Jesus-God has Come to Us

Introduction

Many of you know that on the side, I volunteer as the Middle School Basketball coach for the school that the boys go to. And one of the things that you use as a coach to motivate, to help and encourage is the idea that the other team is just like you. They put their pants on one leg at a time like you do.

One of the reasons you say that is because its easy to get intimidated or discouraged of what have you is because of what the other team looks like or their size or whatever. And you want to remind the team that that kid you are lining up against is the same age, struggling through the same classes and what have you.

Admittedly, that can be tough, especially when we played against the boy who was in 8th grade 6’3”. He was big and when I asked the other coach about him, he said, you should see his dad. Truth was, he wasn’t the best player on their team, but he was intimidating.

That motivational ploy works not for middle school basketball teams, but also in life. Every person is just like us. Even if they fly on Air Force One, or have billions in an account, or are able to solve complex mathematical formulations in their head. It doesn’t matter that they can hear beautiful music in their heads while you and I only hear it fully played out in an orchestra. The fact is, every person who has ever lived is just like you and I.

Every person, that is, except one. That is the meaning, that is the magic, that is the wonder of Christmas.

And so, we get into our text and notice,

I. The Word was in the beginning. v.1-2

John begins his account of the life of Jesus differently than the other three Gospels. Matthew and Luke go through the birth, this is where the stories come from, Mark starts out with the ministry of Jesus, but John goes back even further.

In the opening of his book, John refers to the Word, the Logos. Logos denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world's life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man's salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the Godhead, and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds

In the beginning. It is also translated as a clause, ‘before the world was created, at a time when there was nothing’

Trail, R. (2013). An Exegetical Summary of John 1–9 (p. 11). Dallas, TX: SIL International.

Genesis 1:1 ESV

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

The Gospel according to John I. The Prologue (1:1–18)

In the beginning immediately reminds any reader of the Old Testament of the opening verse of the Bible: ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ Genesis begins with creation; John refers to creation (vv. 3–4), but soon turns to what Paul calls ‘new creation’ (Jn. 3; cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). Both in Genesis and here, the context shows that the beginning is absolute: the beginning of all things, the beginning of the universe.

John 1:2 ESV

He was in the beginning with God.

He was the original uncaused cause. He was the one who, before anything or anyone else, existed.

John 8:57–58 ESV

So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

The word was in the beginning.

II. The Word was God. v.1

He was with God in the beginning and he was God.

Jesus says in John

John 10:30 ESV

I and the Father are one.”

Other translations say the Word was fully God, or the Word was truly God. Either way you put it, the simple fact is John is letting us know that This does not mean that God and the Word are identical, but that the distinctive features of God fully apply to the Word (Christ), and this should be translated ‘the Word was God. the Son was with God and the Son was God just as much as the Father is God.

Trail, R. (2013). An Exegetical Summary of John 1–9 (p. 13). Dallas, TX: SIL International.

This is not only seen here in John, but consider

Colossians 1:15–17 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Also

Hebrews 1:1–3 ESV

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Here is a picture of the Milky Way taken in Italy.

You just consider the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy that measures 100,000 light years across. It contains over 200 billion stars, including our sun and solar system. How many galaxies are there? While estimates among different experts vary, an acceptable range is between 100 billion and 200 billion galaxies, said Mario Livio, an astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. When the James Webb Space Telescope launches in 2020, the observatory is expected to reveal even more information about early galaxies in the universe.

All of that, created by this Word, this Logos. The one who was with God, who was God, and our next point.

III. The Word Became Flesh and Lived among us. v.14

John 1:14 ESV

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.

The One who created all things, who upholds all things by the word of his power came and lived, came and became one of us. He became human. He became the God-man.

The Gospel according to John I. The Prologue (1:1–18)

The Word, God’s very Self-expression, who was both with God and who was God, became flesh: he donned our humanity, save only our sin. God chose to make himself known, finally and ultimately, in a real, historical man: ‘when “the Word became flesh”, God became man’ (Bruce, p. 40).20

He was the 8th grade boy sitting in Algebra. He was the young man hauling timber into Joseph’s carpenter shop. He was the One who looked like the young men in our church and in your neighborhood, your nephew or grandson. God, the Word, the very self-expression of God walked on this road, on this path of life.

John The Word Became Flesh (1:14–18)

This Word, the agent of creation, has become a creature. He who brought the universe into existence now is born within the universe as a human being. This thought is so familiar in Christianity we may no longer be staggered by it. A prayer of the Eastern churches conveys well the breathtaking wonder: “We see most eloquent orators voiceless as fish when they must speak of Thee, O Jesus our Savior. For it is beyond their power to tell how Thou art both perfect man and immutable God at the same time.”

There is a great song a new hymn out there called Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery.

Come behold the wondrous mystery In the dawning of the King He the theme of heaven's praises Robed in frail humanity In our longing, in our darkness Now the light of life has come Look to Christ who condescended Took on flesh to ransom us

Come behold the wondrous mystery He the perfect Son of Man In His living, in his suffering Never trace nor stain of sin See the true and better Adam Come to save the hell-bound man Christ the great and sure fulfillment Of the law, in Him we stand

You and I probably don’t think about this reality. It’s one thing to look at the President and say he is just like us, it’s one thing to look at an athlete, or some wealthy human being and say that they are not that much different than we are, but to see the child down the street and understand that baby is God, to see the boy mowing the lawn and realize he is God.

Think about these characteristics if you would.

Matthew 21:18 ESV

In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry.

John 19:28 ESV

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”

Matthew 8:24 ESV

And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new? This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man? Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand? Did you know that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

Because God became flesh,

A. He can identify with the struggles we face.

Everything we just mentioned, hunger, weariness, thirst, He has felt them. Further consideration

Isaiah 53:2–4 ESV

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

John 11:35 ESV

Jesus wept.

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

It is true in a lot of respects that we don’t have much in common with high profile, powerful people. We sit on the internet trying to save 50 bucks on an airline ticket while they decide whether to take their 747 or their gulfstream jets that day. We’re looking at Motel 6 while they just buy a home wherever they want to vacation. But trust me when I tell you they struggle. NO amount of money can take away pain or heartache or fear or isolation. And the logos, the Word made flesh, the God man has been there, done that. He knows.

Not only can he identify with our struggles, but

B. He is the Mediator between us and God.

The Mediator is the one who goes between two parties and reconciles the differences the two parties have. Whether we want to recognize it or not, we have a major problem between us and God. He is infinitely holy, and we are infinitely sinful. How can we reconcile?

How about a holy, perfect, God-man who stands in our place? One who is able to show us the face of God and one who is able to live a perfect human life? That’s who Christ is, and that why Paul states,

1 Timothy 2:5 ESV

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

We read Hebrews 4:15, but let’s back up a verse shall we?

Hebrews 4:14 ESV

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Not a high priest like Aaron who has to make sacrifice for his own sins, not one who serves and dies, but one who lives forever, ever making intercession for his people.

He knows our struggles, He can mediate on our behalf, and

C. He provides hope beyond this life.

Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, but he also said these words,

John 11:25–26 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

This man felt the normal aches and pains and struggles of life. Acne, splinters from wood, fatigue, hunger, what have you. But he also felt the worst, the greatest, the enemy of death.

And guess what? He defeated death. He defeated the biggest enemy man will ever face.

1 Corinthians 15:20 ESV

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Everywhere we look, death surrounds us. The media have their tickers, their death counts. Even here this morning, there are empty seats, reminding us of the reality of death. But because of Christmas, we don’t have to be afraid.

WE sing that song, Glorious Day

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises One day when sin was as black as could be Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin Dwelt among men, my example is He Word became flesh and the light shined among us His glory revealed

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer One day the stone rolled away from the door Then He arose, over death He had conquered Now is ascended, my Lord evermore Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him From rising again

The Word was eternal, the Word was God, the Word became flesh, last point.

IV. The Word is the Light of the World.

John 1:4–9 ESV

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.