Title: HE PITCHED HIS TENT IN OUR DUST
Focus: Christ’s birth is for our benefit.
Function: To help people see the significance of Christ’s birth.
Text: John 1:1-14
The birth of a baby is a wonderful, significant event, especially when that baby is your child or grandchild. When you hold that baby in your arms, you begin to realize that your life will never be the same again. From most recent statistics, I learned that two years ago there were 4,089.950 children born in America. That’s a lot of babies! And that’s a lot of birthdays to celebrate!
In the Van Marion family in the Netherlands, December was the party month. My Mom, my brother, my sister, my aunt, and later my brother-in-law and nephew—they all have birthdays in December. Add to this the Christmas holidays and the New Year’s celebration, and you begin to realize that December was truly a celebration month with significant dates to remember.
But even though our family thinks that these dates in December are important, the rest of the world does not seem to care. And that’s fine with me. But it does leave you with the question, ‘what’s so significant about Jesus’ birth more than 2000 years ago that millions of people—throughout the centuries—have celebrated his birth?’
Why are we here today? Why these beautiful, heartwarming songs and this festive mood in this church?
The answer from Scripture is simple: Jesus’ birth is for the benefit of all humanity and creation. For Jesus pitched his tent in our dust.
The extraordinary
significance of Jesus’ birth lies with Jesus’ identity and ours. Ask yourself:
who is Jesus? The apostle John answers
that question by saying: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” From
this we learn that Jesus is from all eternity, that Jesus is divine, that Jesus
shares in the eternal godhead. Of him we say in the Nicene Creed: “…the only
Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from
Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the
Father.”
When Mary held this baby called “Jesus” in her arms, she was holding the eternal Son of God. Now Mary knows that God is Spirit. No one can see God with his/her naked eyes—and live. No one can see God. Period. For God is Spirit. But God the Son, called Jesus, made himself visible to our eyes by being conceived in the womb of Mary, and by taking on our human nature. Not one human being can claim that he/she has two natures: a divine and human nature. Only Jesus fits that bill. And that’s what makes Jesus’ birth so special.
Jesus’ identity is unique.
But there’s more. Our identity is wrapped up into Jesus’ identity. You and I are sons and daughters of Adam. Scripture tells us that “the Lord God formed the man (Adam) from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). And since we are descendants of Adam, we too share in Adam’s nature, in his dust.
To be human is to share in Adam’s dust. We have a “dust nature.” And by itself our dust nature is just fine. God has so ordained our creation. Our dust nature, however, is spoiled and stained by sin. The devil’s poison of rebellion against God pulsates throughout our nature; the power of sin is woven into our dust, and the awful curse of death on our sin surrounds our dust. Ever since Adam and Eve fell into sin, the shroud of death surrounds every human being. We are dust, and to dust we shall return.
But here’s the good news that makes Jesus’ birth so significant: Jesus, the eternal Son of God has taken on our dust nature; he is one of us—except for sin.
Listen to the text: (vs. 14) “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Literally, John tells us that Jesus took on our flesh and “pitched his tent among us.” The word that John uses is an O.T. word that means “tabernacle.” Jesus tabernacled among us.
When our kids were small, we would set up a tent in our backyard or deck and they would sleep in the tent for the night. Pitching their tent was special to the kids. The eternal Son of God pitched his tent in our dust. He dwells in our midst.
When Moses and the Israelites fled Egypt and traveled to the promised land, God revealed his presence to them by dwelling in their midst. How? He commanded them to build a tabernacle or tent. And Moses—representing Israel—could meet with God in the tabernacle or tent of meeting. No one could see God with the naked eye. But Moses and the Israelites saw his presence in their midst as they witnessed the tent of meeting.
Later on in Israel’s history, Solomon turned the tent of meeting into a temple of stone. Right there in Jerusalem, the priests could enter the presence of God and pray on behalf of God’s people by presenting sacrifices in the temple and by offering prayers in the holy place. The invisible God templed or tabernacled or dwelled among his people. But no one could see him with the naked eye.
Then, in the fullness of time, God revealed himself in the flesh. He sent his One and Only Son, Jesus. Taking on our flesh, Jesus pitched his tent in our dust. That’s what we celebrate today!.
Now when Moses and the Israelites had finished building the tabernacle, God revealed his glory to Israel. We read in Exodus 40:39 “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” All the Israelites saw the awesome presence of God signified in the cloud of glory. This glory gave them strength, comfort, and courage to persevere in their journey to the promised land.
Later on, the Israelites saw the glory of God revealed at the time of the temple’s consecration in Jerusalem. In I Kings 8:10 we read that “When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.” The glory of the Lord pointed to the very presence of God in the midst of his people.
Now we have Christmas. And we learn that Christ’s birth means that the eternal Son of God has pitched his tent in our dust. “He tabernacled among us,” says John, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” What was John thinking about?
The miracles of Jesus certainly were sign of God’s presence in our midst. But John has also seen the glory of God in Christ on that mountain top near Jerusalem, when Jesus was metamorphosed or transfigured. Luke tells us about that moment: (Lk. 9:30) “As (Jesus) was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus…Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake they say his glory and the two men standing with him.” And then we learn that “…a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him’”
Later on, 40 days after Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples witnessed Jesus’ glory again. For as Jesus was taken up before their very eyes, “a cloud hid Jesus from their sight.” Clearly, John was thinking about Jesus’ transfiguration and ascension. “We have seen his glory,” says John.
Jesus’ birth is a divine miracle, where the Son of God pitched his tent in our dust. And we celebrate this miracle today because Jesus’ coming in the flesh is for our benefit. Consider, for example: