Christmas Grace Part 1
John 1:1-5
December 2001
Introduction
The land of Persia was once ruled by a wise and beloved Shah who cared greatly for his people and desired only what was best for them. One day he disguised himself as a poor man and went to visit the public baths. The water for the baths was heated by a furnace in the cellar, so the Shah made his way to the dark place to sit with the man who tended the fire. The two men shared the coarse food, and the Shah befriended him in his loneliness. Day after day the ruler went to visit the man. The worker became attached to this stranger because he "came where he was". One day the Shah revealed his true identity, and he expected the man to ask him for a gift. Instead, he looked long into his leader’s face and with love and wonder in his voice said, "You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this dark place, to eat my coarse food, and to care about what happens to me. On others you may bestow rich gifts, but to me you have given yourself!"
As we think of what our Lord has done for us, we can echo that fire tender’s sentiments. Oh, what a step our Lord took -- from heaven to earth, from the worship of angels to the mocking of cruel men, from glory to humiliation!
READ TEXT
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 men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
Body
I. The Word is eternal
In the beginning was the Word
A. The Greek concept
1. The Greek word Logos is translated here the Word
2. This literally means knowledge, a way of knowing or reason for existence.
B. The Hebrew concept
1. The phrase “in the beginning” refers us back to Genesis 1:1.
2. This is a specific reference to the beginning of time itself John is telling us that the Word existed before creation.
3. Thus the Word is eternal in nature and scope
C. The Divine nature
And the Word was God
1. The Word was God.
2. This refers to the God of the patriarchs, Moses and the prophets
3. He who never began to be, but eternally existed, and who continued to be what he eternally was, began to be what he eternally was not."
II. The Word is personal
and the Word was with God 2 He was with God in the beginning.
A. This Word was with God
1. This identifies an intimate personal relationship
2. The Word was part of the company of God
B. The Word is a person
1. John uses the personal pronoun “he”
2. This means that the Word is not some abstract concept of force. The Word is a person
3. This conveys that there is indeed a person who has an eternal relationship with God
III. The Word is creative
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
A. The Word is the source of creation
1. This signifies that fact that the Word was indeed totally creative
2. The Word was active in the process of Creation
B. The Word is the source of life
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
1. The Word is the source of physical life through creation and the source of eternal life through the means of divinity
2. The Word becomes light through the life He brings
a.) This light becomes the hope of humanity
b.) This light shines in the midst of darkness
c.) This light splits into the darkness of sin
d.) Those who are in darkness do not understand it
Conclusion
I believe God entered time and space to make a nonverbal statement. He didn’t come to keep us from suffering; He came to suffer as we must suffer. He didn’t come just to keep us from being afraid; He came to be afraid as we are afraid. He didn’t come just to keep us from dying; He came to die as we must die. He didn’t come to keep us from being tempted; He came to be tempted as we are tempted.
Jesus came so that we could have a God who understands the facts of living and knows the pain of daily life. We have a savior who knows what it is like to be rejected. We have a savior who knows what it is like to have sorrow. We have a savior who knows what it is like to suffer. We have a savior who knows what it is like to die. We have a savior who knows what it is like to be raised to new life and defeat death. This is the foundation of our faith and the foundation of our lives.
Jesus is the reason for the season
