John 1:1-14

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was theWord, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Hewas in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and withouthim was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was thelight of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has notovercome it.

 There was a man sentfrom God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witnessabout the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, butcame to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which enlightenseveryone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world wasmade through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to hisown, and his own people did not receive him. But to allwho did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the rightto become children of God, who were born, not of blood norof the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

 And theWord became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as ofthe only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The title is misleading, for Christians a HappyNew Year begins at the first part of Advent. Let me frame it a different way –my beginning and anticipation in life, the setting of my clock as it were, isnot done by the Canadian Revenue Service but by the birth and life of Christ.OK, a little over the top, Happy New Year anyway. I want to close off 2008 andnudge us to 2009 by telling two stories, which I hope will encourage andinspire.

The first story is really simply a quote fromSandy Rosen while speaking at her mother Vi Oshiro’s service this last fall.Manu of us were gathered to give thanks and support Tom and the extendedfamily. Sandy said that her mother was like the light on the porch so youalways knew where home was (I’ve probably mangled it but that’s the drift). Ohthat others would be called to say that of us when we die. More importantly,this is true of Vi, the light from her life was the light of Christ shiningthrough…may that be true of each of us too… seeing Jesus not us this year.

The second story is set against the gatheringclouds of economic uncertainty, international conflict and strife.  We enter a year of worry, concern anduncertainty. The second story came to me from a third party recounting how asuccessful business man left that life of financial security to become apastor. His new church and calling were offering a salary for less than hisprevious vocation and not in an adequate salary for the new pastor’s family.This new pastor was a wise and godly man, he put the financial dilemma to thechurch this way:

“You know you can pay me what you intend to payme and I and my family can live on faith. Or you can pay me what is hard foryou and adequate for my family and the whole church (my family included) canlive on faith.”

The Lord is calling us Christians and as afamily of churches to pray, discern, reflect, worship and passionately liveinto what God has for us this year. Our Lord has been faithful and we candepend on Him to be so again and again. We can give Him of our time, money andenergy in its most minimalistic form or we can live faithfully, fully and ingreat anticipation that we will be used by God in ways we never dreamed of inthis next year.

You are not supposed to have favourite passagesof scripture but basically I do. We started with it and I end with it.

In the beginning was theWord, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Hewas in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and withouthim was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was thelight of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has notovercome it.

 There was a man sentfrom God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witnessabout the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, butcame to bear witness about the light.

The true light, whichenlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and theworld was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He cameto his own, and his own people did not receivehim. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, hegave the right to become children of God, who were born,not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man,but of God.

 And theWord became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as ofthe only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

I have one addition this year which governs myhopes and dreams for us…it is in Hebrews 11… that’s for another week.

Warmly,

In Christ,

Jeremy