Jesus is the Word (Christmas post #2)

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Word:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.

Through Him all things were made; without Him, nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it…

…He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.  He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.  Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent or of a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:1-14)

Here are some definitions of the word, “word” in English, Greek & Hebrew:

Word (noun):  a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and typically shown with a space on either side when written or printed

λόγος Logos (noun):  a word (as embodying an idea), a statement, a speech; a person sharing a message; “reasoning expressed by words”

דָּבָר Dabar (noun):  speech, word

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Words are meaningful.  Words can be spoken or written, but in either case they convey meaning.

They are expressions of thoughts made visible/audible.  They are a message waiting to be received. 

I can’t see someone’s thoughts – but I can understand (most of the time :)) their words. 

Until a thought turns into a word, I am in the dark.

Jesus has been referred to as the “Divine Expression.”  I really like that term.  You see, God communicated with people before Jesus – the Bible is full of those stories – but the best expression of God is Jesus. 

Hebrews 1:1 states, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the Universe.  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory, and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.”

The Bible clearly states that Jesus is God. 

When God wanted people to understand what He was all about and who He was…He sent them part of Himself.  He sent His Word.  He sent Jesus.

It’s mind-boggling, if we really think about it.

God, putting on flesh, so that we could better understand Him.

Isaiah 55:8-10 tells us that God’s thoughts are quite hard to comprehend:

“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.

‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

And yet, His Word will accomplish what He desires:

“’As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that comes out of my mouth.  It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.’”

But that’s what makes Christmas even more amazing!!! 

God didn’t just want us to understand Him.  He wanted us to be with us (Immanuel) so that we could be with Him…forever. 

Christmas is the beginning of God’s elaborate rescue plan to save people from a broken, messed-up world that we made for ourselves. 

That’s the message the Word brings.

And the Word does accomplish that!  It’s been done!  Revelation 19:11-16, the culmination of the story of the Bible, is description, not of a baby, but of a conquering hero on a white horse whose name is the “Word of God.”  The baby in the manger grows up…and He ends up conquering death through the brutal means of a cross so that we don’t have to face the punishment we deserve.

But we’ll go deeper into that in a future post. :)

Bottom line is this:  We can ignore words.

But my prayer is that this Christmas we don’t ignore the most beautiful message ever expressed to mankind:  God loves us.

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Jesus, the Word, makes that clear. 

Who is He? (Christmas post #1)

Yesterday in church as we were remembering with thankfulness Jesus’s birth, death and resurrection, someone prayed, “We look forward to an eternity of pondering the question, ‘Who is He?’”

Wait. 

Isn’t it weird for someone who goes to church to ask that question about Jesus?

Who is HE?

Shouldn’t they know?

Ah.  That’s the beauty. 

As Christians, we both know….and don’t know...because He’s too amazing for us to fully comprehend.

We can spend our lives learning more about Him! 

And during this Christmas, I hope to learn a little more about Him. 

See, I had this bright idea as I was driving home to PA from NC.  It was the culmination of the past few days’ thoughts… 

•  I had heard a song by Darius Rucker a few days ago:  What God Wants for Christmas – and the words “What do you give someone Who gave His only Son?” stuck out to me.  What can I give God this Christmas?   
•  We sang the words to this song yesterday in church:  

“Our song, then, forever shall be
Of the Shepherd who gave Himself thus
No subject’s so glorious as He
No theme so affecting to us!” 

• Dr. David Jeremiah reminded me yesterday (as we conversed through the radio :)) that teaching is using known things to explain unknown things.  Jesus often used the “known” to talk about the “unknown” (or hard to understand) in his parables. 

The combination of all those things made me want to do a couple of blog posts this week, reminding myself (and anyone else who wants to read :)) just who Jesus is.

You see, there is no subject so glorious as He.

And He himself said that He was like many things to help us understand more about Him. 

So, using God’s word and the knowledge of the world around us…I hope to offer Him this gift this Christmas:

I want to display just how WONDERFUL Jesus Christ is.

He’s not the subject of many songs and countless decorations this Christmas without reason.

Who is He?

Found

Last Friday, I listened to my whole Les Miserables soundtrack (the original London cast version :)).  I love that story.  It is chock-full of pictures of law and grace, love and loss, selfishness and sacrifice.  I can’t help but sing along with Jean Valjean in “Who Am I?” and tear up when Eponine sings “A Little Fall of Rain.”

