Jesus, the Word: Infinite and Intimate (John 1:1-14)
John 1:1-14 Sermon: Jesus, the Word: Infinite and Intimate
Introduction
Each Gospel has its own way of telling the story of Jesus. They each have their own reason. Mark bypasses genealogies and visions and gets down to the action—Jesus tells John, I’m here to be baptized by you and to begin my ministry. Mark uses the word immediately 41 times in his gospel (only 60 times in the Bible). Jesus has work to do and wastes no time. Mark’s point – this kingdom of God work is important, and you should never delay.
Matthew’s gospel opens with a lengthy genealogy. Matthew writes to a Jewish audience and, wanting to show Jesus’ connection to them, traces Jesus’ genealogy all the way to Abraham.
Luke also opens with a genealogy, but he is not writing to a primarily Jewish audience. He’s writing to a mix of people who are likely a majority of Gentiles. He wants to make the theological point that Jesus is connected to all people, not just a group. So, he traces Jesus’ genealogy not to Abraham but all the way back to Adam. Jesus is the new Adam who will show us the way back to how we can walk with God.
Then we have John. He doesn’t start at Jordan River, or Bethlehem, or Nazareth. He doesn’t begin with prose, genealogy, or visions of angels. He takes us beyond Bethlehem, beyond creation itself, to the eternal nature of Jesus and he invites us to step back—not just to see who Jesus is, but to marvel at who he has always been.
What John does is so beautiful. In this opening passage, John aims to raise our view of Jesus to its highest point, and then, when our hearts are filled with awe, he brings Jesus right down into our lives in the most personal and intimate way.
John urges us to see Jesus as both the eternal, exalted, and infinite Word and also the Word that became intimate by taking on flesh and living among us. John believes that by understanding who Jesus was, is, and forever will be, our understanding of God, the world, and ourselves is improved dramatically.
1. Jesus Existed Before Creation
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
John begins where Genesis began, with creation. But while Genesis speaks of God’s power to make all things, John speaks of the person through whom all things were made: The Word, the Logos.
This Word, this logos, is not just an abstract principle. It’s a person—Jesus Christ. He is not only with God; he is God. He is the one through whom every mountain, river, and star came into being.
This is what we need to remember. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but Jesus existed before Bethlehem. When we talk about the Incarnation, we are not just talking about the birth of a person. We are celebrating the fact that God is born among us.
John’s opening words stretch our imagination, as they invite us to see Jesus not just as an important person within history but the very architect of it.
Jesus was not created, nor did he come into being at some point in time, like in Bethlehem. He always was. Like we sing in O Come, All Ye Faithful, “God of God, Light of Light eternal, lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb; Son of the Father, begotten, not created.” Jesus has always been there, and the entire cosmos owes its existence to him.
As we hear this, we are invited to see our lives in a new light. If everything was made through Jesus, then so are we and we are not mere accidents. We are intentionally created, deeply known, and loved by the One who spoke the world into being.
The gospel is not just about what Jesus did—it’s about who he is and how that changes the way we view our life. You are here through the will and creative power of God. You are here on purpose and for a purpose.
2. The Light that Shines
“In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).
In Genesis, the world is formless and void. The Word is spoken, and boundaries and meaning are made (you will be light, dark, sky, ground, sea). The light shines and brings life. The Word and Light together make life and its flourishing possible.
Later in this gospel, Jesus says, “I have come so that they might have life more abundantly.” What kind of life does Jesus bring? It’s not just biological; it is spiritual. Jesus came to shine the light of God’s wisdom into our life, showing us who we are and who we are meant to be so that we may reflect God’s glory.
We live in a world that is steeped in shadows; we know what it is to yearn for light. We see darkness in the pain of broken relationships, in the injustice that lingers in our society, and even in the hot tears and quiet fears of our own hearts. Darkness is not just a physical absence of light; it’s the spiritual and emotional weight of fear, suffering, confusion, and sin.
And the grace of God, through Jesus, meets us. John insists that Jesus is the light, a light that will shine in any kind of darkness. Any kind.
Where do you need Jesus’ light to shine? Ask God to help you. Ask God to make the love of Christ known to you, to meet you where you are in your darkness, so that you may heal and flourish.
The light he shines is the light that drives out despair and fear, not by shame but by grace. It’s the light of a Savior who doesn’t condemn us for our darkness but offers us a way out and a way up and a way forward.
Friends, Jesus will be there for you. Reach out. Seek him.
3. The Word Made Flesh
“And the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14).
Here is the great mystery of the Gospel: the Creator of the universe became human. Not as a conquering king or distant ruler, but as a baby. He grew hungry, tired, and sad. He wept, laughed, and felt joy, pain, grief, and love. He had ambition and plans. He felt the sting of disappointment.
Charles Spurgeon, a famous and very gifted British preacher would say that God’s descent into our world is a ladder of grace. “See how low he comes, yet how high he lifts us.” God, who made all things, entered the fragile, messy reality of our human life.
This is the greatest act of love. The God who created the universe didn’t stay distant and didn’t remain an abstract force or an idea. God became human and became present.
This is the greatest act of love – to see and be with the other, to accept them where they are and how they are, and to do what is best for them. That is divine love and that is what John says he saw in Jesus – God’s love descending to be with us, to love us.
John had walked with Jesus for years. He had watched him eat and sleep, laugh and cry. He had seen Jesus’ humanity up close, and yet, he knew Jesus wasn’t just human. When John looked at Jesus, he saw the fullness of God, “We have seen his glory, the glory as of the father’s only sun, full of grace and truth.”
This wasn’t a borrowed glory. It wasn’t a reflection. It was the glory of God, in the flesh.
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
1. First, Jesus is worthy of our worship. John paints a picture of Jesus that leaves no room for casual devotion. Jesus is no ordinary man. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Savior who is worthy of our adoration, trust, and devotion.
2. Second, it means that God is not distant. The Word became flesh. That means we have a God who understands us, who knows our struggles, and walks with us in our pain. As we will hear in the liturgy of the Table, that Christ has promised to be with us always, even to the end, and that with him he brings to us the assurance that we are accepted of God and will never be forsaken. Trust those words.
3. Third, it means that the light of Jesus is still shining. No matter how dark the world or your life feels, the light has not been overcome. This light offers hope, healing, and redemption. Reach out to God. Ask for this grace and mercy.
4. We are to embody the love of God like Jesus. Christians, people who seek to be influenced by who Jesus is and what Jesus did, are given a ministry and that ministry is incarnational. Just as God came to us in the flesh and did not remain distant, so too are we to love and serve others with our nearer presence.
We are called to being present where people are. We are to listen to their stories, understand their needs, hopes, and ambitions, engage with them where they are. We are to care for the marginalized, whoever they may be – the sick, the poor, the outcast-- as equals, while being willing to sacrifice comfort or convenience
Jesus stepped into our lives and struggles although it was inconvenient and uncomfortable.
So, the Word was made flesh not just as history but as a present reality. Jesus Christ can be present in your life right now and the light of Jesus can illuminate the dark corners of your life. His presence can remind you that you are never alone, never unloved, and never forgotten. Let his example empower you to embody his love for others.
The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. Now, may the Word dwell in you richly, shaping your life into a reflection of the grace and truth you have received.
