attributes of the Father that are different from the Son and the Holy Spirit.
There are attributes of the Son that are different from the Father and Holy Spirit.
There are attributes of the Holy Spirit that are different from the Father and Son.
But they are One in essence:
Omnipotent
Omniscient
Omnipresent
Eternal
Immutable
Each Works together in perfect unity. a Tri-unity.
The point of this as it relates to the Incarnation, is that the Word (Jesus) is God.
The Divine Creator (John 1:3–5)
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
The Word (Jesus) created all things.
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The Word (Jesus) is the source of all life.
The Word (Jesus) is the source of all light (physical and spiritual).
Without the Word (Jesus) we are dead and in darkness!
5 And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
This is another reference back to Genesis 1:1. When God said, “Let there be light,” it overcame the darkness.
Now the Word (Jesus), the Light of the world, has shed His divine light into the world and has overcome the darkness of evil.
Darkness cannot overcome the light!
The Rejected Light (John 1:6–11)
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John the Baptist was the forerunner of the Word (Jesus).
He came to bear witness to the Light.
He declared that the Light is coming.
You and I should also bear witness to the Light. Our message is The Light is Here!
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
Through the Incarnation, Jesus entered into His creation.
He took on the form of a human being.
But sadly, the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
He came to His own special people.
Those He chose out of all the people on the earth to bring about the Father’s plan of salvation.
But they did not receive Him. They rejected Him.
Many people today still have “no vacancy” for Jesus.
The Gracious Invitation (John 1:12–13)
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
Though some reject Him, others receive Him.
Those who recieved Him become the children of God through the new birth.
Everyone is the creation of God, but not everyone is a child of God.
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
This is a spiritual birth, not by human means, but born of God.
Celebrate the fact today that you know Him, have received Him, and have been born again as a child of God!
The Incarnation Itself (John 1:14)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Word became flesh
This is one of the clearest declarations of:
The Incarnation
The Deity of Christ
The Trinity
The message of The Incarnate Word is the heartbeat of Christmas.
Not appeared to be human.
Not pretending to be human.
He became flesh.
He grew tired
He felt hunger
He wept
He suffered
Yet He never ceased to be God.
Fully God.
Fully Man.
One Person.
And dwelt among us
Literally: tabernacled among us.
Someone wrote the lyrics to a song, “What if God was one of of us?” They missed the point. They failed to see the light. They didn’t know Him. They had not received Him. Because to know Him and to receive Him is to understand that God, the Word, the 2nd Person of the the Trinity, Jesus Christ, became one of us and dwelt, tabernacled, among us!
And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth
John and the disciples and those during the time Jesus walked on the earth, beheld His glory.
Peter, James, and John beheld His glory on Mt. Transfiguration.
But now Jesus has entered into His eternal Glory.
He was born of a virgin.
He lived a perfect, sinless life.
He died a substitutionary, sacrificial death on the Cross.
He was buried.
He rose from the dead on the 3rd day.
He ascended into Heaven.
He sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God.
He sent the Holy Spirit back to us to tabernacle with us.
to be our Counsellor
to be our Helper
to be our Guide
And He is coming back again!
Live Like He is With Us!
Just as God’s Shechinah glory once filled the tabernacle, now God’s glory walks among us in Christ.
Live like He is with You!
He is full of grace (what you do not deserve).
He is full of truth (what you could not find on your own).
Here is what you need to know:
God Understands You!
God Loves You!
God Desires to be With You!
That is the miracle of the manger.
That is the meaning of Christmas.
That is the purpose of the INCARNATION, CRUCIFIXION, RESURRECTION, and ASCENSION.
That is THE STORY OF JESUS!
CALL TO ACTION
CALL TO ACTION
