Sermon: January 1, 2012
Click the play button below to listen to this sermon.
In the beginning, John says, was the Word. Not the angel or the virgin or the star; not the shepherds or the Magi, but the Word.
If John’s gospel were the only one, this is all we would know of Jesus’ birth - that before he was a human being with the name Jesus, he was “The Word” and was with God from the very beginning of Creation, bringing things into being, making things happen, shining light into the darkness.
The Word was God’s very self, God’s soul, God’s own being - the animating spark of life: the fire inside the sun, the distance between the farthest stars and the closeness of each living breath. The Word was God’s message to the world,... and the message was life. The message was light.
But not everyone got the message. As magnificent as it was, many were so used to the darkness that they were afraid of the light.
They preferred the darkness they knew to the light they did not know.
The Word sidled up to them and whispered in their ears; but they closed their eyes, cleared their throats, and walked away.
So God decided to speak in a new way, less invisible, less ambiguous this time. The Word was embodied – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us… full of grace and truth.
This is the Gospel of John’s Nativity story in a nutshell. The Word was translated into a human being. God’s own self, God’s Word, was concentrated into one mortal life on earth; and nothing was the same again.
Not because everyone listened this time. They didn’t. But because the eternal Word of God took human form - the union of heaven and earth, child of God and child of humankind. The message was no longer invisible. It had a face, a voice, a pair of hands. This is the miracle of the Word made flesh - God decided to deliver the message in person.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,... full of grace and truth.
From the beginning, human beings have found it very difficult to speak of God. The closer we get to ultimate reality, the less we can say about it. Even the Gospel of John has trouble - it uses words like light and glory and grace. Wonderful words. But not words you can pin down, or describe exactly, or hold tight in your hands and control.
We know that human words are not perfect. And even more than that, sometimes people use our already imperfect human words and make them into outright lies.
We read in the store ‘vine-ripened tomatoes’ but sometimes they’re not. A friend says, “I’ll call you”, but doesn’t. The TV preacher says, “Believe, and you will be healed.” And in fear and hope, you believe. But you aren’t healed.
After a while, we tend to get a little suspicious of words. Someone tells us something, and we decide to wait and see.
What are words, anyway? They’re just sounds with air behind them.
Only, The Word made flesh is different. In him, the Word is not just a sound with air; it is a whole way of life. It is being itself.
The Word does not just deplore hunger from afar, it feeds hungry people. The Word does not leave inspirational tracts on the bedside tables of sick people, it raises them to abundant and eternal life in Jesus Christ. It may be continued life on earth, or life in God’s Realm; either way, it is fullness and abundance of life.
The Word does not just regret war and injustice from a safe distance, it beats swords into plowshares, and decides with equity for the poor of the earth. The Word does not stand silent in the face of ignorance and lies; instead, it speaks the truth.
In this ‘Word made flesh,’ there is no distance, no difference, between the word and the reality, between the speech and the act.
If you want to know how God looks, look at Jesus as he stands in front of an angry crowd, saving a woman from being stoned.
If you want to know how God sounds, listen to him as he says, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” “Love your neighbors as yourself.”
If you want to know how God acts, watch him as he feeds the hungry, and commands his disciples to do the same.
He is God’s Word, the Word made flesh: God’s self, God’s soul, God’s very being in the world. He is the best way there is, for God to speak to us: God’s Word to humankind – the Word made flesh, named Jesus, Jesus Christ.
Years ago, Joan and I were driving somewhere; and our older son, Josh, who was 7 or 8 at the time, was in the back seat. Joan and I were having a serious discussion – listening to each other, asking questions, saying what we thought.
Suddenly, we both became aware that Josh was sitting forward, with his elbows on the back of the front seat, and his chin on his arms; and he was watching us, and listening intently to our discussion.
We asked him if he understood what we were talking about, and he said, “Kind of.” And then he said, “I just love to listen to adults talk.”
When he said that, there was in his voice a kind of passionate desire to understand adult words, adult conversations, and to be a part of them. And, there was also in his voice, a knowledge that with work and time, those adult words and conversations could be his.
We are like that, sometimes, at our best times, with “The Word made flesh.” When we listen hard - with work and study, prayer and meditation, sharing and discussing our faith with others - we know that the Word can be for us, that Jesus’ conversation can be with usThe Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
Our Christmas Eve candlelight service took place a week ago. There is a particular time in that service that is a highlight for me. It is when all the lights have been turned off and the sanctuary is completely dark. (That is when a child often says, “It’s dark in here” or “turn on the lights.”)
It is just at that time that we light the one candle, the Christ candle; and then from that light, other candles are lighted. The light of those candles makes such a difference in the darkness. For me, that is a powerful symbol of the coming of “The Word made flesh” into our world, and into our lives.
It is the best news there is, and it is our greatest hope - The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,... full of grace and truth.
For that incredible gift, we give praise and thanks to God. Amen.
