Jesus is the Word of the Father

Taught our church's youth group last night. The subject was the real meaning behind Christmas. I focused on the incarnation of the Lord Jesus as the Word of the Father.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Emmanuel - God with us. The Final Word.

We have all heard the Christmas story. How Mary gave birth to a baby boy and wrapped Him up and put Him in a manger. But have we really thought about what that really means? How the Father spoke through His Son Jesus and He became the Final Word?

Sometimes when we hear religious things, we may be tempted to shut down mentally.

We are taught that religious things are complicated and beyond us. If we admit it, we may think that the Bible is a little boring. But I say if we can learn every word to the latest song on 104.5 or can understand the complexity of the BCS bowl rankings, we should be able to bend our mind to the things of God.

Hebrews 1:1 - 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.

God speaks. He has been speaking to us in many ways. Can you think of ways that God speaks to us?

Nature -

Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. - Rom. 1:19-20.

God speaks through the creation. When you see a beautiful mountain or even a beautiful person, you see God speaking. He speaks about His "eternal power" and "divine nature". No one is without excuse when it comes to God's existence. His voice should be heard loud and clear.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. - Ps. 19:1

Look in the sky. Did you see the smiley face last week? Jupiter, Venus and the Moon? Our most powerful telescopes are not even scratching the surface.

Prophets -

The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. - 2 Sam. 23:2,

God speaks through people. He sets people aside called prophets. They proclaim God's message in a special way. Can you name a prophet? Can prophets exist today?

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, - Heb. 1:1

Again, Hebrews 1:1 talks about how God spoke through prophets. He probably still speaks through them.

Angels -

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. - Matthew 1:20

The word angel means "messenger". In the Bible, God often used angels to give people a message. Angels are usually more than just an ordinary messenger in the Bible. They are supernatural beings. Satan was an angel.

The Bible -

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, - 2 Tim. 3:16

The Bible is the Word of God. Literally God-breathed.

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. - 2 Peter 1:20-21

This verse explains how the Bible came to be. Men were inspired or "carried along" by the Holy Spirit.

Best of all...Jesus, the Final Word

God has been speaking to us in many ways as Hebrews 1:1 says. He still speaks in many ways, but the final, lasting way that He has spoken has been through His Son Jesus (Heb. 1:2).

What is a word?

Why do we describe Jesus as the Word as in John 1:1?

Why would He be thought of as final?

How does God speak through Jesus?

He explains the Father, makes Him known. -

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. - John 1:18

Jesus is exactly like His Father but is visible, so if we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father. This is something that is deep and mysterious, but it is true.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. - Col. 1:15

Again, Jesus is the image of the invisible God.

"I and the Father are one." - John 10:30

Jesus explained this Himself in John 10:30.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... - John 1:1

What does this verse remind you of? Gen. 1:1. Jesus existed before He was Mary's son. He has always been. Before time.

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 1:14

"This is the most amazing event in all of history: the eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, infinitely holy Son of God took on a human nature and lived among humanity as one who was both God and man at the same time, in one person.

"Made His dwelling" means more literally “pitched his tent” (Gk. skēnoō), an allusion to God's dwelling among the Israelites in the tabernacle (cf. Ex. 25:8–9; 33:7).

In the past, God had manifested his presence to his people in the tabernacle and the temple.

Now God takes up residence among his people in the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:17).

Thus, the coming of Christ fulfills the OT symbolism for God's dwelling with man in the tabernacle and the temple.

Later, through the Holy Spirit, Christ will make into a temple both the church (1 Cor. 3:16) and a Christian's body (1 Cor. 6:19)." - ESV Study Bible - John 1:14 Study Notes.

Did you ever wonder why Jesus was called "Immanuel"?

Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23 - "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

God is with us.

He has spoken and is speaking through Jesus, the final Word.