Consider Christmas
LET US CONSIDER CHRISTMAS TOGETHER. “CONSIDER” means to think carefully about, especially in order to make a decision; it means to contemplate, to ponder, to bear in mind. And in a biblical context, I believe, it is accurate to add this serious and productive mental activity is supposed to lead to decision, and then action.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO NOTICE THE PARTICULAR CARE THE BIBLE TAKES IN SPEAKING ABOUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Scripture does not just simply say that Christ was born. I ask you to notice the precision (not one but three descriptive clauses) in which the Scripture employs to refer to His birth in a unique way – PLEASE CONSIDER…
NAS John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- “IN BEGINNING” – There is no article in the Greek text. Although in Greek grammar that fact does not mean the object of the preposition “in,” ”beginning,” is, therefore, indefinite, But this fact does not necessarily limit Christ’s beginning to the time of the creation of the world. It is possible that in the Greek by this initial prepositional phrase John is carrying our thoughts beyond the beginning of creation in time to eternity, which it is correct to say had no beginning. Time exists within eternity. Suffice it to say that whichever beginning is meant, the Word was present. The Bible never attempts to prove God’s existence; it is just assumed. Isn’t that beautiful? There is such strong proof of deity alluded to in this unique unspoken assumption.
- “WAS” – Three times in the first verse of his gospel, John significantly uses the imperfect tense of the Greek word ειμι (eye–me), which means in the present tense “to be.” We will see in a moment that John, also significanty, uses quite a different verb for the beginning of the Incarnation of God. The Greek imperfect here conveys no idea of origin for God or the Logos (the Word), but simply continuous existence in the past. In other words, God Himself had no beginning: He simply and profoundly was. We find the same idea in…
ESV John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
John 8:58, according to the imperfect tense of the verb (Greek has four past tenses, whereas English has one), could be translated “Before Abraham was, I AM. Before Abraham was, I was existing timelessly.
- “THE WORD” – “THE LOGOS” – λογος is a common Greek word widely employed by ordinary people and scholars alike. John was speaking to both groups, informing the former and refuting and correcting the latter (e.g., Philo) The Greek word λογος (log–os) has always been a point of special interest to me. WHAT DOES “THE WORD” IN THIS SPECIAL CONTEXT MEAN? Exactly how are we to envision Christ as the Word? A WORD SERVES TWO DISTINCT PURPOSES: 1) It expresses a concept; it is a sound or sounds that gives expression to a perception – if it is not verbalized (or, by extension, written) it remains a concept. THINK OF A WORD AS A THOUGHT WITH CLOTHES ON; A WORD IS A THOUGHT CLOTHED: CHRIST IS GOD “FLESHED” 2) A word reveals the thought. JESUS CHRIST SHOWED US GOD:
COLOSSIANS 1:15 – “He is the image of the invisible God.”
JOHN 14:9 – “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”
JOHN 10:30 – “I and My Father are one.”
- “AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD.” – In the Greek the construction presents another example of the language of precison and exaltation which uniformly surrounds the Lord Jesus. When the Greek grammar and context are studied, it may be seen that the seemingly innocuous prepositional phrase, “with God,” suggests intimacy. We could think of the Word and God being face to face with each other. The phrase denotes a special relationship of eternal fellowship in the Trinity. Who could claim this privileged familiarity with God other than God? The next clause gives us the answer…
- “AND THE WORD WAS GOD.” – In the Greek the predicate is before the subject in order to emphasize Christ’s full deity. He was of the same quality as God. What is being stressed here is that the Word is in possession of the full nature of God.
WHY DID I FRAME THIS CHRISTMAS BLOG FROM JOHN 1:1? BECAUSE I WANT US TO KEEP IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR THOUGHTS AS WE CONSIDER CHRISTMAS, THE FACT THAT JESUS WAS MUCH MORE THAN THE HISTORICAL BABE OF BETHLEHEM; HE WAS AND IS GOD ALMIGHTY.
Unlike the other three gospels which begin with a historical reference, John begins with a theological prologue. It is as if John was saying “I want you to consider the teachings and deeds of the Lord Jesus Christ, but before you can do this accurately you must understand His Person: the things He said and the things He did are those of the God-Man.”
MY HUMBLE TRANSLATION OF JOHN 1:1: “THE WORD IS ETERNAL; THE WORD IS IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD (THE FATHER); AND THE WORD IS GOD.”
NAS John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEE HERE IS THE CAREFULNESS THE BIBLE USES TO DESCRIBE THE INCARNATION (“INCARNATION” MEANS “ENFLESHMENT”): THE VERSE DOES NOT SAY: “AND THE WORD WAS FLESH.”
VERB: “The Greek verb has a very special meaning here. It is not “became” in the sense of ceasing to be what it was before. THE WORD BECOMES FLESH BUT REMAINS THE WORD.
EXAMPLE: (Remember Pastor Matt’s sermon on Genesis 19 a couple of weeks ago? It sets the stage: ESV Genesis 19:26 But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.) When the wife of Lot became a pillar of salt, she ceased to be the wife of Lot. That’s one way to use the word. That is not the way the word “became” is used in John 1:14. When Lot became the father of Moab and Ammon, he remained Lot. That’s the way the word is used here. THE WORD BECAME FLESH BUT REMAINED THE WORD.” – Hendriksen
HOW COULD THIS BE: TWO NATURES? Jesus is the only being that possessed both a divine and human nature, He is the unique God-Man. He had to be 100% human to be our representative and He had to be 100% God to be the perfect, sinless sacrifice for our sins.
ESV 1 Timothy 3:16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
I TITLED THIS BLOG “CONSIDER CHRISTMAS”
WE HAVE CONSIDERED:
1) WHO – THAT CHRIST IS GOD – JOHN 1:1
2) WHAT – THAT HE BECAME A MAN – JOHN 1:14
NOW LET US CONSIDER…
3) WHY – WHY GOD BECAME A MAN – WHY THERE IS A CHRISTMAS:
NAS John 3:16-17 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERSISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 17 FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO JUDGE THE WORLD, BUT THAT THE WORLD SHOULD BE SAVED THROUGH HIM.”
THIS, I SUGGEST, IS A SUMMARY OF THE GOSPEL BECAUSE IT IMPLICITLY TELLS US THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST’S COMING, THE PRIZE HE SECURED FOR US THROUGH HIS UNSPEAKABLE SACRIFICE, AND THE WAY WE RECEIVE THAT INCOMPARABLE GIFT OF LOVE – BY FAITH!
“CONSIDER CHRISTMAS” AND THEN ACT UPON YOUR CONSIDERATION BY BELIEVING THE GOSPEL AND PLACING YOUR TRUST IN CHRIST. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE TRULY EXPERIENCE CHRISTMAS!
LOVE
“What kind of God could shape the earth and stars?
Yet watch o’er the sparrow as it flies?
What kind of Father could forgive the failing heart
And dry the tears that sinners cry?
What kind of Lord would build for us a place
With seas of glass and mansions high?
What kind of Friend would save us from the grave
By giving His own Son to die?
If eyes could know one glimpse of heaven…
He must be beauty and splendor
He must have strong hands that guide with gentle touch
He must be hope… and He must be joy…
But more than these, He must be LOVE.
FOR GOD SO LOVED… HE GAVE…
NAS Matthew 1:21 “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”
JESUS WAS “BORN TO DIE”
WITHOUT SIN THERE WOULD BE NO CHRISTMAS.
CONSIDER (give careful thought to; think about seriously, regard, weigh) THIS…
AND BIBLICAL FAITH IS NOT PASSIVE; CONSIDERATION RESULTS IN ACTION.
SO, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD HUMBLY ASK US ALL TO CONSIDER THIS WEEK – AND ANYTIME: THIS GREAT GOD WHO LOVED US SO MUCH THAT HE GAVE US HIS SON AS A SAVIOR SO THAT WE MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!
HE IS THE GIFT GOD GAVE THE WORLD!
AND THE GIFT HE HOLDS OUT TO US TODAY – RIGHT NOW! – IS ETERNAL LIFE!
THE QUESTION HANGING EITHER LIKE A BRIGHT HALO OR A DARK CLOUD ABOVE EVERY HUMAN BEING IS…
HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE GIFT?
IT’S THE ONLY QUESTION THAT REALLY MATTERS!
HAVE YOU TAKEN ACTION BY FAITH TO POSSESS THE GIFT?
DO YOU HAVE THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE?
IS JESUS TRULY THE REASON FOR THE SEASON TO YOU?
IF THE ANSWER IS YES – HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD!
IF THE ANSWER IS NO…
I HUMBLY INVITE YOU TO CONSIDER CHRISTMAS…
