A Word about the word "Logos"

 First Sunday after Christmas

A Word About the Word “Logos”

That’s a bit of an inside joke for the clergy of the church and those trained in the language of the New Testament. The Greek word “Logos” means “The Word”. So then the title of this sermon is “A Word about the Word “The Word”

That brings me to the test question of the day. If I were to ask you which is the “Word of God”? The Bible or Jesus? What would you say?

We read the Prologue to John’s Gospel today and John names Jesus as “The Logos”; “The Word made flesh”. He proclaims this thought; “In the beginning was the Logos (or Word) and the Logos was with God and the Logos was God.” John reveals to us that Jesus was there in the Beginning with God and that all things came into being through him.

This claim is singular among all the great religions of the world. No other faith claims that God is fully human except our faith. If you forget that claim, the Nicene Creed is a weekly reminder. This is no mere theological or intellectual statement. This is an experience. 

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” “The Logos” somehow became flesh and blood.

The Logos humbled himself and became as we are. He is poor. His mother is in some sense “unwed”. His family flees as refugees to Egypt because of a Despot’s rage and tragically the Holy Innocents die. There was so much darkness, so much paranoia and the Logos was the light in that Darkness.

Because of his “staying power” the Risen Jesus is with us yet.  There is no darkness that can extinguish the Light. The Pandemic can discourage us, political gridlock can frustrate us, personal reverses can frightens us. But the Light shines in the darkness nonetheless.

The Logos is not a book. The Logos is Jesus. 

Can you imagine such a thing as this? The Logos, that which was with God before existence itself came into being would adopt the likes of you and me as his children? This is so because such is the Love of God. And Love came down at Christmas.

The Gospel concludes with these words; “No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” 

You cannot see love but you know when it is there. Neither can you see forgiveness, reconciliation or compassion but when it happens it is unmistakable and real. 

So is God. So is the Logos; the Word made flesh. You can’t see God. Neither can you see Jesus. But you know when they’re here. Right here in our midst right now. 

And now you are the Light of the World.

Amen.

Fr Paul

Below are the readings for the First Sunday After Christmas. Those portions highlighted indicate thoughts that resonate within my soul.

The Collect:

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Isaiah 61:10-62:3

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Psalm: 147:13-21
13 Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; *
       praise your God, O Zion;
14 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; *
       he has blessed your children within you.
15 He has established peace on your borders; *
       he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
16 He sends out his command to the earth, *
       and his word runs very swiftly.
17 He gives snow like wool; *
       he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
18 He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; *
       who can stand against his cold?
19 He sends forth his word and melts them; *
       he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
20 He declares his word to Jacob, *
       his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
21 He has not done so to any other nation; *
       to them he has not revealed his judgments.
       Hallelujah!

Epistle: Galatians 3:23-25;4:4-7

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Gospel: John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

(John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.