THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH
Wednesday – September 12, 2018, Tishrei 3, 5779
Greetings and thank you for rejoining this powerful Bible Study taken from the Book of John. God is so good to give us His Word so that our Christian lives are not a guessing game. Our loving Heavenly Father spells out for us our responsibilities, and our benefits. There are no rights in the Kingdom of God only responsibilities. In the Kingdom when those responsibilities are discharged with an obedient and willing heart the benefits become ours. Remember, both the discharge of our responsibilities and the reaping of the benefits will require our involvement. The featured picture today is of the tower on Mount Batti in Camden Maine erected to honor the veterans of World War I. Today I will pick up our study of this Book of John starting with the twelfth verse of the first chapter on our way to the fourteenth verse.
John 1:12-14 (KJV)
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
When we name Jesus as our Lord, our Savior, receive Him, and are immersed into Him we receive power to become sons of God. First, I would like to point out that the word “received” in our text is also commonly translated as “take”. Receiving has some implication of a passive process but to take something is a more active process on our part. Before we are born again we have to make it clear to the devil who is our father before salvation that we are taking a new father and that is Father God by immersing ourselves into Christ Jesus as our new Lord. I discussed last week that not all Christians are “sons of God”. We are born into the kingdom as children of God and there is a maturation process and at a point chosen of the Father we are sons of God (Galatians 4:1-2). Sons in the Kingdom of God are matured to a place where they are capable of conducting Kingdom business by faith, in love, led of Holy Spirit. Sons of God are capable to own and manage Kingdom assets, to build the family name and the Kingdom, as well as do creative miracles in the Kingdom. The word “power” in our text is the Greek word transliterated as “exousia” means we have the privilege, the capacity, the ability, the authority, the legal standing, the right, and the strength to mature from children to sons. So, why isn’t there a rapid progression of new born babes to sonship? Could it be that we are slackers? Could it be that we are not taught? One last thing which I believe is very pertinent about verse twelve is the number twelve which is the number of God’s perfect government. The sons of God are the government of God in the earth at the direction of Christ Jesus.
As we move to verse thirteen (rebellion and depravity) I see this as an important bridge to verse fourteen (deliverance). Verse thirteen makes it abundantly clear that the new birth, salvation, and the capacity to be a son of God is not by flesh and blood or the will of man but the will and Power of God. In the same way that we are born again by the Word of God and become sons of God is the same way The Word became The Son of God and came into the earth. It was by the will of God and the Word of God, that the Word, God Himself, became flesh and dwelt among us. Now, let’s move into verse fourteen (fourteen = deliverance). So, in verse fourteen we see that the Deliverer Himself, the Messiah, is come into the earth. God spoke of a coming Messiah to the Serpent in the garden of Eden on the Day of Sin and Death. The Prophets recorded that and spoke it and many other prophetic words were spoken by the will of God concerning the coming Messiah and now those prophetic words have taken on flesh. The very use of the word “flesh” in our text tells us that the Word did not come as God but as a man. The Apostle Paul tells us that the Word, God, laid aside all that made Him God before coming into the womb of the Virgin Mary.
Philippians 2:6-8 (KJV)
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Scripture tells us that Jesus was the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45). Therefore, I believe that His body was fashioned from the dust of the earth by God and placed in the womb of Mary just as Adam’s body was fashioned by God from the dust of the earth. As I have mentioned on occasion in these teachings a woman does not possess the genetic material for a male child. Now consider that we, mankind, are spirit, soul, and body and therefore this is what Jesus (the Word) had on entry into the womb of Mary. Jesus’ body was of the earth, His spirit and soul (spiritual or immaterial) was the same as existed in eternity past but now without the attributes of God. As we have reviewed above He laid those attributes of God aside coming into the earth, however, the spirit and soul remained His. It is also apparent from Scripture that He also laid aside His eternal memory or knowledge for a season and matured and grew like other men (persons).
Luke 2:52 (KJV)
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
I hope that I have succeeded in demonstrating that all of the work of Jesus in the earth was as a man not as God. He divested Himself of all that made Him God to walk as Adam walked and to show us how to walk in this curse filled world. Lord willing, I will pick up right here tomorrow.
PRAYERS AND QUESTIONS – please, anytime you have an issue that you want me, this ministry to pray for you, a person you love or a situation contact me. Accordingly, if you should have a question about the Bible, please do not hesitate to ask it.
Until our next publication, receive this Scripture (first person) for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving. We are in Christ Jesus, whatever His position is, is our position!
Ephesians 1:19-23 (KJV)
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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