Word of the Father

Word of the Father

Life & Light Community Church

Message from 12/24/2022

Life & Light Community Church began in the early months of 2020. What began as an opportunity for me, my wife and step-kids to continue to worship together, has now evolved into a ministry that has expanded to include close friends, family, and those who are simply hungry for the word of God. You can find us on Facebook, so please, feel free to reach out and join us.

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ”For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”

                                                                                  John 1:14–18 (NASB95)

Have you ever had to try and explain something you really know nothing about? It’s not easy, is it? To have any chance of making sense at all, you need to do some quick research to get, at least, a working of understanding of the subject you are trying to explain. And even then, you really have no idea what you are talking about, you just don’t want to sound like a complete idiot and make a fool of yourself.

But what happens when someone asks you to explain something you are passionate about? Man, now is the time you can get excited! Finally, someone has asked you about something you truly know and love! Now you can make known some of the little-known facts and tidbits of your favorite subject. Now you can show others why you are so excited about this subject. Now you can lead others to the inside scoop of your subject. In our passage today, we learn that the Word of the Father came to explain the Father as only He could, for He alone fully knows the Father and can make Him fully known to others.

The Word became flesh to dwell among us; He showed people His glory as the begotten of the Father. John testified about Him, and all have received from His fullness. The Law was given through Moses but through the Word of the Father, grace and truth have been realized, for He came to explain the Father.

The Word became human to live with those He created. From the Son of God, we have all received more grace than we deserve. The Law was given to people through Moses, but through the Word of the Father, grace and truth have been realized, as the Son of God made the Father known.

In this message we seek to understand why the Word of the Father is important to all people.

The Word of the Father put on flesh to live with and as those He created.

1). The Word of the Father is important to all people because all people have received from Him.

He came full of grace and truth and all people have received more grace than they deserve.

For the Son of God to put on flesh meant He had to take on the human form at a specific time, in a specific place, and to a specific people. This is exactly what has happened with the begotten Son of God. We are told earlier in John’s gospel that He came to His own, meaning Israel, specifically, Judah, being born in Bethlehem. He put on flesh to live among those He created, to share the human experience with them. In the Greek, the word “dwelt” means to tabernacle or pitch a tent. Quietly literally, we could say that Christ pitched His tent among humans to live with and as they lived. Those who lived with Him saw His glory, glory that comes from the Father. This glory shines with grace and truth.

This grace and truth fill Christ, there is room for no more grace or truth to be found in Him for He is full of grace and truth. Just as you cannot squeeze another ounce of gas in the tank of your car when it is full, so you cannot squeeze another ounce of grace or truth in Christ – He is FULL, to the brim, of grace and truth. Grace can be understood as kindness or blessing, while truth can be understood as certainty or real. Today we understand grace as unmerited favor and truth as sincerity and integrity of character. In Christ, grace and truth can be seen in all their fullness and scope.

John tells us that we have all received from His fullness. All people have received from Christ – not just those who lived with Christ as He pitched His tent among them. All people have received life from Christ. He is the creator, sustainer, and giver of life. This means that every person EVER conceived has received life from the Creator of life – Christ, the begotten Son of God. This also means that the abundant life and eternal life are available to all people – even though so many choose to reject this offer, it is available to those who come to Christ, acknowledging Him as the Son of God and Lord and Savior of the world.

This also means that every person EVER conceived has received light from Christ. Each person has been given light that will produce life and growth. More importantly this light will shine in the darkness to expose sin that separates people from God the Father. It will reach into the darkest recesses of the heart and expose the thoughts and intentions of every person. This light also cleanses, burning away the impurities of sin. We are called to walk in the Light as He walks in the light. This glorious light means we never walk in darkness again and leads to eternal life found only in Christ.

What does this mean for the Christ follower? It means we treat all people as valuable because they are! Each person ever conceived has life and light given to them by Christ; they are made in the image of the Father; this alone demands we treat all others with respect. We are called to love others as He has loved us, fully and unconditionally. Our love for other Christ followers is to be seen by all people that they might be drawn to Christ. Christ came, putting on flesh, to live with and as those He created. In His fullness He has given us more grace than we deserve. In turn, we are to give grace to those we do not feel deserving of grace; we love those who are called unlovable; we respect those who disrespect us, all in the name of love – the love shown to us by the Word of the Father.

Questions for discussion/reflection:

How are you showing grace to those around you in this season of life? If you are not, why?

How does your life express the truth of who Christ is in your life? If it does not, what steps can you take to correct this?

Where do you need the Light of the Word in your life today?

How are you expressing the value of those you meet? If you are not, why?

The Word of the Father put on flesh to live with and as those He created.

2). The Word of the Father is important to all people because He came from the Father to explain the Father.

He came from the very bosom of the Father to make Him known to all people.

John concludes this passage by reminding us that no one has ever seen God but the One who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. The word used for “explain” here means to show the way. The word “explained” is a compound Greek word, coming from two root words, the first root word means from or from out of; the second root word means to lead. In our context here, Christ has come from the bosom of the Father, John has told us He is in the bosom and being sent from the Father, obviously, He must come from the bosom – only One who knows the Father fully can make Him fully known. In a real sense, Christ has led people to the Father. He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The way to the Father, the truth of the Father, and the life of the Father.

When the readers of John’s gospel read, “He is in the bosom of the Father,” they may have been reminded of the story of Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. Or perhaps today’s reader is reminded of the place of “the disciple Jesus loved” at the final Passover meal in the Upper Room. Both are vivid pictures of love and comfort, care, and concern for another, but perhaps it is also a vivid picture of the mutual love of the Father and the Son, and most importantly, the Sons utter dependence on the Father. Christ came to “explain” the Father and part of this explanation must include the deep love the Father has for all people. Yes, God is a holy God. Yes, God hates sin. Yes, God will one day do away with all sin. But He has sent His Son to show us, to explain to all people, the deep love He has for all those who bear His image.

These vivid pictures of the Father and the Son should cause all Christ followers to pause and think about how they are showing the love of the Father and the love of the Son to those they meet. The one distinguishing mark of the true Christ follower is the love they share amongst other Christ followers. The Word of the Father came to “explain” the Father and part of the explanation offered is the deep love the Father has for all people. As Christ followers, we carry the Light of Christ within us, for He has called us into His glorious light. We, as Christ followers, know the Life that leads to the Father and eternal life. Most importantly, as Christ followers, we know the Way to the Father, and it is our responsibility to share with others that the Way is found only in the Word of the Father.

Questions for discussion/reflection:

Does your love for your fellow Christ followers show love, care, and concern for them?

How are you showing those you meet, who may not know the love of Christ, the deep love the Father has for them?

How does your life “explain” the power of the Father in your life? If it does not, what steps do you need to take to change this?

How are you making the Father known to those you meet? If you are not, why?

The Word of the Father put on flesh to live with and as those He created.

How does the Son “explain” the Father? He explains the Father as the Creator, Sustainer, and Giver of life. Through Him all things have been created, nothing has been created without Him and He alone holds all things together. The Son explains the Father as the Light of the world. His light gives life to all people. He has called us to walk in His light, meaning we never have to walk, live, or work in darkness again. His Light cleanses, exposing our sin and cleanses us that we may stand before the Father, clean and holy through His Sons redeeming work. The Son explains the Father through the sinless life He lived, fully God and fully man. He lived His life as a human being, in the flesh, living with and as those He created, yet He committed no sin, remained obedient to the Father, and sacrificed His life that all people might have eternal life. There are no excuses, for anyone, for the Word of the Father has come to make the Father known to all people. His life, His love, His care, and concern for all people have pointed the way to the One who sent Him from His very bosom, the Father, God Almighty.

All that remains is for you to decide. No one can make this choice for you. You either believe the Word of the Father, sent to explain the Father or you do not. You either accept Christ as the Son of God, or you do not. The Father has been explained, His attributes ad clearly seen in the Son. He has a deep love for you, and He waits for you to come to Him. Time is short. Repent of your sins, turn from them to Christ, acknowledge Christ as the Son of God and believe in Him for eternal life.

We do all things for the glory of God, through Christ our Lord,

Amen and amen.

Next Week: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17