Title Incarnation of the Word
2010.12.26 Sunday morning worship service
Bible: John 1:14
Title: Incarnation of the Word
John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” - Amen.
If it is an event of the greatest joy and innovative value in the history of mankind, it should be said that it is the Christmas of Jesus, when the Son of God appeared in this world. The coming of the Son of God into the world is called Immanuel, which is interpreted to mean that God is with us (Matthew 1:23).
In John 1:1 of this chapter, God is said to be the Word, and God's mode of existence is not a form, but a word that expresses thought and will as absolute values. He taught Moses that he is who he is and that he is self-existent (Exodus 3:14), and that the existence of God was revealed in a glorious light (1 John 1:5) or in the divinity of all things (Romans 1). :20).
In this verse that introduces the meaning of Jesus' birth during the Christmas season as the one who became flesh, we would like to get a spiritual meaning under the theme of <The Incarnation of the Word> and Jesus who came in the flesh as the Word.
1. It is said that the Son is God.
John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Humans, unlike animals, speak. That is why the Bible says that man was created in the image of God. God is a living God who exists through the Word and speaks the Word. Since the Word of God speaking says that the Son Jesus came in the flesh, the existential person of Jesus becomes God the Son at the level of God.
1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, that we may know the true one, and that we are in the true one, his Son Jesus Christ, who is the true God and eternal life.”
He confessed before the risen Lord who appeared to the doubtful disciple Thomas, John 20:28 “Thomas answered and said, My Lord and my God.”
During the 2,000 years of Christianity, there were many heresies that misunderstood Jesus as a prophet or a failed leader without believing in Jesus as the Son of God or God the Son. What we must remember clearly is that the Word is God, and Jesus, the Word who came in the flesh, will eventually become God who came in the name of the Son.
2. The one who existed before he came in the flesh
We must know that Jesus did not become the Son of God because He came into the world, did His words and powers, and rose from the dead. It means that he didn't exist until Christmas.
Immediately after this verse, John 1:15, “John testified about him, and cried out, saying, I said before, He who comes after me precedes me, because he precedes me.”
John the Baptist came into the world six months before Jesus (Luke 1:26) as the last publicly appointed prophet in the Old Testament (Mal. 4:5-6, Matthew 11:13). In other words, although John came first in physical appearance, he was ahead of John in existence.
John 8:58 "Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am..."
Therefore, although Shakyamuni was born about 2500 years from now, Jesus' existential existence was from eternity.
Man speaks of his existence when he is born, and when he dies, his existence comes to life again, but Jesus was introduced in the Old Testament before he came, and even though he left the earth, he was resurrected, so his existence is still there for eternity.
Therefore, rather than being introduced as the physical birth of Jesus, Christmas is meaningful because the God of the Word came to the earth and approached us.
3. Celebrate the Christmas of Jesus according to the word
If it is true that the Christmas of Jesus is the incarnation of the Word, if we understand it as a birthday party where the teachers of the world appear, we will spend the day backwards.
The Son of God who became flesh and came to our world should reflect on the meaning of Christmas by the fact that he came to ask us, who do not listen, to listen to God's Word.
After the text John 1:17 “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Jesus' coming into the world is a reform as a means of atonement, and it is said that he became grace and truth because he heard the truth himself and showed it in his body.
The proper way to welcome Christmas is the same as the wise men coming to the baby Jesus and offering thanksgiving gifts to worship.
As Simon, Luke 2:30 said, “My eyes have seen Your salvation,” the excitement of salvation,
As Anna says in Luke 2:36, “…Come, thank God, and tell all who were hoping for redemption in Jerusalem.”
The meaning of Christmas is meaningless unless Jesus, who became flesh, and God the Son are not delivered and worshiped as such.
When we reflect on the meaning of Christmas in front of the fact that Jesus is the God of the Word of power who created the heavens and the earth, we should have the thought that we should listen to God's Word and build our lives in the truth.
We thank the incarnate Lord Jesus the Son and God, and pray that just as the Almighty Word came in human clothing, so we too will humble ourselves in the world to save people, sacrifice ourselves and blend to become companions, thereby giving grace to you and me and leading you to the truth. Congratulations.