Good morning. Today's scripture reading comes from John 1, 14 through 18. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we have seen his glory, glory as of the only son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness about him and cried out. This was he of whom I said, he who comes after me ranks before me because he was before me. For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only God who is at the Father's side. He has made him known. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and the hearing of his word. Well, a couple of years ago and I understand perhaps the show might still be going on. There was a popular show entitled Undercover Boss. The premise of the show, if you know it, was that a CEO of a company or a high-level executive would go under cover and take on the role of one of their lower-level employees. The idea was to get a feel for how the company was doing to experience what the low-level employees of that company experienced on a daily basis. The show was quite popular. It actually ran for about 10 seasons. And I think actually prior before coming to the United States it was a show that was popular in Britain. Well, the reason for the popularity of the show is that people just became enamored with the idea that a CEO or a top-level executive would kind of mingle with the ordinary folks. There was a great feeling of, man, how could they, how would they, why would they condescend when they had all this money, all this power, all of this privilege, why would they condescend to be a lowly employee? Well, everyone loved the feel-good story of the undercover boss, but while the undercover boss garnered a lot of attention and stirred up a great deal of emotion in people, the sister is the narrative of redemptive history tells of an even greater condescension. And that is what our text is concerned with this morning. As we have learned as far in this sermon series, John and his prologue to his gospel starts at the beginning. He wants his readers to know the one in whom they believe, the one in whom they trust it. And it appears, according to John, that if they are going to fully know God and to enjoy him, no Jesus, then he must start at the beginning. As has been said, John opens up his book in the most magnificent and glorious way. It is, the language is memorable, it's simple, it's poetic. And as Pastor Tony mentioned, it is, in many regards, theology, one on one. So John, continuing in this prologue, builds, builds throughout it a theological case for the person and the nature of Christ. And as John in these last final four verses of his prologue, and as he concludes this opening section, he is not done introducing the one they called Jesus. There are still some foundational truths that need to be understood and made clear in this short section, just four verses this morning. But in these four verses, John wants to communicate to us three facts about Jesus and the nature of his ministry. And we're going to see this in three ways, three points. God, God with us, God for us, and God made known to us. John starts off with one of the most striking sentences in all of the Bible. John 1 and 14. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Now, as has been said before, earlier when we were looking at John 1 to our ears, this is not very shocking. But to those reading this for the first time, it would have been mind-altering. It would have been a paradigm shift that would have left them undone. The reason this is so striking is because of what John communicated in the opening verses of this book, verse 14, we start within our text of John chapter 1, cannot be separated from verse 1 of chapter 1. And verse 1 of chapter 1 says, in the beginning, was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. You can't separate verse 1 from verse 14. Because remember, we established that John didn't use the name of Jesus to open up his gospel, but he chose the word, logas. Logas. And by doing so, he established that this force, that the philosophers of the day thought to be intangible and unexplainable, could be identified. And in fact, John was declaring who the logas was. He was the creator and is the sustainer of the world in which we live. The logas, the logas, the word was in the beginning, and the word was God. John had established already at the beginning of his prologue that he is talking about Jesus. Number 1, he is talking about Jesus and 2, that Jesus is the second person of the God head, the eternal son of God. He established that already. The logas, the word was God. And now, and now, are you beginning to put it together? And now, do you see why the statement would have been so striking to the original readers? Is it not striking to you the word? The word became flesh. John says the word, the logas, the second person of the trinity who has always existed, took on flesh. God, the creator, and sustainer of all things became men. Oh, this, this you do understand is the testimony of the scriptures, isn't it? John is not making this up. He is declaring something that Paul said and Paul taught in Philippians 2. This is what the early church confessed, Philippians 2, 6 and 7, who, Jesus, begin of Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count, equality with God, I think, to be grasped, but he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant and being born in the likeness of men. Here we see Paul talking about this idea of God becoming man. We also see it in Galatians 4.4. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law here is John, excuse me, here is Paul establishing that Jesus was sent into the world as a man, born under the law. John in John 1.14 is describing for us that most glorious event in redemptive history, namely the incarnation. That's what is being described here. The second person of the Trinity took on flesh and they called his name Jesus. Brothers and sisters, there is, you do realize, a lot, a lot, a lot that gets celebrated around this time of year. But for Christians, there is no celebration apart from what John says here. The word becoming flesh is what we, what you and I, celebrate at Christmas. Christmas is not about gifts. It's not about trees and stockings. It is about the celebration of Emmanuel, God with us. Lagas took on flesh, flesh, real human flesh. And he cried like we cried. And he suffered like we suffered. And he felt pain like we felt field pain. And he grew tired like we grow tired. Again, when the sisters, that is another point that should not be lost on us. Human, God, the word became flesh when we say flesh, we mean human. God is not saying that God came to earth. He is saying that he came and took on flesh, the flesh that you and I have, which was counter, which was counter to a common heresy that taught during the day. There was a common heresy that taught that Jesus was not fully human, that Jesus simply appeared to be human. There would be those that would not deny the fact that he was fully God, something that Muslims have a hard time with today, the fact that Jesus came to his humanity, to that which he created and took on that flesh, they would have denied that. They believed that he came to humanity, but he was simply disguised as a human. John here subtly, subtly, but those reading it would have clearly understood what he was saying. John is subtly, but no doubt, in fact, making the point that the word becoming flesh is the God man. The God man, Jesus, fully God, and fully man. That's what's being described here. This, you do understand, is the uniqueness of Christianity. This is the uniqueness of Christianity. No other religion makes the claim that creator came to those whom he created. They don't make that claim. Every other religion is about what man can do to reach deity. But the wonderful news that we celebrate at Christmas is that God came down to humanity and took on humanity. And brothers and sisters, may we never underestimate the importance of Jesus being fully human. Only a perfect human sacrifice would ultimately appease the wrath of God. That's the only thing that would ultimately appease his anger and his wrath against sin. The blood of bulls and goats that were part of the old covenant sacrificial system wouldn't do. They were simply a stopgap until Jesus came. Being fully human could stand in our place and absorb the wrath that was due to us. Oh, that's why it's so important, brothers and sisters. The word becoming flesh is tied to our salvation. John doesn't just stop there with a shocking statement that the word became flesh. He adds to it and he dwelt among us. You know, there's a difference between a short-term missionary and a long-term missionary. Ah, the short-term missionary they go and they spend a couple of weeks there maybe even a month but they're not pitching a tent or building a home or staying there. They are coming back. But the long-term missionary they go and they build a home and they live amongst the people. The word became flesh. He dwelt among us. Jesus came and lived among those whom he created. In fact, the word here that is being described means that Jesus tabernacled. He tabernacled among the people, the earth which he created became his dwelling place and he did so so that he might be with his people. God with us, tying it back to the Old Testament tabernacle where God dwelt in the midst of his people. Well, don't we sing during this time? Heart, the herald angel sing. The verse says, veiled and fleshed the God had seen, hailed the incarnate deity. Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Pleased to dwell with us. Oh, didn't we just sing it this morning? Emmanuel, Emmanuel, God incarnate went here to dwell Emmanuel. So the Emmanuel means God with us here to dwell. Oh, this is glorious. I hope to hear ears. The word became flesh and dwelt among us. Oh, it's glorious. I hope to hear ears. But this revelation would have been so striking to the original hearers. It would have been hard to believe. And I think we could probably honestly say that John knows that. And so, for the first time in his gospel, John enters himself into this narrative. Remember, we've talked about that he doesn't ever mention his name in the narrative. But here he enters into this gospel into this narrative. He doesn't use his name, but he uses the first person, plural, we, we, John 1 and 14, be the second half of the verse. And we, he says, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only son from the father, full of grace and truth. John offers himself up as an eyewitness here. And he expresses to his readers that he knows, he knows Jesus is the eternal son of God. Because he says, I saw it with my own eyes. We have seen. Remember, John in this gospel is not detailing for us. The person and work of Jesus that he heard about second hand. He is telling us that what he experienced, that what he heard with his own eyes, and that what he, excuse me, heard with his own ears, and that what he saw with his own eyes. John, John was, was, was there. He was there when Jesus calm the, the sea and the, and the winds with the word, with his disciples. And the disciples were amazed and they declared, what manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him. John was there. He was there on the mountain with James and Peter when Jesus was transfigured before him. And John says, when I was on that mountain, I saw glory like I had never seen glory before, hour have seen since he was there at the foot of the cross when Jesus breathed his last. And he was an eye witness to his resurrection. Oh, do you understand that John, he saw with his own eyes. He beheld his glory as of the only son from the father. He saw it and he knew it. The glory that he beheld could only be one that was the glory that belonged to the son of God. It could only be, it could only be the glory that he saw could only be attributed you do understand to the only son of God. You ever, you ever see a son and his father and then it is clear that the son is related to the father. There is something perhaps that links them. You, you notice perhaps their, their gates when they walk, the father, the son walks like the father. Maybe it's in their mannerisms or their, the cadence of their speech. Perhaps they just look like their dad. Well, you do understand that Jesus is not just like the father, like the father. He is very God of very God. They share in glory. Oh, the glory that caused Moses to hide in the cleft of the rock, the holiness that caused him to remove his shoes on Mount Sinai. That's the glory. That's the holiness that John beheld in Jesus. Then John declares, I saw the glory. I was a witness to it just like John the Baptist witnessed it. Just like I just mentioned that John was a John the Baptist was a witness and therefore I am with him on this one. This is why John said he writes before me because he was before me. Jesus is the eternal son of God. He, he is the word become flesh. We all, John declares, beheld his glory. How about you? How about you? Have, have you beheld the glory of Jesus? Have, have you seen them? Those who have had the, their blind eyes opened are the ones that have seen his glory. O brothers and sisters, I'm talking about seeing his glory with the eyes of faith. Have you seen him work miracles and do things in your life that are, can only be explained by him? Have you seen him change and turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh where there was somebody going in a hell bent direction and God entered into their lives, opened up their eyes. They saw Jesus and they turned and they beheld his glory. Have you beheld? Have you beheld his, his glory because you do understand we behold his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. That's what Paul says in second Corinthians four six four God who said let light shine out of darkness has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. All the word the Logos became flesh and dwelt among us brothers and sisters God showed up that's what we celebrated Christmas God showed up but he didn't just show up just to show up he came with a mission God sent him into the world he took on flesh for our purpose the incarnation is indeed about God with us but it is also God for us God for us John 1 16 through 17 in our text says this for from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace for the law was given through Moses grace and truth come through Jesus Christ when Jesus was born into the world when he was born into the world you do you do know that love was born love was born I love the Christmas song I'm it was hopefully we'll see it sometime during the season love came down at Christmas I love it because it's true love was born at Christmas it just wasn't any love perfect perfect love came down at Christmas that is what John says going back to verse 14 Jesus the son of God came full of grace and truth that is what perfect love consists of grace and truth not not some grace and some truth not even half grace and half truth no Jesus came full of grace and full of truth which which means he was perfectly loving perfectly loving God's loving kindness and faithfulness what the Bible calls his head comes to us in Jesus who is fully gracious and fully truthful oh you do understand I don't know if you understand how comforting that is brothers and sisters because the reason why this is so comforting is because this is the love that we want from one another this is the love we desire but the love that that love that perfect love can only be found in the one who is full of grace and truth it can only be found in him our love for one another when we love one another it's it's it's always mixed it's always mixed it's always made up of parts sometimes we are gracious with those we love and sometimes we are truthful with those we show love to other times we are a little of both because we love like this because our love is always mixed and it's in part this kind of love leaves us uneasy and fearful and skeptical so we lack trust in others we won't open up ourselves to others because if I open up myself to this person will they be gracious but not truthful or will they be truthful but not gracious neither those is very loving brothers and sisters but that is never the case with Jesus never the case with Jesus John and another one of his writings states it this way in 1 John 14 there is no fear in love but perfect love cast out fear for fear has to do with punishment whoever fears has not been perfected in love Jesus's love is always fully truthful and always fully gracious and therefore you know that you will always when you come to him be fully loved because he is trustworthy you need not fear or worry that his love for you is going to be lacking in some aspect you can run to him confidently honestly and without shame and you can do that because of what John says next for 16 for from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace how I love that I love that we have all received grace upon grace John declares love I know where grace comes from it comes from Jesus who is full of grace and truth so here's the question do you want grace do you are you looking for grace well then you need to go to Jesus is it truth you desire what will run to Jesus and you will find that when you go to Jesus you will receive grace upon grace now now the translation here makes it sound like building blocks like you're receiving grace is one level of grace and you put another level of grace on top there and it's building like it's like it's building blocks well that's not what John is communicating here he is saying that you and I receive grace in the place of grace already given grace in the place of grace already given one one theologian described it this way one wave of grace being constantly replaced by a fresh one is that not glorious which this means that grace grace it never runs out it never runs out there is a never ending supply because it comes from the one who is full of grace and truth there is always always enough you know it's funny have you ever been in a situation where somebody gives you access to something that is that is really good and they say take what you want right there's there's plenty keep taking it's plenty and part of you want to be shy and nice and don't want to seem like you know you want to be polite you know I don't want to take too much is can I take the internally like man I wish I could take some more I was going to and like take more take more take more take more grace upon grace which means that you can keep coming you can keep coming there is always more grace grace to receive grace there's always more God gives grace in the place of grace already given oh Christian the grace that brought you in is the grace that will that will keep you this is not a get better do better pull yourself up face grace is always available because grace is what we always need that's the good news of the gospel is that the law with its demands with its standards none of us could live up to do better get better according to the law we could not we just couldn't attain that is why John mentions in verse 17 for the law was given through Moses grace and truth came through Jesus Christ Jesus came into the world and brought with him grace and truth and where the law once condemned us now we are those who are the recipients of grace through Jesus what we can never attain through the law you and I received through Christ God with us God for us but John concludes his prologue to this gospel with the word that the word becoming flesh is also God made known to us God made known to us verse 18 no one has ever seen God the only God who was at the father's side he has made him known John once again redirects our attention to the God head the eternal throne room and he reminds us of the holiness of God his statement is undeniable no one has ever seen God not even Moses who talked face to face with God not David who was said to be a man after God's own heart no one has seen him no one has seen the father except that is the one who was at his side the one who rested in the father's bosom John here is recalling something that he heard Jesus say many times John 6 and 46 not that anyone has seen the father except he who was from God he has seen the father and then in Matthew 11 and verse 27 Jesus says all things have been handed over to me by my father and no one knows the son except the father and no one knows the father except the son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him and then in John 149 Jesus says to Philip when he asked to see the father have I been with you so long and you still do not know me Philip whoever has seen me has seen the father how can you say show us the father only the one who became flesh could say he has seen the father only only him for he and the father were one and he the only one who can reveal him and make him know when Jesus was born in Bethlehem part of his mission was to make the father known to us he was revealing God to us and this is huge because God had already revealed himself to those whom he created through his creation we know this to be general revelation in Psalm 19 and one the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handy work we can go out and look at creation and determine and know that there is a God in heaven who created all things general revelation God did not have to reveal himself to us but he did so in creation leaving us without excuse for worshiping and submitting to him this is what we learn in Romans 1 19 and 20 for what can be known about God is made plain to them because God has shown it to them for his invisible attributes namely his internal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world and the things that have been made so that they are without excuse here's the amazing goodness of God even though he did not have to reveal himself to us and not only did he give us general revelation but he gave us special revelation he has revealed made himself known to us through God the Son Jesus Jesus he is the image of the invisible God that's what Paul tells us in collusion brothers and sisters is that not amazing is that not wonderful think about that for a moment have you contemplated that enough the almighty infinite invisible omnipresent inexplicable God can be known oh let's not take it too far we can't fully comprehend nor can we fully know his ways I mean it's clear the infinite cannot fully excuse me the finite cannot fully comprehend the infinite because of Jesus because of Jesus because of Jesus we can know the Father we can be in a relationship with him be called his friend dying at his table you and I can rest in his bosom all because of Jesus all because of Jesus and that is one of the joys of knowing Jesus he has made known to you the God who created you the one who is worthy of your worship the Lagas the word became flesh and dwelt among us he made you out a manual God incarnate here to dwell manual a manual God with us made known God made known to us pray that you would trust him this morning let's pray