The reality of the incarnation should stun you. In our last post for advent, we talked about Immanuel, the essence of the Gospel – the center of the story of redemption. Why should it make sense? To be honest, it doesn’t. I have so many questions about it, and why it happened the way it did. I think of the psalmist who writes, “…what is man that you are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4). Who are we that God is mindful of us? An even more important question, is who is God that he is mindful of us? The prologue of the Gospel of John gives us a deeper view into that question…

“An even more important question, is who is God that he is mindful of us?”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-5, 9-14).

Let’s highlight a few things we learned about God from this passage. First, what does John mean when he writes about the “Word?” The Word (John 1:1) is the divine λόγος (logos, translated Word). The λόγος is Jesus of Nazareth. John draws this connection between everything he learned and witnessed of and from Jesus. The important theological concept at play when we consider the logos is that it communicates that Jesus is not only eternally coexistent with the Father and Holy Spirit, as the second person of the Triune God, but he also dwelled among us. The logos is Jesus, who is God with us. See, here:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us [literally, “pitched his tent,” as some have commentated], and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

“The logos is Jesus, who is God with us.“

Jesus entered into our world and lived with us, becoming one of us, to fulfill what God had promised, which is himself. Remember, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” 

Stop and quiet your mind. Let it sink in. The living Word came to be with us and came to be one of us. He has stepped out of being in perfect relationship in and of himself with the Father and the Holy Spirit to be one of us. One theologian remarked that every act of the incarnation was a continual act of sacrifice. The hay in the manger the baby Jesus was laid in was as painful as the nails that would later pierce his hands as he hung on the cross. The incarnation was as painful for him as it was miraculous for us. Yet, there is joy in this for him and for us. We can access this joy because of the reality of the gift of faith in Christ. The reality is this – it actually happened. 

May we all experience this reality as we prepare to celebrate Christmas tomorrow.

Go in grace and peace,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Theologian