THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY THE GOSPEL OF JOHN Cd

THE BIRTH OF JESUS? THE FOURTH GOSPEL AND THE LAST @

NOTHING ABOUT WISE MEN, SHEPHERDS OR A STAR.
TO THE BEAUTY OF THE BIRTH SMRIES I rowan A MA
WHINK MUCH OF JOHN FOR NOT INCLUDING THAT PRETTY STOH

7.

LUKE. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT JOHN'S INTRODUCTION OF

SUSPICIONS THAT PERHAPS HIS GOSPEL WASN'T QUITE AS
————p

NTAINS NO ACCOUNT .OF

N& TO Bs WRITTEN MENTIONS

WHEN I WAS A CHILD AND THRILLED

TTER OF FACT I DIDN'T

Y. I HAD VAGUE

PORTANT AS MATTHEW AND

HIS GOSPEL, HIS CHRISTMAS + 9

7

STORY 1S PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT NARRATIVE IN THE WHOLE BIBLE. LITTLE

*

DID I KNOW THAT THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE GOSPEL OF JO

HN CONTAINED AN

_—

AFFIRMATIQNINFINLTELY DEEPER AND RICHER THAN ANYTHING MAN HAD EVER IMAGINED.

THE FIRST CHAPTER OR JOHN, THE SCRIPTURE FOR THI

—

STORY TOO. IT IS THE REAL MSAT UNDENNEATH THE ST ORI

WISEMEN. IT IS THE TRUE MZANING TO WHICH THESE STOR]
. ener ;

VERY IMPORTANT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
eee ne

A STABLE. JOHN'S NARRATIVE TELLS THE REASON THE WL SHiak TRAVELED SO FAR AND

5 MRNING, IS A cHRIsTmAs ~ !>

—

(F

5S OF SHEPHERDS AND

THE SHEPHERDS WERE SO ELATED.

ES POINT.’ IT IS THE sa
THAT FROSTY NIGHT IN: ~ ‘4
=_ /2
if “uf
J (S
' -G i
<1? zes

20

AT THIS POINT I WANT TO POINT OUT A PROBLEM THAT

ee

B= ¥
AND ESPECIALLY ONE STILL IN SCHOOL. THEOLOGY HAS A Vi

JUST LIKE PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY OR ANY OTHER FIELD. NOT

DO AN ADEQUATE JOB WHEN ASX ED TO EXPLAIN THE PRINCIPL
——

ENGINE: NOT MANY OF US CUlULD UNDERSTAND A NUCLEAR PHY,

PLAGUES EVERY MINISTER,

DCABULARY OF ITS OWN

MANY HOUS EWLVES CAN

—_——— ey

BE OF THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION

es

BIST EXPLAINING THE

—

PRINCIPLE OF SPLITTING ATOMS.

——_$_—_—_$

HE WOULD BE TALKING AN

DIHER LANGUAGE, IT WOULD

BE ALL GREEK TO MOST OF US. A MINISTER IS FACED WITH] MUCH THE SAME DILEMMA,
————e es
HE HAS SPENT YEARS LNARNING AND STUDYING THHOLOG’. HE CAN HANDLE A

THEOLOGICAL VOCABULARY, HE HAS READ BOOKS AND BOOKS ON GRACE, REDEEMPTION,

ATTONEMENT, BUT JUST LIKE THE PHYSICIST fuls VOCABULHY IS PRETTY MEANINGLESS

OUrSIDE A UNIVERSITY CLASSROOM. HE MUST CONSTANTLY B}

f SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO

——

MAKE DEEP CONCEPTS HAVE MEANING, HE MUST DE LOOKING FOR NEW WORDS TO EXPLAIN

AND ELABORATE ISSUES WITH WHICH HE IS FAMILIAR.

—— ee

THS IS MY TASK THIS MORNING--MY TEXT IS JOHN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE INCAR-

NATION. IT CENTERS IN ONE PHRASE "THR WORD WAS MADE |

HEARD IT OVER AND OVER AND YET I THINK IT IS FAIR TO J

STIRS YOUR SOULS WHAN YOU HEAR IT.

———

I THINK IT IS FAL

LESH." YOU HAVE ALL

OUBT WHETHER IT ACTUALLY

—— =

TO SAY THAT aS IT IS,

6

ww
IN ITS PURE THEOLOGIC AL T EM NOLOGY THE PHRASE THE WO

#e

RD MADE FLESH IS MSANINGLESS

TO MOST CHRISTIANS.

