Friday, January 17, 2014

What Is the Word of God...

When you think of the Word of God what do you think of?  Do you think of a book of over a thousand pages that only scholars can read and understand?  Do you think about how it was penned by humans and how it probably has mistakes?  Maybe it is a book of good childrens stories and has good morals to follow.  I would like to suggest looking at what the Word of God says about itself.  There are many things that the Word says about itself but in this blog lets start with the Gospel of John.  John says in his Gospel that the Word was with God and the Word was God. 


"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1).  Later in that same chapter it says that the Word became flesh. 
"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.  John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me." For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.   No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (John 1:14-18)

Now I know that there has been some good in depth teaching on this Scripture.  All i would like to point out is that the Word of God is Jesus.  When it says that the Word came and dwelt among us it is like Jesus pitched a tent with us.  That is what the word dwelt actually means.  I like how Dr Dan Hayden puts it in his studies.


"This word skene (tent) is the very word used in the New Testament to refer to the tabernacle of God used by Israel in their early worship of God. If you remember, the tabernacle was a wooden structure with a tent pitched over the top. In the Greek New Testament therefore, the word translated “tabernacle” is skene — “the tent” (Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:2, 5, and chapter 9). Hence, when the glory of God descended to the earth to take up residence in the midst of Israel as described in Exodus 40:34-38, it could be said that God “pitched His tent” among men. The writer of the book of Hebrews calls it “the true tent [skene] that the Lord set up” (Hebrews 8:2). The glory of God went camping with Israel as Israel wandered in the wilderness."  http://www.awordfromtheword.org/dwelt.

Dr Dan Hayden makes a good point to say that just as the tabernacle was used in desert by the Israelites Jesus came down and dwelt among us and pitched a tent. So I would like to throw this out there. If Jesus is the Word and the Word came and dwelt among us what is it that we are supposed to preach when it says to preach the word. 

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the 
dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

 When you look at the Greek for Word in John 1:1 and 2 Timothy 4:2 it is the same word logos in the Greek.  Therefore we are to preach as a herald, as the greek says, Jesus.  Jesus is who we are suppose to preach.  So what is Jesus?  Jesus is so many things but focus on what Jesus did for us and keep it simple.  His death, burial and resurrection.  Our sin is gone and death has been swallowed up (1 Corinthians 15).  Preach Jesus !!!

Pray this with me....Father in the Name of Jesus i thank you that You sent Your one and only Son into the world to dwell among us.  To pitch His tent with us.  Thank You that in Your perfect will Jesus conquered death and took away our sin.  Break our hearts for the lost and please give us simple words to preach to those around us.  In Jesus Name.... Amen!




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