Blog Archives
Cry Out! “He is Home!” A Sermon on John 1:1-
A Painting of Jesus and Mary by my friend Mark Jennings. You can find all his art (and order copies) at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/mark-jennings.html
Cry Out:
For He has answered!
“He Is Home!”
John 1:1-14
† Jesus, Son, Savior †
May the grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ help you be at home with God
- Dwelling, Domicile, HOME
Yesterday, I made a comment about how I struggled with the newer translation’s attempt with Gabriel’s greeting to Mary before he announced she was pregnant. More familiar with an older translation, it resonated more deeply with me.
Today the tables are reversed. There is an incredible difference in my mind between saying Jesus “dwelt” among us, or even more stiffly Jesus lived here, and how our translation does it this morning, where it says He “made His home among us.”
It’s one thing to say he moved onto our street, it’s another to say He made our home, His home.
And the original language supports that, if not even more familial.
That is what Jesus does, that is what He wants, to walk into our homes, our lives, and make His home with us.
Even if a bit awkward, even if embarrassing.
I mean think about it,
God doing your dishes?
And that is where He wants!
God sharing your bathroom? Or something worse…
- Light in Darkness
There is a description in the gospel reading of what life is like before Christ. It is not life, and it is shrouded in complete darkness. The kind that happens when even the stars and the moon are shrouded by a storm, and all the power is out.
This is what sin, the sin of a nation, of a community, of a family and of the individual does – Paul talks of such sin as being a veil, covers our ability to see the glory of God,
Without Jesus being our home, we dwell is the despair of that darkness, without the hope, peace, joy and love that we talked through during Advent.
But John promised that Jesus is the light and life, that He cuts through darkness, that cuts through the despair, not only does He destroys that darkness, He does more—He invites us into the light of the glory of the Father, for where He is, the Father is as well.
For Him to make His home with us in us, is not like he’s staying for a few days as a guest that needs to be served. There are other churches that might talk more about that, I think that we let Him care for us, what He calls us to be and do makes itself manifest.
But He cares for us…
Unfailing love and faithfulness
Last night we talked about His care for as as being driven by His passionate commitment to us, today, John the Apostle describes this as His unfailing love and faithfulness towards us. He is our God, who pours out that love on people, that those willing to receive it, to depend on Him, will have been saved.
We have a God who is so at home in our lives, that He ”does all the housework” cleaning up for us, feeding us, making sure we are well cared for, even when life seems broken. He is there, He is home with us. His our Lord and God.
This is the work of Jesus Christ, that started way before the manger, it started in creation – a creation with one purpose, to make us the children of God. This is why we are here… this is who we are.
We are His.
He is Home – The Miracle of John 1:14
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14 (NLT)
Home!
John 1:1-14
May you realize the blessing of Christ making His home with you…the love and mercy and promise of eternity!
My friend Chris ( our Minister of Worship ) and I were talking last night between services, of the ride we and our friends have had over the last sixteen or seventeen months. There has been so much trauma, so many tragedies, so much going on physically, emotionally, spiritually, that it hasn’t seemed like we were singing and playing and leading worship n Christmas Eve.
There seemed to be a disconnection, a hard to believe gap between the calendar and our minds. It just didn’t seem like Christmas yet…..
It’s like being away from home to long, there is a sense you belong there… but it takes a while to get acclimated. I felt this even more going back to New England this year, taking William and Kay to see where I grew up, to walk where my family lived and played and grew up.
Yet home is here, especially here at this altar. Home is here, with the people of God. It is odd to have two homes, especially two so radically different.
In the gospel this morning There is an amazing line.
The theologians will talk about the importance of the first three verses, where I focus on the last two.
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
Some older translations will phrase this – and dwelt among us. But the words in Greek talk about setting up camp, your base, where you and your family dwell. It talks of setting up the place you call home.
Jesus came and established His home with us.
He whose first home was with the Father and Holy Spirit, makes His home with us, in our midst. He who is used to hearing the angels singing praises, whose home is a place we can’t even picture, we can’t even imagine the sound, our hearts cannot even conceive of the glory there…..
He leaves that home, and He just walks into our lives, uninvited, and makes Himself at home. He belongs here, with us.
Amazing.
Miraculous,
Wonderful.
27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. Colossians 1:27 (NLT)
Jesus made His home with us.
Normally a Lutheran sermon would include the law, a look at how we’ve broken our relationship with Him.
No need to do that here – we realize how odd it seems that a pure, holy, sinless God would tolerate our presence.
Much less make His home with us….
But that is why He has come……
To make His home with us….
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14 (NLT)
That we would realize we have another home, one far different that this home….
For our home is with the Father in heaven…
And may we walk all the way home, at the side of Christ…