I HOPE WE CAN LEAVE HiRE THIS MORNING WITH A CLEARER

_—_

CONCEPTION OF THIS ALL IMPORTANT STATEMENT. I HOPE We WILL SEE HOW IMPERATIVE IT

IS THAT WE UNDERSTAND IT, AT CHRISTMAS TIME.

PROBABLY THE GREATEST BARRIER TO UNDERSTANDING wi

THAT HE USED Z WORD THAT CANNOT BE PROPERLY TRAN SLATE
ee oan

YOU WHO REMEMBER YOUR DAYS IN GRAMMAR SCHOOL CAN PROB

THERE ARE MANY WORDS IN LATIN THAT SIMPLY HAVE NO ENG!

D INTO ENGLISH.

LISH EQUIVALENT.

le un

te

bis
“wa 9

HAT JOHN MEANT IS THE FACT

ANY OF

KABLY ALSO RECALL THAT

LANGUAGE HAS ITS WORDS THAT ARH MENNINGFUL ONLY IN THEIR OWN CONTEXT,

ONE ONCE SAID "TO TRANSLATE IS TO BETRAY". THISIS A

THROUGHOUT THS BIBLE AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE FIRST
——

THE WRD IN QUESTION I§ THE GREEK wooshcps HAV]
DIFFERENT WAYS,/IN OUR VERSLON OF THE N.T. IT IS WORD,
TO US TODAY "WORD" HAS MANY DIFFERENT POSSIBLE Mi
WORD, A WRITTEN WORD, YOU CAN WARD YOUR FEELINGS, YOU

WORDY." RELIGIOUSLY WE THINK OF THE EIBLE AS THE wORi

PREACH THE WORD.

et

EVRY
=—-

SOME

PROBLEM THAT IS

PREVAL IN T

CHAPTiR OF JOHN.

TRANSLA TED IT IN nt
o
truslated

ANINGS. THARE IS A SPOKEN
CAN SAY "HE SURE IS

|OF G@, WE SAY MINISTMS

he

All this CONTRIBUTES TO Qk DIFFICULTY IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT JOHN MEANT

WHEN HE SAID IN THE BHGINNING WAS THE WORD.

the gw@pel of John was writt@m later than the ot

THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND CENTIRY. ITWAS A TIME Wi
pooner hE

THEY HAD TO EXPLAIN THEIR GOS PEL TO EVRY ONE--TO DIF

THAT JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH

WAYS .
— a

The Chiser ene ef TeX geoyle 6 Tsreet
DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO A GREEK WHO BEVER HEARD OF TH

her three, PROBABLY AROUND

HEN CHRISTLAN MEN BEGAN TO REALIZE

FERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT

» THE SUPFRRING SERVANT PROMISED BY ISATAH

_

THIS AND H& CAME UP WITH A TERM EVERYBODY i NEW - LOGOB.

a 22 foi REALIZ ED

LOGOS WAS A WORD WITH ITS ROOTS DEEP IN GREEK PH
ody O° ON =

ee
ULTIMATE WISDOM, LOGOS WAS THE

——

SEE. BUT GRADUALLY THE TERM LOGOS FELL INTO COMMON U

LLOSPHY. LOGOS MHANT

RUTH THAT ONLY THE VERY INTELLIGENT COULD

BAGE, EVERYONE KN Ew

fawckeA abot Mm SVops - Houses
IT, EVERYONE USED IT.

WHAT YOU WERE TALKING Anour.~ Wha You satel

esh -

|

TAKE OUR PHRASE H20

NAMES OF ALL THE ELEMEN ND SUPPOSE 500 YRS. FROM N(

AL ere

WHEN YOU (62) THE THRM LOGOS IN GREECE EVERYONE KNEW

Has [logos was wade

honds durnol

SUPPOSE 100 YRS. FROM NOW SCISVTISTS CHANGE THE

DW SOMEONE IS READING

A 20th CENTURY NOVEL AND THEY COME ACROSS THE PHRASE #HOW ABOUT A GLASS OF H2)."

THEY WILL HAVE TO GET OUT A HISTORY BOOK TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS M#ANT.

5.

THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKEIS THAT LOGOS WAS LOADED WITH MEANING IN

FIRST CENTURY GREECE BUT NINETEEN HUNDRED YEARS LATER WE HAVE TROUBLE UNDER-

‘ logos
standing it, — (We Wrase Word
Ges wv + wean much Bs Wt most

NEw Waous ok SRairng

stearerA_ For

HOW DO WE EXPRESS OURSELVES? HOW DO WE MAKE OTHERS UNDERSTAND OUR FEELINGS?
praasiyrsaceris =

WOHS. IT IS ONLY A SECOND OR SO AFTER BIRTH THAT A BASY BHGINS EXPRESSING

—
———

ITSELF poset GH) RALLY WE SPEND A GREAT PORTLON OF OUR LIFETIME EXPRESSING

Feely

IN SPEECHES, SERMONS, © NVERSATIONS, LET’ SS, BOOKS C@R-RREREWES BY SOUNDS--

our

OR WORDS. a | DisFINING WORD AS THE MEANS FOR SELF & HE SION WE «RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK

IN PINNING DOWN THE M@ANING OF THE INCARM ‘2 ON. LH '$

FOR WRD. ¢r Leyes

SUBSTI TUTE’ SEL FEXPRESSION

IN THE BSGINNING GOD HAD THE MEANS TO EXPRESS HIMSELF. IN HIS

TRANSLATION OF THE NTT. J.B. PHILLIPS TRANSLATES LOGOS

EAD JOHN L:1-6 J.B. Phillips).

—-SELFEXPRESSION-—~

2,"AT THE BEGINNING GOD EXPRESSED HIMSELF. THAT /PERSONAL EXPRESSION, THAT

WORD WAS WITH GOD AND WAS GOD, AND HE EXISTED WITH GOU

FROM THE BEGINNING. ALL

J

CROATION TOOK PLACE THROUGH HIM, AND NONE TOOK PLACE WITHOUT HIM. IN HIM APP ZARED
LIFE AND THIS LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MANKIND. THE LIGHT STILL SHINES IN THE

DARKNESS AND THE DARKNESS HAS NEVER PUT IT OUr."

6.

IN THIS STATEMENT JOHN IS MAKING A REMARKABLE AFRIRMATLON ABOUT GOD. GOD

HAS ALWAYS HAD MEANS TO EXPRESSHIMSELF, AND AT THE BEGINNING HS DID EXPRESS

HIMSELF. HIS WORD, OR SELF EXPRESSLON TOOK FORM IN THE CRSATLON OF HEAVEN AND

EARTH. EVERYTHING THATIS , IS A RESULT OF GOD EXPRESSING HIMSELF. IN CREATION
parted

———

GOD'S WARD TOOK MANY FORMS.

MEN EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN OTHER WAYS THAN WORDS.| AN ARTIST EXPRESSES THE

a ——

INTERMOST FEELINGS OF HIS SOUL ON GANVAS. A GRSAT MU§CIAN POURS OUP HIS

ce

EXPERIENCE AND EMOTION IN A GREAT SYMPHONY. BOTH THE |PICTURE AND THE PIECE OF

——<—<——

MUSIC ARE SELF @XPRESSIONS, THSY ARS PART_OF THE MEN WHO CREATE) THEM.
—_—_——

—— —

THIS IS WHAT JOHN MZANS WHEN HE SAYS NOTHING WAS| CREATED WITHOUT THs

WORD. DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS, IN SVIRY SEOOND OF EVRY MINUTE GOD EXPRESS ED

HIMSELF IN THE BEAUTY OF THE W.RLD, IN THE POWER OF THE STORM AND IN HUMAN HISTORY.
Boa especially ~~ Witter ew Wik OD | Servo,
BUT FINALLY JOHN CRIES, GOD HAS EXPRESSED HIMSELF IN A MAN. GOD'S WORD

——$___—.

OR SELF EXPRESG.ON, THIS TIME, HAS TAKEN FLESH. THIS|)WAS A BIG STATEMENT. THE

—<—<<——————

LOGOS, ETH NAL WISDOM AND TRUTH ARE SEEN INA MAN! JPST AS WE S&E THE ARTIST

THROUGH THE PAINTING, SO Wa SES GOD THROUGH HIS SELF XPRESSION, THROUGH THE CRHIST.

ne

7.

THIS SELF EXPRESSION OF GM'S IS SO OUTRIGHT, Sd

PLAIN, SO VISIBLE FOR ALL

iS DARKNESS. WHILE BEFORE

TO SES THAT JOHN COMPAR 55 IT TO A LIGHT SHINING IN T

MEN HAD DOUBTS ABOUT GOD, THEY WERE IN THE DARKNESS,

UISPELLED. GOD HAS EXPRESSED HIMSELF SO PERFECTLY, S

printer 2

THS DARKNESS HAS BEEN

D CLEARLY, THAT WE CAN

COMPARE IT TO A KXGHE BRIGHT LIGHT THAT PENETRATES EVER Y CORNER OF A DARK

——

GROPE IN THE SHADOWS FOR G@

—

(00M. WE NEED NO LONGER

THE LIGHT THAT WAS THE CHRIST AND WE SEE HIM.

HIS wd

, ALL WE MUST DO IS GAZE AT

QD WAS MADE FLESH!

OVER THE YEARS THe GLORY AND MYSTERY OF THE INCRRNALION HAVE, AT TIMES,

BEEN LOST BY MEN WHO WERE TOO ANXIOUS TO EXPLAIN IT RATIONALLY, TW HDUCE IT

TO AN SASY FORMULA.

ON THE ONE HAND SOME HAVE DISCARDED THE INCRRNATLON SAYING

THAT JESUS WAS JUST A VERY GOOD MAN. ETHICALLY AND MDRALLY HE WAS THE CST

MAN THAT EVER LIVED, IN HIS LIFE HE WAS AN EXAMPLE OF

BEING THE WORD MADE FLESH, THAT'S GOING A BIT TOO FAR

——

ON THE OTHER HAND CMIS TANS OFT TIMES BECOME SO

THAT THEY FORGET THE GOD WHO WAS EXPRESSING HIMSELF I

ee

SONGS AND IN SOME REVIVAL MEETINGS THE ENTIRE EMPHASI

—_—— ene eed

GOD. BUT AS FAR AS HIM

ELATED WITH THE INCRANATION
————y

N THE CHRIST. IN GOSPEL

5 IS ON JESUS, HE SAVES,

he ooo!

HE REDEEMS BY HIS BLOOD AND SO ON. WE MUST CUNSTANTL

Y KEEP IN MIND THAT

JESUS IS THE CHRIST BECAUSE he is god&s chosen self expression. if HIM

——
—

THE LORD MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO MANKIND ONCE AND FOR ALL. JESUS CHRIST THE

WORD OF GOD WAS MADEFLES. | THIS 1S THE CE OF CiRIg

—_

WE MUST TRY TO COMPREHEND IF WE ARE TO CALL OURSELVES

TIANITY, THIS IS SOMETHING

CHRISTIANS.

THE INCARNATION, THE WORD MADE FIZSH, IS THE STARTING POINT IN CHRIS TIANITY.

IT IS THE FUNDAMSYTAL PRINCL PLE UPON WHCH ALL OTHRS

é

TBACHINGS, HEALINGS, CRUCIFICION AND RESURRECTE ON ARH IMPORTANT ONLY IF WE

—

R#ALIZE THAT HE WAS THE SELF EXPRESSION OF GOD.

AR ACOOMPALIS HED MUSCIAN ALWAYS BSGLNS PRACTICING BY PLAYING SIMPLE

SCALES, BY RUNNING THROUGH THE FUNDAMENTALS, A POLIS

HD ATHLETE KEEPS IN

TRAINING BY CONSTANTLY WORKING OVER TH® FUNDAMENTALS
THE SAME APPLIES TO CHRISTIANITY, WE MIST NEVR ]
FOR WITHOUT THEM THE RUST OF OI EFRWORTS ARE MEANINGH

JOHN'S IS A CHRISTMAS STORY TOO, ITIS A STORY 0
—_—___ees

cl an furdoru—tels

DF HIS GZME.
LOSE SIGHT OF THE_FUND AMENTALS

LSS.

fF A GOD THAT GAVE HLS ONLY

9.
Love *° great

BEGOTTEN SON, IT IS THE STORY OF A-Gop“HHe-bereeuuise-mucn THat mY COD
iF 60a
REVEALED HIMSELF IN A MAN, ITIS THE STORY OF THE WON} MAGEE FLESH.

THIS IS THE TRUE SIGNIFICANCE OF BETHLEHEM, THI$ IS WY HE WISHMmN

-

TRAVELED SO FAR. AS wE MOVE CLOS:R TO CHRISTMAS LETSS NOT FORGET, THAT WE

ARE CELEBRATING God's GRawr act. le Weelwq ~Joous abevt the

Bike ov a baby +s “Welrle Lew Lx ~ are oi
+yat tits balby Wes Nu Word st God, = UI TS
: Ws wwe tt .

God |exPre ssi)
Ovr Cinrisbiau Christos ad leben \yas ty

foi Aortend. i barriers: = Paki as iS
ont over emgQVasis te ‘Sere ator ut ea a ae
~ act sal pane ss . arly talked .
~ The. irk wareafve 1s em ft portent Christ ou
tradi tou ~ bot wheel is mere ime portant rs
byu's Aheistucac cake RS oka 1s i vie
vm portance ss fu Q lores new s— hata
tus wo Ga Was actet| as he wever

| \Yane become

tis. sett PYRITES OM , | his Ww |
les -~ We has mace hjwese H- know
IWwdesss a Wozare te ~ Nhe Chee ot.

al