John1:1-14

Introduction:

                It has taken Governor Bush a long time to travel from Austin to D.C. This unique journey will certainly be discussed and debated by historians and politicians for many years to come. 

On October 7, Davo Karnicar became the first man who skied down from the summit of Mt. Everest to a base camp. It took him 4 hours and 40 minutes.

I still remember many years ago when I first came to this country on JAL. Soon after the plane crossed the International Date Line, each passenger was given a certificate to commemorate this event.

Many of you have also taken long journeys to come to Houston this year. In two days, several of you will take the long bus ride to Urbana, Il. These journeys are very special milestones in our lives.

This morning we want to look at a very Different Kind of Journey. Please turn with me to John 1:1-14.

This is a Christmas journey, journey God took to come into the world. In this journey, he broke into human history. Let’s take a closer look at this very special trip.

I. A journey from heaven to earth.

Vs1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” The “Word” is another name for Jesus. Jesus is the word; Jesus is God. He is the one who created the heavens and the earth. Heaven is his home.

Heaven is more than a physical location, a place of utmost perfection. It is a holy and loving place, a place of perfect satisfaction. This is the kind of place Jesus called home.

Vs10,14 tells us that he came into the world. On that first Christmas, Jesus came into this world. He was born in a manger, in a certain village, in a certain city and in a certain country. These are all real physical locations. Even to this day, we can point to the city of Bethlehem in the country of Israel and say, “This was where Jesus was born.” Imagine, this Word, Jesus, literally and historically came into the world.

Outside the city of Manila in the Philippines, is a garbage dump. The garbage piles up there into a small hill. So it is also called Garbage Hill. Everyday, adults and children go through the garbage scrambling for food and other waste that they can use or sell. Around the dump, many families build shacks made of scraps found in the dump and lived there. Children and their children grew up in the garbage dump. Several years ago I was very much touched by a story that a Chinese medical student decided to spend one summer there as a short-term missionary. Two weeks ago I read another story of some American missionaries living in the garbage dump. They had left their clean and comfortable homes in the states and lived by the dump in order to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to the people there. 

Jesus took a similar journey from heaven to earth. The world he first created was perfect. It was good according to God’s perfect standards. But then, because of human sin, what was perfect was now blemished. What was normal turned into abnormality. Peace and harmony became chaos and disharmony. By the time Jesus entered the world, the apostle John described the world as being in darkness. Jesus, the perfect light came into a dark, pitch-black world. Everything here was contrary to his divine nature.

This is the journey Jesus took, from heaven to earth.

II.  A journey from eternity to time.

Vs1, “in the beginning…” Can you describe beginning? When there was nothing in this universe, Jesus, the Word, was there. He was before the suns and the stars. When there was this mass of energy, he was already there. No matter how far back we may go, he was always there. In the NT we are told that to him 1000 years is like one day. No “time” concept is adequate to confine and define him. However, the one who has been there all the time came into human time.

Jesus appeared in our human calendars. We are told that he was born during the time of king Herod, when Caesar Augustus was the emperor of the Roman Empire and Quirinius, the governor of Syria. The one who was there from eternity is now defined by human calendars.

Jesus was also confined by the human counting of time. He got up early in the morning. One morning, between 3 to 6 am, he was walking on the water. Come to think of it, Jesus must have been a morning person.

We are told that 6 days after Peter’s confession of faith, he took 3 of his disciples to a mountain top where for a brief moment he was transformed into his glorious state.

The one who came from eternity had to operate and function according to the human time frame.

Not only did he come into time, he also came at the right time. In Galatians 4:4, we read about “when the tim3e had fully come, God sent his son…….” At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Roman Empire was under one united emperor, there was political peace. The vast network of road was built to transport the Roman soldiers and their supplies throughout the entire Roman Empire. But with peace in the nation, these roads were now used for commercial travel. Spiritually individuals were tired of the external religious motions. Yearning for inner meaning and renewal.

This son of God came into time, at the right time, and furthermore, reset the time. Before his coming, history was known as in the year of such and such a king, or this and that emperor. In China we are all familiar with the notion of in the year Kang Si, the 89^th year of the Republic.

But now, the world, the universal calendar is set in terms of in the year of Jesus Christ. It is divided into before Christ and after Christ.

III. A journey from Spirit to personhood.

Vs14, “……became flesh….” Before this journey, Jesus, the son of God, the God was a Spirit. He was invisible and untouchable, yet he was real. Today we should have no problem understanding this. With a line phone or cell phone, I can talk to my children thousands of miles away. I don’t see the sound waves, but I know they are there and real. We don’t see the wind, yet we have no problem with its existence.

