The Miracle of The Word
1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2. The same was in the beginning with God.
3. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.
14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father), full of Grace and Truth.
John 1:1-3, 14
God in a Body
Each Gospel gives a picture of Jesus’ Divinity in order to help us understand the full impact of what it means to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. While the Gospels of Matthew and Luke focus on Christ’s birth in time, John takes the unique approach of focusing on Jesus Divinity that predates time. We also find that rather than drawing from Jesus’ Jewish roots, the Gospel of John reveals that Jesus was God and this same Jesus is God in the flesh. The Greek term Logos is used to demonstrate that Jesus was from the beginning, or should I say prior to the beginning of time. This would establish the fact that Jesus was not created but was already present prior to Creation.
Not only was Jesus present prior to Creation, He was with God and was God. There were some in John’s day that attempted to diminish Jesus as Divine but less than God the Father. John refutes that argument by placing Jesus or the Logos as with God and was God before time began. These claims would be made by Jesus as He worked miracles and demonstrated His Power throughout the Gospel. The religious leaders were angered at the fact that Jesus used “I AM” statements in His claims of identity. But John states plainly, “that is Who He Is.”
It is at this point that we find the first miracle of the Word in that God reveals Himself to mankind. God could have sent an angel or all the angels but this was not the plan. The plan was for God Himself to reveal His full Glory and Power to humans. This could only happen through the miracle of birth. If God entered the world as a man only, then His power would be compromised. If God entered the world in the Form of God, then no man could look upon such Power and live. John expresses this miracle in such an eloquent way by stating, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
This had never happened before. The Greeks tried to depict this in their literature but would always fail due to the compromise of power by combining deity with flesh. Not so with God’s miracle. Jesus took on flesh but was at all points Very God of Very God. Paul writes Colossians 1:19, In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. How could such an impossibility become such a reality? The Greeks were torn in their thoughts that even a small manifestation of deity could be given to humans and yet the Logos of God poured All of God into One Body in the person of Jesus Christ. What a miracle, and yet God did it! The Unlimited God was condensed into a small embryo that grew in Mary’s body. Yet it happened according to Genesis 3:15, that the Seed of the Woman would become God in a body and bruise the serpent’s head. That’s what happened when God entered time and manifested Himself. This is Jesus the Christ!
God Turned On the Light
You would think that everyone on the earth would embrace the Revelation of God in Jesus Christ. You would think that all mankind would love God for performing such an act of Grace. That did not happen. Rather than embracing God, people rejected this Truth. The Light of God’s Presence shined into the world of darkness but the darkness did not comprehend it. What happened? They not only failed to understand, but they also refused to understand. That points to the total depravity of man. Jesus spoke to this rejection in John 3:29, that men loved darkness rather than The Light. The Light came into the world, but people did not care for the Light. John wrote that He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him. John 1:11.
Here is a great dilemma. Mankind needed a Savior. Humans needed God to deliver them from darkness. Yet when the Light was revealed by God Himself, that Light was rejected. Did God withdraw His Presence? Absolutely not. The Light kept shining with radiance and power. This brings us to the second miracle of God manifesting Himself in the world. The Light shined and continues to shine in the darkness. God, in His Infinite Wisdom, knew that some would see the Light and would be saved.
John 1:12, But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name. The Light kept shining despite the rejection. The Light shined despite the wickedness being committed. The Light kept shining and many believed. God was persistent in drawing mankind to the Light. God never stopped caring, loving, and working to bring people to Him.
There are some in our generation who think that the Gospel Message is no longer relevant. Some say that the Christmas celebration is more of a cultural recognition of Jesus Christ and a nice Christmas story. The truth of the matter is that God’s Light is not diminished by the rejection of humans. The Light is still shining and people are coming to the Light because it is the Only Light of God.
There are two doctrines that will help people better understand their need for the Light and for God’s Word to shine in their life. First is the doctrine of the total depravity of man. This teaching is simple. It states that humans are totally evil. The Greeks got it right when they stated that the flesh was totally evil. The Bible states that there are none righteous no not one. Romans 3:10. That pretty much includes every human that has ever been born. However, the Greeks went too far when they believed that humans could never become divine. This brings us to the second doctrine that helps us understand our need for God. The second doctrine simply says that man is totally depended upon God. On the one hand, humans are totally depraved, but on the other hand they are totally depended upon God. Thank God for Grace. John 1:12, But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name. The Logos or Word of God has not only come into the world but has also changed mankind so that those who believe have now become the children of God. That is a miracle!
Let’s recap at this point and reflect on the miracle of God’s Word. First, it was a miracle that God would come into this world and express Himself in a human body. Yet all the Fullness of God was wrapped in The Body that lay in the Bethlehem manger. It was no Angel; it was God Himself, the Word of God. God Who was from the beginning and indeed Who started the beginning and created all things took on flesh.
The second miracle is the Word shining His Light into the world that rejected His Presence. Rather than welcoming the Light, humans rejected God but God did not remove His Presence. God’s Word kept working despite the darkness. The darkness did not and cannot overcome the Light. The Light is still working because it is God’s Word shining into the hearts of people. Those who realized they are totally depraved also recognize that God is their only solution. They receive the Word and through the Word their lives are changed. But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.
The Miracle of the Word in Man
We have already shared how the Word overcame the darkness and gave power for humans to become children of God. Yet have you ever considered the impact of the Word, God’s Logos in the heart of mankind? What does that mean? Again, John challenges the Greek mythology that espoused super-human qualities as the demonstration of humans whose lives were impacted by deity. John rejected the notion of humans becoming good except through the Power of God’s Word.
He began the argument by revealing the impact of the Word (Logos) in the heart of people who believe. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father), full of Grace and Truth. John adds the parenthetical note to the Word made flesh and dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth. The note is that “we beheld His Glory.” O that mankind would see the Glory of God and be changed! Moses asked to see the Glory of God. God did show him part of His Glory but had to hide Moses in the Rock and cover him with His Hand. So Moses was unable to embrace the full Glory of The Lord. Isaiah was in the Temple and only saw God’s Robe that was filled with the Glory of the Lord. The point is, no one had seen the full Glory of God Almighty, that is until The Logos came. Jesus revealed God’s full Glory and John acknowledged that he along with others saw that Glory. Please remember, mankind did not seek God’s Glory, but those who are drawn to God will see the Glory of the Lord. That Glory does not change the person from the outside in, but rather from the inside out.
The Logos goes to work in each person’s heart to perform the new birth. This is an act of God that transforms humans into children of God. This is the third miracle of the Word. The same Glory of God that was with God from the beginning now enters the heart of those who believe and transforms them into children of God. Words cannot explain this impact and yet it has happened to millions of people and continues to happen when people hear the Word of God. As Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3:3, and verse 5, you must be born again to see and to enter into the Kingdom of God. It is only as each person accepts the Word into their heart that the full Revelation of God can be experienced.
When Christ the Word enters the heart, people not only see the Glory of God Almighty, but they also become a partaker of that same Glory. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father), full of Grace and Truth. Thanks be to God for His Unspeakable Gift.