THE WORD MADE FLESH

#739                                                              THE WORD MADE FLESH

Scripture  John 1:1-14 NIV                                                                                                                          Orig.  3/11/1979

                                                                                                                                                                             Rewr. 9/11/1987

Passage: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it. 

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Purpose: To share with my people a message aimed at showing Christ to be the incarnation of the godhead.

Keywords:           Incarnation of Christ                       Word of God                      Revival

Timeline/Series:               John

Introduction

                We make no claims to be biblical scholars, you and I.  We are astute enough, however, to recognize that the New Testament was written not by theologians, but by missionaries.  It was written not by intellectuals trying to  impress other intellectuals, not as a thesis in conclusion of some graduate program, but it was written by followers of Jesus, who  had been given a message, and who were challenged to spread that message as far as they could reach.

                Many people who have left their mark in attaining some unusual goal, have done so for no other reason than that it was there for the doing.  “Because it was there,” is their answer.   But such is not the case for the scripture.  It did not find its way because there was not one.  It is the situational story of people who were followers of Jesus, who went about the countryside telling the story of the “Godson” come to live among us.

                In beginning, the task was easy.  The earliest missionaries were Jews preaching to other Jews.  They spoke the same language; shared the same culture; understood the same symbols.  But the message had world-wide implications.  It could not be hedged in to a time and place, certainly not to a specific target group.  And, as they move to other lands, and languages, and cultures, the symbols will  have to change.  The Greeks will have no concern for a Messiah.  To preach of a son of God, is only to tell them more of their old gods who seduce human victims.  Thus, living among those Greeks, John found a way. The Holy Spirit has him to present Jesus as the ”logos,” the word.  “And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the son of God.”

I.             The Word in Pre-History.  V1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Creation, sovereignty, and revelation are bound together “in beginning.”  Nine times in Genesis 1 “God said”: 3, 6, 9 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29. 

                The last of these was a message to “Adam.”  It is in his vested interest.  God blessed it.  Man must sustain.  God gave him a wife to accompany him.  They must sanctify their relationship.  In a restaurant I listened to triad of sixtyish men.  One told of invitations received.  11 widows for every widower.  “I can’t wait,” said a second.  “Nothing compares with having a good wife by your side," said a third.

                Many contemporary problems would be non-existent if people honored the Word.  Without the “Word” there would have been no creation, without creation, no revelation.

                To refer to Jesus as the “Word” is to refer to the creative force of God.  Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my word like a fire? saith the Lord. And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

                Turn and examine Psalm 119.  Verse 105 “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.”  Of 176 verses only 5 do not speak of “God’s law, word, commandments, testimonies, judgments”  (84, 90, 120, 121, 132).  20 of 22 stanzas refer to “the word of the Lord.”

“Last eve I passed beside the blacksmith’s door

                And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then looking in I saw upon the floor

                Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

‘How many anvils have you had?’ said I,

                ‘To wear and batter all these hammers so?’

‘Just one,’ said he, and then with twinkling eye,

                ‘The anvil wears the hammer out, you know.

And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word

                For ages skeptics’ blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

                The anvil is unharmed—the hammers gone.”

                                                                                                                                                        Attributed to John Clifford

II.            Next, We See the Word in Preparation.  V5 “There was man sent from God whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe.” 

                It is awesome to consider the measure of revelation.  There are still people in our world who are primitive.  Cinta Larga, South America; Turkana, East Africa; Tasaday, Philippines; Tarahumara, Mexico.  The lights of civilization have been more spiritual than material.  Judeo-Christian tradition is the highest moral revelation.  The Pope said what he needed to say.  American Catholicism has changed church.  Higher aims of Protestant ethic have forced it to bend.  Grateful for priests and others pointing their people to Jesus.

                Christ is the instrument of God through which this enlightenment has come.  Isaiah 42:6 “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, . . . and will keep thee, and give thee a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles; . . . to bring . . . them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”  V1 “Behold my servant.”  Malachi 4:2 “But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of  righteousness arise with healing in his wins.”

                As awesome as is Christ, the enlightenment, it is also that God brings man, the sinner into this redemptive process.  V5 “There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John.”  His obedience is not the only requisite.  Luke 7:28 “Among those that are born of women, there is not one greater than John the Baptist.  He is a man of temperament to will. He spent perhaps years in prison. He lived to perhaps 32.

                It is too easy for too many of us to bask in someone else’s commitment.  John 5:35 “He was a burning and shining light; and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.”  What we want is for someone to make us feel good about our spirituality.  What God wants is for us to make the faith commitments to accomplish that.

III.           The Word in Repentance.  John 1:14 “And the Word was made 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.”  Its performance is that of purity and piety. 

“I saw God wash the world last night, With His sweet showers on high.

Then when morning came, I saw Him hang it out to dry.

He flung His showers up on the hills, And upon the tumbling sea.

He sprinkled liquid diamonds on the rills And washed each trembling tree.

Now the white rose is a purer white, And the red rose is more red,

Since God washed each fragrant face, And, put them all to bed.

I saw God wash the world last night.  I wish He had washed me—

Clean of inside dirt and dust, As He washed the old birch tree.”

                                                                                                                                                                               Dr. W.L. Stiger

                It was performance of prayer as well.  How mightily we see Jesus at prayer.  Suppose we that our work can be done with less.  By prayer Jacob wrestled and prevailed.  By prayer Elijah barricaded the rain, and then by prayer he prayed it through.   By prayer Daniel shut the lion’s mouths.  By prayer Jesus “was made flesh” and “dwelt” and “was beheld.”

Conclusion

                An associational missionary tells of going into a churchless community to survey the people.  An elderly woman listened as he shared the gospel and responded to his appeal.  Then she asked, “Why didn’t you come four years ago?  My husband and I had talked of growing old and dying, but neither could help the other.  He died four years ago.”  And in a whisper, she added, “He died  unprepared.”

                Is it an acquaintance or neighbor of yours, or of mine, that may die soon, and if so, may die unprepared?  What are you willing to do about it?