We have caught up in our devotions in Luke to the chapter we are in for Sunday morning. Therefore, I thought I would venture over to the gospel of John for two reasons.
First, so that we stay in the life of our Savior, always a good way to start the day. Second, it seems helpful to contrast the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Lue) with John’s due to the profound stylistic differences.
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 anything made that was made. 4
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8
He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11
He came to his own, and his own people did
not receive him. 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. 14
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’s gospel begins with a bang! There is so much “theology” in this first chapter. For example:
1. We see that Jesus is eternal, “in the beginning was the word…” He did not begin to exist when the heavens and the earth were made…He never had a beginning and never
has an end.
2. We are told that the Word, Jesus, is a person distinct from God the Father, yet One with Him. “The Word was with God…” The Father and the Word are separate and
yet are One.
3. We also are told that this One is God. The word was God. He is not a created being, or inferior to God the Father.
4. And of course few people miss the point of the first words of John and how they parallel the book of beginnings, Genesis. In the first book of the bible we read,
“In the beginning God…” Here we read, “In the beginning was the Word…” God and the Word, the Word and God, the Word is God.
5. Fifth, we see that Jesus is the Creator of all things. John says, “All things were made through Him and without Him, nothing was made that was made.”
This is one of the most astounding realities in the life of Jesus, that when Jesus spoke to the winds and waves, creation hears the voice of the Word and responds
to her Lord, responds to the Word, just as it did in the beginning! We could spend all kinds of time on any one of those aspects of John’s first chapter. But this morning I want us to see something else, something familiar, but Oh, so, astounding.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us
Jesus came, the Word came, God came, and took on flesh that He might be touched fully with the frailties of man; that He might not run away from the leprous, the diseased,
the sin ridden, but rather, to touch them, to heal them to cleanse them, to give them life. This is how our King conquers—not by sending others out to slay His foes, but by coming Himself and being slain for His people!
This was not done so that there would be a novel, ingenious difference to Christianity, or a marvelous story so as to entertain children, or so that we can have Christmas,
or even to give people a positive attitude about how valuable they are. John wants us to know that this happened…this is a historical event…this is real because there was no other way that mankind could be rescued! And because of this event, the world will
never be the same. The entire creation from Genesis forward, anticipates it, yearns for it, and exists for it. This is the event in human history that changes everything…that marks everything.
So great that even the angels of heaven, those perfect, sinless beings, dwelling as they do in the presence of glory of God, stand back, in awe, amazed…longing to
understand the depths of what God is doing in human flesh! That is what Peter said, the angels long to look into this! Nothing was done for one third of the angels who rebelled against God…they were cast out and that was the end of it. And yet when man falls,
when man sins and rebels against God look at what God does to save them! The angels are shocked by the grace of God! Shocked that He is actually going to go down there and bring us home. What incredible words the hymn writer wrote: “veiled in flesh the
God-head see, hail the incarnate deity. Pleased as men with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.”
Our translations say, “the word dwelt among us”, but that loses something in the translation. For actually the words that John uses is that the Word became flesh and “tabernacled”
among us. Now, why would John say that? What does that make you think of, “tabernacled among us”? What was the tabernacle? What did it stand for, what was its purpose? John is very intentional to draw a parallel, or a correspondence between the tabernacle
of the OT and the coming down of God.
A few things to remember about the tabernacle:
1. First,
the blue prints so to speak were given to Moses up on the mountain in the presence of God.
Moses was shown heaven, and then God said, Go down there and make the tabernacle, just like the picture of heaven that I showed you. So, the tabernacle is about heaven…about
the other world…about understanding and even entering into the realities that are unseen but that direct everything that happens.
2. Second,
the tabernacle was about the presence of God.
God promised to be with his people in their wilderness wanderings. God isn’t going to send His people somewhere without going with them. And He makes it obvious, when
the first offering was lit when fire fell from heaven. God lived in a tent, because the people of His affection lived in tents. God, great and majestic, unsearchable and high above us…would come down to us, to lead us, to feed us, to care for us…and to take
us Home. The tabernacle was God’s presence for his wilderness people.
3. Third,
the tabernacle was the house of worship.
As the tabernacle was patterned after heaven, and heaven is the place of the full enjoyment of God, then the tabernacle becomes if you would, the church, the worship
experience of the people of God was known in and through the tabernacle.
God is doing the miraculous! God in the flesh, among His people! What kind of love is this!
To be continued…
Prayer: Father, I confess to hearing about the incarnation of the Savior so many times that it has become commonplace. Forgive me for my neglect of such holy things
and such eternal and life changing realities! May I stand in awe of Your love for sinners and the great lengths You have gone to that this love may be demonstrated to the world! I praise You that your mercy and love do not because they cannot fail and I ask
for the grace to walk in the truth of Jesus, my God coming to save me from death, hell and sin, forever! In Jesus precious name, Amen.
Hymn: Hark the Herald Angels Sing (It’s never too early!)