1. Jesus the Word.
No words are more ancient, nor foundational to faith, than Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” It’s like we're being allowed to be a fly on the wall of heaven. Now what capacity does a fly have to comprehend much of anything, much less the formation of the universe, much less the very nature of an infinite God? Its eyes are so infinitesimally small! So also… its hearing, its smell, its taste, its touch, its thoughts. And what more is a man?
In Genesis 1, “Whoever” God may be, He’s the creator, the originator, the initiator of all reality. And no, He’s not a “Whatever.” He’s personal. There in Genesis 1:2, as the darkness covers the earth, were told “the Spirit of God” is present, hovering over the watery depths. Now what part of God is the Spirit of God? We do not know! But the Spirit of God is distinguishable, as part of God.
But there is another textual feature of Genesis 1 that is peculiar. In Genesis 1:3, 1:6, 1:9 (and every subsequent day) we're told that “God said. . . ” God isn’t some lonely, plane-crashed, Tom Hanks talking to a painted volleyball to maintain his sanity. Within the God-head there is conversation! There is real speech! Real communication. There is some part of God that comprehends, responds to God. In addition to the “Spirit of God” the “Word of God” is present. And the Word of God quite living and effective, quite personal, quite powerful.
With what instrument of precision must God have fashioned the universe? Not just in its largeness, but in its finest, most delicate mechanics? I don’t think the Word of God in Genesis 1 is an “it.” It is certainly not a book. It’s not the mere sound of air, flowing over God’s vocal cords. God isn’t an air-breathing creature like us. Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of the soul and the spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” In Genesis 1, the Word of God hears, understands, makes, shapes, forms, and perfectly obeys God’s commands. And on Day Six this same “Word of God” makes the thinking, judging, feeling, ever-so-volitional, ever-so-rational man! The grandest of all moments is Genesis 1:26. “And God said let US make man in our image, according to OUR likeness.”
Genesis 1 leaves us with as many questions as answers. Just who is this God? Who is His Spirit? And who is this Word by which the heavens and earth are being created? Who is collaborating in the creation of the heavens and earth? What is going on behind the holy curtain of heaven? We only know that the actors in Genesis 1 are God, the Spirit, and the Word.
Well, what do you mean the Word is an Actor? How so? In John 1:1-3 were taken right back to Genesis 1! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.”
In creation, the “Word of God” (just like the Spirit of God) is both “with” God and “is” God! The Word of God is bringing life forth out of formless, void eternal matter. The Word of God is the One driving out the suffocating darkness. There are many places where we're given a peak behind the holy curtain of heaven. One of those places is Revelation 19:13, “He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God.” Holy Smokes Batman. Jesus is the life-giving, darkness dispelling, living-active Word of God of Genesis 1! The Word is a “who” a “Him” The Word is not a “what.” Am I the only one being captivated here?
Another one of those places where the curtain of heaven is pulled back, where we're given insight into creation is Colossians 1:15-17. “He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.”
I’ll tell you this much. The Word isn’t some abstract idea, principle of philosophy, some impersonal scientific theory. At the heart of all reality is a personal God who is a loving Father, who is ever-present abiding Spirit, who is the living active effective Word.
2. Jesus, the God Who Tabernacles.
Let’s hit the pause button. We spent all that time in Genesis last year. Adam and Eve knew God in the garden. They walked with the Lord, until that dreadful day when they were driven from his presence. What we saw in the rest of Genesis is humankind trying to find their way back to fellowship with God. People begin calling on his name. They make build altars and make sacrifices. We get into Exodus and we see God performing miraculous signs and overt wonders. God raises up Moses as redeemer. He sends the Twelve plagues on Pharaoh. Moses delivers a million descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) through water at the Red Sea. God provides bread (manna) and quail from heaven. God provides water from the Rock. Exodus is pretty exciting right?
But then we get to Leviticus. And "Ah, man, Leviticus is so boring!" right? Have you ever read it? You know what Leviticus is really about? God has delivered a million people out of slavery and now they find themselves wondering around, camping out, in the wilderness. And what does God say? God says, I’m going to tabernacle among you! I’m going to pitch a tent, and camp in your midst! But I’m not going to camp in just any dirty old shanty. And you’re not going to casually waltz into my tent like some barnyard animal. I’m a Holy God. And the only way you can approach me is with reverence and awe, and by faith. And the only way you can be accepted in my sight is by the shed blood of atoning sacrifices. For me to camp with all you guys, there are a whole host of provisions that must be made.
If the President of the United States was going to pitch a tent at your campground. If some famous person, some person of royalty… they’d have a litany of requests. And if Michael Buble, or Taylor Swift, or whoever were coming you would enthusiastically take whatever measures they demanded. “God, you need a special tent, a tabernacle? God, you need us to build an altar and make sacrifices? God, you need us to dress a certain way, and eat a certain way, and live in a way that isn’t offensive to you? Let us get this straight… if we appoint the Tribe of Levites to implement the Leviticus code… you are pitching your tent with us? YES!! IT'S YES.”
John 1:4-5, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:6-9, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”
Wait a minute! What? God’s coming to camp? You see this is Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus all over again. The Creator God walking among Adam and Eve. The Creator God tabernacling among Israel, manifesting himself as a pillar of fire by night, and cloud of glory by day. That God… that burning light, that cloud of presence… the God of Genesis that gives life, and that dispels darkness… the God who calls out to his people in the wilderness… the God who tablernacles or camps with his people… THAT GOD IS COMING INTO THE WORLD?
John 1:10-11, “He [THE WORD WHO IS WITH GOD and IS GOD!] was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” What do you mean they didn’t recognize him? How could you miss God showing up? That’s a good question, you should think long and hard about that!
John 1:14-18, “The Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled or pitched a tent] among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him and exclaimed, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming after me ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”) 16 Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness, 17 for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.”
Just imagine! Adam and Eve walked with the Lord in the cool of the garden. And now God was coming into the world once again, to camp, to tabernacle. But he’s not going to dwell in some “tent.” He’s coming to dwell in actual human flesh, in the likeness of man! John the Baptist’s testimony is that the God of Genesis who ranks and existed before me has appeared among us! This was Moses Testimony then. It’s the Apostle John’s testimony here in this text, the Gospel of John! It would be the Apostles life-long testimony.
3. Jesus, the One Who Exegetes God.
John 1:1-4, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.”
What if Jesus truly is the Word of God? The word that was “with” God and “is" God? What if the God of the Universe pitched a tent and tabernacled and dwelt among us in the flesh? Would you recognize him? Would you even understand what was happening? Would the life that he is and gives, give you joy? Would the light that he is and gives, dispel your darkness and guide you out of your dark place?
John says something remarkable about Jesus. John 1:18, “No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.” The word there is “exegetes.” You and I cannot pull back that curtain and see God. But if we’d look to Jesus… Jesus the Living Word of God reveals everything we need to know to have fellowship with God. [The writings of Genesis are a window into creation. The writings of John are a window into Jesus. Jesus is a window into the God of creation.]
INVITATION… Read John 1:10-13 . . .