But this time, this story – like all good stories – took me “deeper” into my own life in a way I wasn’t expecting. 

I realized that like Cosette & Eponine – I desire to be found.

And I think that being found is one of the deepest longings of any human heart.

In Les Miserables, after Marius and Cosette exchange glances on the street, they find that they can’t stop thinking about one another.  Cosette says:

“How strange, this feeling that life’s begun at last

This change, can people really fall in love so fast?

What’s the matter with you, Cosette?

Have you been too much on your own?

So many things unclear, so many things unknown.

In my life – there are so many questions and answers that somehow seem wrong

In my life – there are times when I catch in the silence the sound of a faraway song

And it sings – of a world I long to see

Out of reach – just a whisper away – waiting for me!

…In my life – I’m no longer alone

Now that love in my life is so near

Find me now, find me here!”

Marius is searching for Cosette, and with the help of his friend Eponine, he finds her.  On his way, Marius says:

“In my life, she has burst like the music of angels the light of the sun.

And my life seems to stop as if something is over and something has scarcely begun…”

And when they do finally meet…Marius says:  “I am lost…”  Cosette says:  “I am found.”

Isn’t this the essence of love?  Wanting to be found?  Wanting to be part of a beautiful story or song?  Wanting someone to risk all to be with you?

And then, God reminded me – He already did.

In this story, I am like Cosette!  When I realize God’s deep love for me, life truly can begin at last.  I have caught the sound of a faraway song…and that song echoes with the beauty of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  The same Jesus who risked all in his pursuit of me.

I also started to think that in some ways, I am also like Marius.  Because truly, it’s hard to imagine God looking me and saying that I burst like “the music of angels” and “the light of the sun”.  (which makes His pursuit of me all the more amazing!)  However, just like Marius imperfectly pursued Cosette – I imperfectly pursue Jesus.  Isaiah 65:1-2 shows us that God even lets himself be found by those who do not truly seek Him!  And in my life, Jesus has burst like music of angels…the light of the sun.  When He bursts into my life…something is over (my selfish story) and something has begun (His GREAT story). 

Isn’t it great, though – that when talking about God’s love story – that we will NEVER be like Eponine?

In one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs of the musical, Eponine speaks of her unrequited love for Marius…and what she longs for:

“On my own

Pretending he’s beside me

All alone,

I’ll walk with him till morning

Without him, I feel His arms around me

And when I lose my way I close my eyes,

And he has found me…”

That deep longing of Eponine’s heart was never fulfilled.  Marius never “found” Eponine in the way she wanted.

Jesus always finds us.

But, lest you think the longing for being found is just a romantic notion, I want to remind you of the 2007 movie August Rush.  Remember the storyline?  A young “orphan” boy named Evan (Freddie Highmore) believes his parents are still alive.  He believes that music will draw his family back together…and he ends up playing on the streets and attracting the attention of Wizard (Robin Williams), a man who knows a musical prodigy when he sees one.  Wizard asks the young boy an important question:

“What do you want to be in the world? 

I mean, the whole world?  What do you want to be? 

Close your eyes and think about that.”

Evan replies:  “Found.”

See?  We all want it.  We want someone to express to us that we are valuable and worthy enough to be pursued, chased after, searched for….we want to be found.

When we look at the three parables Jesus tells in Luke 15, we know that He knows it, too.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep:

Luke 15:3-7  “So he told them this parable: ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.’”

The Parable of the Lost Coin:

Luke 15:8-10  “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Prodigal Son:

Luke 15:11-32

“…But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’  And they began to celebrate…”

One of the deepest longings of our hearts – to be pursued, to be searched for – is completely fulfilled for us by the God of the universe.  There is no greater love than Jesus’ pursuit of us.

I don’t think I can express my joy (and thankfulness….Thanksgiving is next week!) any more fully than through the words of one of my favorite hymns:

All my life I had a longing

For a drink from some clear spring

That I hoped would quench the burning

Of the thirst I felt within

Hallelujah, He has found me!

The One my soul so long has craved.

Jesus satisfies my longings

Through His blood I now am saved.

Like Cosette, I can joyfully say, “I am found.”