God in the Flesh

Introduction

In this series, “Making Sense of the Bible”, we will be looking at what I believe are some of the most important passages of scripture.

I believe this series will help us make greater sense of the over–arching story of scripture and further understand God’s purposes for our lives.

Review: We’ve looked at Creation in Genesis 1-2 and the “Creation Mandate, God mandate for man to contribute to the common good and human flourishing. In this God is glorified.

We also looked at Genesis 3 and the Fall of Man. Man was tempted to rebel against God and the curse of sin entered the world. We are under the judgment of God needed to be saved. In this message, we saw God’s promise of deliverance to come from the “seed of woman”.

We looked at how God moved his redemptive purposes forward with Abraham and the people he formed. We also learned that God’s dealings with man would now be by faith.

We looked at how in order to govern his people God gave the Law through Moses. This Law would be life–giving and provide the necessary boundaries for God’s people to live under his blessings.

We looked at how God established his reign under a king who’s reign would be immediate and also eternal. This king would be a direct descendant to King David.

Last week we looked at how after Israel’s repeated failure to keep God’s covenant of the Law, God gives a “new covenant”.

Today, we move to the “New Testament” and “the New Covenant”.

I. The Word

John 1:1–2 NKJV

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 first thing we must do is define what “Word” in this passage means.

The word is “logos” in the Greek which is used to “express the idea of divine revelation”.

We must note that the gospel writer, John, capitalizes the word in these verses. This means its a proper noun.

It is a person. Who is this person?

KEY–this person is Jesus Christ, the final and perfect revelation of God.

Hebrews 1:1–4 NKJV

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

This revelation of God is Jesus, God’s Son.

He is the heir of all things, creator, the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person.

We can’t have a better representation of God than God himself in the Son.

Colossians 1:15 NKJV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

He is the physical image of the invisible God.

When we see Jesus, we see God!

Christ as Creator

John 1:3–5 NKJV

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

II. The Rejection of Christ

John addresses how Jesus, this perfect expression of God came in such a way he was unknown to many and rejected by his people, Israel.

John 1:9–11 NKJV

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

Jesus came into the world to initiate the New Covenant and to complete the story of Israel.

The promises of the covenant were to Israel.

Remember, redemption would come from the seed of the woman and from the seed of Abraham.

Jesus was the “light” come into the world, yet the world rejected him.

Light brings revelation, understanding.

Israel, his own, rejected him.

This main rejection was because Jesus equated himself to God.

Israel couldn't accept that God would humble himself in such a way to identify with his people.

In the book of Acts, many of the evangelists emphasize Israel’s rejection of Christ.

III. The Acceptance of Christ

John 1:12–13 NKJV

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 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 prelude to John 3:3.

These verses are the gospel in short–form.

For those who received Christ, acknowledged him for who He was, they are given the right to become children of God.

This acceptance is based on God’s word by His Spirit in the people’s hearts and minds.

Those who are born again, regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

This is the “new birth”.

Sound familiar?

The New Covenant

God writing his law on the hearts and minds of his people.

No one is born as a “child of God” in a familial sense.

We only receive this right through Christ and new birth.

Final Thoughts

Jesus is the “word become flesh”.

John 1:14 NKJV

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.

Jesus is the final and perfect expression and revelation of God.

He came to declare God to the world.

John 1:18 NKJV

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

“Declare” means to make fully known, tell fully, to provide detailed information.

He came to identify with humanity’s sinfulness.

Hebrews 2:9 NKJV

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

He came to become the sacrifice for our sins.

Hebrews 2:14–15 NKJV

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection defeated every enemy of God’s sovereign rule.

Jesus did what Adam had failed to do and in so doing, reestablishes God’s reign in the hearts of those who have accepted Christ by faith.

EMPHASIS–This is why Jesus accomplishes more than salvation.

He completes the story of Israel and inaugurates the Kingdom of God!