He is the Word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-2 NIV).

As we enter Advent, waiting and preparing for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, preparing our hearts for Christmas, the words of St. John 1:1-2 declare to us the divine nature and the eternal existence of Jesus, who came to “pitch his tent” among us.

The Jewish people were waiting for the Messiah to come. And when he finally came, just as had been predicted, they did not recognise Jesus as the Messiah: “He came to his own and his own did not receive him” (John 1:11).

When we look at the four Gospels and how they introduce Jesus, the first three each place Jesus in a historical context. Matthew starts with a long list of descendants, connecting Jesus to King David and back to Abraham. Mark introduces Jesus through the preaching of John the Baptist. Luke goes a little further back and begins with Elizabeth and Zechariah and the prediction of the birth of John the Baptist. But John is unique in introducing Jesus to us. He takes us as far back as we can think. To the beginning, before the creation of the world: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”

John takes us back beyond creation to remind us that Jesus has been God the Son from eternity, that he existed before his birth, and is coequal with God the Father.

We see Jesus as the Eternal Word, who existed in the beginning, not because he had a beginning as a creature, but because he is eternal. He is God and he is God with us. In John 8:58, John records Jesus’ very own words; “Before Abraham was, I am.”

This Eternal Word, who was with God and was God, chose to enter our world as a helpless baby. He, the Word, spoke the world into existence. He came to live among us, to be one with us.

For reflection:

And so, as we journey through Advent, what is it that Jesus, who is the Word who spoke the world into existence, can speak into your life in this season?

Prayer:

Dear God, we enter into this Advent season waiting to celebrate the coming of your eternal Son into our world. We stand in awe of you. We thank you, Jesus, who is the I Am, the Alpha and the Omega, for your unconditional love and for coming to live with us. Draw us closer to you this Advent season. May we be filled with worship and adoration towards you this Christmas as we celebrate your eternal love for us.

Amen.