This Spirit came into the world and was given a body. It is a real body, not an illusion. He was in Mary’s womb as an embryo. This embryo developed from 2 cells to 4 cells, to 8 cells. Then the limbs appeared; the heart began to pump. 9 months later Jesus was born. He must have cried when he took in his first breath of air. It was a body one could see and touch. During the first few years, Jesus was totally dependent on his parents. At 12 years old, when he stayed behind in the Jerusalem temple, his parents had to return to search for him.

Not only did he have a true body, it was also a permanent one. Last year our youngest son asked, “Is Jesus still a man?”. This started a theological discussion in our household. Yes, he was a man while on earth, but how about now that he has gone back to heaven? The scriptures clearly tell us that he was a true human being during his 33 years on earth. However, after his resurrection, it was the same body that the disciples recognized. Later, at least 500 of his followers saw him.

When he ascended into heaven, the angels told the disciples that he would return in the same visible manner. Yes, he became man with a permanent body. Even in heaven now, he is both man and God.

Jesus had a permanent body, but he was also a true man. Possessing human emotions. He rejoiced at a family friend’s wedding. He knew Martha, Mary and Lazarus well. He cried when he saw the abnormality of death taking the life of Lazarus. He was angry when he saw the temple used for exploitation instead of prayers. He was tempted in every manner like us, except that he did not sin. He was 100% God and 100%man.

He was 100% man so he could identify and understand our weakness. When we feel weak and discouraged, we want to come to someone who is like us and has the power to help us. No one wants to come to a superman in times of frustration and weakness.

Conclusion:

Christmas is about journeys, right? Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem. The angels descended into the earth’s atmosphere and made themselves visible and audible to the shepherds. The shepherds traveled to the manger. The wise men from the east following the star journeyed to Palestine.

There is more to this. Most, if not all journeys, also have a purpose. Governor Bush’s winding and torturous journey to D.C. is because of his aspiration of becoming the 43^rd president of this country. Davo Karnicar skied down Mt. Everest because his passion in life is to climb and ski down the highest peak in each continent. You have arrived in Houston because you want to visit your children and grandchildren. You are here in Houston to visit your parents and family members. You will endure that long bus ride to Il. because you want to experience the historical Urbana Mission Conference. You want to let God speak to you about your life goals and directions.

So how about the travels on that 1^st Christmas? Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for census purposes. And while there, Mary gave birth to Jesus. This was to fulfill a prophecy told almost 400 years ago; that from the city of Bethlehem would come a ruler, who would be the shepherd of God’s people.

Angels descended into the earth’s atmosphere to tell the shepherds about the birth of a savior. The shepherds traveled to the manger to see for themselves what the angels had told them. The wise men from the east came to worship the newborn king.

And now, what is the purpose of Jesus’ journey from heaven to earth? Vs18, “No one has ever seen God, but God the one and only, who is at the father’s side, has made him known.” Jesus, the Son of God has come to make God known. By seeing Jesus, men see God. We see God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ.

Jesus came into the world to show how much God loves us. He reaches down to sinners like us. He came and became one of us. God took our sins and placed them on Jesus. So for our sins, he was punished and put to death. On that cross, on our behalf he received God’s wrath. He died so that we don’t have to die. Jesus traveled from heaven to earth for the purpose of dying for our sins. Even at his birth, there was the shadow of the cross.

The verse that best summarize this love is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

                On that 1^st Christmas, Jesus, the son of God, came into the world. He came to demonstrate to us God’s love and grace. When we put our faith in him, he forgives our sins and gives us a new life. He came into the world, to invite us to embark on this journey of faith.

                The first century Christians were also known as the followers of the Way. They were on a journey following Jesus Christ.

                Last week I received an email from a new member of this church. Previously she had shared with me some of her difficulties encountered at work. She concluded this email with the following words, “……I want to thank God for allowing me to experience these adversities, to enrich my life, teaching me how to face difficulties in life. This is something I would never have learned before knowing God. Jesus traveled to this world so he can travel with us through life. When we go through the fires and waters of life, when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he is there with us. He comforts and strengthens us. He shows us the direction he wants us to go. He tells us not to be afraid, because he will never forsake us. Won’t you allow him to take your hands on your life journey?

Rev. William Hsueh    Dec. 24, 2000    Houston Chinese Church,  Houston, Texas