John, John the son of Zebedee, John the Disciple of Jesus … began his Biography of Jesus with some truly amazing statements. Many Preachers think John’s (the Gospel of John) introductory paragraph is the most amazing piece of writing that’s ever been penned! Those first 18 verses of John chapter 1.

He there calls Jesus the “Word.” (The Bible is God’s written Word. And Jesus is the God’s Living Word!) But in John 1:14 we find our “thought” for today, our “Birth of Jesus” meditation. At least part of the verse, its opening clause. (We likely will return here before Christmas Day!)

“And the Word was made flesh.”

Now the whole verse, for perspective: “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.”

Jesus as God’s “Word” presents the Saviour as the very (Greek “logos”) logic of Almighty God! God the Son … very God of very God … the Second Person of the Trinity … the Creator of the universe, the “Exegete” or “Expositor” of Deity Himself. Jesus is God. Jesus is Life. Jesus is Truth.

“Flesh” (in Greek “sarx”) means the very skin and muscle and bones of human existence. Jesus “took” on Himself a body, like yours and mine! “Sarx” is likely derived from “saroo,” a verb meaning “to sweep.” Maybe an allusion to the fact that “flesh” is a “passing” thing. Non-eternal. Very temporary. Soon to be “swept away.”

God in flesh!

Jesus as a Baby … in a manger!

But note the verb in our clause … “And the Word WAS MADE flesh.” Translated “was made”  is the Greek term “ginomai,” meaning “to begin to be!” A beginning … for Jesus?

NOT AS GOD!

As Divine our Lord has always been!

Psalm 90:2 helps here: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, EVEN FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, THOU ART GOD.”

Only Jesus’ humanity (not His Deity) began at the Incarnation, at the Virgin Birth!

He was birthed as a man!

Paul in Philippians 2 says Jesus “was found in fashion as a man!”

That’s what happened that day in Bethlehem long ago!

“And the Word was made flesh.”

THE WORD (GOD) WAS MADE FLESH!

That’s why we sometimes call Jesus the “God-Man!”

And that’s why this time of year (written in December, 2015) is so significant to us Christians. Though we do not know exactly what month Jesus was born.

Incarnation … meaning “in flesh!”

God in human flesh!

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell