Christmas 12. 5 January 2014

image by dimitri_c

by Jason Lowe

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

John 1:1-18

As a kid I used to wonder what it would be like if my dog Grace were somehow turned into a person. I'd wonder what kind of person she would be and imagined that she'd be kind, sweet, and humble---everything that she appeared to be as a dog. What if something much bigger became a person? Like the sun or moon, or even our own galaxy? What sort of person would they be?

It seems the point of John's introduction is that the self-disclosure of Jesus is the very peak of God's manifestation to humanity. It answers the question, "What sort of person is God?" To set the reader up for this shock wave, he first makes plain that Jesus is the Creator of all things and he is the source of life and light to all people. He is creator-God. He is so intrinsically creator-God that John picks this peculiar title: the "Word." The same word that "said, 'Let there be light!'" and the entire universe was visible (Gen 1:3).

Perhaps everyone throughout history who read this for the first time thought, "Okay, so this Word is the creator. He is God. Got it." Nothing too drastic until they get to verse ten and read that this Word "came into the world." "What! When did that happen? How could that be?" They quickly read ahead in hopes of clarity, then in verse fourteen they are told, "and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." After the initial shock and excitement calms, they may be led to ask the most important question: "If God became a man, what sort of man is he?" They'd want to know how the One who crafted their bodies and all space would talk. They'd be fatally curious how the one who imagined color, taste, and sex would relate to other people.

If a galaxy, or Grace (my dog!), could become manifested into a human being, what would that person be like? I don't know. What we do know is the answer to a much greater question: if God became a man, what kind of person would he be? John summarizes the answer like this: "and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth," and then spends the next 21 chapters explaining what he means.

As we pick up the gospel of John this year, we are pressing our noses against the glass window that separates our world and heaven, and with wide eyes are stealing glances into God's heart and mind.

Take some time to consider the following. Perhaps it would be helpful to record your responses in a journal.

What sorts of words, actions, reactions, adverbs and adjectives does John use to manifest God through Jesus? What was on Jesus' heart as he perfectly reflected his Father that we're to copy? I think of John 4:34, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work." What areas is God working on in you to reflect his delightful, glorious image? What areas still fall short of his image?

Here is a prayer in response to today's text. You can pray this as your own or use it as a prompt for a spontaneous prayer.

How exciting and humbling and drawing that you earnestly desire to reflect your beauty to us. Open the eyes of our hearts that we would see what is the depth of your love revealed in Christ. This new year as a church, may we reflect your love in all the manifest ways you designed us to, but especially that we would dwell in unity and be of one mind. Help us to set aside petty differences and strive together as your body so that your image in us will not be muddled. Give us grace and tolerance for each other. This year, I also pray, open up doorways of relationships so that we have channels through which to express your lovely image. I pray this, I hope along with others, for your name's sake. Amen.