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The Gospel of Matthew Bible Studies
The Gospel of Mark Bible Studies
The Book of Acts Bible Studies
January 2010
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2nd Sunday of Christmas (C) In the Name of the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The manager of a large office noticed a new employee one day and told him to come into his office. “What is your name?” the manager asked him. “John,” the new guy replied. “Look,” the manager scowled. “I don’t know what kind of a place you worked at before, but I don’t call anyone by their first name. It breeds familiarity and that leads to a breakdown in workplace authority. I always refer to my employees by their last name only – Smith, Jones, Baker – that’s all. Now that we got that straight, what is your last name?” The new guy sighed and said, “Darling. My name is John Darling.” The manager thought about that for a moment, and then finally said, “Okay, John, the next thing I want to tell you is…” This story is a humorous illustration about what can happen with WORDS. The manager quickly realized the kind of rumors which would get started in the office if he were to start calling this new employee “Darling”! It also would have completely contradicted his goal of having strictly professional relationships among his office staff. Yes, words by themselves can often be misunderstood and misused. In a way, that is often what happens when people try to understand what God is like. Words alone are insufficient to describe God – and they can also often be misunderstood and misused. For example, God sometimes is described as being an “avenging warrior” – an image which seems to be the opposite of understanding God as a God of peace, forgiveness, and love. And to complicate matters further, we as sinful human beings will tend to focus only upon the “words” of God which we want to hear – and ignore the ones that we don’t! Yes, in order to fully understand what God is like, we need more than just verbal or written descriptions of him – or even records of his commands and teachings. We also need to experience God in a way that goes beyond mere words! It is like trying to communicate to someone how much you might love and care for him or her. You could say it, or write it, but a tender look or a caring hug can help that person to understand and experience your love in a way that goes beyond just “words”. And in a way, that is the significance of Jesus. John in today’s gospel uses the term “WORD” – not to refer to written or verbal words – but rather to describe God’s most personal and intimate thoughts and emotions – God’s very nature at its deepest level. Through Jesus, this WORD of God became incarnate as a flesh and blood human being. Everything that makes God “God” has been manifested in this person and in his life. In a way that goes beyond “words”, Jesus shows us and helps us to experience God’s grace, and power, and truth, and love. This, people, is the true miracle of Christmas. At its deepest level, Christmas is not about Mary and Joseph and a baby Jesus – or about angels and shepherds and wise men. The miracle of Christmas is that God has come to live among us as a person – a person just like you and me. And through this person Jesus, we have come to truly know God and experience God’s presence in our world – and in our lives – in a way that mere “words” could never do. There is one other aspect of this “Word” that I would like to mention as well – namely that it changes US. As John writes: “To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.” When we experience God’s grace, and power, and truth, and love through Jesus – our lives begin to be changed so that we more and more can be like Jesus – God’s children – too. Like a candle flame being received from the first candle, through Jesus God’s WORD becomes incarnate in us as well! I can go on, but for now may we simply contemplate the true miracle of Christmas – that God has come to dwell with us in the life of Jesus, and that this life – this WORD that goes beyond mere words – will change us through and through. As John writes in today’s gospel: “The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” (Jn. 1:14, 18) Merry Christmas, everyone! A Merry and Blessed Christmas to you all! Amen! -------------------- Pastor George Karres 418 W. Main St. Sidney, MT 59270
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