"Jesus: Word spoken by God"
Tom Faggart
John 1:1-10
How would you explain to one who did not know who Jesus was?
The writer of the Gospel of John took on this task in the first verses of his book. "Jesus was the Word God spoke as a person." Jesus possessed more of God than any person who has ever lived. There was something extraordinary about his capacity to know, to feel, and to heal. Even more so his mind was transparent to the mind of God. Jesus knew the thoughts, reason and wisdom we attribute to God.
For some reason John did not want to deal with the human person of Jesus in terms of birth, and body to say that he was the Son of God. He happened upon the insight that Jesus was kin to God in that he was God's WORD. A word when spoken contains innate meaning, and identifies something of the mind and reason of the one delivering the word. We believe that one can know a great deal about a person by their use of language. Jesus was the word of God. His thought contained the very mind and reason even the thoughts of God.
We twentieth century persons may have some difficulty in grasping John's insight. Yet, we have the essentials to grasp it. Let's give it a try.
Lets take the power of a normal word and multiply it. All words have a power within themselves. They illicit feelings, thoughts, reactions within us the hearer. Hear these words!
Atom … Birth … pain … pink … blue … Joy … baby
Vulgar … Death … Help … Ohhh
You see words do have power. As I spoke the words you experienced a temporary focusing of thought or feelings within your mind. The power of the word exists just in being heard.
Words spoken singularly have one meaning. Words spoken in proper sequence possess another level of power. Words said by individuals of power and position have even a higher level of power.
When the President of these United States speaks …people listen. Today we are leaning to hear every word of a new president.
The Hebrew people believing that God was all powerful, ever present, and all knowing could say without an hesitancy that whatsoever God said would happen.
One day while looking out upon the chaos of matter God spoke. He re-arranged the void in a perfect unity with a word. God looked out upon darkness and said: "Let there be light". The scripture says, "there was light".
He separated the day and night, hung the planets in their orbits, created fish, birds, and all the plants of this planet with a word. Finally, God created men and women with the same word.
The tragedy happened after his creation …God seemed to remove himself from active participation in his creation. He spoke for generations by giving birth to insight in sensitive people who would receive them and interpret them for others.
These people we call prophets. The words they spoke were true. They carried with them power. But because they were spoken by men they were not always heard.
They were men like:
Amos …a dresser of Sycamore trees, from wilderness of Tekoa.
Elijah …a herdsman …lived in caves.
Jeremiah … always warned the leaders, and spent a great deal of time in prison.
Nathan … Court prophet in David's day. He called the king to repentance by using a story of a man who had many sheep, killed the only sheep a neighbor had, and ate it. That man should be punished said David. You are that man, replied Nathan.
These men were strange. They were feared. Most of Them lived on the periphery of society. They spoke God's word. They suffered from giving that word. Most of what they had to say was ignored.
On the other hand Jesus was totally different. He embodied the word. He loved everyone. For those who could hear a story he wrapped up his truths in parables. He spoke the common language of the street. Everyone could understand what he was saying. He let the word live by healing through suggestions of health. He was so sensitive that he could feel the feelings of those with whom he moved. A woman could touch him in a crowd …he knew. He could see a small man in a Sycamore tree, and invite him to come for help. He could walk among Harlots and give them a new start on life. He could meet with a strange woman in a taboo situation, and no one ever accused him of impropriety. He was unique.. He knew the mind of God, and realized how the community of humanity ought to live.
We have reminded ourselves of Jesus 2,000 years ago. Most of us believe the stories about him to be true. We know His story changed the course of history between then and now. Yet, most of us come here this morning asking … How does he speak today?
Paul Tillich, the great theologian, preacher, and psychologists of our century says, that God speaks to us through our sub-conscious mind. He speaks in our dreams, by insight, and accidental discovery. I was reminded of this this past week in our Bible Study.
As I pondered this thought I asked myself …What were some of the most important discoveries in medicine in our day. I realized that Sulfa drugs, and Penicillin were. I checked the Encyclopedia and discovered:
Penicillin was discovered by accident. Some germ solutions were left out by mistake and when the lab person came back in a couple of days they discovered that mold had formed and there was a peculiar action going on around the mold. The mold was killing germs. Sulfa was discovered by a man trying to dye woolen cloth.
Could it be that it was God speaking to us through these accidental discoveries?
There is one time I'm convinced that God spoke to me. It came through a discovery I made in the front of my hymnal. The message was left there by someone who wanted to communicate with me, but wanted to remain anonymous. It happened on a Sunday morning when I was getting ready for worship. I was about as low as I ever get. I had only been the pastor of this church a few months. I had come in the middle of the year. The church was split over the racial issue. Several leading families had left the church. Everything seemed to be in a state of confusion. Then I discovered these words.
Be sure you have all the facts before you condemn others. When you don't agree with the policy and program of the church work the proper channels to change it. Don't withdraw from it. Try to bring about a willingness to listen with an open mind.
Often I have wondered who penned those words. They were so positive, so true, and so strong and solid. I followed them. They became a strategy for ministry that followed me the next 35 years. They worked. Therefore, I'm convinced they were from God.
I've heard example after example of individuals who were in the depth of decision making. Everything seemed so complex, and an answer beyond the realm of possibility. Suddenly an insight, a dream, a word … the answer exists.
Had God spoken? I think so.
In our lives there are times when we know there we need to right some wrongs. There are some attitudes we ought to change, some new commitment we need to make. When such an urge comes God may be speaking. Listen closely. Follow your best inclination. You will discover the Christ being born in you. As you live in community with others they will see your life. God will be speaking His word through you. Isn't that what Christmas really is about? When this happens Christ lives today. He lives in and through us.