THE WORD MADE FLESH

📖Scripture: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” –John 1:14

🔎Reflection: The eternal Word, fully God, entered time and space to dwell with sinful humanity. Unlike Adam, who failed to guard and serve his bride, Christ came to redeem His Bride at the cost of His own blood (Eph 5:25-27). He condescended (lowered Himself) not out of necessity or obligation but love, even knowing in advance He would be despised and rejected (Rev 13:8; Isa 53:3).

This demolishes the heretical characterization of a Jesus who merely exists to make our lives easier. True grace is not sentimental “be kind rewind” or “pay it forward” but the sovereign initiative of God to regenerate the dead (Eph 2:4-5). Truth is not subjective or relative but embodied in Christ Jesus, who declared, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). To behold Christ’s glory is to be undone, humbled, and transformed (2 Cor 3:18). To claim His name without surrendering to Him as Lord is hypocrisy. It is to violate God's command, Thou shall not bear my Name in emptiness (Ex 20:7). The incarnation leaves no room for private, casual, or consumer-driven religion. Christ came to dwell, to rule, to sanctify, and to make His dwelling in His Body & Bride, the Church.

🤺Action: Today’s testing and examination (2 Cor 13:5): Have you ever been found saying, “Now that’s my kind of church!”? What was it that prompted that response? Was it the coffee or donuts? Was it the Sunday crowd? Was it about personal preferences or about what God desires, i.e., worship in Spirit and Truth? Ask yourself: Have I truly received Jesus as the eternally perfect, divine, and incarnate Word? Am I submitting my entire life to His lordship, or have I reduced Him to a comforting religious accessory? Am I dwelling with Christ as a devoted member of His Body within a local church, or am I practicing my own version of private spirituality with “church” as an elective to opt out of or into whenever I feel like it? (See Heb 10:24–25; Acts 2:42–47; Rom 12:4–5; 1 Cor 12:12–27; Eph 2:19–22; Eph 4:11–16; Col 3:15–16; 1 Pet 2:4–5, 9–10; Rev 19:6–9).

🙏Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for humbling Yourself to dwell among us. Forgive my shallow notions of divine grace. Please rescue, redeem, transform, and conform me to Your truth and glory so that my life and my church reflect Your presence and matchless glory! In Your name I pray, Amen.

Click the link for a short video version:

https://youtube.com/shorts/-_0t4ZTdGb4?feature=shared

Blessings & love,

Kevin M. Kelley

Pastor

BigIslandChristianChurch.com