The Word Made Flesh

INTRODUCTION: To understand the gospel record of Jesus Christ, we must go back before the beginning of time where the Son of God already dwells. This lesson deals with the very important truth that God’s Son did not begin at the time of His birth in a manger. He existed in eternity past and was the Creator of all things.

1. THE IDENTITY OF THE WORD (John 1:1-5)
1. Seven References to Christ as the Word
1. In the beginning was the Word (John 1:1).
2. The Word was with God (John 1:1).
3. The Word was God (John 1:1).
4. The Word was made flesh (John 1:14).
5. The disciples saw Him who is the Word of life (1 John 1:1-2).
6. The Word is three in one with the Father and the Holy Ghost (1 John 5:7).
7. He who returns to earth in power is called The Word of God (Revelation 19:13).
2. Seven Truths Concerning the Word (John 1:1-5)
1. The eternity of the Word (John 1:1a); the Word already was; that is, He already existed (Micah 5:2; John 8:58).
2. The personality of the Word (John 1:1b); this refers to His identity as separate from the Father. He is with God. That is, He is the companion of the Father, alongside the Father (John 17:24).
3. The deity of the Word (John 1:1c); the Word was God. He is one with the Father and the Spirit (John 10:30; 1 John 5:7).
4. The immutability of the Word (John 1:2); the same was in the beginning with God. The same Word who  was God and was with God is now made flesh (John 1:14). Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
5. The creativity of the Word (John 1:3, 10); Jesus Christ, as the Word, is the person of the Godhead who directly created all things. See Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 2:9-10.
6. The vitality of the Word (John 1:4); the Word is life (John 11:25; John 14:6).
7. The luminosity of the Word (John 1:4-5)
1. A light to men (John 1:4b; John 8:12; John 12:46)
2. A light to shine in darkness (John 1:5a; John 12:35-36)
3. A light rejected by darkness (John 1:5b; John 3:19-20 )
3. Both Christ and Scripture as the Word of God
1. Both are called the word of God.
1. Christ (John 1:1-2, 14; Revelation 19:13)
2. Scripture (1 Thessalonians 2:11-13; Ephesians 6:17)
2. Both are called wonderful.
1. Christ (Isaiah 9:6)
2. Scripture (Psalm 119:129)
3. Both are called truth.
1. Christ (John 14:6)
2. Scripture (John 17:17)
4. Both are called the light.
1. Christ (John 1:6-9)
2. Scripture (Psalm 119:105, 130)
5. Both are called the life.
1. Christ (John 11:25; John 14:6)
2. Scripture (Philippians 2:14-16)
6. Both have been tried.
1. Christ (Isaiah 28:16)
2. Scripture (Psalm 12:6; Psalm 18:30)
7. Both are a stone of stumbling.
1. Christ (1 Peter 2:6-8)
2. Scripture (1 Peter 2:7-8)
8. Both are called precious.
1. Christ (1 Peter 2:6-7)
2. Scripture (2 Peter 1:4)
9. Both are essential to the new birth.
1. Christ (1 John 5:1)
2. Scripture (1 Peter 1:23, 25)
10. Both are eternal.
1. Christ (John 1:1)
2. Scripture (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:6-8)
11. Notes:
1. The living Word and the written word are inseparable.
2. No one can reject the scriptures without rejecting Christ.
2. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE WORD BY JOHN THE BAPTIST (John 1:6-9)
1. He Was Sent from God (John 1:6-7).
1. The Man John (John 1:6) There was a man.
1. God uses men (Jeremiah 5:1; Ezekiel 22:30).
2. God gave a special calling to John (Luke 1:13-17; Matthew 11:7-11).
2. His Master God (John 1:6) sent from God
3. His Mission to Witness (John 1:7) came for a witness; (John 1:15, 29; John 5:32-35)
4. His Message to Believe on the Light (John 1:7) might believe
2. He Pointed to the Light (John 1:8-9).
1. He was not that Light (John 1:8).
1. He separated himself from the Light (John 1:19-20).
2. He exalted the Light above himself (John 1:26-27, 30).
2. He bore witness to that Light (John 1:8, 29).
3. He bore record of that Light (John 1:9); lighting every man that came into the world (Psalm 98:2; Titus 2:11).
3. THE IMPACT OF THE WORD (John 1:10-13)
1. He Was Refused by the World (John 1:10; Acts 4:26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:6-8; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1 John 3:1).
2. He Was Rejected by His Own (John 1:11; John 11:47-53; John 19:14-15; Acts 3:13-15).
3. He Was Received by the Few (John 1:12-13).
1. Their belief (John 1:12)
1. They believed on His name (John 3:18; Acts 4:12).
2. They received Him as their Saviour (Colossians 2:6).
3. They were enabled to become the sons of God (Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:1-2).
2. Their birth (John 1:13)
1. Not by family association not of blood (John 8:33-44)
2. Not by fleshly motions nor of the will of the flesh (Romans 7:5)
3. Not by forceful decision nor of the will of man (Romans 7:18)
3. Note: Four ways by which men can be the sons of God:
1. By creation (Luke 3:38)
2. By redemption (Exodus 34:20); to redeem is to buy back God bought us back from sin by the death of His Son on the cross.
3. By regeneration (1 John 5:1) We are born into the family of God (John 3:5-7).
4. By adoption (Galatians 4:5)
4. THE INCARNATION OF THE WORD (John 1:14-18)
1. The Word Was Made Flesh (John 1:14).
1. The Word was God (John 1:1). The same Word (John 1:2) became man (John 1:14).
2. Accomplished by the Holy Ghost and the power of the Highest (Luke 1:35) the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23)
3. Called the mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16); as opposed to the mystery of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:7)
4. Made of a woman (Galatians 4:4); as the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15)
5. Made of the seed of David (Romans 1:3) Jesus is called the son of David 14 times, all in Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matthew 1:1; Matthew 9:27; Matthew 21:9).
6. Made like unto his brethren (Hebrews 2:16-17)
7. Made in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3)
2. The Word Dwelt among Us (John 1:14); The child is born but the Son is given (Isaiah 9:6); this reveals His pre-existence.
3. They Beheld His Glory ( John 1:14; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6).
4. The Witness of John (John 1:15)
5. Having Received His Fullness (John 1:16)
1. The fullness of the Son
1. He is full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
2. All fullness dwells in Him (Colossians 1:19).
3. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).
2. The filling of the saints
1. We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10).
2. We are to be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19).
3. We are to grow unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).
6. Having Received Grace for Grace (John 1:16)
1. Grace in the place of grace; new grace to replace old grace
1. This is the doctrinal or dispensational meaning.
2. Old Testament Grace
1. The emphasis is on grace being found.
2. Examples: (Genesis 6:8; Exodus 33:13, 17; Judges 6:16-17)
3. New Testament Grace
1. The emphasis is on grace being given.
2. Examples: (Romans 12:3, 6; Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 1:4; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 3:2, 7-8; Ephesians 4:7; 2 Timothy 1:9; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5)
2. Grace on top of grace; continual gifts of grace according to the need
1. This is the practical or spiritual meaning.
2. Salvation is by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:7).
3. Daily living for Christ is by grace.
1. By the grace of God we are and we labor (1 Corinthians 15:10).
2. By the grace of God we abound to every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
3. By the sufficiency of Gods grace, His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9; 2 Corinthians 3:5).
4. At the throne of grace, we can find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
7. Interpretation of John 1:17
1. The key comparison is between the law and Christ.
1. Both came from God.
1. Law (Deuteronomy 30:10)
2. Christ (John 8:42)
2. Both were sent down to earth.
1. Law (Deuteronomy 29:29)
2. Christ (John 1:10)
3. Both were empowered or written by the finger of God.
1. Law (Exodus 31:18)
2. Christ (Luke 11:20)
3. The identity of the finger of God (cp. Luke 11:20 with Matthew 12:28) is the Spirit of God.
4. Applied to Christ (John 3:34)
4. Both are called the truth.
1. Law (Psalm 119:142)
2. Christ (John 14:6)
5. Both are called light.
1. Law (Proverbs 6:23)
2. Christ (John 8:12)
6. Both are called bread.
1. Law (Deuteronomy 8:3)
2. Christ (John 6:48, 51)
7. Both were broken by the sins of the people.
1. Law (Exodus 32:19)
2. Christ (Luke 22:19)
8. Both were resurrected by the power of God.
1. Law (Exodus 34:1)
2. Christ (Acts 2:23-24)
9. As the two tables of stone represented one law, so Jesus Christ, being both God and man, is one person.
10. As the two tables of stone were written within and without (Exodus 32:15), so Christ was totally pure within and without.
2. The law that God sent down was truth (Psalm 119:142), but instead of being grace, it was full of judgment (Exodus 24:3).
3. But Christ contained within Himself all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). He must reveal the fullness of the nature of God (John 14:9). In Christ truth and grace are together in their fullest sense.
4. It is in the New Testament in Christ Jesus that grace and truth are fully joined on earth (John 1:14, 17).
5. Colossians 1:5-6 brings the two concepts together:
1. Our hope is based on the word of the truth of the gospel (Colossians 1:5).
2. By this gospel we knew the grace of God in truth (Colossians 1:6); this explains how Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth.
8. No Man Hath Seen God (John 1:18); no man has seen God in His full glory while in the flesh (Exodus 33:20; John 6:46; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12).
9. The Only Begotten Son (John 1:18)
1. The Biblical use of only begotten
1. Once refers to Isaac (Hebrews 11:17)
2. Five times refers to Christ (John 1:14, 18; John 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9)
3. Indicates a unique relationship
2. The different ways in which Jesus is the Son of God
1. He is the Son of God by merit of His eternal relationship with the Father (John 17:24).
2. He is the Son of God by merit of His rule over all creation (Colossians 1:15; compare Revelation 3:14); in this, He is declared to be the firstborn of every creature as Israel is declared to be the firstborn of God (Exodus 4:22); it is simply an exalted position.
3. He is the Son of God by merit of the virgin birth (Luke 1:35).
4. He is the Son of God by merit of His resurrection from the dead (Psalm 2:7; Acts 13:33; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:5; Romans 1:3-4; Hebrews 5:5).

CONCLUSION: The birth of Jesus Christ was the most important birth ever known to man. He was God revealed in a body. God came down to us in order to show His love to all mankind. He even came down for you.

MEMORY VERSES:

John 1:4 – In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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.