The Word Became Flesh John 1:1-5; 14

Introduction

John 1:1–18 ESV

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. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Many of us are familiar with the Christmas narrative. I think it is safe to say that most of us here this morning, can identify the major portions of the Christmas story .

That Mary, who was betrothed (engaged) to Joseph, had conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit. That Joseph, upon hearing that Mary was with child, would break off the engagement with Mary put her away quietly, but, then an Angel told him not do so and that Mary’s child would be the Messiah of Israel.

We are familiar that there was a great census called for in the land, and Joseph and Mary traveled to the town of Bethlehem because he was of the house and linage of David. While they were there in Bethlehem, it was time for Mary’s baby to be born. He was born and was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manager. Meanwhile, at the birth of Jesus, a host of angels appeared to shepherds in the field and proclaimed the wonderful news, the good news that, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”[1]

Luke 2:11

This child that we celebrate and that the Angels announced that night was someone very special. In fact, as we look at the beginning of John’s gospel, we see a bit of a different take on Jesus, in who’s birth we celebrate today as a Church today.

Jesus was no ordinary baby.

The Jesus we celebrate at Christmas is no ordinary baby

John was writing to people who were somewhat familiar with Christianity. They had heard about some of the teachings of Jesus Christ and probably were familiar with the other gospel accounts (Mark, Luke and Mathew).

So, The gospel of John begins a bit different from the other gospel accounts . The other gospels begin their narrative of Jesus with either a genealogy like Mathew or a prophecy of John the Baptist (Luke and Mark). But John takes us back to the beginning. Way back to the beginning; the beginning of the world and even further, to eternity past.

It is like he’s saying, Mathew, Mark, and Luke have all told you about the beginning of Jesus’ life, but I’m going to take you all the way back to before the world even began to tell you about Jesus!

So, I would like for us to come and behold Jesus this morning. Yes, come and behold Him at the manager, take a look at Him with the eyes of faith and see who He is and what He came to do.

Jesus is the Word

John 1:1–2 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

John uses a unique term for Jesus with the use of “the Word”. It’s the Gk. Word, logos. By this he means that Jesus is everything God ever wanted to say to man.

God has done more than speak what He wanted to say; God has pictured what He wanted to say in the very life of Jesus. Jesus is the expression, the thought, the idea, the picture of what God wanted to say to man. This is why, He is the Word of God. He is the full expression of the Father to us. The complete revelation of God!

So the question this morning to you is, are you listening? Have you heard from God - not is some human existential way ? But have you heard from the Word of God? Have you encountered the only One who reveals the Father?

The baby in the manger is the Word of God.

Jesus is Eternal

John 1:1–2 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

The words, “in the beginning” take us back to Genesis 1:1, but even before that, Jesus was already in existence. He has always existed. He did not become; He was not created; He never had a beginning. He “was in the beginning with God”.

The word was (en) is the Greek imperfect tense of eimi which is the word so often used for deity. It means to be or I am. “To be” means continuous existence, without beginning or origin.

The baby in the manager had always existed.

Jesus Co-Existed with the Father

Jesus also had a special relationship with the Father. “The Word was with God”. The word “with” (pros) has the idea of both being with and acting toward. Jesus was “with God”: by God’s side, acting, living, and moving in the closest of all relationships

1 John 1:1–2 ESV

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—

The baby in the manger has always had a special relationship with the Father

Jesus is Divine

John did not say that “the Word” was the God (ho Theos). He says “the Word” was God (Theos). He omits the definite article.

John was saying that “the Word,” Jesus Christ …

• is of the very nature and character of God the Father, but He is not the identical person of God the Father

is a distinct person from God the Father, but He is of the very being and essence (perfection) of God the Father

Jesus possesses all the same attributes of the father

When we see Jesus, we see a distinct person, but Jesus is of the very substance and character of God in all of His perfect being.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

The baby in the manger is God in the person of Jesus!

Jesus Created the World

John 1:3 ESV

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

All things (panta) mean every detail of creation—not creation as a whole, but every single detail. Each element and thing, each being and person—whether material or spiritual, angelic or human—has come into being by Christ.

It’s what Paul affirms in Col 1:16

Colossians 1:16 ESV

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

1) Jesus was actively involved in the creation of every single thing: “Without Him was not anything made.”

2) The words “not anything” (oude hen) mean not even one thing, not a single thing, not even a detail was made apart from Him.

This baby in the manger created the World

Jesus is Life

John 1:4 ESV

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John tells us that Jesus is life. Jesus is the giver of life.

In a creative perspective, life is what we would see in Creation. As God creates, He gives life to Creation. He is the only who can give life to anything on earth.

But, in John’s gospel, life, is Spiritual life which means to know God; to have eternal life; to have true purpose, meaning, significance.

English Standard Version Chapter 10

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Jesus is the source of life: He is the way to life, and He is the truth of life. He is the very substance of life.

His light shines in the darkness.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Back in the Fall, darkness, that is absence of light, entered the world. But now, Jesus’ light shined into the darkness and overcomes the darkness.

The Gospel according to John (King James Version) A. Jesus the Living Word: The First Witness of John the Apostle, 1:1–5

Darkness: darkness does not understand the light, does not overcome the light, does not extinguish the light (see note—Jn. 8:12).

Jesus came into the World

John 1:9–11 ESV

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

John tells us that Jesus came into the world, but yet, His own people - which can be the people He created or the people of Israel. Commentaries differ, but they seem to to lean towards the fact that Israel rejected Him, their true God.

But despite Israel’s rejection, there is good news! That those who receive Him will become God’s children.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children 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.