Across the Pastor’s Desk by Josh Enderson

John 1: 14 says: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

In many ways, this is an absurd statement. When John says “the Word,” he is referring to the Greek word “Logos.”  The Logos was a concept, both in Greek and Jewish thinking.  The Logos was the Word of God; it was divine reason, divine logic.  It was divine, plain and simple.  The people who first heard John’s gospel would have been okay with verses 1-13, where John talks about the Word involved with creating the world and the Word bringing light into darkness.  That’s what God does.  That’s what divine wisdom does.  That what the Logos does! 

But then, John makes this absurd statement in verse 14.  He says that this Logos that helped to bring creation into being has now become flesh and blood, just like all of us, to “live among us!”  The original verb in Greek can also be translated as “dwealt” or “encamped” among us.  This divine Word of God could no longer be talked about as otherworldly and unknowable.  This divine Word of God now stood among God’s people, in flesh and blood.  It didn’t just reside in some temple to be worshiped from afar.  It encamped with us and traveled with us!  For the ancients, this was incomprehensible!  God couldn’t be a human.  Humans were too far beneath God.

And yet, our Christmas story and the rest of the New Testament show us that this isn’t the case.  Despite our confusion, despite our preconceived notions of who (and what) God is, God chose to come to us as Christ Jesus.  God chose to walk with us and to travel with us wherever we go, not to be confined to some temple or palace. 

As we go into another Christmas season, we will see our familiar cast of characters: shepherds and wise men, donkeys and angels, lambs and stars.  These things are all a part of the Christmas story.  But, I encourage you to also see another character here as well.  When you look into the manger and see a cute little baby, remember that you are also looking at the Logos.  You are looking at God’s Word in flesh and blood. 

The church has, throughout time, sung a chant on Christmas that started with these words: “O Magnum Mysterium” — O Great Mystery.  Try to approach Christmas with some of the mystery that those early Christians would have felt.  The great, divine Creator of the universe came to earth as a baby, born to a poor peasant girl and her fiancée.  The Great Logos, which was difficult to describe let alone comprehend, could now be held in your arms. May your Advent and Christmas season be filled with the mystery of God’s great love come to earth.

Josh Enderson is pastor of  Hayward Lutheran Church.