(1) An Amazing Miracle: (v14)
God became a man
The incarnation
Jesus: (i) fully God – the eternal “Word”, The Son
WYSIWYG – (Jn 14:9; Heb 1:3;
--> we can know God (v18)
(ii) fully human – “flesh” – (Jn 11:45; 4:6; Mt 4:2)
--> God knows us (Heb 4:15)
astonishing love – we must really matter to Jesus (2 Cor 8:9)
“made his dwelling” (v14) = “tabernacled” – (Ex 33)
Jesus the New Tabernacle /
--> if you want to know God, go to Jesus
(2) A Terrible Tragedy: (vv10-11)
God’s world rejected Him
--> don’t make the same mistake: recognise Jesus
(3) A Wonderful Privilege: (vv12-13)
But all who received Jesus became God’s children
“Dear Lord and Father of Mankind”? – (Jn 8:42, 44)
we are not all / automatically children of God
--> receive Him / believe in his name (v12)
born again Christians (v13; Jn 3:3; Eph 2:1)
“right” (v12) – “power / authority” --> confidence
Posts
3 comments:
Can we not say that in a sense God is the Father of Mankind, by creation if not by adoption? So Paul can write, "Being then God's offspring" (Acts 17.29) and Luke's genealogy speaks of "Adam, the son of God" (Luke 3.38). So in a sense those who are in Adam can call God 'Father', but obviously that means something very different from the way those who are in Christ can call God 'Father'.
Ah, yes, Daniel, thank you. I certainly agree with your formula, "Father by creation" but not "by adoption" but its striking to be reminded of the Biblical hints in that direction, even though its not the Bible's characteristic way of speaking.
One of the things about not reading a full script is that I'm not sure exactly what I said yesterday!
Anyway, its good to have a blog on which to publish "corrections", even if it is only in the small print.
I like the title. I've just been reading Deep comedy by Leithart and he emphasises the idea of pitching a tent -for dwelling. He then links the language back to when God's glory filled the tent and the people went out because they couldn't bear it.
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