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Scripture Text (NRSV)

 

John 1:1-18

 

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word wasGod.

1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

1:3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came intobeing. What has come into being

1:4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

1:7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe throughhim.

1:8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

1:9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

1:10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world didnot know him.

1:11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.

1:12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to becomechildren of God,

1:13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, butof God.

1:14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, theglory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

1:15 (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'")

1:16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

1:17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

1:18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

 

Comments:

 

Friends,

The Word became flesh. The Word became a person. The Word took on anatomical proportions. The Word became a feeling, thinking, dreaming, a growing individual. That's what 'flesh' means? Skin and bones?

God's Word became flesh and blood, and that means our word must become flesh as well. We need to somehow find that voice, that word made flesh voice (which comes from all of our being--our life, even).

A word made flesh is the only thing that really matters in the world. Am I off base? Steve Souther


Hi Steve.

No, I don't think you are off base. The whole "Actions speak louder than words" thing comes to mind.

What this passage points to, I think, is that God's word and actions are consistent with each other. Unlike ours, which frequently are disconnected from each other. The whole "Do as I say, not as I do" thing, or the "He talks a good game" thing. These all point to inconsistency between our words and actions. Not so with God.

Initial thoughts....  Rick in Canada, eh?


The words we are willing to use can make a difference in the world. We find ourselves once again standing in history at the edge of the abyss. The balance is so fragile all it takes is the right word in the right place at the right time and history for all time is changed. We are judged by our words, certainly. But the judgement may be far worse if we withhold our words, fearful to speak them, to send that write that letter and mail it. The weight of it may be all that's needed.

Imagine, if we could see clearly what words actually do. It isn't far fetched, because of The Word, to believe it really matters.

What if a world war was prevented by the weight of a letter that someone had the courage to write. They may never know, but one thing is certain: nothing would have happened if that word hadn't gone out.

We are responsible to the Word, the world is a much better place when it takes on flesh, our flesh!

 Steve Souther


This mystery that surrounds us and is in us is almost too deep to proclaim. The Word has become flesh and dwells among us? Why can't I accept my own body? Why cannot I accept the materiality of life? Why am I a docetist at heart? Why can't I get my hands dirty in the mix of darkness and light? Why can't I affirm Christ in the bowels of human suffering?

Indeed, to see his glory is to be able to do all the above!

tom in ga


See double images today in the lessons and in the contemplation of the birth of Jesus, our Savior.

Begin with Mary. The first image: On Christmas we see her in the stable where she "brought forth" her firstborn son. She is "treasuring" the shepherds' report of their angelic vision and pondering it in her heart.

Now the second, the double of the vision:

At the cross, her station keeping, / Stood the mournful mother weeping, / Close to Jesus to the last. / Through her heart, his sorrow sharing, / All his bitter anguish bearing, / Now at length the sword had passed. ("At the Cross, Her Station Keeping" [STABAT MATER])

Then consider Jesus. He "became flesh." See the fair little Lord Jesus, swaddled, in the straw and hay of the manger. See his glory, "the glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love" (Jn 1.14). "He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being" (Heb 1.3).

Now, the double of that image: See him at Pilate's judgment hall. See that once fair face bloodied from the crown of thorns; that head, bowed. Dead.

Now see ourselves, united with our risen Lord. Know that his right hand and his left hand and his holy arms have gotten him the victory. He has forever changed "this sorry Scheme of Things entire." See us, then, each of us, with our child Jesus, our risen Savior, continuing God's redeeming, remolding work.

Ah Love! Could you and I with Him conspire / To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire, / Would not we shatter it to bits--and then / Re-mold it nearer to the Heart's Desire! (From the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam)


I intend to reflect on the word Incarnation in "taking on humnan flesh." The great mystery is God's love for us while we were still sinners. How do we enflesh our human-ness and recognize how God is working in our lives? What can we do to make God more real in our lives? Do those reality shows help make things real or are they a sham for reality itself?

old priest in Iowa


old priest in Iowa,

You ask, "What can we do to make God more real in our lives?" If WE are DOING something to MAKE GOD more REAL in our lives, then we are creating an idol that is NOT God. It is always human temptation to control God, to make God, to be God, and sometimes our language reinforces that tendency.

Instead, maybe we should be asking, "How can we better uplift the reality of God, inspire responses to God's great and wonderful gifts, and show to the world the God the world is often too blind to see."

May first reaction to reality shows is that they are stupid, but people make money on them, so they'll probably continue for the forseeable future. The thing is, we are all living a reality show all the time. People watch us, people vote us out of their lives when they don't want to be friends anymore, people give us things when they think we've earned them, and when they want something in return. We may not be famous, but we are real, as the God who creates us is real.

Michelle


I need some help. A few years ago I used a story in my sermon based on this text. I think I would like to use it again - but I can't find it.

The story is about a father who is an art collector and his son who gets killed in a war. It goes on from there.....

If you have this story - please send it to me at cathyannplumer@yahoo.com

Thanks! Cathyann


Cathyann -- Think this is the story you're looking for:

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together they traveled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso and many others adorned the walls of the family estate. The widowed elder man looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. The son's trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world. As winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. The art collector anxiously awaited more news. fearing he would never see his son again. Within days, his fears were confirmed, the young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic. Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season, that he and his son had so looked forward to, would visit his house no longer.

On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed, old man. As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hands. He introduced himself to the man by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you." As the two began to talk, the soldier told of how the man's son had told everyone of his, not to mention his father's, love of fine art. "I am an artist," said the soldier, "and I want to give you this." As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man's son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face in striking detail. Overcome with emotion, the man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the picture above the fireplace. A few hours later, after the soldier had departed, the old man set about his task. True to his word, the painting went above the fireplace, pushing aside thousands of dollars worth of art. His task completed, the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the gift he had been given.

During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy's life would live on because of those he had touched. He would soon learn that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stilled his caring heart. As the stories of his son's gallantry continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease his grief. The painting of his son soon became his most prizedpossession, far eclipsing any interest in the pieces for which museums around the world clamored. He told his neighbors it was the greatest gift he had ever received. The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation, that with the collector's passing, and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at auction.

According to the will of the old man, all of the art works would be auctioned on Christmas Day, the day he had received the greatest gift. The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world's most spectacular paintings. Dreams would be fulfilled this day; greatness would be achieved as many would claim, "I have the greatest collection." The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum's list. It was the painting of the man's son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid, but the room was silent. Who will open the bidding with $100?," he asked. Minutes passed, and no one spoke. From the back of the room came a voice, "Who cares about that painting? It's just a picture of his son." "Let's forget about it and move on to the good stuff," more voices echoed in agreement.

"No, we have to sell this one first," replied the auctioneer. "Now, who will take the son?" Finally, a neighbor of the old man spoke. "Will you take ten dollars for the painting? That's all I have. I knew the boy, so I'd like to have it." "I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?" called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, "Going once, going twice, gone." The gavel fell.

Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, "Now we can get on with it and we can bid on the real treasures!" The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced that the auction was over. Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Someone spoke up and asked, "What do you mean, it's over? We didn't come here for a picture of some old guy's son. What about all of these paintings? There are millions of dollars worth of art here! I demand that you explain what is going on!" The auctioneer replied, "It's very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son...gets it all."

========

Hope that helps.

Blessings, Eric in OH


I love this text because sometimes the Luke 2 almost takes on a fairy tale quality about it. Here we have what Christmas means - God becoming incarnate, God with us. I will be speaking of the hymn "Twas in the Moon of Wintertime", also called The Huron Carol. Most people seem to find it very strange when they first sing it. What do wandering hunters have to do with the Christmas story? Well, this was written for the Huron Indians, who wouldn't have known much about sheep, and probably didn't do much with the herding of animals. To make the story understandable to them, shepherd needed to become hunters. Some people find this offensive because "that isn't the way it's written," but that's the way it need to be sung if the Indians were to understand it. I've always found the chorus strange to sing, "Jesus your king is born, Jesus is born," with the two beats of the "your" that seems to throw things off. But that emphasis is so profound - it is "Your" king, not just the king of people back then, not just the king of those who recognize themselves in shepherd, but your king. Christ becomes incarnate anew in every culture and every life. Lisa in SoIL


I suspect many are having Christmas day, but most don't preach on the John text. I really like that text, however. With all the winter weather we've been having, I'm thinking about Garrison Keillor's story called "Storm Home," about the family in town that was designated for him to go to if there was a storm during the school day and they couldn't get out to their place. He never had to go there, and never even met the couple, but he found great comfort in the idea of having a "storm home," a place to go where he would be wanted and protected. They loomed large in his imagination. As the years went by, he imagined that he could seek refuge with his storm parents from the various non-weather-related storms which plagued life. It never happened, but he found great comfort in the idea of being able to go. I'm going to talk aout Jesus Christ the God become flesh as being our "storm home," that is, the place of refuge and safety in our stormy world. I haven't really formed the whole thing, but I'm thinking in that direction. Moose


There is a great entry in Henri Nouwen's book "The Road to Daybreak" for March 20. He is reflecting on "The Word became flesh". I've centered my meditation around this quote. Hope it is helpful to you.

