The Word Was Made Flesh

Unprecedented. Unparalleled. Unequaled. Unrivaled. Unsurpassed. The religions of Egypt had no scenario to match this extraordinary occurrence. The materialism of Media-Persia made no allowance for such a mind-boggling phenomenon. Even the fabled mythology of Greece never conjured such an incomprehensible happening.

The Almighty dwelt among us! But the plan was so exceptionally simple and unimaginable, most of His own people missed Him. The Creator took the form of the created. The High and Lofty One came down as the most lowly of the humble. The King of Kings became a suffering, unhailed servant. The Glorious Mighty One took on simplicity and weakness.

The reasons make this so historic. He did not come for any temporal gain. He did not come to gratify sensual desires that could be satisfied only in the flesh. He did not come to "make a big splash" or to boost His ego. He did not come to intimidate, threaten, or punish. He came to identify with us. He came to free us. He came to save us and to win us. He came to exalt us and to make us His joint heirs. And He did so by living, suffering, and dying like no one else ever had, ever would, or ever even dreamed of. For me. For you.

If Jesus had not come as He did, He could not have been "like unto his brethren" (Hebrews 2:17). If Jesus had not come as He did, He could not "be touched with the feeling of our infirmities" (Hebrews 4:15). If Jesus had not come as He did, He could not have been "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). If Jesus had not come as He did, He could not have exemplified:

• servanthood -- "...ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you" (John 13:15).

• suffering -- "...Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

Let us gladly continue in the path blazed by the incarnate God.

"The life was the light of men" -- what does that mean to you?

• Jesus dispels the darkness within me.
• Until I have Him and His life, I cannot be a light to others.

Why was the Word made flesh?

• to give us life and light (4,5,9)
• to make it possible for us to believe in Him (7)
• to enable us to become sons of God (12)
• to show us His glory (14)
• to give us His fulness (16)
• to bring us grace and truth (17)
• to show and declare the Father to us (18)
• from other Scriptures, why else?

Why was He not known and received by most?

• The darkness within them kept them from perceiving the light (5).
• Their own agenda caused them to reject any other (Luke 20:14).
• He didn't fulfil their expectations.
• They weren't looking for Him.
• They were too occupied with other things of more importance to them.

How should we relate to each other with grace and truth?

• Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6; Luke 4:22
• Matthew 5:23,24; Matthew 18:15
• Matthew 5:44
• Romans 14:19
• Romans 12:18
• Philippians 2:3,4
• Colossians 3:12-15