Jesus Christ, the Word of God                                 John 1:1-18                                 (Continued)

4. THE INCARNATION OF THE WORD (John 1:14-18)
1. The Word Was Made Flesh (John 1:14).
1. The Word was God (John 1:1). The same Word (John 1:2) became man (John 1:14).
2. Accomplished by the Holy Ghost and the power of the Highest (Luke 1:35) – the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23)
3. Called the mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16); as opposed to the mystery of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:7)
4. Made of a woman (Galatians 4:4); as the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15)
5. Made of the seed of David (Romans 1:3) – Jesus is called the “son of David” 14 times, all in Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matthew 1:1; Matthew 9:27; Matthew 21:9).
6. Made like unto his brethren (Hebrews 2:16-17)
7. Made in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3)
1. He had the limitations of sinful flesh.
1. He hungered (Luke 4:2; Matthew 21:18).
2. He thirsted (John 19:28).
3. He needed sleep (Mark 4:38).
4. He suffered pain (Acts 1:3; Acts 3:18).
2. He did not have the corruption of sinful flesh (Hebrews 7:26).
1. He did no sin (1 Peter 2:22).
2. He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
3. He had no sin in Him (1 John 3:5).
4. He knew no sin (1 Corinthians 5:21).
5. No man convinced Him of sin (John 8:46).
2. The Word Dwelt among Us (John 1:14).
1. The child is born but the Son is given (Isaiah 9:6); this reveals His pre-existence.
2. Doctrinal Issue: How much did the Son give up when He came to earth?
1. What He gave up
1. He gave up His heavenly glory (John 17:5, 24); this refers to the outward appearance of His brilliance and majesty (Matthew 16:27; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 21:23).
2. He gave up His heavenly reputation (Philippians 2:5-7).
3. He gave up His heavenly riches (2 Corinthians 8:9).
4. He limited His earthly knowledge (Mark 13:32).
2. What He did not give up
1. He did not give up His deity (Matthew 1:23; 1 Timothy 3:16).
2. He did not give up His omnipresence (John 3:13).
3. He did not give up His omniscience (John 2:25); He only limited Himself in some areas.
4. He did not give up His omnipotence (Matthew 8:26-27; John 2:9; John 6:11-14, 19).
5. He did not give up His holiness – “in him is no sin” (1 John 3:5).
6. He did not give up His spiritual authority (Mark 1:27; Luke 5:20-24).
3. The Purpose of the Incarnation
1. To do the Father’s will (John 4:34; John 5:30; John 6:38)
2. To give His life a ransom (Matthew 20:28; John 12:27)
3. To be touched with our infirmities (Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:14-16)
4. To leave us an example to follow (John 13:15; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6)
4. They Beheld His Glory (John 1:14; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6).
1. The glory of His birth (Luke 2:8-14)
2. The glory of His baptism (Matthew 3:16-17)
3. The glory of His miracles (John 2:11; John 11:4, 40)
4. The glory of His transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5; 2 Peter 1:16-18)
5. The glory of the Father’s third testimony (John 12:27-28)
6. The glory of His resurrection (John 12:16; Philippians 3:21)
7. The glory of His ascension (Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 2:9)
5. The Witness of John (John 1:15)
1. He cometh after me (John 1:15).
2. He is preferred before me (John 1:15).
3. He was before me (John 8:58).
6. Having Received His Fullness (John 1:16)
1. The fullness of the Son
1. He is full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
2. All fullness dwells in Him (Colossians 1:19).
3. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).
2. The filling of the saints
1. We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10).
2. We are to be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19).
3. We are to grow unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).