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Rebecca's Well

Rebecca’s Well: He Has Dwelt Among Us – Pt. II

Continued from December 7 issue

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”
– John 1:1-2

“And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.”
– Matthew 1:16

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.”
– Matthew 1:21

Mary had a baby. They called “HIS name Jesus.”
– Luke 1:31

“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”
(The Message Bible)

Jesus the Word, the Christ of God, lives within the house, the personhood of every believer, as the Holy Spirit of God. (Rivka)

We come now to the text: John 1 : 14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.”

1) “And the Word was made flesh,” … clears the whole matter up now – of God in man. The incarnation of Spirit in matter is more comprehensible. It makes the historical birth personal for us because the Word became Jesus, a human being like you and me – yet more. Jesus is the God-man. Physician Luke records Jesus’ incarnation in Bethlehem. “And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31). The Word is Jesus; The Logos, the Mind, Purpose and Agent of God’s Self-Disclosure. The world has portrayed God wrongly. He is not a cruel, vengeful Creator who runs rough shod over the human race. Jesus revealed God as love and life, joy and peace.

2) “and dwelt among us” … Christ has come to this lowly world with all its corruption and sin. He who knew no sin put Himself in the position of sinful man. He could have dwelt with angels but He chose us that we might learn of Him and model His nature.

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We couldn’t make it – God and man. Jesus had always dwelt among His world as the Christ revealing Himself through the prophets, but we couldn’t understand. We needed a role model in human flesh, a God-man with whom we could identify.

Christ has come in flesh into the world. This places an honor on both the body and the world. It encourages us to be willing to abide in the flesh while God has work for us to do. For Christ dwelt in this lower world, bad as it is, till he had finished His work, until His hour had come.

Jesus has dwelt among us. He dwelt among the Jews and others though many were unkind to him. Sometimes we must pitch our tent among those including family (our supposed calling and environment) that are not kind to us. Jesus gives us hope and courage to tarry on. He dwelt among us not as a wayfaring sojourner, but he had a long residence. He dwelt not in a palace but in temporary housing, for he had no where to lay his head. The homeless have a friend in Jesus today who knows all about their destitution. Our children and loved ones far from home have a friend in Jesus.

3) There is the suffering Savior for the poor. He “dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth).” (John 1:14) Those of us who are intimate with Jesus who lean upon His breast, know that as we get closer to the Lord we see the Beams of His Divine Glory darting through the Veil of His flesh. We see Him as God and we behold His Glory. “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9)

Coming from the fountain-head is the Word made flesh and He has dwelt among us full of grace and truth. Grace, God’s grace, marvelous grace, unmerited favor to pardon and cleanse from sin and grace to cover all of our needs. And Jesus reveals the truth of our identity that we are like God, created in love, beauty, peace and joy.

There is divinity in John’s argument, and authority and majesty in his style. Therefore, we have problems with the contention of Corinthus and others that Jesus was not God at his birth.

We have no problem with Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”

We have no debate with Job l9:25-27: “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”

He has dwelt among us. The Spirit does subdue the deeds of the flesh. We know of the amazing working of the Holy Spirit in our own lives, exalting valleys, bringing down hills and mountains, making crooked places straight and rough places plain, revealing the Glory of the Lord. (Isaiah 40:4-5)

Jesus has dwelt among us in the flesh and we beheld His Holiness, Miracles, His Purity, Goodness and Compassion. “To the praise of the Glory of His Grace.” (Ephesians 1:6) All believers can give witness that Jesus Christ has dwelt among us. We are redeemed from the slavery of sin because the Word was made flesh and tucked in our bosom. Christ Jesus through the dispensation of the Holy Spirit is in the world today. He dwells among us, taking care of His own.

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Amen. (Oh, Yes!)

Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year

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