John 1:1-14

Scripture ReadingScripture Reading

John 1:1-14John 1:1-14

John 1:1-14 Christmas Day

Who has a “For Sale” sign in Who has a “For Sale” sign in your neighbourhood?your neighbourhood?

Imagine that the house next to Imagine that the house next to yours goes up for sale.yours goes up for sale.

You wonder who your new You wonder who your new neighbours will be.neighbours will be.

John 1:1-14 Christmas Day

““Sold!” signSold!” sign

Moving truck comesMoving truck comes

You go out to meet your new You go out to meet your new neighbour.neighbour.

It’s Jesus!It’s Jesus!

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

Remember we are using our Remember we are using our imaginations.imaginations.

Of course Jesus said:Of course Jesus said:“Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no

place to lay his head.” Matthew 8:20

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

But imagine this morning, what But imagine this morning, what would it be like if Jesus moved would it be like if Jesus moved

into your neighbourhood?into your neighbourhood?

What kind of neighbour would What kind of neighbour would he be?he be?

What impact would Jesus have What impact would Jesus have on your neighbourhood?on your neighbourhood?

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

I imagine that Jesus would:I imagine that Jesus would:-Walk his dog and talk to Walk his dog and talk to people,people, even crotchety Mr. Porcupine.even crotchety Mr. Porcupine.- get to know his neighboursget to know his neighbours- Shovel the walk of the elderly Shovel the walk of the elderly couplecouple- Carry soup over to the familyCarry soup over to the family whose son is in the hospital.whose son is in the hospital.

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

I picture Jesus:I picture Jesus:-Talking in a coffee shop to a crying youngTalking in a coffee shop to a crying young

girl who everyone thinks had an abortion.girl who everyone thinks had an abortion.- Asking Fred who just lost his job to build himAsking Fred who just lost his job to build him

a fence.a fence.- Opening his home to all sorts of peopleOpening his home to all sorts of people

- to the young person having trouble at home.to the young person having trouble at home.- to people we might not necessarily feel to people we might not necessarily feel comfortable withcomfortable with

- Hugging the little boy who skinned his knee.Hugging the little boy who skinned his knee.- Help turn a vacant lot into a communityHelp turn a vacant lot into a community

gardengarden

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

Our text of this morning says:Our text of this morning says:“The Word became flesh and made his

dwelling among us.” John 1:14

““In-Carnation” [think ‘carnivore’]In-Carnation” [think ‘carnivore’]= “in flesh”= “in flesh”

The Word – Jesus,The Word – Jesus, took on flesh,took on flesh,

became fully human became fully human

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

“The Word became flesh and

made his dwelling among us.”

“Made his dwelling among us”= “Tabernacled” among us

- OT tabernacle = the presence of God.“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

Paul puts it this way:Paul puts it this way:“Christ Jesus, who, being in very

nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made

in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

Jesus loved us so much that he Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to enter our messed was willing to enter our messed

up world.up world.-The smelly stable – symbolic of The smelly stable – symbolic of

our far from perfect livesour far from perfect lives- Jesus came into your life, in Jesus came into your life, in

the middle of the confusion and the middle of the confusion and mess and sinmess and sin

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

I like how Eugene Peterson I like how Eugene Peterson translates John 1:14 translates John 1:14

in in the Messagethe Message::““The Word became flesh and The Word became flesh and

blood, and moved into the blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.”neighbourhood.”

““We saw the glory with our own We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside Father, like Son, Generous inside

and out, true from start to finish.”and out, true from start to finish.”

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

That what got my imagination That what got my imagination going this week asking these going this week asking these

kind of questions:kind of questions:

Would Jesus, the Lord of life, be Would Jesus, the Lord of life, be bombing abortion clinics or be bombing abortion clinics or be counselling young women to counselling young women to

allow their child to live?allow their child to live?

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

What kind of attitude would What kind of attitude would Jesus to people caught up in the Jesus to people caught up in the

sin of their lives?sin of their lives?

Condemnation or compassion?Condemnation or compassion?

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

What would he saw to the What would he saw to the couple who “moved in together” couple who “moved in together”

without being married?without being married?

Would he bring over his Would he bring over his traditional “welcome to the traditional “welcome to the

neighbourhood” pie that he had neighbourhood” pie that he had done with others who moved in?done with others who moved in?

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

Would he accept the cold one Would he accept the cold one from neighbour who swears like from neighbour who swears like a trooper while he works on his a trooper while he works on his

baby- 1967 Mustang?baby- 1967 Mustang?

Would he slide underneath and Would he slide underneath and get grease and grime on his get grease and grime on his

clothes?clothes?

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

What would Jesus do if he What would Jesus do if he caught 2 youth tagging his caught 2 youth tagging his garage with spray paint?garage with spray paint?

What would he say to them?What would he say to them?

What would he say to you?What would he say to you?

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

What would your neighbourhood What would your neighbourhood be like if Jesus moved in?be like if Jesus moved in?

How might it change?How might it change?

Wouldn’t it be great to have Wouldn’t it be great to have Jesus in the neighbourhood?Jesus in the neighbourhood?

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

Too bad that Jesus is no longer Too bad that Jesus is no longer “in the flesh” here on earth!“in the flesh” here on earth!

Too bad the Word in the flesh Too bad the Word in the flesh and blood is no longer in our and blood is no longer in our neighbourhoods to represent neighbourhoods to represent

the glory of God!the glory of God!

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

O, wait!O, wait!

The presence of Jesus in the The presence of Jesus in the flesh is still in your flesh is still in your

neighbourhood!neighbourhood!

The body of Christ is still in your The body of Christ is still in your neighbourhood!neighbourhood!

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

You are the body of Christ!You are the body of Christ!

You are the image of God in You are the image of God in your neighbourhood.your neighbourhood.

You are the Spirit-empowered, You are the Spirit-empowered, flesh-covered, presence of Jesus flesh-covered, presence of Jesus

in your neighbourhood!in your neighbourhood!

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

This Christmas we celebrate This Christmas we celebrate that the Word became flesh and that the Word became flesh and

blood and moved into the blood and moved into the neighbourhood,neighbourhood,

into the messiness of our lives into the messiness of our lives to bring love, hope and healing.to bring love, hope and healing.

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

Let us celebrate that all year Let us celebrate that all year

by by

being the being the

““incarnational presence of Jesus” incarnational presence of Jesus”

in our neighbourhoods.in our neighbourhoods.

John 1:1-14 “Jesus Moved into our Neighbourhood”

Let us move into our Let us move into our neighbourhoods neighbourhoods

as the as the

in-the-flesh presence of Jesusin-the-flesh presence of Jesus

bringing love, hope and bringing love, hope and healing.healing.