December 25, 2011

John 1:1-14

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

10He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

In the beginning was the Word -- the LOGOS -- What does that mean? Which word was it, we may ask. And though we ask in sincerity, that question only shows us the difficulty of translation. There is no English word which adequately translates the greek Logos. Literally, Logos means “word”, “discourse” or “reason” -- But when it is applied to Jesus, it is a very succinct way of saying that Jesus was God in physical form as much as God could be physical. We all know that God is not physical... God is so much greater than the physical... He is spirit, he is light, he is energy, he is the creator... Without form. But How can we understand God if He has no form? How do we envision him? Of picture him in our minds?

The answer, is we look at Jesus. Jesus embodies as much of God as is possible for the human being. God is the love as shown by Jesus. God is the compassion as practiced by Jesus, God is the power as shown through the healings by Jesus, God is the miraculous in the walking on the water, the multiplication of the loaves and the bread... God is all of this... God is known through Jesus. If you know Jesus, then you know God. What did Jesus tell Phillip during the last supper when Phillip asked to be shown the Father? -- Jesus answered , “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father”

A human baby, born 2000 years ago. Who would have known that he would be our example for knowing the Creator of the Universe? -- The angels knew. That is why they appeared to and sang to the Shepherds. The Wise Men knew. That is why they travelled hundreds of miles to honor this baby. Mary knew, in a way, that Jesus was very special. Joseph knew, also, for he listened to the angel who spoke to him. Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin knew, when she was pregnant with John, who later became known as the one who Baptizes, and the forerunner of the Messiah.

Think of the miracle of this birth which we celebrate today... Think of the love which it represents... Think of the importance of what God did for us through this baby...

And when you do realize the importance of it, simply relax into that knowledge... The knowledge that God’s love in the very beginning when He was creating the universe, included a space for you... To live on this earth, and to become aware of the creator through your experiences in this world -- a World which does its best to hide God from us. In spite of the best plans of those or the one who would have us forget God, we are reminded each year by the simple birth of Jesus that God loves us!

So, what was the WORD, the LOGOS? It is the very essence of God... Not a spoken word at all, but the love that has been actively creating the universe so that we, and all of life might enjoy its varied experiences.

Worship God ... praise Him because you exist! Without God’s Love, you would not exist. none of this would exist... none of it would be. That is why we have a Merry Christmas... a Happy, Joyous Christmas. Because God loves us!