December 28, 2025
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TEXT: John 1:1-18
TOPIC: Jesus is the Word of God
SERMON SUMMARY:
The Word Made Flesh: Beyond the Wizard of Oz
You know that old saying: if you want to see what someone's priorities are, look at their checkbook or their calendar. At my seminary, one of our biggest challenges was addressing revisionist theology—particularly the infamous Jesus Seminar from the 1980s and 90s. Perhaps you remember Marcus Borg and others who attempted to vote on which sayings of Jesus were authentic and which weren't, dismissing much of Scripture based on their own wisdom rather than reverence for God's Word.
What troubled me most was how they accommodated progressive agendas rather than letting the text speak for itself. I'm reminded of that scene in The Wizard of Oz when little Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal the giant, frightening Wizard is actually just a man behind a machine. The terrifying voice turns out to be an amiable elderly gentleman. Some biblical scholars do something similar—they pull back the "curtain" on Jesus, reducing Him to merely human proportions.
But John 1 tells us something radically different. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things came into being through Him." Later, John declares, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, full of grace and truth." This is the incarnation—the virgin birth revealing who Jesus truly is.
The Greek term logos carries layers of meaning. First, from Genesis 1 and throughout the Old Testament, it's God's powerful creative word—"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made." But Greek philosophy also used logos as a rational principle holding the universe together. John redefines it completely: the Logos is not an abstract force but a Person—Jesus Christ, the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature.
Hebrews tells us that God "has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He created the world." After making purification for sins, Jesus sat down at the right hand of majesty on high. This is no humble baby only—this is the sovereign King, the Word who triumphs over all.
Discussion Questions
Revisionist Theology vs. Revealed Truth: Fr. Rob critiques the Jesus Seminar's approach of voting on which parts of Scripture are authentic based on human wisdom. How do we guard against reducing Jesus to fit our preferences rather than submitting to who He reveals Himself to be in Scripture? Where might we be tempted to "pull back the curtain" and diminish Christ's divinity?
The Logos—More Than Words: John uses the term Logos (Word) to describe Jesus, drawing from both Hebrew creation accounts and Greek philosophy but ultimately transcending both. How does understanding Jesus as the Logos—the creative Word and rational principle of the universe made flesh—deepen your view of His identity? What difference does it make that He's not an abstract concept but a Person?
Incarnation's Dual Nature: The sermon emphasizes that we can't separate Jesus' humanity (the baby in Bethlehem) from His divinity (the Creator and Sustainer of all things). Why is it important to hold both truths together? How does Jesus being fully God and fully man affect your relationship with Him and your understanding of salvation?
Prayer
Father God, we bow before Your Son, the eternal Word who existed before all creation. We confess that we are tempted to reduce Jesus to something manageable, something that fits our human categories. Forgive us for the times we've pulled back the curtain, trying to make Him less than He truly is.
Thank You that all things came into being through Him—He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the rational principle holding all things together. We marvel that this same Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The baby born in Bethlehem is also the King seated at Your right hand in majesty. He is full of grace and truth, the radiance of Your glory, the exact imprint of Your nature.
Lord, protect us from accommodating our faith to fit progressive agendas or cultural pressures. Help us to submit to Your revealed Word rather than our own wisdom. Give us eyes to see Jesus as He truly is—not diminished, not domesticated, but exalted as Lord of all.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Ordained in the Anglican Church more than 20 years ago, The Very Reverend Rob Holman has led congregations in New York and Los Angeles with sound biblical preaching, prayerful discernment, and trained organizational management skills. Besides his role as Rector of St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Montrose, CA, Fr. Rob is also Dean of the Greater Los Angeles Deanery in the ACNA’s Diocese of Western Anglicans. During his tenure in Los Angeles, he has run Kingdom Conferences for the Diocese and been a speaker at the Deanery’s annual Next Steps in Mission training day. Fr. Rob received his Master of Divinity at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA and is a graduate of the University of Virginia (BS Engineering '87 and MBA '91).
For over a century, the congregation of St. Luke’s has followed Jesus Christ through ancient forms of worship and spiritual growth presented in a contemporary style. St. Luke’s celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. The original building, made of stones from the local mountains, still stands on Foothill Blvd in La Crescenta—though the Anglican congregation has moved to a new building just a few blocks away near downtown Montrose. Retaining its biblically faithful foundation and liturgically rich worship service through the move, this long-standing Los Angeles church also carries on a tradition of warm welcome for newcomers. St. Luke’s is part of the Diocese of Western Anglicans, Anglican Church in North America, and the Global Anglican Communion. We invite you to join us online or in person this Sunday!
