Sunday, December 21, 2014

December 22, 2014

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received 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. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-14

Here is another amazing paradox in the Christmas story: The Creator became Christ, the creature, in order to allow you and me to be re-created in Him!

Think on that for a moment!

Before I elaborate on the significance of the “Word” becoming flesh, let me talk about what it means for you.

God, the Word, put on flesh in order to correct us – “The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it”

Sin had plunged the human race into spiritual darkness. Darkness is the symbol of spiritual ignorance and sin. Light stands for God’s truth and His holiness.

Have you ever been in total darkness? Maybe you were in a cavern or in a cellar and you couldn’t even see your hand in front of your face. If you can relate to that experience and how it felt, then you have a clue about your spiritual condition apart from Jesus, the Word of God,

We were so morally and spiritually lost in the darkness of sin and ignorance we did not even know we were lost. We thought God grades on a curve and we can do enough good things to earn a passing grade.

Jesus, the Word that became flesh, came to declare the truth about out lost condition. But, praise God, He proclaimed the truth in grace!

God, the Word, put on flesh to connect us – “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”

Because the Word was God and because He “put on flesh and dwelt among us”, He was uniquely able to as a Holy Son to introduce us to His Heavenly Father.

That connection did not become possible just because The Word was born in a manger, but it happened because He died on a cross. In fact, the reason He was born in human flesh was so He could die on the cross to atone for our sins. His atoning sacrifice on the Cross paid the price of your adoption as a child of God.

Because the Word become flesh, the Son of God, died to pay the penalty for your sins, trusting Him to be your Savior will connect you to God by faith!

God, the Creator, was born into the world in the flesh of a creature, to make it possible for you and me to be recreated – from the inside out! Have you been made new?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17