Advent 2005 -4- Immanuel Dwells Among Us

Reading: John 1:1-18
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV)

I.   Jesus Tabernacled among us

     A.  Though He is from the Beginning (1-3)

           1.  Jesus didn’t begin to exist at his birth

           2.  He is the Word with God–He is God

           3.  Everything was made through Him! (3,10)

     B.  He Pitched His Tent with us (14a)

           1.  ...moved into the neighborhood (The Message)

           2.  He came to live with us / as one of us

           3.  Moses: the tent of meeting
Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. . . The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. (Ex 33:7,11a)

     C.  He came as a Tabernacle

           1.  Cf. skhnh and shekinah

           2.  As the tabernacle in the wilderness

           3.  He is where God dwells (among us)

II.  We have Seen His Glory (14b)

     A.  In Him is Life and Light (4)

           1.  Life (human): last creative act/Light:1st

           2.  He gives new life for us stung by sin

           3.  He shines light for us lost in darkness

     B.  He shows His glory in miraculous Signs

           1.  We have seen: lit. we gazed on

           2.  In the miraculous signs:
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. (Jn 2:11)

           3.  In His resurrected glory (ascension?)

     C.  He shows His glory on the Cross

           1.  Especially in John
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (Jn 12:23-24)

           2.  On the cross he is “lifted up”
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. (Jn 3:14-15)

III. He is the One and Only

     A.  The One and Only Son of God

           1.  One & Only = only of it’s/His kind

           2.  He isn’t one of many prophets/teachers

           3.  We see His glory in His uniqueness

     B.  The One and Only Sent by God

           1.  Lit.: from the Father’s side (cf.18)

           2.  Jesus left the Father’s side to tent w/ us!

           3.  From the Father, to us, to receive (11-13)

     C.  He comes full of Grace and Truth

           1.  In LXX Ex. 34:6 mercy . . . faithfulness
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” (Ex 34:6-7a)

           2.  Grace–thru which we receive blessing (16)

           3.  Truth-the reality of His faithfulness to us

The Bottom Line:

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