Text: John 1:14-18
In this second part of our Christmas series, I want to look at the miracle of Jesus coming to earth as a child, what in theological lingo is called the incarnation, which comes from the Latin word for “flesh” – carnis. Literally it is the taking on of flesh by almighty God.
John the Apostle was the last apostle to die and wrote this Gospel or portrait of Jesus, some 40 years after Jesus’ ascension to heaven. John’s Gospel is unique in that its purpose was to unveil the Man Jesus and reveal him as God in the flesh. (John 1:14)
Let’s go way back to get some perspective. Let’s go back to before the creation of the world. A time before time existed, before light existed. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit existed together in unity. Jesus, the Word of God, speaks creation into existence. Jesus was present at the moment of creation and He spoke it into existence. (Colossians: 1:15-17)
Jesus always was God and will always be God. He is uncreated, eternal God. (John 1:1-2)
Jesus clearly understood himself to be equal with the Father, and had the right to do things that only God had the right to do. He was self conscious of his deity, he referred to “his angels” his kingdom”, Jesus forgave sins; he declared that he would judge the world. And in his most revealing and powerful declaration of his deity, Jesus said in John 8:58; ““Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” I AM! That is the name God called Himself when Moses asked for his name. (Exodus 3:14)
Jesus made many statements regarding who He was, “I and the Father [God] are one” John 10:30. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father” John 8:19. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” John 14:9 . “I am the way and the truth and the life” John 14:6.
One of the difficulties that people have in understanding the Deity of Jesus is the term “Only Begotten Son” that is found in John 3:16, in the KJV and the NASB and other versions. This does not mean that Jesus was created by God, or there was a time when Jesus did not exist. However here the NIV gets it right by translating the term “one and only son”, meaning that Jesus is unique and the only one of his kind. Jesus Christ is eternal God and has always existed.
God has revealed himself to mankind in various ways. Theologians use the term “general revelation” to explain the revelation of God through nature and through his works in History. But the Word of God is what is known as “special revelation”. Special Revelation is needed, so the gospel can be known and preached. The Bible is the written word of God and Jesus is the incarnate, living Word of God. Jesus is the special revelation of God.
Jesus came to reveal and explain the nature of God (1:18), and everything he said and did revealed something of the nature of God the Father.
Verse 14 of our text today says that Jesus dwelt among us. This is a reference that the people would have understood, to the time in the Wilderness when God had Moses construct the tabernacle for the dwelling place of the Lord. Now let us be sure to understand, God does not need a place to reside, or be confined to. But by the grace and omniscience (all knowing) nature of God, he had Moses build the tabernacle to point to Jesus. Jesus would be confined in the human form for a time, dwelling with mankind, revealing God to us. The Greek word that John uses here describes literally that Jesus “pitched his tent” here on earth. I love the way the Old Testament points towards Jesus!
Jesus said in John 8:12; “I am the light of the World”. He came to his own creation, pitched a tent here and humbled himself. Jesus became a man in order to lead us to our salvation, he took on flesh, pitched a tent here on earth in order to be the light to direct us to God the Father. Even though Jesus was and always is God, he was also fully man. He experienced temptation, he experienced hunger and thirst. He felt sorrow, joy and anger. He was not exempt from the human experience. He experienced life on earth just like you and me.
Jesus did this in order to be the bridge between God and man. Jesus had to become a man in order to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. This is the foundation and ultimate truth of Christianity that sets it apart from any other religion.
Jesus is the only way. I don’t care how well meaning any other religious leader might be. Christianity is the only “religion” where God himself stepped down and became one of us in order to provide a sacrifice for us to spend eternity with him in Heaven.
Here is a great story told by the late Paul Harvey that puts a unique perspective on the incarnation: