“THE WORD BECAME FLESH”
John 1:1-18. (v.14).
I. INTRODUCTION
A. SAY: “THE INCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST UNIQUE & INCOMPARABLE”
1. FOR HE ALONE IS…
“THE WORD BECAME FLESH.”
a. WHICH MEANS
• The transcendent is now Immanent.
2. SAY: “THIS IS ONE OF THE PROFOUND TRUTHS THAT SETS THE CHRISTIAN FAITH APART”
a. WHAT IS “TRANSCENDENCE”?
• The “otherness” of God.
• He cannot be represented physically.
EXAMPLE
• The idea of the Islamic god.
b. WHAT IS IMMANENCE?
• A God who is very active in human affairs and the working of the universe.
EXAMPLE
• The idea of the Hindu god.
3. THIS IS THE IRRESOLVABLE TENSION THAT…
• God in Jesus Christ is both apart and yet near.
“THE WORD BECAME FLESH.”
B. Q: THE DIFFERENCE-- ‘AVATARS’ AND ‘INCARNATION’
• The Hindus have had nine avatars and are waiting for the 10th.
1. AVATAR (IN MYTHOLOGY)
• A specific role played for a temporary period
• gods taking the form of half god and half creature [human or animal]
• The crux of the avatar was to destroy the evil people and bless the righteous people.
2. INCARNATION (JESUS CHRIST)
There are two differences:
i. Personhood, and
ii. Purpose.
a. PERSONHOOD
• Fully God and fully man at the same time, and
• It is permanent.
b. PURPOSE
• Jesus came not to take a life but to give life.
Jn. 10:10. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
“THE WORD BECAME FLESH.”
C. OUR OBJECTIVE:
1. EXPLORE THIS MYSTERIOUS & PARADOXICAL STATEMENT:
“THE WORD BECAME FLESH.”
• See it through the eyes of John;
• As we skim through the passages found in this Gospel presentation.
2. IMPORTANT TO NOTE: THE PERFECT BALANCE IN JOHN’S GOSPEL
i. Though John presents Jesus as the Son of God;
ii. It is not at the absence of ignoring the humanity of Christ.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT MANY VERSES.
ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW WITH ME IN YOUR BIBLES.
“THE WORD BECAME FLESH.”
II. FIRST, WHAT DOES JOHN HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE DIETY OF CHRIST
A. AN INTERESTING FEATURE OF JOHN IS THE USE OF SEVENS.
• 7 I AM’s
• 7 Signs
• 7 eyewitnesses
• 7 Imperatives
… as he presents the perfect Son of God.
B. CHAPTER 1 BEGINS WITH SEVEN TITLES FOR JESUS
i. The Word (vv. 1, 14);
ii. The Light (vv. 5, 7);
iii. The Lamb of God (vv. 29, 36);
iv. The Son of God (vv. 34, 49);
v. The Christ (Messiah) (v. 41);
vi. The King of Israel (v. 49); and
vii. The Son of Man (v. 51).
C. CALLS TO WITNESS THREE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
• A good way to attest the authenticity is witnesses.
1. FIRST, MOSES (Exodus 33).
• Referenced 13 times in this Gospel.
a. THROUGH AN IMAGERY IN JOHN 1:14.
• Uses the same word.
Jn. 1:14. “Word ‘tabernacled’ among us…”
b. JESUS IS TRULY THE IMMANUEL:
• God with us.
2. SECOND, ABRAHAM:
• Appears nine times.
a. ABRAHAM SAW THE COMING OF THE JEHOVAH IN INCARNATION. (John 8:56)
John 8:58. “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
• Abraham saw the pre-existent Jesus Christ the One come down in flesh.
3. ISAIAH
John 12:41. Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. [I.e. Christ in His glory].
• Jn 12:38 cff. Is 53:1
• Jn 12:40 cff. Is 6:10.
a. John says:
• The glory that Isaiah saw [Is Ch. 6] is the glory of the Pre-existent Jesus.
D. SEVEN EYEWITNESSES WHO CONFESS TO THE DEITY OF CHRIST
1. JOHN THE BAPTIST
Jn 1:34. And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
2. NATHANIEL
Jn 1:49. “…Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
3. SAMARITANS
Jn 4:42. “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
4. PETER
Jn 6:69. “…and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
5. THE BLIND BEGGAR
Jn 9:38. He said, “Lord, I believe [that you are the Son of Man –the title for the Messiah],” and he worshiped him.
6. MARTHA
Jn 11:27. She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
7. THOMAS
Jn 20:28. Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
E. GODHEAD AS A WITNESS
1. FATHER AS A WITNESS:
John 5:37 [Jn 8:18]. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,
2. HOLY SPIRIT AS A WITNESS:
Jn 15:26-27. But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
F. ADDITIONAL WITNESSES
• Overall a total of 19 according to my count.
i. Scriptures as a witness John 5:39.
ii. Jesus’ works as a witness John 10:25.
iii. Jesus himself as a witness
• [Bread of life; Light of the World; The Gate; The Good Shepherd; The Resurrection; The Way, The Truth, The Life; The Vine].
iv. Jesus before Pilate. (Jn. 18:37).
“… For this purpose, I was born and for this purpose? I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth...”
