Tag Archives: The Eternal Word

The Word Among Us – Sermon on John 1:14-18 for Midweek Advent 3

John 1:14-18

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Moses saw some amazing, glorious things during his lifetime. It began when he was an 80-year-old shepherd for his father-in-law. Moses saw and talked with God at the bush that burned but wasn’t consumed (Ex. 3:1-2). When Moses approached the bush, God told him to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground (Ex. 3:5), so Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. Rightly so.

Later, as we heard in tonight’s Old Testament reading (Ex. 33:18-34:8), Moses got a lot bolder than he was back at the burning bush. He asked to see God’s glory. God agreed but with a big caveat. “Ok, Moses, I’ll let you see all My goodness and will proclaim My name, Yahweh, before you. But you cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.” In short, God’s presence is dangerous for fallen mankind. God has to hide His glory from sinners. So, God put Moses in the cleft of a rock and shielded Moses with His hand. And God only removed His hand after He had passed by so Moses could see His back.

There in the cleft of the mountain, God revealed Himself. But even better than that, God proclaimed and defined what His name means, “Yahweh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Moses was the only human on the mountain when he saw God’s glory (Ex. 34:3) because God had something better in mind for how to reveal Himself to His people.

Shortly after God appeared to Moses, God’s people constructed the Tabernacle. God had told them build the Tabernacle so He could dwell among them (Ex. 29:45-46; Lev. 26:11-12). God needed to contain His holiness and glory in a way that His people could approach Him without being destroyed. That is why the Tabernacle was constructed the way it was. For God to dwell among His people, the priesthood, the sacrifices, the blood, the incense, and all sorts of offerings were required.

Even with all the safeguards of the Tabernacle, it was only on one day out of the year, the Day of Atonement, that the high priest, and only the high priest, could enter the Holy of Holies where God dwelled. And even then, the high priest would have to change his clothes fourteen times, wash himself almost 10 times, and offer dozens of sacrifices to safely approach the awesome, holy glory of God. That’s the theology of the Tabernacle. Yes, God wanted to dwell with His people, but they needed protection from His holiness and glory so they wouldn’t be consumed.

But now, here in John 1:14, John says, “the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.” Now, the Greek word translated ‘dwelt’ is skēnē, which literally means ‘tabernacled.’ “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” Because of this fact, we can truthfully sing, “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; / Hail th’ incarnate Deity, / Pleased as Man with man to dwell; / Jesus, our Immanuel.” And this is the wonder of all wonders.

The Incarnation, the fact that God became one of us, is how God reveals Himself and His glory to us. Yes, God wraps Himself in flesh, but He wraps Himself in a different way than how you use wrapping paper. When you wrap your gifts, you are trying to keep the gift a secret from the person you are giving it to until he or she opens it. Once they tear the wrapping paper off the gift, the gift isn’t a secret anymore. The Incarnation isn’t like that – it isn’t a secret. Instead, it’s a mystery. And the difference between a secret and a mystery is that a secret is no longer a secret once it is revealed. A mystery is different. A mystery remains a mystery even after it is revealed, and the more you think about a mystery the more mysterious it becomes.

The Eternal Word wraps Himself in flesh so He can tabernacle and dwell with you. In Col. 2:9, Scripture says, “In [Christ] the whole fullness of the Deity dwells bodily.” Jesus does this so you can see and behold His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. And this Eternal Word who tabernacles with you is full of grace and truth.

Back in our Old Testament reading, God proclaimed that He is the God who abounds “in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Without getting into too much grammar and vocabulary stuff, that is very phrase – ‘steadfast love and faithfulness’ – that John is picking up when he says that Jesus is “full of grace and truth.” But notice the difference here in Jn. 1. Jesus doesn’t just proclaim that He abounds in grace and truth like He did when Moses was safely nestled in the cleft of the rock. No. Now in Christ, God reveals it.

The Eternal Word humbled and emptied Himself by being born in the likeness of men. God came in human form and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Php. 2:8). And from the fullness of Christ’s grace and truth, you receive grace on top of grace (Jn. 1:16).

Dear saints, Jesus makes God known. He reveals what God thinks of you. He gives you His grace, and on top of that, He gives you more grace, and more grace, and more grace…

I want to close these Advent services pondering that:

In our normal, human lives, growing up and maturing is a gradual shift from dependence to independence. When you’re born you are totally dependent on others doing things for you – feeding, cleaning, clothing, sheltering, protecting, etc. And as you grow, you become more independent. You don’t need others as much because you can do it yourself.

Spiritual growth is the opposite. Growing and maturing in faith is becoming more and more like a child (Mt. 18:3-4). Being a stronger Christian is learning that you are needy, learning that you need to borrow all that you are and all that you have from Jesus. Dependent upon Him, you receive grace upon grace from His fullness. That is how you mature as a believer. You receive from Him more and more.

