"The Word Became Flesh" Sermon: John 1:1-18

“The Word Became Flesh”
[John 1:1-18]
November 29, 2009 Second Reformed Church

Today is the first Sunday of Advent – the beginning of the Christmas season. If the Lord is willing, the six sermons I will preach during this season will be about the “songs of Christmas.” (Though that is not entirely true, since this first sermon isn’t taken from a song in the Scripture, but the other five sermons will look at songs that were sung.)

The Christmas season is especially a season of singing, as opposed to the season of “ordinary time,” for example. With the exception, perhaps, of the Easter season, the Christmas season stands as a season when we respond to what has occurred – and what happened because of what occurred – with singing.

We might say that our singing is an emotive expression of our belief. It is true theology as doxology. It is the Truth of God as praise to God. In our best hymns – and certainly in the Scripture – we are expressing the Truth of God with all that we are – our hearts and minds and souls and bodies – in singing.

Let’s pretend for a moment that this morning’s text is a song, and let us look at it as three verses and an interlude:

In the first “verse,” verses one through five, John tells us that the Word was in the beginning. Before time and space were created, the Word existed – this Person, the Word, existed. And as we might then expect, John tells us that the Word was with God. The Word existed in the same, non-material realm, as God, before space and time were created. And, John tells us, the Word created everything that is. The Word gave life to everything that is. And the Word is the light to humanity which the darkness cannot overcome.

John is using categories and language that the Greeks of his day would have loved. God exists and the Word exists. These Two (at least) exist before time and space, and the Word created, enlivened, and sustains everything that is.

Can you picture what it would be like to be outside of time and space, before anything that exists in the created world existed? Don’t worry if you can’t – I can’t – we are beings who have always lived within time and space. We can understand the concept that God and the Word lived outside and before time and space. But what does that look like? Our minds are not big enough to wrap around this.

Yet, if we can begin to approach this idea – that God and the Word lived outside of time and space before the Creation, wouldn’t it occur to us to see God and the Word as mighty? Would we not think, perhaps, that God and the Word ought to be worshiped for creating and giving and sustaining life? Doesn’t the very idea of God and the Word make us look at ourselves and begin to see how small we are, and make us want to be on the right side of God and the Word? Doesn’t this very idea made us stop in awe and wonder of God and the Word?

Besides being mighty and pre-existent of all of the Creation and the Giver of Life, what are God and the Word like? Are They all-good? Can we interact with Them, and if so, how? What do They want from us? With these types of questions looming before us, how trivial have we made life, centering it around a glowing box, watching people argue about “who my baby’s daddy?” or who might be responsible if we give our credit card to our boyfriend or girlfriend with no restrictions. I am becoming more and more concerned that most people can’t tell the difference between the significant and the insignificant – what is important and what is trivial.

In verses six through eight, we have an interlude where John introduces us to John the Baptist – a man who was sent by God to be a witness to the light – the light that shines from the Word. John the Baptist was sent as a herald – one to announce the light of the Word. John the Baptist was sent to make sure the people knew that there is a difference between the light and the darkness – there are things that come from the Word and there are things that come from some other place. John the Baptist functioned in the role of the prophet – a person who was called to announce news from God. And what news he had to announce!

In the second “verse,” verses nine through thirteen, John tells us that John the Baptist was given the call to announce that the Word was coming into the world. This One Who existed with God from before the beginning – before time and space and the created order – He was coming to the very earth that He created.

And it was revealed to John that Baptist what the result would be: the Word would come to the earth that He created, and they would not know Him. He would come among the very people that He called a people for Himself – that means that this Word must be the God of Abraham, Who called him out of the land of Ur to make him a people for God – He would come among the very people that He raised up through Abraham, but they wouldn’t recognize Him. How could they not recognize Him? If they were in a relationship with Him – if He was their God – how could they come face to face with the One they had been in fellowship with for hundreds and thousands of years and have no idea Who He was?

The only answer we can give is that they didn’t know Him. They were in a relationship with a creator of their own inventing, not the One Who had called them and sustained them from Ur to Canaan. If we close our eyes to what God has told us about Himself and the Word and what He expects of us, eventually, we will come up with someone quite different from the One Who is Real.

I have been taken aback at the number of times people have said to me in the past few months, “I know the Bible says that, but....” But? “I know you told me not to put the dog in the microwave, mommy, but she was cold.” “Oh well, kids will be kids.” “I know you told me not to key your car, but making scratches in the paint was fun, daddy.” “Oh well, kids will be kids.” “I know you told me what You are like and what You expect, God, but I decided I preferred to do this.” “Oh well, humans will be humans.” Really?

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” The Word is Merciful and Gracious. He came into His world to His people, and many of them did not recognize Him because, even though they called themselves believers in Him, they believed in someone or something else. But, the Word said that all who receive Him – anyone who will receive Him – any person – no matter if they are part of the chosen people or not – no matter what their background or history or family or sin – anyone – anyone – Who receives Him and recognizes Him as Who He is – the Word – all of these shall be His adopted children.