"Until now my whole life has been centered around the word: learning, teaching, reading, writing, speaking. Without the word, my life is unthinkable. A good day is a day with a good conversation, a good lecture given or heard, a good book read, or a good article written. Most of my joys and pains are connected with words.

"L'ARche, however, is built not on words, but on the body. The community of L'Arche is a community formed around the wounded bodies of handicapped people (This is where Nouwen ended living and ministering... among people who could barely sit up or feed themselves.) Feeding, cleaning, touching, holding - this is what builds the community. Words are secondary. Most handicapped people have few words to speak, and many do not speak at all. It is the language of the body that counts most of all.

"'The Word became flesh.' That is the center of the Christian message. Before the Incarnation, the relationship between body and word was unclear. Often the body was seen as a hindrance to the full realization of what the word wanted to express. But Jesus confronts us with the word that can be seen, heard, and touched. The body thus becomes the way to know the word and to enter into relationship with the word. The body of Jesus becomes the way to life. 'He who eats my body and drinks my blood will have eternal life.'

"I feel a deep resistance against this way. Somehow I have come to think about eating, drinking, washing, and dressing as so many necessary preconditions for reading, speaking, teaching, or writing. Somehow the pure word was the real thing for me. Time spent with 'material' things was necessary but needed to be kept to a mininum. But at L'Arche, that is where all the attention goes. At L'ARche the body is the place where the word is met. It is in relationship to the wounded body of the handicapped person that I must learn to discover God.

"This is very hard for me. I still find a long meal in the middle of the day a waste of time. I still think that I have more important things to do than to set the table, eat slowly, wash the dishes, and set the table again. I think, 'Surely we must eat, but the work which comes after is what counts.' But L'ARche cannot be endured with this mind set.

"I wonder when and how I will learn to fully live the Incarnation. I suppose that only the handicapped people themselves will be able to show me the way. I must trust that God will send me the teachers I need."

I'm not using the entire quote. I've just adapted parts. But I found it useful, especially since we are celebrating communion that day.

God be with you all. DGinNYC


This text is one which some of us love and some of us hate. To me it is one of the most glorious passages in scripture, speaking of the Logos and the incarnation. But I've discovered over the years that to many people who are much more concrete in their thinking than I am, this is a passage which just seems like a bunch of gobbledygook to them. A big part of my focus in this message is going to be simply explaining trying to make the abstract concrete for some folks.

I think this is a great text for basic teachings on Jesus. I remain amazed at how many people who have spent decades in church pews still don't realize we teach the divinity of Jesus. Even more have no idea we teach that creation took place through Jesus. The whole point of emphasizing these basics is not to make people feel stupid, but rather to emphasize the wondrous miracle of the incarnation.

The second emphasis of my message will be on verse 12... that to those who received him he gave the power to become children of God. I think often we like Christmas because we are dealing with "baby Jesus", the "sweet little Jesus boy". You know, the baby who doesn't cry when he wakes up. To our eyes he appears defenseless, powerless, dependent on us, and subject to our control. We like that type of Jesus much more than a Jesus who reminds us of our sin, who calls for us to sacrifice our entire life, and who challenges us by living a life of purity. This will be a big opportunity to remind people of their opportunity to reunite with God through Jesus.

"Word to the People"

Dan


The "Word" and the "Wordless Word": I am overwhelmed by this mystery...this power of ""Presence"....this "breathe of YHWH". The spirituality in psycholinguistic phenomenon calls me to research and reflect upon Heidegger, Walker Percy, and Jacques Derrida's language theories, George Kelly's "personal construct" theory, the mysticism of Hasidism and Kabbalah of jewish tradition dealing with the word...not to forget the work of Kierkegarrd and Barth opening vistas to the Word of God. Such abstract research meditation and yet the Sacred Presence of Love Incarnate meets me/us in encounter, confrontation, in the our unique concrete particularity. Nail-Bender's revelations in personal witness of living stories does so much more than psycholinguistic theory! Just reflecting on this powerful scripture of the Word, not to be taken for granted....."He who reads the Torah, and is not troubled by it...who prays simply because he prayed yesterday......the worst scoundrel is better than he". (saying from Hasidism) PaideiaSCO in north ga mts seeking a vision of the Word in the night made Holy


In UMC tradition I have selected the first hymn for the first Sunday of the New year; " And Are We Yet Alive."This hymn has become an opening hymn for many Annual conferences that I have attended.

