“Remember the gospel again; hear his humble plea in the garden, see his blood-stained brow, hear the whip crack as it tears his back, smell the scent of blood that fills the air as he is hoisted up upon the tree, hear him cry in agony as the wrath you deserve is poured out upon him, and he is forsaken.
Then let his words sink deeply into your soul, “It is finished.” All that he had come to do, all that you needed him to do, he has done for you.
Feel the earth tremble, hear the curtain that separated you from the presence of God tear.
Think about that kind of love and welcome, let your heart weep before him, and kiss him in worship as you humble yourself, loving him much.
Now, let the love that’s overflowing in your heart eventuate in true obedience, put off your old, dead, loveless ways of living, and let the love that has been poured into your heart by the Holy Spirit create true holiness of life.”
(from Counsel from the Cross, by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson)
John 1:14 reads, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
I was thinking about Jesus, the unique Son of God, the maker of the universe, in flesh on the earth. I was thinking that I wish I could have seen him. At the time that John is writing about above, when he “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory.”
Aside from seeing “his glory” – what about just seeing him? How tall was he? Did he have a favorite color? Did he like to sing?
This led me to think about video and the Bible. As we preach and teach and use today’s media (mp3 audio, web-hosted video, etc) I was struck that Jesus came to a time and place that had no such modern information-transmittal technology.
Did He look like this?
I was struck that all I know about Jesus, I know from a book. Written language. Even when I watch a “dramatization” of the Bible, or watch a preacher… what they know is from a book.
I’m thinking of how perfect God is in his planning, that this written display of his character is true. It means that image is not as important as substance is. Ideas are the key issue, communication via memes and pericopes and languages. Much care has to be taken to get them right – to translate rightly, to understand rightly… but what God has chosen is the Word.
Think if that wasn’t the case.
I’d look at my Savior and think things like: “He had a beard! I should too!” or I’d be tempted to make sandals the godly man’s footwear. I’d want to see what foods Jesus ate, and eat them (did Jesus eat meat? Let’s zoom in on what he’s eating, that must be the best food…). How often did He smile? Did He keep His fingernails trimmed?
The video aspect of what really happened when the incarnate God came to earth would, unfortunately, be fertile ground for my innate legalism, I fear. It would be fertile ground for my desire to make inconsequential things consequential, and non-ultimates ultimate.
Which is why I return to being so grateful for the Word. He said what was important, communicated it, with language. So I’m not distracted by the style of his garments or the color of his skin.
And so I come back to seeing “his glory.” I think John is saying that we all, who are his kids, have seen his glory, just as “we have all received” grace from him in v. 16.
And the glory you and I have seen, who are Christians, is the glory that is “full of grace and truth.”
How amazing can it be, 2000 or so years after the Word became flesh, that I can see his glory… in the depth of the grace that I have tasted in him. True forgiveness. Promised heaven. Understanding reality, what is true. All because of him… and thus revealing his glory.
It just makes me stop and worship… that without 1080p or iPhone apps or Flash (as great as those are)… you and I get to experience the true glory of God, in the grace and faithfulness of the Son.
