THE WORD BECAME FLESH | BIBLICAL CHRISTOLOGY FOR CHRISTMAS
THE REVEALING – WE HAVE SEEN HIS GLORY
JOHN 1:14c
[INTRODUCTION]
- It has been said, (and I believe, correctly said), that the best of men are men at best. Think about some of the great men and women of history. What names come to mind? If we were to look at American history we might think of names such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, or Abraham Lincoln. World history might yield names such as Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great. The philosopher among us might think of Aristotle, Plato, or Socrates. Biblical history would no doubt bring to mind Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, and Paul.
- Some of those men we would greatly admire; others we may not. Some knew the grace and favor of God and are no doubt living with him in glory; others surely are not. Some were great warriors, others great thinkers. They were all great in some sense, but they were all men in every sense. The best of men are men at best.
- There is one historical figure, however, that breaks this mold for us. There is one man who, we believe, was more than a man. It is, of course, Jesus of Nazareth. We call him today: Jesus Christ; Jesus the Messiah.
- Why do we believe that he was and is more than a man? Because of the testimony of Scripture concerning him. If the words we read in this book are true, the man we call Jesus was not a man at best. If, as we have been studying, Jesus is the λόγος of God (the Word of God), who became flesh and dwelt among us, then we are dealing with a man who was the human manifestation of God. We are dealing with a person who reveals God to the world, because he is both God and man. Here again is what John says:
[READ JOHN 1:14]
- Since we believe the words of this book are true, we believe exactly that about Jesus: he reveals God to us, because along with being truly human, he is God. Listen to the words of John just a few verses later in 1:18: No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. In the person of Jesus, God is made known to his creatures. Now the questions I want us to answer today are this: What about God does he reveal to us? And how does he reveal it?
- The answer to that first question is found in the words of the latter part of 1:14: and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Let me simplify that for you. The Word became a human and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, glory that shows us he is the only Son from the Father. So what about God does Jesus reveal to us? Among other things, he reveals God’s glory to us; and he does so in such a way that he shows us that he has come straight from God; and is, in fact, God.
- I want to look at three ways, from Scripture as a whole, that Jesus reveals different aspects of God’s glory to us. And I want to do this in sort of a big picture format as we wrap up our look at John 1:14. These are by no means exhaustive, but are chosen with the season in mind. So, appropriately, here is the first way:
[WE HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF GOD’S LOVE IN CHRIST’S BIRTH]
- The birth of Jesus Christ, which entailed the God of the universe coming down to be a human being, reveals so many things about God. It reveals that God is self-sacrificial. The God of the universe had no need to experience human pain, or sorrow, or weakness. Yet he subjected himself to those things by coming to this world.
- It reveals that God is humble – which is amazing when that is seen in light of his perfection. God is the only being in the universe who is right to glorify himself. And this he does; yet he also humbles himself to the point of becoming a man and dying on a cross.
- It reveals that God is concerned with having a relationship with his creation. He doesn’t just want to wipe us from existence, even though that’s what we deserve. And if there is one word that sums all of those things up, I think it is this: love. The birth of Jesus shows us the love of God.
- Galatians 4:4-5 says: when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
- When the time was right, God was born into this world to rescue us so that we could be called sons and daughters of God. It was the action of God that revealed his love for us.
- How do you know when someone loves you? Or how does someone else know you love them? Do they know it because you say it? Sure. But when does it really hit home? When they see that you love them by your actions. A husband can say “I love you” until he’s blue in the face, but if he’s beating his wife, she knows there’s not genuine love there. If he doesn’t love her enough to control his behavior, it doesn’t matter what he says. Or a wife would have a hard time convincing her husband that she loves him if she is constantly running off with other men. A child knows his or her parents love them by how they are treated.
- True love reveals itself in how a person acts. And it’s no different with God. His love for mankind was revealed by his action. He could have let us go our own way without ever intervening. He would have been perfectly justified in doing so. But he stepped in; and his birth as the God-man reveals his great love.
- The story of the helpless baby in the manger is a story of the love of God. It’s not just a feel good story for the holidays. It’s not simply a good script for a pageant. It is a revealing; a revealing of God’s heart.
- Secondly:
[WE HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF GOD’S POWER IN CHRIST’S LIFE]
- Jesus reveals God’s love for us in the fact that he came to this earth, but what did he do while he was on this earth? Once again there are many ways to look at this. The way that Jesus lived while he was on this earth revealed that God is holy, because Jesus never sinned. His life revealed that God is compassionate, as Jesus showed compassion to the masses. But I think if there is one word that sticks out in my mind when I think of Jesus’ ministry on this earth it is this: power.
- There is an interesting account in the book of Luke that I think makes our point perfectly.
[READ LUKE 7:11-17]
- What’s going on here? Jesus raises a man from the dead. Now there are several different responses we might expect: awe, fear, amazement. And that is exactly what Luke says happened. But notice what they were saying: God has visited his people.
- The power that Jesus revealed made them all acknowledge that God was in their midst. He was dwelling among them. And Jesus’ life was full of these sorts of instances wasn’t it?
- He turned water into wine, calmed the raging sea, cast demons out of people, multiplied bread, and raised people from the dead. What we see in Christ’s life is the power of God at work. We see God’s power over his creation, and his power to change people’s lives. And we’ll tie that into his birth and this Christmas season when we close.
- And lastly:
[WE HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF GOD’S GRACE IN CHRIST’S CROSS]
- Jesus revealed the love of God when he was born in Bethlehem. He revealed the power of God all throughout his ministry. And he supremely revealed the grace of God when he sacrificed himself on the cross for the sins of all who would believe.
- Paul wrote this in Colossians 1:15-20: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
- Jesus is the image of the invisible God. That’s the same sort of language that John uses when he writes that Jesus reveals God to us. And what does Jesus, the image of the invisible God do? He makes peace by the blood of his cross. There is no greater picture of the mercy and grace of God than the cross of Jesus.
- Hebrews 1:1-3 says: Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
- There it is again: God revealing himself through Jesus and that truth connected to the cross. So how do we wrap this up into a nice little Christmas present, so to speak?
[CONCLUSION]
- Since we have seen the glory of God’s love in Christ’s birth, we should never ever think we are not loved. Perhaps you or someone you know is alone. Sometimes, the holidays are the worst times to be alone. You really feel the pain of it when everyone else is gathering with family and friends. Don’t let that pain fool you into thinking you are unloved. Because we have seen God’s love for you in Christ’s birth.
- Or maybe that’s not you. You know you’re not alone and you know that you are loved. Maybe you need to be reminded to never think that your life cannot change. Perhaps you are struggling with the same sin that you were struggling with last Christmas. Remember that Jesus revealed to power of God to us. Just like he changed the lives of those he encountered when he walked this earth, he can change your life today.
- Or perhaps you need a fresh view of God’s grace in your life. Maybe there’s an estranged family member that you can show the mercy of God to. Or maybe you need to experience the grace of God in your own life. Don’t ever think that God cannot forgive you. If you come to him on his terms, all is forgiven. We know that because Jesus revealed God’s great grace on the cross.
- Whatever it is, let Christ reveal God to you this Christmas season. He has done it in so many ways in Scripture. And this Christmas will be a meaningful one if we let the truth of the Incarnation inform how we celebrate.
