The Word Became... and Becomes Flesh
The final facet of the treasure of Jesus that we want to be part of our ministry is what I call “Incarnation.” John 1:14 tells us that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” This is an amazing theological claim, for it was inconceivable (even sacreligious) to Jews that Yahweh would ever condescend to communicate Himself so directly, and it was remarkable to Greeks that the divine Ideal would associate itself with human flesh, which was so tainted with imperfection. But, says John, when God wanted to communicate Himself, the best way He could think to do it was to show up in the particles and particulars of human experience. He was communicating the incredible value that He places on His creation, on time, space and matter, as realms in which His glory could dwell.
My wife was meditating on John 1 a couple of mornings ago, and seeing the parallel there with Genesis 1, found herself back at that first moment of creation. One of the things that the Holy Spirit impressed on her was how much Jesus Himself is reflected already in the creation. God spoke the Word, “Let there be light”; Jesus showed Himself to be the Light of the world. God spoke the Word, “Let the water be gathered up together”; Jesus is the Living Water that gives life to every man. God spoke the Word, “Let the land produce vegetation and plants bearing seed”; Jesus is the Bread of Life. God spoke the Word, “Let there be sun and moon and stars”; Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness and the Bright and Morning Star. God spoke the Word, “Let the land produce living creatures”; Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. God spoke the Word, “Let us make human beings in our image”; Jesus is “the image of the invisible God.” In every facet of creation, God placed a signpost that would help us understand and treasure Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.
As we take on this opportunity to lead our campus in worship, let’s open our eyes to all the ways that creation and human creativity might point to the glory of Jesus. The very fabric of creation – nature, human relationships, space, the realm of ideas – all of it is interwoven with those signposts, and as His stewards of that creation, we can draw those out and use them in helping people see Jesus in a new way. Perhaps it is a fact or event you’ve learned about in a class, a phenomena you’ve discovered in the lab, a story or poem you’ve read or written, a song birthed in your heart or a picture that you’ve drawn. All of these could be new ways for God to show up “in the flesh.”
Now I’m not advocating the making of idols, substituting created things for the Creator. We can’t mistake the gift for the Giver! But the gifts are ultimately there to point us to the Giver, to put us in touch with Him, to bring us into intimacy with Him. So let’s harness all the power and beauty and mystery of creation and of human creativity to point us that direction!
For that reason, I really want to encourage us to think fresh this year, to expect that God will lead us outside the box in how we communicate the glories of Christ and the good news of His redemption in our worship. Let’s get those ideas out there! Let’s talk about how to enrich the environment of chapel and Sunday Night Alive, to make it an all-sensory experience from beginning to end! Let’s work together with the Holy Spirit to create some unforgettable moments of encounter with God this year!
What do you think?