Sermon preached by The Rev. Richard Lampert
Christmas I
John 1.1-18
AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US ……………
The story of the birth (The Incarnation) of Christ is presented dramatically differently in The Gospel’s of Matthew and in Luke and then in John. In Matthew, we perhaps remember best the angels’ appearance in Joseph’s two dreams and then Herod and the Wise Men. In Luke, we have the stories of Elizabeth and Zecharíah, of Mary and her beloved Magnificat and of course Caesar Augustus and the birth in the manger and also the shepherds and the angels. Then, John’s account (today’s Gospel) is unique! It is written interactively on two different levels: first as (1) the eternal Cosmic Word of God from “the beginning” (John 1.1-5; also Genesis 1.1) and then (2) in the present as the mortal temporal story (vss. 6-18) of John The Baptist, the True Light coming into the world and finally the Incarnate Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.
John’s story hinges upon vs. 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as the father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” The original Greek word (LOGOS) translated as “the Word” emerges out of the multi-cultural/nationalistic/philosophical/political Greco-Roman world and the Judaic peoples and many religions of the first century Eastern Mediterranean period. Nevertheless, John’s Prologue use of “The Word” in Creation and in human history and in The Incarnational Story draws most heavily from the Old Testament usage of the Word in the Judaic creation and prophetic stories. Thus, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament we find that the phrase “The Word (LOGOS)” always to mean both in Word and in Deed! This is also equally true in our times and in our world of The Church of The Redeemer; “Logos” means something which is done both in word and in deed!
The story of The Word becoming flesh is the decisive event in human history, in the history of all creation. The Incarnation totally changes God’s relationship to humanity and humanity’s relationship to God. Before the Incarnation, throughout all of the ages, men and women struggled against evil and themselves, within and without, winning at one moment and then losing the next. But, then suddenly a new and miraculous thing happened! “The Word be-came flesh and dwelt among us”. From that moment on mankind no longer had to just struggle alone becoming more and more stuck unto ourselves the harder we tried. Now, everything had changed. All of the omnipotent power, love and grace of God is now at our disposal. We no longer have to journey alone! God now dwells within and among us! Some of us still do struggle on our own, but the fact remains, The Incarnation has changed everything!
If our Incarnate God indeed now truly dwells among us ( Lk. 17.21: present and active [ in spoken Word and Deed ] ) how can we in turn dwell in Him so that we no longer just depend upon ourselves, but now rely upon the Almighty love and grace and power of God. In our own Episcopal tradition this is perhaps best stated in the BCP Eucharistic Prayer p. 336: “….. (that we may be) be filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, and made one body in him, that he may dwell in us, and we in him”.
A short Dick Lampert story: 6 months ago when I suddenly, re-entered the Hispanic ministry world I made “a deal” (not supposed to do that!) with God. I said, Lord you know me! You know how I tend to try and do all of these things on my own and you also know that now at my age and my energy level, I’ll never make it! So here’s the deal: Keep me depending on You, not myself! Help me each day to look to You, not myself! Help me every day to ask not what I want or will receive, but what can I give to You and to others! Then, I’ll try again in Your Name.
Every time you reach up to Him or dig down within yourselves and you do His will and not just your own, then you will feel re-connected with Him, others, yourself. Speaking of LOGOS (TheWord), we thank God for this program and everyone who makes it all possible here in Redeemer. We think of the Youth Work, Christian Education and all the Words and Deeds. We think of all The Eucharists/The Masses/The Holy Communions and how we are all drawn once more into Him and He flows into us, then God sends us out again. We are reminded of the beautiful Hymns and music of God which fill us with love and spirit and hope and then send us out unto others and into the world once again.
When a young child runs up to me and hugs me or when one of our many small Hispanic children come up to the altar rail and look at me smiling with the big black eyes and hold out their hands, then I know that God does indeed dwell is us and we in Him.
In the end, above all else, we remember that it is only by and through His Grace, after all is said and done, when the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us, that we are then made one body in Him and He in us. Therefore, we in Word and Deed are able to make His Word become flesh dwelling among others and God Himself will again come dwell among and in us all!
Thanks be to God! AMEN