“THE WORD BECAME FLESH”
• The readers need ha?ve no doubt whatsoever;
III. SECONDLY, WHAT DOES JOHN HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE HUMANITY OF JESUS
A. SEVEN SIGNS OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST
• Jesus exhibited the signs of humanity.
i. Jn. 1:14. “the word became flesh”
ii. Jn. 4:6. Jesus grew tired.
iii. Jn. 11:35. Jesus wept
iv. Jn. 13:21. Jesus was troubled in His soul.
v. Jn. 17. Jesus prays to the Father.
vi. Jn. 19:28. Jesus got thirsty.
vii. Jn. 20:20, 27. Jesus has a real human body after res?urrectio?n, albeit glorified.
B. NOTE THE IRONIC TITLE NAILED ON THE CROSS
1. ONLY JOHN GIVES THE ENTIRE TITLE: (John 19:19)
“Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”.
• He is both – the first part and the second of the sign on the cross
2. FIRST PART: “JESUS OF NAZARETH”
• Nazareth, a place from which no good thing was expected to come.
• Jesus Christ of Nazareth the lowly despised man.
3. SECOND PART: “KING OF THE JEWS”
• This Son of David.
• The rightful heir to the throne.
“THE WORD BECAME FLESH”
IV. SO, WHAT? – WORD BECAME FLESH
A. SEVEN WAYS INCARNATION OF CHRIST IMPACTS US
1. FULFILLING OF THE PROPHECIES OF GOD AFFIRMS OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE PROMISES OF GOD
a. THE PROTOEVANGELIUM (GEN. 3:15)
• It was clear from the very beginning that the birth of Christ would be unique.
John 7:42. Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” (Micah 5:2)
2. DRAWS ALL MEN TO HIMSELF
a. IT INCLUDED ME.
Jn. 12:32. “…And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself."
b. IN LUKE: 15:2
• there is an expression that always gets me.
“This man receives sinners and eats with them”
• Their accusation is a cause for our thankfulness and praise.
3. HE IS OUR HIGH PRIEST WHO CAN EMPATHIZE WITH US
Heb 4:15-16. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses [NOTE THE DOUBLE NEGATIVE – EMPHASIS IN GREEK],
but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
4. HIS LIFE IS AN EXAMPLE FOR US
a. THE ‘SIMPLENESS’ OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST:
• In fact, if someone were to have a line-up of all the men of Nazareth they will not notice anything different about Jesus.
b. THE HUMILITY OF THE HUMANITY FO CHRIST
JOHN THE BAPTIST SAYS:
Jn 1:27. “…He who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
YET WE SEE HIM IN THE UPPER ROOM IN JOHN 13.
• “Untying the shoelac?es of his disciples,” as it were, as he washes their feet.
c. SONG: GRAHAM KENDRICK
Meekness and majesty manhood and deity
In perfect harmony the Man who is God
Lord of eternity dwells in humanity
Kneels in humility and washes our feet.
5. “OUR LOWLY BODIES LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY” [PHIL 3:21]
• Only those suffering from? physical ailments will enjoy this.
a. QUOTE: GREGORY OF NAZIAN-ZUS:
“That which He has not assumed He has not healed.”
b. JOHN PIPER EXPLAINS:
• Jesus took a human body to save our bodies.
• And he took a human mind to save our minds.
• Without becoming a ma?n in his emotions, he could not have saved our emotions.
• And without taking a human will, he could not save our will.
c. THERE IS A MAN IN HEAVEN WHO INTERCEDES FOR US AND HE SAVES COMPLETELY.
Heb 7:25. “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him? because he always lives to intercede for them.”
6. TO RECEIVE THE RIGHTS OF SONSHIP
Galatians 4:4–5: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman [i.e. incarnation], born under the law,? to redeem those under the law,? that we might receive the full rights of sons.”
• We needed a perfect human who could fulfill the righteous demands of the law to be able to redeem those under the law.
7. HE CAME TO DESTROY SATAN
Hebrews 2: 14. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same [flesh and blood, i.e. incarnation]; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ‘."
V. CONCLUDE WITH TWO HIGHLIGHTS
A. FIRST, THE TITLE HE USES FOR HIMSELF IN THIS BOOK IS:
1. “THE ONE WHOM JESUS LOVED”.
• Not a boast.
2. NOT A TITLE
• It’s a reminder of God’s grace.
3. JAMES AND JOHN ARE CALLED…
• The “Sons of Thunder”.
a. ILLUS: ANGRY BIRDS
• The stereotypical angry birds of the first century.
4. BY CALLING HIMSELF, “THE ONE WHOM JESUS LOVED”
• He is telling us that Jesus loved the one who couldn’t be loved.
5. HE IS NOW AFFECTIONATELY CALLED THE “DISCIPLE OF LOVE”
• Jesus had won his heart and transformed his life.
B. SECOND, NOTICE THE CONTRASTS
i. The Son of God who was the Son of Man.
ii. The Shepherd who was also the Lamb.
iii. He is the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God.
iv. Jesus of Nazareth, who was the King of the Jews.
C. SO, WHAT IS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE?
• This song best captures the sentiment.
1. ILLUS: GRAHAM KENDRICK -- THE SERVANT KING.
a. WHAT HE DID?
From heaven you came, h?elpless babe;?
Entered our world, your glory veiled;
Not to be served but to serve;?
And give Your life that we might live.
This is our God, The Servant King.?
b. WHAT WE ARE TO DO?
He calls us now to follow Him.
To bring our lives as a daily offering;?
Of worship to The Servant King.
2. WILL WE BE…
• Saints, who’d be His servants?
• The Forgiven, who’d forgive?
• The receivers, who’d give?
• The healed, who’d heal?
• The influenced, who’d influence for eternity?
3. ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEK?
Q: IN WHAT AREAS ARE WE YET TO REFLECT CHRIST – BECOME LIKE HIM?
