Sunday 24th December
Read John 1:14
“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.” (NIVUK)
Literally John writes that the Word ‘pitched His tent’ amongst us. John deliberately draws upon Exodus and the redemption of God’s people. “‘Then let them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” (Exodus 25:8) (NIVUK).
But John radically transforms those promises. For the Word ‘dwelt amongst us’ in human form – not in a tent, but in fallen flesh (cf Amos 9:11). God’s people have always longed for, yet feared, God’s presence amongst them. They were sinful and He was holy – it was simply too dangerous to come near to God.
Yet in taking on flesh God became approachable. For He stooped down graciously to dwell amongst us. He took on flesh, not temporarily, but permanently. For us. He truly is Immanuel -God with us.
