Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-253 Christmas Day 2002

Reading: John 1:1-18 – THE FATHER MADE KNOWN

‘And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh.'(Tim 3:16,AV) Bow in wonder and worship.

With a deliberate allusion to Cenesis 1:1, John introduces the eternal Word, one with God yet distinct from him. He is the Creator, the Life-giver, the source of light that the darkness cannot master (in either sense of the word). The greatest of the prophets, John, came as a witness to the Light of the World. By his coming into the world the Word brought light to all. Yet what an irony! The Creator and Owner unrecognised and unwanted! Few were the homes into which he was welcomed. And yet, still today as then, there are those who believe in and receive him, and in so doing are born of God and become his children.(1 Pet 2:23)

The climax of this sublime piece of writing comes in verse 14. The eternal Creator takes on human flesh – but why? The Greek phrase translated ‘made his dwelling among us’ literally means ‘tabernacled among us’. From beginning to end the Bible testifies to God’s desire to live among his people.(Lev 26:11) The Word became a human being as a first step towards the fulfilment of that ultimate goal – God making his home among us for ever.(Rev 21:3) Greater than John, the last great prophet; greater than Moses, the giver of the Law; Jesus Christ, the only Son of the Father, has brought us grace and truth. As the one who enjoys the greatest possible intimacy with the Father, he has been able to make him known to us (v 18).

Our world is full of pain and distress, of war and famine and cruelty and death. Yet because of that first Christmas Day we can look forward with confidence to a transformed world. For the Word made flesh has shown us what the Father is really like.

‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.’ (2 Cor 8:9) Rich indeed!

– Andrew Clark

Copyright Scripture Union, 2002

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