God In The Flesh

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: