John 1:1-14, 18
God in the Flesh
Sometimes Christmas comes and goes, and we wonder, “What was all the fuss about?” All the shopping, the traffic, the shows, and glitter and glamor and wrapping paper. And now the New Year, with resolutions, diet plans, and credit card bills! What does it all mean?
There are four gospel accounts in the Bible, with each writer recording the life of Jesus from their own perspective. Matthew and Luke give us the details behind the Christmas story. But the gospel writer John goes way back before that. To start his gospel, he goes back to creation itself. And in so doing, John shows us a picture of who Jesus is, and why it matters to our lives today.
As this new year begins, I want to share with you three aspects of Jesus that might encourage you in 2020. Consider first:
1. Jesus is our life – we find endurance through him
In verses 3-5 John wrote,
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 it.
John uses the word “life” 36 times in his gospel, more than twice as much as any other New testament writer. Apparently, Jesus was John’s life.
When Jesus first found John, he was a professional fisherman, along with his brother James, preparing to take over their father’s business. Yet Jesus called John (and James) to a whole new life of following Christ.
Someone once said, “God doesn’t call the qualified; he qualifies the called.” When Jesus called James and John to follow him and learn how to be fishers of men, these men didn’t know much at all about discipleship or church leadership. They may have known some of the Bible, but they certainly weren’t versed in leading people or writing scripture. And somehow, they stayed with it. Even though they got sidetracked at times, and at times argued about who was the greatest, Jesus never gave up on them, and they never gave up on him. Particularly John. He was the only disciple that didn’t go and hide when Jesus was put on a cross. He was right there with Mary. He endured.
John wrote in verse 5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” As one flicker of light can be seen for many miles, so the light in our lives can overcome darkness around us. And through our walk with Christ, others can be drawn to him. John would later record Jesus’ words, in John 8:12:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
Jesus is our endurance. He is the light in us that keeps on burning. Never give up. Keep the faith in 2020. Keep walking with Jesus no matter what! Secondly,
2. Jesus is our truth – we find meaning through him
In verses 9 and 10, John wrote,
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.
Jesus is the “true” light. His light is available for EVERYONE. Yet many reject him, just as his own people, the Jews, as a whole rejected him.
Lots of people have an opinion about truth nowadays. They wonder, “Is there anything really true? Or is it just your truth vs. my truth?” That’s called relativism. Jesus got the same question from Pilate during Jesus’ arrest. After Jesus told him, “Everyone that belongs to the truth hears my voice,” Pilate wondered aloud, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38). The better question would be, “WHO is truth?”
It is in Jesus that we find what really matters in life. Jesus is our “true” light. There are many false sources of enlightenment in the world today. Horoscopes, pop books, internet stories, TV news, Facebook accounts, checkout magazines. It’s hard to know what to believe! Check your truth against Jesus. Check the truth of your situation against Jesus. Check the truth of your self-image against Jesus and what he thinks about you. Check the truth of your desires against what Jesus says is his will for you. Jesus is our truth in all areas. Through him, we find meaning and purpose.
And lastly,
3. Jesus is our way – we find connection through him
There are lots of ideas out there about how to find your way to God or to heaven. There are as many theories as people to write them. The Bible is very INCLUSIVE, in that God’s will is that all people should repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:9). However, the Bible is also very EXCLUSIVE in narrowing down how one MUST be saved. Verses 12, 13, and 18 on your outline show us how:
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.
18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
We get to know God through his son Jesus. God is Spirit. Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus is God in terms we can see and understand. You get to know the heart of Jesus, then you know the heart of God.
And verses 12 and 13 show us that entering into the family of God is all about grace, not good works. It doesn’t matter how good you are, you’re not good enough for God’s family on your own merits. Everyone has sinned at some point in time. Most of us don’t have to look back too far. Yet, we have a great forgiving God who, through the price paid by Jesus on the cross, has forgiven ALL of our sins. That forgiveness is ready and waiting for all who would receive him, who would believe in his name. That’s our part. We have to receive this free gift of salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 show us how to do this. Listen to these two verses:
9 “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10
So you must confess openly that Jesus is Lord of your life, and must believe deep inside that he died for your sin and was raised to new life. If you do these things, you will be saved.
Jesus is your life, your truth, your way. After all, he said in John 14:6:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus (John 14:6)
This new year, will you orient your life on him? Will you allow him to be your very purpose for living, since he gave you life itself? Will you find in him your definition of what is true? Will you come to the Father through Jesus Christ, your Savior? Let’s pray and ask for God’s help in this:
Thank you, Father, that you gave your one and only Son to die for our sins, that you raised him up on Easter, conquering sin and death for good. And that you give us abundant life through Christ our Lord the moment we believe. Help us believe. And help us keep believing when our faith wanders. We need you this new year. We feel pulled in different directions by the world’s priorities. Yet you are truth. You are life. You are the way. Keep us on the straight and narrow through your Holy Spirit at work in us, we ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
The Word Became Flesh
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 it.
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.
18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