That is precisely why the Eternal Word became flesh. He did it so He could dwell with you. So He could live for you. So He could die for you. So He could rise again for you. So He could ascend into heaven and rule over all creation for you. So He could forgive you. So He could give you His mercy. So He can give you grace upon grace. And so you could live and reign forever and ever with Him. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

The Word & Children of God – Sermon on John 1:6-13 for Midweek Advent 2

John 1:6-13

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

These verses make the Advent and Christmas seasons feel like the coming of Spring. And I know we just had our first major snowstorm. We’re currently in meteorological Winter, but astronomical Winter is still eleven days away. Daylight keeps getting shorter. I get it. But even though the coldest days of winter are, probably, still ahead of us, this text fills our sanctuary with a hint of Spring. Can you smell it?

Jesus, the Eternal Word, was there at the beginning of creation with God and as God. All things were created through Christ. In Jesus was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. That Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Jesus, the true Light has arrived, not as a conqueror from a far, distant country, but to rescue you from the darkness of death. The winter of sin is passing. Jesus, the Word made flesh, has come. And the Life that Christ brings is budding all around you even now. Dear saints, because Jesus has come, you now live in the never-ending Spring of the new creation (2 Co. 5:7).

John the Baptizer came as a herald to point to Christ, the Light. John was there calling everyone into Jesus’ Light. But then, when the Light burst through the darkness to shine on everyone, many sank further into the shadows (Jn. 1:10-11). And sadly, this is still too often the case. The Light can be rejected. In Jn. 3:19-20, we learn why it is rejected, “Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the Light and does not come to the Light, lest his works should be exposed.”

Light reveals the things hidden in darkness. That’s why, when Jesus came as Light, it seemed to many as though judgment had come. But Jesus was not sent into the world to judge the world. No. He came in order that the world would be saved through Him (Jn. 3:17). Jesus came to give Light to the world, to take away sin, and to give eternal life. But His coming felt like judgment because His presence exposes the darkness and filthiness of sinners. In the Light of Christ, there is no hiding. So, the Light is a threat to the will and the way of every sinner. That’s why sinners hate and reject the Light. Even though the darkness cannot overcome the Light (Jn. 1:5), people can love and choose the darkness instead of receiving the Light (Jn. 1:11).

But to all who did receive the Light, to all who believed in His Name, He gave the right and the authority to become children of God (Jn. 1:12). That’s you, dear saints. You, believer. You are rightfully children of God through faith in Christ. And this idea of being God’s child here in Jn. 1 is so rich and unique. But first, we need to recognize what that phrase ‘children of God’ doesn’t mean – at least not in these verses.

The Bible does talk about all humanity being children of God by virtue of our creation. Because Adam was created in God’s image (Gen. 1:27), he is called the son of God – lowercase ‘s’ (Lk. 3:38). Since your first ancestor is God’s son, you also are a child of God. Malachi 2:10 says that since God created us, He is everyone’s Father. In Act. 17:28-29, Paul says that all people are God’s offspring. So, yes, we are God’s children by virtue of creation. The Bible does teach that. But we have a severe problem if that’s the only kind of childhood we have because our sin has totally and completely alienated us from God. It isn’t a stretch to say that we divorced ourselves from Him by our sin. So, being God’s child by virtue of creation is not the childhood John has in mind here.

Better than the childhood that comes by virtue of your creation is the fact that the eternal Son of God took on flesh and became one of you. So, Moses in our Old Testament reading (Dt. 18:15-19) could rightly prophesy that God would raise up a prophet like him “from among you, from your brothers.” By virtue of Jesus’ incarnation, He has become your Brother. Since Jesus is your brother, you share a Father with Him, which means that you are a child of God. And this is amazing news that we will be pondering for all eternity. But even as wonderful as that is, it still isn’t the kind of childhood that John talks about here.

Dear saints, here John says that you are a child of God by virtue of a birth. None of us here can say that we chose to be born. You didn’t cause your birth or make it happen. In the same way, it isn’t your will, or the will of any other human, that causes you to be born of God. James 1:18 says this plainly, “Of [God’s] own will He brought us forth by the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (also 1 Pet. 1:23).

So, John is not talking here about a physical birth. It wasn’t anything that nature can accomplish. It’s a miraculous birth that God Himself brings about by the means that He has established. And Jesus teaches about this birth in Jn. 3 when He sheds His Light as He talks with Nicodemus at night. It is a birth that comes from above (Jn. 3:3). It is a birth of water and the Spirit (Jn. 3:5). It is your birth that God has given you through your Baptism. That kind of birth from and of God is solid and sure. God Himself caused it. It’s His action, His working, His doing (Jn. 15:16, 19) that has made you His child.

The Light, which gives light to everyone was coming into the world, and because of what Jesus has done by His death and resurrection, you are born as God’s own child.

