John 1:1-5, 14 ESV

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life,^[a] and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son^[a] from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word of God for the Children of God. In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

If you and I want to express ourselves, you and I could use words, actions, or deeds or as they say, “Actions speak louder than words.” You and I can use our words to communicate, convey our thoughts. Actually, the best way would be through both, allowing both our actions and our words to speak to our intent.

This is exactly what God did from the very beginning in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, directly and decisively into the affairs of man. God’s actions and words are tied into the name the Apostle John uses in describing Jesus as “The Word.”

When Jesus Christ walked among us as “The Word,” He expressed what was on God’s mind – An Eternal Hope is now living and walking among us! From His actions (miracles, healing sickness and disease, raising the dead, His death and resurrection), to His words (His Parables, what He communicated, He taught of God’s love, forgiveness, salvation, and God’s kingdom, to His prophetic words of His death, resurrection, and eventual return). The Word Came Among Us!

This is all tied up in the first several verses found in John’s gospel, which is probably one of the most compact statements about Jesus, from his existence from all eternity, to His identity as being God, and then His relationship, His connection, His Koinonia (intimate fellowship) with both God and with man.

John 1:1-5 Amplified Bible

The Deity of Jesus Christ

1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (^[a]Christ), and the Word was with God, and ^[b]the Word was God Himself. ² He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. ³ All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. ⁴ In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. ⁵ The Light shines on in the ^[c]darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].

John begins his Gospel the same way the Genesis account begins in the Old Testament, “In the beginning.” (Genesis 1:1) But Jesus achieved what years of law never could and never would, and that is humanity’s salvation, that is, bringing humanity back into a right relationship with God. You might say that after an indeterminate, uncountable number of years, Jesus Came, reset history.

In our passage John says that “The Word,” which we will see is a name for Jesus, is fulfilling the plan God had in mind all along – A Living Hope for All.

So powerful is the truth found in this name the Apostle John uses that he couldn’t help using it again in his first letter to the church 50 + years later.

1 John 1:1-3 (NKJV)

What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— ² the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

John expresses to us Jesus is the exact representation of who God the Father is, both in His actions and words. Jesus is the exact representation of Living Hope.

The Apostle Paul clearly expressed to the Followers in Colossae these thoughts;

Colossians 1:3-18 Easy to Read Version

³ In our prayers we always thank God for you. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ We thank him because we have heard about the faith you have in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all of God’s people. ⁵ Your faith and love continue because you know what is waiting for you in heaven—the hope you have had since you first heard the true message, the Good News ⁶ that was told to you. Throughout the world, this Good News is bringing blessings and is spreading. And that’s what has been happening among you since the first time you heard it and understood the truth about God’s grace. ⁷ You heard it from Epaphras, our dear friend and co-worker. He is a faithful servant of Christ for us.^[a] 8 He also told us about the love you have from the Spirit.

⁹ Since the day we heard these things about you, we have continued praying for you. This is what we pray:

that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need; ¹⁰ that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God^[b]; ¹¹ that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come.

Then you will be happy ¹² and give thanks to the Father. He has made you able to have what he has promised to give all his holy people, who live in the light. ¹³ God made us free from the power of darkness. And he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son. ¹⁴ The Son paid the price to make us free. In him we have forgiveness of our sins.

The Son of God Is the Same as God

¹⁵ No one can see God,
    but the Son is exactly like God.
    He rules over everything that has been made.^[c]
16 Through his power all things were made:
    things in heaven and on earth, seen and not seen—
all spiritual rulers, lords, powers, and authorities.
    Everything was made through him and for him.

¹⁷ The Son was there before anything was made.
    And all things continue because of him.
¹⁸ He is the head of the body, which is the church.
    He is the beginning of everything else.
And he is the first among all who will be raised from death.^[d]
    So in everything he is most important.

The anonymous author of Hebrews expresses it rather nicely saying that Jesus was the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person.

Hebrews 1:1-4 NKJV 

God’s Supreme Revelation

1 God, who ^[a]at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the ^[b]worlds; ³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had ^[c]by Himself ^[d] purged ^[e]our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The Son Exalted Above Angels

⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say:

“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”?

And again:

“I will be to Him a Father,
And He shall be to Me a Son”?

⁶ But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:

“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

⁷ And of the angels He says:

“Who makes His angels spirits
And His ministers a flame of fire.”

⁸ But to the Son He says:

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A ^[f]scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

¹⁰ And:

“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
¹¹ They will perish, but You remain;
And they will all grow old like a garment;
¹² Like a cloak You will fold them up,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not fail.”

¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said:

“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. In the beginning, the Hope already existed. The Hope was with God, and the Hope was God. The Hope came! The Hope lived among us, filled with Grace and Truth and Life in more abundance than we could dare imagine.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, let us now dare Pray;

Thank you, Father in heaven, for expressing a message that I can understand. Thank you for expressing a message that I can see in action. Thank you for Jesus and all he is to me. Thank you for your One and only perfect expression of faith, hope and love, of truest salvation, and grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.