The King of Christmas: the Word

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was 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, 14, ESV)

The Word, the Logos, the second Person of the Trinity... became flesh!

This quote from the Gospel of John is well known, but I wonder how often any of us really meditate on it? What does it really mean that "the Word became flesh"? What does it mean that "the Word was God"? Well, let me try to unwrap this for you a little bit.

Ancient Greek philosophy used this word to describe several things: the source and order of the universe, rational discourse, and the idea that divine power kept the universe moving. John's Gospel is directed mostly to the Greek culture, and so the Spirit's inspiration led John to use this concept from their culture and apply it to Jesus. John was saying to his Greek readers, "Look, the Source and Power of the universe isn't just a concept or a 'force.' The Logos you are trying to understand is God Himself. God put on flesh and came to live with us, and we saw Him! He's real!"

Over and over and over again, I come back to tis one concept: God Almighty, Holy God, God who is pure and perfect, left the glories of Heaven, laid aside the prerogatives of His deity, and was born as a helpless Baby to a poor young couple in a smelly stable far from their home.

The Source of all creation, the Power that keeps it chugging along, came to earth and grew up like us, worked like us, made friends, wept, ate, learned, slept, laughed, walked and spoke... like us!

How great a love, how deep a compassion He must have for His rebellious people! And what an amazing display the Living Word made when He came to live out the vast love of God before our eyes.

Father, let Your Word of truth and love be strongly proclaimed this Christmas season. May Your Son, the Logos which created the world and holds it together, be revealed to us. May Your Spirit convict us of sin and guide us to the humble stable and to the torturous Cross so the Son may be born in our hearts and reconcile us to You. Hallelujah, Christ the Savior is born!