December 4 – John 1:14-18. Jesus Was (Is) Real.

December 4 – John 1:14-18. Jesus Was (Is) Real.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 


(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

The Jews lived for centuries faithful to God.  They knew that Moses had seen Him, that Abraham had walked with Him, that Joseph had wrestled with Him, that the high priest each year entered his presence in the holy of Holies.  They remembered the stories of those who traveled through the desert with God among them as either a cloud or a pillar of fire.  God’s presence was real and had been made manifest to them.

Those stories are so far from our time period that sometimes they seem like stories told ‘round a campfire.

But, then … there is Jesus.  We are able to read the testimonies of those who walked with Jesus in the flesh.  They prayed with Him, ate with Him, celebrated with Him, hid with Him. They saw miracles and people being healed.  Jesus was real and tangible to enough people that we have their stories and memories written down.

Jesus was a real person.  He was seen by many.

John testifies to seeing Jesus.  He reminds us that Jesus Christ came from God.  He was with God. He was (is) God.  He has returned to God.  We don’t have to see God because we have seen the Son.

He transformed the memories of the early Israelites.   He transformed the Law and brought God’s Law to us in grace and truth.  He makes the relationship between God and his people – all people on earth a reality, a personal reality.

Through Him we receive God’s grace.