Verse 3 of the first Chapter of john's prologue is the basis for a "Logos Christology" presented by K.H. Ting and found in the Chinese Theological Review. The theological premise is that if all of creation is "through" the Word then there is within all humanity a portion of Christ with us. This is similar to George Fox's "Inner Light" and Wesley's idea of "Prevenient Grace."

As a pastor I see my role as one which encourages the hearer to discover and nurture the Christ that is already within them. This starting point has been very refreshing and fulfilling to me. Knowing that Christ abides within may not fir with other theologies but it works for me.

A W-G rocky coast Me.


I'll be using John Wesley's Covenant Service for the New Year, very moving way to start the year. Our Bishop recently shared this reading from Eugene Peterson's version of the NT. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us = God moved into the neighborhood! He's already here! Emmanuel= God with us! Rejoice! So many times we pray "bless this and bless that", the Bishop suggested we need to pray, "God let me (us) be a part of what You are blessing!" Because He, the Word, who became flesh, is Moving about, doing His will! Bless us by letting us be a part of it, in the neighborhood where You already are! Thank you Lord! LS


My sermon will be called "In the Fullness of Time." John's account of the Word brings into perspective the eternal nature and time specific nature of Jesus. He is who always was and always will be. Yet, as the Word-become-flesh, Jesus is who is now. He is the fullness of time. With all the emphais on the canging calendar it should be comforting to sit back as the hoopla dies down (and the hangovers fade) to realize that Jesus is eternal and rejoice in right-now presence of Jesus.

---

On a related note. While preparing my sermon today, commentator Robert Trout (Of classic radio days) spoke on NPR's All Things Considered (December 29, 1999). He mentioned how his deffintion of heroes of the 20th century would be quite different from one's from a different generation. Heroes are developed out of the events of one's own coming of age. In Trout's case, the great depression.

Then he said this quote:

"People find their heroes in experience, not history."

The word became flesh and dwelt with us. The vital message of the Christmas season is that Jesus is not a historical event, but a "right-now" presence. As christians, what we need to be in the business of doing is making Jesus an experience for today so that those who are coming of age can claim him as a hero from their genuine experience of the Word dwelling among us and not some historical person who we read about.

Peace, DWR


I also have been intrigued by the concept of "he gave power to become children of God" however I am intrigued by the order in which that power appears.

It seems that the power is given after receiving and believing -- not before, perhaps concurrently.

Is it possible that merely receiving Jesus and believing in him do not make us children of God? Is there more that needs to occur? Do we need to utilize the power we are given or else fall short of our full inheritence (is there even an inheritance if we don't utilize the power to become children of God?)

Having said that I know the word the NRSV translates as "power" isn't the typical "power" word, and is translated by the NIV and others as "right", but still we have to excercise that right, don't we? Any Greek scholars out there have some help for those of us with crashed computer programs?

Anyway, I plan to link with 1 John 3:10 and the concept that there is more to being a Christian than merely saying, "Jesus is Lord" and giving intellectual assent. We need to truly believe and that belief needs to lead us to doing what is right.

JR in TX


The NIV says, "he gave the right to become children of God." Interesting. Receiving the power is receiving spiritual rights as in a family legal setup. I'm focusing on being close to the heart of God. Jesus is from the heart of God, is the Logos, the Light of the "world." We, Christ's followers, are still "dwelling" in the "world." What does it mean to be in the heart of God? What does the heart of God look like? Are there any physical analogies that can serve as metaphors? ---David & Jane-Ann in Ohio


Some of you mentioned being intrigued by the order of accepting and giving the power to become children. could someone explain the Greek to me. I know word order is different, but phrase order? In the Greek it is that "to those whe accept him, he gives the power to become children of God, who believe on his name." My Greek is not good enough to understand why we change the order when we translate it. If the order were not changed then for merely accepting we are given the power to become children of God and the belief is a consequence and not a prerequisite to becoming children. I know that when my faith grows thin it is strengthened by the Spirit. My Luther's catechism taught us that faith itself comes from God. Perhaps this is what it really says here? Dana, Vestal, NY


I was hoping that some of you would have some ideas about chronos & chairos (spelling?)I could use. also some of you may find the recent TV movie, Tuesday's with Morrie useful in your discussion of transformation - the longer the young sportswriter spends with Morrie, the more transformed he becomes. The story is about time, the time Morrie with ALs dosn't have much of & the time the young sportswriter squanders. -linda in MD