Sunday After Christmas Day John 1
1st Sunday after Christmas Day John 1:1-18
" Theology is rather a divine life than a divine knowledge" 1613-1667, Bishop in England, who wrote one of the best books on the spiritual life, Holy Living and holy dying. The author this morning of our Gospel, John, tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word, was from the beginning, and was with God, and was God. Yes, we must know our theology that is what the Scriptures ( the Holy Bible) can teach us. We must know our verses, but if there are just knowledge, that alone will not complete and sanctify us in this life as a witness to others of the true light which lightens every man that comes into the world.
The Word became flesh. John 1:14 Knowledge as the Apostle says puffs up without love. Puffs up is from physio in original greek and means air bellows, therefore swelled up, i.e., an ignorant person. Love builds up oikodomeo, to build a house ( oikos -house, domeo-to build). So our knowledge gives us the ingredients whereby we learn of the building blocks that lead us to Christ, as it said in the Epistle lesson, the law is our schoolmaster to lead ( bring-kjv)us to Christ.---Bible hub.com - " Among the Greeks and Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. " (paidagÅgos) is used of the role of the Law (OT), especially the necessary "letter" (foundation, technicalities) needed to establish the doctrines of salvation, grace, faith, etc...biblehub.com
We need theology. That lit is the Word of God or study of God. theos-God; logos-word. We need the information for the mind and heart to apply these truths to our lives. I like what is said of salvation, "The early church Fathers and Reformers recognized three aspects or types of faith. In Latin they call it notitia (knowledge) assensus (assent) fiducia (trust)...." various sources on faith, knowledge, and assent.
What information, knowledge do we learn from John 1? Jesus is the Word from the beginning, is God , and was with God, i.e. eternal. He created as God did 1:3, " All things were made by Him." " In Him was life." Our Lord Jesus is called the " True light" 1:9 You and I can be born of God if we understand 1:13 ," as many as received Him to them He gave the power to become the sons of God..." We can fail here if we do not understand these eternal truths and the Truth . This is the gospel of good news that is grace by faith . We are given eternal life by God, not ourselves or our feelings or our own good deeds. Of course these things are important as well, but they are not the beginning of eternal life. That must be a Divine empowerment of the Holy Spirit. But go on...the Word did something in vs. 14
" The Word became flesh" 1:14 John . The word is flesh, not spirit. He lit. took upon Himself flesh, and was " born of woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons." Gal. 4:4 As Bishop Taylor said above our " theology is a divine life, rather than divine knowledge" John 1:14- He dwelt among us, that is lit. tabernacled, spread His tent among us. He came to the field with us. He did not stay in the rear , so to speak. He was one of us, and lived among us, and shed His own blood for our salvation, redemption, etc.... WE can be so busy for God that we " cannot hearken to Him." Savonarola . Praying is good but where does it lead?
ACTS plus a C. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication and Consecration.
The third point is we are going to a new Year on Monday. That point is to be written by you and I. What are we going to do with points 1 and 2 to make point 3? We all have knowledge. If we have consecration to Christ with the knowledge we have that we keep learning , and keep thinking about how to consecrate our lives to Christ, then point 3 is the result.
How will we write it? We have opportunties for service every day . The person who needs a visit by us to encourage them....the Clothes Closet and the clothes we should be donating and the time we should be sharing with others....This is an opportunity.
The New Year is already being written by us in our plans. Plans to serve ourselves ? Or plans to take the life we have been given and use it to serve others....?
All of us have experienced some kind of loss in our lives perhaps this year...Can we use that to share that experience with others who need our lessons learned?
What can we do this year instead of just growing in knowledge ourselves ? This is what our Bishop asked us to do . We are going beyond convictions to purpose and outreach. That is what he asked. That is what our Lord asked us to do as well as He set the example.
As St. Teresa said with gentle irony, " We think we are giving all to God, but in reality we are offering only the rent or produce,...while we retain ...the land in our possession---a pleasant way this of seeking the love of God"
So let us seek in prayer and love to offer back to God what He has given us so freely.
