Fr Mike's Message - 12/25/22

Gospel: John 1: 1-14
​In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 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.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But 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.
And 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.

Prayer: Lord, you have promised that when two or three gather in your name you will be present with them. We depend on that promise tonight and pray that you will move among us. Lord, we pray that you have inspired Mike's preparation, that you will enliven his presentation and that you will empower our application. Amen

The Message: Well, welcome to all of you brave souls who have ventured out despite the (predictions) of dire weather conditions this weekend. 

We come together this morning to proclaim the first of the two great mysteries of the Christian faith: God - the eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, being - took on human flesh and became one of us. 

The other one of course is that after his death by crucifixion he rose from the dead and walked among the people of his time. 

Of course, we could probably suggest that there is a third great mystery: he will come again.

But today, this morning, let us concentrate on the first one and allow ourselves to consider what we can, with our limited human comprehension, make of this great mystery. 

I have to note that this is my last Sermon for this year of 2022. I am tempted to "go out with a bang." To say something profound, and or witty, which you will hold on to for the rest of your lives. Something that will you look back on and say to others were you there when that word was spoken? 

But in reality, I have to admit that John in the first chapter of his Gospel just captures it all. There is a profundity about what John says that captures the essence of the Christian faith. John ties it all together in a rousing and dramatic summation of all that has been, all that is, and all that will be. 

It makes me wish that I had been there the very first time these words were read. As those believers gathered to hear what it was that John had taken the time to write down. That John felt so compelled to put the moving of the Holy Spirit in his mind into words and to dare to state and share them with others. 

Let us pause for a moment. Let us step back and take these words, not in the context of the Gospel read on a Sunday morning, but as a moment in time when we have the opportunity to hear God speak and to declare unequivocably who Jesus Christ is.

I am going to read these words again this morning but before I do we are going to prepare ourselves to listen, and to hear, like we never have listened or heard before. 

I am going to use the introduction and response after Scripture that we use at our Wednesday Morning Prayer service. 

So, that is what we are going to do right now. Everyone, take a deep breath. To the best of your ability imagine that you have never heard these words before. Try as hard as you can to silence any thoughts you might have about what is happening around you or what is coming next in the service, or what you have planned after the service.  Everyone breathe in and breathe out and close your eyes and listen.

Listen for God's Word to God's people:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 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.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But 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.

And 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.

For the Word of God in Scripture,
For the Word of God among us,
For the Word of within us.

Thanks be to God

Amen. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen