God With Us (Jn. 1:14)

John 1:14

Introduction

· Please turn to John 1

· We took time this morning to read some of the Christmas story, and to put those truths to music. Portions of both Matthew and Luke are often read at Christmas time, because those two gospels share the historical events that surrounded the birth of Christ. The Gospel of John, on the other hand, looks at the birth of Christ from a theological perspective. He shows that the Christ Child was none other than God in Flesh. You could think of John 1 as an exposition on the title, “Emmanuel,” meaning “God with Us.”

· In his opening verses, John is going to refer to the “Word.” Capital “W”ord. It’s the Greek word, logos from which we get our English word “logic.” The “Word” or logos refers to knowledge. Normally, you and I communicate with words. We pass on knowledge and ideas through words. God does the same thing, though his word is perfect. And according to this passage, there was one great Word, wrapped up in a person, by which he has revealed himself -- Jesus Christ. So think of “the Word” as God’s self-disclosure or self-revelation. It is God telling us, and showing us, who he is.

· John 1:1–3 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 was not any thing made that was made. John 1:14–18 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. 15 (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.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

· Telling is good, but showing is even better. Playing Headbanz. Guessing the word, “umbrella.” Can only ask questions that receive a yes or no answer. Couldn’t see what everyone else was looking at. Needed words. The more questions you ask, the more accurately you begin to see. But once the answer was guessed and you saw it for yourself, you saw exactly the same thing she did. In a similar way, God has both told us and shown us who He is. Without revelation, we would have no idea who God is, but now He has revealed Himself to us through the Word – both His written word (the Bible) and the living Word (Jesus Christ, the Son of God).

· So vv. 1-3 teach us that God has revealed himself through the divine Word, which has existed eternally. And v. 14 teaches us that this Word became flesh and blood.

· God became flesh. What a mystery! Over the centuries, people have grappled with this doctrine. How can Jesus be both God and man? Some suppose that he is less than God. Others suggest that maybe he only appeared to be human? Then others have said maybe Jesus is part God, and part human? But no, none of those can be true.

· Chalcedonian Creed in 451 AD. “Begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence…”

· TWO RESULTS OF THE INCARNATION: The Incarnate Word Displays God’s Glory, Dispenses God’s Grace.

The Incarnate Word Displays God’s Glory (14-15)

· In v. 14, we find the first mention of the first person pronoun “us” and “we.” Everything up to now was in the third person, as a reporter giving the facts. But now the author moves to the first person and includes himself.

· Dwelt – resided, pitched a tent, “tabernacled”

· Glory – How would you describe the glory of God? “the unapproachable and mighty manifestation of the immediate presence of God” (Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms). Heaviness, radiance, splendor. What is glory? (we defined it as something weighty, heavy, something of gravity or substance; being worthy of praise, awe, worship; a sense of majesty; giving credit where it is due.)

· God’s glory was partially veiled by His humanity. At times, the curtain is pulled back, such as the transfiguration. Nevertheless, it was still visible.

· John’s witness (v. 15; cf. 6-8). Two different Johns. John the Baptist, and John the Apostle. It was most likely John the Apostle who wrote this book. But John the Baptist is the one referred to in v. 15, 6-8. Now that is an unusual saying. “He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.” John, what are you trying to say? You are speaking in riddles here. Standing in line at the grocery store. The lady behind you cannot also be in front of you at the same time. And yet John is saying something along those lines. Jesus came after him, and yet, Jesus was before him.

· No one has seen (18)– to know him in all His fullness. Enoch “walked with God” (Gen. 5:24) and yet he did not see God in his fullness. Abraham “believed God” (Gen. 15:6) and yet he could only see him with eyes of faith. Even Adam, who was likely in the habit of “walking with God in the cool of the day” (Gen. 3:8) could not in his innocence see God in all his glory.

· Ex 33:20-22 [When Moses requested to see God’s glory, the LORD] said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”

· Jn 6:46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.

· Jesus is God’s “show and tell”

· “as of the only begotten” –just as you would expect; only begotten monogenes – the only one, he was unique, special, one-of-a-kind. Lk 7:12 woman in Nain became a widow, then she lost her son, perhaps a teenage boy. The text says that the son was “the only son of his mother”

· He has explained – “exegesis,” to lead out, draw out meaning of; emphatic He Himself

· God wants to be known! That’s why He has revealed Himself through the Bible and His Son.

The Incarnate Word Dispenses God’s Grace (14, 16-17)

· Grace and truth. I have always liked those two words. They summarize the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel work we are to do as well.

· Grace is sweetness, favor, God’s undeserved kindness. Truth is an accurate understanding of the facts.

· Just as you can’t clap with one hand, neither can you have only grace or only truth. You need both. Grace and truth are both essential. A symphony has grace and truth. Grace is like the sweet melody, the rich timbre of the instruments. Truth is the written music on the page. There is a definite pitch and meter, there are dynamics, and rhythm, the notes on paper that must all be followed. You are not free to play whatever you want. That leads only to chaos. Or ballet dancing. Or any work of a craftsman.

· Charles Spurgeon: “We are not to be satisfied when we have taught men their duties towards their neighbors, or even their duties towards God. This would suffice for Moses, but not for Christ. … We teach men what they ought to be, but we do far more; …we make them what they ought to be by the power of God’s Spirit….We tell not the captive how free he ought to be, but we open the door and take away his chains. We are not content to tell men what they must be, but we show them how this character can be obtained, and how Jesus Christ freely presents all that is essential to eternal life to all those who come and put their trust in Him.”

· Grace – 4x; kindness, undeserved blessing, unmerited favor. Grace upon grace – in exchange for; Williams Hendriksen says it is “like waves that follow one another upon the seashore.”

· Truth – an accurate reporting of the facts. What authorities do you trust the most? For example, suppose your car breaks down. Where do you discover truth that will lead toward a solution? The full revelation of former prophecies, sacrifices, shadows, and types. How do we search for truth today?

· “Thy word is truth.”

· Our church mission statement. Our mission is to magnify Christ by making disciples in truth and love. Very similar to our phrase here of “grace and truth.”

· Joseph Stowell shows how these words should be applied to one thorny issue of counseling – divorce. Truth demands that the biblical teachings about marriage and divorce must never be lost or weakened. Family is God’s first and foremost institution. It is true that God hates divorce and that the Bible emphasizes that marriage is an indissoluble contract between two people and a sacred commitment sanctioned by God and sealed by vows spoken in His name. Grace demands that we apply biblical requirements with tender compassion. Grace seeks to help. Grace is remedial. Grace finds godly, gifted people in the church to stand beside the victims of divorce, including the children. Grace recognizes that some who have experienced the wrenching trauma of divorce still have a heart for God and a desire to grow in Him.

Conclusion

· J. Oswald Sanders: “Man has always craved a God who is tangible and visible. As he bows to stones and trees, the idolater is mutely expressing the desire of the human heart for a god who can be seen…God’s answer to this universal longing [was] the incarnation of His Son…[I]n the acts and attitudes of the Son we have a revelation of the activities and attitudes of the Father”