[Intro: John 1: 1-5]
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made made through Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
[Spoken]
Before there was any time or any matter, there was the Word, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The very same God who was there in the beginning, who created the heavens and the earth; the very same, self-sufficient, uncreated, unborn, living, and eternal God, is Jesus Christ. Jesus is God.
Jesus was the perfect embodiment of God's mind and will, which is why He was called the Word; and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. And we have seen His glory, glorious of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
In the act of becoming human, did You know that Jesus identified with our pain? The pain of loneliness; He felt that. The hurt of rejection; He felt that. The sadness of losing a loved one to death; Jesus felt that. The scars of mental and physical abuse; He felt that. Jesus is not just powerful, but also personal.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, the glorious of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. In Jesus, we behold the glory of God. Let me say that again; in Jesus, we behold the glory of God. Church, when we fully grasp this beautiful truth, it should leave us completely mindblown and awe-struck, and the only fitting and rightful response, is to worship, this God!
As we lift up our hands, we proclaim: great is the Lord and most worthy of praise, His greatness no one can fathom. As we lift up shouts of praise, we declare that You'll be enthroned in the praises of Your people. We lift up a shout of praise to our God, beyond and in this place, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen!