Dear Parish…
The Word became flesh and moved into the neighbourhood
When St. John first penned those words 'the Word became flesh' in the First Century, many people would have been shocked, even offended. 'The Word' was a common way of referring to God. Why would the almighty God of heaven choose to dwell on earth? And in human flesh? That was ridiculous. Many people would have laughed, scoffed,or rolled their eyes. But it was less surprising to those who had read the Bible's prophecies. The Bible predicts two visits from the Messiah - two definitive but very different visits.The first visit would be 'under the radar' - easily missed. Little fanfare, less visible success. A child born in poverty to a single mother, into a world with 'no room' for its Saviour. But this little baby - this small town carpenter - would do something to change the history of the world. God's first visit to earth would go largely unnoticed, but it would be entirely successful. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, a new history for humanity would begin.
The Messiah's second visit to the earth would mark the end of human history. Unlike the first visit, this one would be entirely visible.
Jesus says in Matthew 24 that all the earth will see him when he returns: 'For as lightning that comes from the east is visible in the west, so shall be the return of the Son of Man.'
We live in between the two visits.
Christmas is a time to remember that God has visited this world in the person of Jesus Christ, and he will come again! When he does, he will ask us: 'What did you think of my first visit?
How did you respond to my life? Were you unimpressed by the manger? By my mother? By the water into wine? What did you do with teaching? My words of life? My warnings? How did you respond to my death?
As a minister I am often encouraging you to ask questions of God. Because one day, he will question you.
Just a few verses after 'the Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood,' John describes the first time he met Jesus. The first thing Jesus does is ask him the question, 'What do you want?' So direct, so surprising is Jesus' question that John doesn't know how to answer. He doesn't know what he really wants. Instead he asks Jesus, 'Where are you staying?' Jesus answers: 'Come and see.'
It turns out Jesus is staying in their neighborhood. Little does John know that the same God who flung stars into space was now living, in human flesh, just down the road. This Christmas, make time to come and see what is happening at your local church. Come ask questions, sing carols, sit quietly - but do come and see how close Jesus is. He is God's Word made flesh. He is the Saviour who visits small villages. And he will come again.
Waiting with you. Believing in Advance,
your parish minister,
Matt
P.S. Philip Yancey is one of my favorite authors. His books The Jesus I Never Knew and Amazing Grace are must-reads. Below is a sample of his writing:
Jesus' final words at the end of Revelation are 'I am coming soon,' followed by an urgent echoing prayer, 'Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.' That prayer will be answered.
In a German prison camp in WWII, unbeknownst to the guards, the Americans built a homemade radio. One day news came that the German high command had surrendered, ending the war, a fact that, because of a communications breakdown, the guards did not yet know. As word spread, a loud celebration broke out. For three days, the prisoners were hardly recognizable. They sang, waved at guards, laughed at the guard dogs, and shared jokes over meals. On the fourth day, they awoke to find that all guards had fled, leaving the gates unlocked. The time of waiting had come to an end.
Here is the question I ask myself: as we Christians face contemporary crises, why do we respond with such fear and anxiety? Why don't we, like the allied prisoners, act on the good news we say we believe? What is faith, after all, but believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse?
Calling all Sceptics ....
What made Jesus the TURNING POINT of history?
It’s an obvious point worth remembering: when Jesus was born, there were no Christians. There were Jews, Pagans, and Atheists.
Anyone who chose to follow Jesus had to be convinced Jesus was worth following. And following Jesus came at a price. Jesus’ followers faced rejection from their families, religious scorn, government persecution, and death.
So how did Jesus, from small-town Nazareth, found the largest religious movement on earth?
Simply put, Jesus earned people’s trust. Over a 3 year period, as Jesus spoke and taught thousands of people across Israel-Palestine, no one could deny his power. No one could disprove his miracles. Everyone was trying to explain not whether, but how Jesus was able to heal the sick, forgive sinners, and stump scholars.
The question on everyone’s lips was, ‘Who is this?’ Though different answers were given, one thing was agreed: Jesus was a man whose word could be trusted.
Jesus’ word and deed were one.
Not even Jesus’ critics questioned his integrity.
What they questioned was Jesus’ claim to be God. It was a claim Jesus died for . . . and then rose from the dead to make good upon.
Of all his miracles, Jesus’ resurrection was the most decisive because it proved Jesus’ power over death itself.
Why would I believe that Jesus rose from the dead, or any other miraculous claim?
In short, because of the historical evidence. You should only believe in miracles if there is good reason to do so. My frustration as a minister is that so few people ever bother to look at the evidence!
I have on my shelf several copies of The Case for Easter (by Lee Strobel), a book written by a former sceptic whose investigation led to his conversion. I challenge you to read it!
So imagine you heard a report that a man in Nazareth, who was blind from birth, had been healed by Jesus. (You can read about his court case in John chapter 9). Even if there had been television, internet or media – would you wait to hear the story second hand?
No, you would go find the blind man and see for yourself! During Jesus’ lifetime, he healed countless people in dozens of towns all over Galilee. Each time there were eyewitnesses.
Now we can understand why so many thousands of people were following Jesus. No one could disprove his miracles. They could only question his teachings - especially his claim to be God. Time and again, Jesus proved that he could do what he said. He practiced what he preached. Jesus earned people’s trust the old-fashioned way – one person at a time.
This is why Christianity spread so quickly, despite being so costly.
For a full generation after Jesus (about 40 years) anyone who wanted to know the truth about Jesus could find out for themselves what happened directly from the eyewitnesses. For example, the third Gospel (Luke) was written not by a disciple of Jesus, but by a sceptical non-Jewish doctor who begins the Gospel by explaining, ‘I have myself carefully investigated these accounts from the first eye-witnesses.’ Luke - much like ourselves - was no insider promoting conspiracies, he was an outsider converted by the evidence.
So keep asking questions - the Christian faith is not a blind faith but a thinking faith. Come by the Manse and let’s talk over coffee. I always learn from your questions. Honest enquiry will lead all of us closer to the truth. That’s why Jesus said ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.
Grateful to be your parish minister,
Matt
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