The Glory of the Word: The Glory of Christmas
The Glory of the Word:
The Glory of Christmas
In the beginning. . .These words are unmistakable to anyone who has opened up the Bible to read page one. The apostle John knows that every Jewish boy and girl will be familiar with these words. So, he weaves his evangel with the words of the world's origin. . .
Read Genesis 1:1-4 next to John 1:1-5 (ESV)
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
All things were made through him and without him was not any thing made that was made.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Rather than focusing on the human relationship of Jesus' earthly ancestors, John directs the reader's attention to Jesus' relationship with his heavenly Father. There is no mistaking John's intention to communicate the divine nature of Jesus, who is one with God the Father and God the Spirit.
For us, this text is like getting a view from atop the rim of the Grand Canyon in the state of Arizona in the USA. From that great height, we creep to the edge, peer over the side, and see how grand this Jesus really is. On our first family trip to the Grand Canyon, we visited the north rim, where there were few railings. With hands like vice-grips, I recall walking our two and five-year-old over narrow paths flanked by edges where the ground dropped hundreds of feet into the canyon.
Consider this: the rim is what you may know of Jesus immediately, but through John's description, you see the eternal depth of his nature. In knee-buckling amazement, the scope of his power to speak into being all that exists washes over you. Just as the natural reaction to a fear of heights is to lower oneself to the ground and lay prostrate for fear of falling, similarly, John's description is meant to create an immense awe and wonder at this Word of God that could create light in darkness and shines even now. John beckons us to the edge of existence to behold the glory of the Word, intending to nudge us over the edge into the loss of our glory and into belief and surrender to his.
I'm looking forward to this advent series with you in John 1 and 2 this Christmas. May we lower ourselves as we gaze in awe at the marvelous power and light of the life-giving Word, for this life-giving Word is the essence of what makes Christmas a glorious season.
Together with you in Wonder,
Loren