Dear saints, again, can you smell it? The winter of sin and death is passing away. The never-ending Spring of the new creation has dawned in Christ. As His Light shines on you now, receive it again. Let it expose and scatter the shadows in and around you. Always cling to the sonship that you have been given. You are God’s child. And in the Spring of Light that He has brought, you will bloom forever in His unending grace and mercy. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

The Word, the Light, & the Darkness – Sermon on John 1:1-5 for Midweek Advent 1

John 1:1-5

1 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 any thing 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.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Texts like this are one of many reasons why I’ll never attempt to create a chronological Bible reading plan. I’m familiar with several of those plans, but none of the ones I’ve seen have these verses from the opening of John’s Gospel anywhere near Genesis 1. And they should be. Parts of these verses are chronologically before the beginning. But I don’t know how exactly how a person could decide where to put them. You have Gen. 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” and Jn. 1:1-2, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” Which of those should come first? How do you order those? Would you put them parallel to each other? I don’t know. There are valid arguments to go either way.

Then, what do you do with v. 3-5? I suppose you could put v. 3-4 after the, “and there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Gen. 1:31). But then, what do you do with v. 5, “The light shines in the darkness”? You might consider putting that back on the first day of creation when God creates light and separates light from dark. But ‘the Light’ there doesn’t refer to light as we know it. There, ‘Light’ refers to Jesus Himself, and He existed even before God said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). On top of that, “The light shines in the darkness,” is present tense and is always true. Jesus constantly, continually, always shines into and pierces the darkness, and He will never be overcome. So, maybe you’d need to put v. 5 running down the margin of every single page from Genesis to Revelation.

John 1:5 is so comforting. It’s a verse that I would recommend that you tuck in your back pocket so you can contemplate and meditate on it whenever you get the sense that the darkness of this world is gaining the upper hand. It isn’t. Not now. Not ever. The darkness will never win. It can’t. Use Jn. 1:5 to constantly remind yourself, “Jesus is my Life and Light. No darkness will ever overcome Him, so no darkness will overcome me. The darkness simply isn’t strong enough.” Isn’t that a wonderful, comforting thought?

The reason no darkness can overcome Jesus is that He is eternal. There was never a time when He was not. In fact, time itself exists through and because of Him. He created time and everything else that has been made. Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was not His beginning. He always is. Notice it’s not, “He always was” but is (Jn. 8:58; Ex. 3:14).

Look again at our Old Testament reading (Pr. 8:22-31). Jesus, the Word and Wisdom God, is there before the beginning of the earth (Pr. 8:22-23). He was there before the depths were carved. He was there before the mountains were stretched into the sky. He was there before the stars were placed into their orbits and before the foundations of the earth were laid (Pr. 8:24-29). Jesus was right there beside God the Father like a master craftsman (Pr. 8:30). Jesus Himself was the Word that God that the Father spoke and which gave shape and order and beauty to all of creation. And notice the joyful exchange between God the Father and God the Son at the end of that text. God the Son says, “I was daily [the Father’s] delight,” and, “[I was] always rejoicing before [the Father]” (Pr. 8:30).

Jesus delighted in all of God’s creation. But He especially found delight in the crown of God’s creation – the children of man (Pr. 8:31). Just stop and think of that. Do you ever think of yourself as Jesus’ delight and source of joy? You should! Imagine Jesus watching over God the Father’s shoulder as Adam is being formed from the dust of the ground. He stares in amazed joy as God shapes him and uses Adam’s rib to make Eve. And even now, Jesus delights as God knits together every subsequent human who has ever been born – including you (Ps. 139:13-15).

Jesus, the eternal Son of God and God’s life-giving Word, delights in you to the extent that He can’t stand the thought of you being severed from Him. Whenever we sin, we start walking away from God’s Light and into darkness. That is why the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn. 1:14). (We’ll cover that verse in a couple weeks. And I hope I’m not preaching myself into a corner here.) God became flesh for you.

Jesus’ delight in you is so great that even though He was God, He became one of you. He took on your flesh. Now, because of the incarnation, part of God’s nature is that He has a human body. Even though Jesus is true God, He doesn’t refuse to endure the same things that you experience as a human. Jesus got hungry and thirsty. He became tired and weary. Jesus prayed to His Father when He was in danger. 

As God, Jesus is always feeding everyone everywhere in the world. But as a human Infant, Jesus nursed from Mary’s breast and was fed from Joseph’s hand. As God, Jesus never needs to sleep. But as a Man, He sleeps on a pillow in the stern of a boat during a storm (Mk. 4:38). As God, Jesus is the commanding General of all the angel armies. But as a Man, Jesus was strengthened by an angel (Lk. 22:43-44). As God, Jesus put into place the entire starry height of planets, stars, and galaxies. But as a Man, Jesus’ Body is nailed to a block of wood in the shape of a cross. As God, Jesus gives life to all. But as a Man, Jesus’ side was pierced by a spear. Jesus is the One who raises the dead, but He was laid in a tomb for you.

Dear saints, the eternal Word of God – begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God – came down from heaven and was made Man. He did all of this for you. He did this to give you Life and Light. He did this because you are His delight. He will not let the darkness overcome you. And He will bring you to Himself in His eternal city where there will be no more night or darkness. He is and will always be your Light, and through faith you will reign with Him forever and ever (Rev. 21:22-22:5). Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.