QT 12/24/2021 John 1:14-18, The miracle of God dwelling in human form

 

John 1:14–18 (ESV) —

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

 

NOTE: The "Word," in Greek the Logos, was first introduced in verse 1: as existing in the beginning, as God and with God, as creator, as life, and as the light. Now John concludes his description of the Logos as the Logos becomes flesh (the incarnation) and dwells (tabernacles) with us. The tabernacle was the first symbol of God's presence to Israel. It went with them through the Exodus. Moses would speak to God, "face-to-face," as a man might speak to another. Now God tabernacles in the form of a human, a fully human in flesh. Verse 18 tells us that no one has ever seen God (because God is spirit), but Jesus has made him known. We see God when we see Jesus. We cannot see the eternal, holy, omnipresent God, but somehow God stepped out of eternity to live among us and show us himself. That is why the celebration of Christmas is so important. The miracle of God dwelling in human form to save us from our sins is only eclipsed by his carrying our sins, dying, and rising again. Today, be thankful that God did the impossible to make our salvations possible.

 

PONDER:

1. My mind is overwhelmed trying to put into the words the idea of God tabernacling among us. It is not a simple thing to take the infinite and present him as finite.

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the impossible and unbelievable incarnation. The proof is in Jesus' life and the careful documentation of all he said. It is in all the eyewitnesses. It is in the people who knew him very well, and gave up their life rather than deny him. Anyone can believe an idea and be a martyr, but people who were eyewitnesses to everything, they do not give up their lives for a lie. Thank you!