I have often wondered, and I’m sure you have too, how on earth did people not immediately see that Clark Kent was Superman. Glasses and a change of clothes don’t make you utterly unrecognizable. Especially to Lois Lane. I mean she worked with Clark every day and she was basically dating Superman. Duh, Lois! Reading the gospels, I’m telling you, it feels the same way. These Pharisees, teachers of Jewish Law, they were the ones looking the hardest for the Messiah. But when he is standing right in front of them they seem completely blind. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”
The Jews saw themselves as belonging to something of an exclusive club. They were God’s chosen people for one thing, and they did everything right for another. Jews were the sons and daughters of Abraham. But now it’s like their special club is getting invaded and the invitation to join is going out to anyone and everyone. That’s extremely good news for the rest of us. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”Yesterday we talked about God bringing a new creation within us. He is making us into his sons and daughters. Not just a select group, but anyone who believes in his name! “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Did you catch that? He just called the law grace (grace already given). We often misunderstand the Old Testament Law as hard and judgmental, but actually it was God revealed to Israel. Through the law of Moses they knew God. The law pointed them in the right direction, but like Moses himself it didn’t quite get them all the way into the promised land. For that we need grace and truth from Jesus Christ.* In fact, Jesus is still the very best way for us to know God. The God who spoke the universe into existence bought the house next door to us, became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Then he tops it all off by inviting us to be family! What a way to say “I love you!” I’ve said it before, still true. If I had to sum up the gospel message in one sentence it would be this: You can know God. Not because we are seeking God, but because over and over again, God is seeking us. Take a moment to realize the profound significance that God is seeking you. John 1.1-18 [NIV] 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 all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 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. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. *Wright, NT. John for Everyone Part 1. Page 5.
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You might have noticed that John begins his gospel story a little differently than his homies, Matthew, Mark and Luke. It’s kind of fun to read them back to back and notice the differences (Did someone say, “Chronological Bible!?!”). So what makes John so weird? Maybe it was because John wrote his account of Jesus’ life much later, around 90-95 AD. Extra time might be what made his gospel more reflective, and the Holy spirit what made it more interpretive. John is telling you not onlywhat Jesus did but also the profound significance of who Jesus was.
The most striking difference in John’s gospel is that he doesn’t begin with the once-upon-a-time of Jesus’ birth. Instead, he takes us all the way back to the very beginning of time itself. Remember the story of the universe begins with this phrase, “In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1.1) Watch out! John is about to make a serious statement. “In the beginning was the Word.” (John 1.1) BAM! That opening statement is heavy with meaning, for real. It’s obvious that John is talking about Jesus when he says “The Word.” The Greek word for Word is logos. Three points of significance. First, the logos is major power. It was God’s word that spoke creation into existence. If you flip back to Genesis you can read the creation story. It goes basically like this, “God said let there be… light, animals, people, etc… and there was.” How did God create the world? Yep, he told it to exist, and it did. Second, logos had special significance for the Jews. They had a very reverent view of God, so much that they wouldn’t even speak God’s proper name. Often instead of saying Yahweh, a Jew would say “the word of God” or “the logos of God.” What I’m saying is that for a Jewish person logos was another way to say “God.” Hearing John’s opening line is basically blowing their mind. Third, logos for the Greeks was a symbolic term forreason and the philosophical principles that they believed held everythingtogether. The Logos was like the force that controlled the universe (Star Wars parallel intended). Maybe John was trying to say to the Greeks, “Listen guys, logos isn’t some abstract idea. Logos is a person, and I’d like to introduce you to him.” Holy Cow. If you thought Jesus was just some guy, think again! In casehaven’t figured this out by now (and I realize I can be subtle), John is rather poetically and boldly saying JESUS IS GOD. Not only is Jesus God, from the beginning, but he is at work still. He is shouting out the darkness and this time bringing a new creation within us. “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Tomorrow we will wrap up John 1 by talking about grace upon grace before we move on to the joy of God’s discipline on Thursday. John 1.1-18 [NIV] 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 all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 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. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. What’s the big deal about Advent? If you shot up your hand with the Sunday School answer you would be right on. It’s Jesus!! The two biggest days in the church calendar are Christmas and Easter. And to give you an idea of their importance, we take 5 weeks to prepare for Christmas. That’s Advent. We take 8 weeks to prepare for Easter. That’s Lent.
The Incarnation. That’s the big about Advent/Christmas. I’m not talking about ugly flowers or powdered milk. I’m talking about one of the most important aspects of the Christian faith. Incarnation or in the flesh, refers to God coming to earth as a human being. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1.14 Think on that for a minute. God became one of us. God is not far away. God is near. That’s the big deal about Advent. Tomorrow we will stick with John 1 and talk about the significance of the word Word (yo?). John 1.1-18 [NIV] 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 all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 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. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. |
AuthorThe Pastors of Cornerstone Wesleyan Church Archives
July 2017
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