How amazing is this? The Word condescended to humanity in His Mercy and Grace and opened the Way to Him for every type of person that will ever be. There is no type of person that cannot be saved – reconciled – made right with the Word. When you or I first heard that Good News, it would seem right that we would ask, “How? What must I do? How many sacrifices? How many good works?”

But we are told, “No. No. No. Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” In other words, there is nothing that anyone can do or give to the Word to become a son or daughter of God. We cannot choose or will or make ourselves sons or daughters of God. God wills the person to become a child of God; it is wholly and completely God’s Choice and God’s Work.

That means that no one who is a child of God has the right or ability to be a snob about it. In fact, we ought to find ourselves grateful and utterly humbled that God chose to make us His children for whatever reason He has. There is no, “I’m better than you,” in the household of God. There is only, “Why me, Lord? Why did You choose me?” Because the crack using prostitute on the streets of Irvington may well be the one God has chosen to be His child, while God has left behind the honest businessman that we meet at the club. We don’t know. It’s God’s choice. But let us beware and not assume, because we will surely be surprised on that final day. But it is the Will of God.

The third “verse,” verses fourteen through eighteen: John tells us that the Word did not merely come into the world, but the Word became flesh. The One Who created the Creation became enfleshed and lived among His creatures. And those Who recognized Him not merely to be a human being but the Word Incarnate – the Word Made Flesh – those whom God had chosen to become children of God – those also saw something of the glory of the Word, Who is also the Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

(It was part of John the Baptist’s proclamation that the Word Become Flesh was not merely a real human being, though He is, but He is also the One Who was before and greater than he.)

Then we are told Who the Word Incarnate is – having given the children of God grace upon grace. Because the Law was given through Moses – it is through the Law that we understand that we are all sinners – unable to make ourselves right with God – and that we are condemned by the same Law for our sin. But grace and truth came through Jesus Christ – the solution to our problem with God came through the Word Incarnate – in the Person of Jesus Christ – the Little Baby that we remember and look forward to celebrating at this time every year. Jesus Christ, the younger cousin of John the Baptist, Whom John understood existed before he did and was in fact His Creator, the Word – the One Who brings the Truth that the children of God are God’s by God’s Will, not ours – we can do nothing to make ourselves right with God.

Are you overwhelmed yet? So often on the TV we hear preachers say that Jesus loves us and came that we could be healthy, wealthy, and wise, if we would just reach out and believe and actualize our potential – blah, blah, blah. That is not the Gospel. That is not the Good News. The Good News is that although humanity blew it through sin – although we separated ourselves from God and put ourselves under the condemnation of the Law, the Word chose, for God’s Own Reasons, to Incarnate in the Person of Jesus Christ to make all those who will believe right with God – and we know He did that through His Life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.

That’s what the prophets said would happen. That’s what John tells us happened. That’s what the whole Scripture tells us. All the same, without contradiction. This is the One Way to God. These first verses of John’s Gospel are some of the most profound and mind-boggling words. But we still have verse eighteen:

“No one has ever seen God;” – that’s because God is a Spirit – God does not have a physical body – He cannot be seen with human eyes. And we are told in numerous Scriptures that if we were to view to glory of God – since we are sinners – we would die.

“The only God,” – and let us not forget – there is Only One God. All other gods are false gods. Any who teach another god besides God – even if they use the word, “god” – are either misled or trying to mislead you. And we believe in One God – not three, as some have misunderstood – there is Only One God.

“The only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” Now, we understand that God is the Father – John’s original audience would have understood that too. Who, then, is the Only God, who is at the Father’s side? The Word – the Son – the Word Who Became Flesh – Jesus Christ. Here we understand that there is One God, and God exists as the Father and the Son, and the Son is the Word Who became Flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ. So, Jesus Christ is the One God.

And since the Word became Flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ – since the Son remained Wholly God, even as He became a real human being, as well – humans could see God and know Him in the flesh. Jesus – among other things – made it possible for humans to see God and live – both in His time on earth – and eternally for all those who would believe in Him.

Can you imagine what is was like for Jesus and the apostles? “Hi, my name is Peter, and this is God in the Flesh, Jesus.” Can you imagine, after the Resurrection, the apostles and disciples coming to understand the fulness of why the Word became Flesh? Do you understand why the Word became Flesh?

That’s the whole point of the Christmas season. That’s why we celebrate the birth of This Baby. That’s why we give gifts.

After Jesus began His ministry, He came to John the Baptist to be baptized, and as He approached John the next day, John saw Him and said, “‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.” I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John bore witness: ‘I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God’” (John 1:29b-34, ESV).

This is God the Son – the Word become Flesh. He is our Only Hope, our Salvation, the Only Way to become right with God. He is the Reason for the season of Christmas.

Consider these opening verses of the Gospel of John and be honest with yourself about whether you have seen His Light and become a child of God. If you have, your life ought to be joy-filled and different from the world, ought it not? If you have not believed, look at Him – look at the testimony that is borne about Him – see that grace and truth come through Jesus Christ – weight the evidence, and respond.

Let us pray:
Almighty God, we thank You for coming to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ. We thank You that You have made some of us Your children by Yourself and for Your own reasons. Thank You for Your Grace – for Your Salvation – for making us to understand that You came to earth that first Christmas. May we sing Your praise and glory forevermore. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.