John 1:14

So, as you might know, I have a little bit more time on my hands as of late— If you don’t know why this is, email me and I’ll give you the readers digest version of what is going on in my life. 

Like I said, I have a little bit more time on my hands as of late, It has allowed me to read. A lot. Be it the newspaper, or the history of WrestleMania, (yes, I am a WWE fan..), I have been reading quite a bit of things. 

I believe it was Mark Twain who said “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.”

One of the books I am currently reading is Louie Giglio’s book I am not but I know I am.

https://www.amazon.ca/Am-Not-But-Know-Welcome/dp/1601424280

 While I am only a few chapters into this book, it is turning out to be a great book. (I realize I say that about most books I read…. why would I waste my time reading a not-good book?)

The basic premise of this book is that God has a name: I AM. If that is God’s name, then my name— your name— must be I am not. While that concept is still sinking in to my brain, Its one other thing that he wrote in this book that I am still reflecting on. (I'll probably come back and pick up on God's Name being I AM, and my name being I am not again... )

His breakdown of John 1:14 is wonderful. Basically he uses his “one word bible study method”- which he explains a bit later on in his book, and takes John 1:14 word by word, and explains what those words mean. 

I have preached on John 1:14 before, but when I stopped and read the verse word by word. line by line, it was simply incredible. 

that one verse inspired this entire post. While I will not explain it as good— or as effectively as Louie does in his book, I’m going to give it the Pastor Nick’s Coles notes version. 

First, the verse: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (NJKV)

In His one word bible study, Louie suggests taking one word and think about that word each day. So, if you were going to do this OWBS, you would start with: 

THE. You would think about the word The all day. Not what comes after it, or even before it. just the word THE. 

Louie suggests that this word The is God setting us up for sometime big. God sent THE SON. not A Son. or even one of many sons. He sent The Son. One. God Sent THE. (ONE)

the next word is, well, WORD. 

notice that the Word is capitalized in this verse. that’s because, its a proper name. Jesus is THE WORD. 

“day three was a celebration of Jesus, the One who embodied everything God wanted to communicate to the whole wide world. Once again, after four hundred years of slience, God was taking, and Jesus was His one-Word proclamation to all who would listen…Jesus wasn't just the best sermon giver who ever lived; He was the Sermon itself in all it’s fullness.” (Giglio, 88, 2012)

BECAME.

This one word is “the gospel in one word— redemption’s story shrunk down to six amazing letters.” (Giglio, 90, 2012)

Jesus— the Great I AM, (translated BE)— 

BECAME. He Came. To this world. to rescue you. and me. to give us life. 

“Our story is not that we can muster the strength to raise ourselves up. Rather, God has come down to us— Jesus, walking on planet earth. Here.” (Giglio, 93, 2012)

What did Jesus BECOME? look at the next part of the verse. 

FLESH. 

God arrived with flesh. He showed up in a stinky manger. a barn room filled with animals. a King was born in a stable. 

“God didn't send a note, an email, a check, a cosmic event, a mandate, or a vague religious image on a toasted cheese sandwich. When God came to the human race— when BE came— Be became flesh. The God of the world in a body like yours and mine.” (ibid)

Why did this matter? “because you can touch flesh. you can identify with flesh. you can wrap your arms around flesh and feel its heart beat…. and if you’re searching for a sacrifice for the sins of all humankind, you can pierce flesh and it will bleed. You can nail flesh to  a cross.” (ibid)

AND. 

As if God sending Jesus in the flesh wasn't enough, He was about to do something more. 

DWELT. 

this is some sweet news. Jesus not only became flesh, He actually dwelt— or resided; lived, in our neighbourhood. He BECAME one of us. He lived like us. He experienced heartbreak and sorrow, happiness and laughter. 

Jesus was one of us; but yet different than us, because: “He knew who He was and what He’d come to do.” (Giglio, 96, 2012)

AMONG 

Jesus dwelt AMONG us. He didn't avoid us. He didn't go out of His way to get rid of us; He actually came to live AMONG us. in our places. in our homes. 

The Message, which is a paraphrase of the bible says it like this: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.”

Jesus had come for us. Jesus has been given to us. As Max Lucado once wrote, “Jesus is our next door Saviour”

US. 

this little word tells us who exactly Jesus came for. You. Me. my daughters. your kids. YOU. ME. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He came to this earth for one reason and one reason only. To bring US to the Father. 

God sent Jesus, The Word, to this world to dwell among us. to save us. to bring us back to our rightful place to dwell with God, both now and for eternity.

jesus said it the best when he said: “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” (John 17:3, NLT)

Take heart today friend, Jesus has come to you and for you. He has come to fix your broken world. He has come to do what you and I are unable to do; bring us back to God.