" Theology is rather a divine life than a divine knowledge" 1613-1667, Bishop in England, who wrote one of the best books on the spiritual life, Holy Living and holy dying. The author this morning of our Gospel, John, tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word, was from the beginning, and was with God, and was God. Yes, we must know our theology that is what the Scriptures ( the Holy Bible) can teach us. We must know our verses, but if there are just knowledge, that alone will not complete and sanctify us in this life as a witness to others of the true light which lightens every man that comes into the world.
The Word became flesh. John 1:14 Knowledge as the Apostle says puffs up without love. Puffs up is from physio in original greek and means air bellows, therefore swelled up, i.e., an ignorant person. Love builds up oikodomeo, to build a house ( oikos -house, domeo-to build). So our knowledge gives us the ingredients whereby we learn of the building blocks that lead us to Christ, as it said in the Epistle lesson, the law is our schoolmaster to lead ( bring-kjv)us to Christ.---Bible hub.com - " Among the Greeks and Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. " (paidagÅgos) is used of the role of the Law (OT), especially the necessary "letter" (foundation, technicalities) needed to establish the doctrines of salvation, grace, faith, etc...biblehub.com
We need theology. That lit is the Word of God or study of God. theos-God; logos-word. We need the information for the mind and heart to apply these truths to our lives. I like what is said of salvation, "The early church Fathers and Reformers recognized three aspects or types of faith. In Latin they call it notitia (knowledge) assensus (assent) fiducia (trust)...." various sources on faith, knowledge, and assent.
What information, knowledge do we learn from John 1? Jesus is the Word from the beginning, is God , and was with God, i.e. eternal. He created as God did 1:3, " All things were made by Him." " In Him was life." Our Lord Jesus is called the " True light" 1:9 You and I can be born of God if we understand 1:13 ," as many as received Him to them He gave the power to become the sons of God..." We can fail here if we do not understand these eternal truths and the Truth . This is the gospel of good news that is grace by faith . We are given eternal life by God, not ourselves or our feelings or our own good deeds. Of course these things are important as well, but they are not the beginning of eternal life. That must be a Divine empowerment of the Holy Spirit. But go on...the Word did something in vs. 14
" The Word became flesh" 1:14 John . The word is flesh, not spirit. He lit. took upon Himself flesh, and was " born of woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons." Gal. 4:4 As Bishop Taylor said above our " theology is a divine life, rather than divine knowledge" John 1:14- He dwelt among us, that is lit. tabernacled, spread His tent among us. He came to the field with us. He did not stay in the rear , so to speak. He was one of us, and lived among us, and shed His own blood for our salvation, redemption, etc.... WE can be so busy for God that we " cannot hearken to Him." Savonarola . Praying is good but where does it lead?
ACTS plus a C. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication and Consecration.
The third point is we are going to a new Year on Monday. That point is to be written by you and I. What are we going to do with points 1 and 2 to make point 3? We all have knowledge. If we have consecration to Christ with the knowledge we have that we keep learning , and keep thinking about how to consecrate our lives to Christ, then point 3 is the result.
How will we write it? We have opportunties for service every day . The person who needs a visit by us to encourage them....the Clothes Closet and the clothes we should be donating and the time we should be sharing with others....This is an opportunity.
The New Year is already being written by us in our plans. Plans to serve ourselves ? Or plans to take the life we have been given and use it to serve others....?
All of us have experienced some kind of loss in our lives perhaps this year...Can we use that to share that experience with others who need our lessons learned?
What can we do this year instead of just growing in knowledge ourselves ? This is what our Bishop asked us to do . We are going beyond convictions to purpose and outreach. That is what he asked. That is what our Lord asked us to do as well as He set the example.
As St. Teresa said with gentle irony, " We think we are giving all to God, but in reality we are offering only the rent or produce,...while we retain ...the land in our possession---a pleasant way this of seeking the love of God"
So let us seek in prayer and love to offer back to God what He has given us so freely.
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