November 21 - The Word became Flesh 말씀이 육신이 되어

November 21 - The Word became Flesh

 

“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.” - John 1:14

 

 

A critical part of the gospel is that Jesus was truly, fully, and physically human. The first eighteen verses of John's gospel introduce Jesus and counter false spiritual beliefs. One of these errors is the idea that Jesus was only a mirage or an illusion. This is false: Christ was a one hundred 100 authentic human. Verse 14 makes this explicitly clear by using the name of "The Word" while saying very directly that He "became flesh," living among human beings. 

 

This means Jesus was not a hologram or a ghost disguised as a person. He was a real, living, breathing person. As a result, He could claim to have experienced everything we do as mortal people (Hebrews 4:15). The Greek word used here is skenoō, which suggests the Tabernacle of the Old Testament. The Tabernacle was a temporary structure, symbolic of God's "dwelling" with His people and a literal physical place. Jesus is with us and among us, in human form, much as God was among His people in the Tabernacle. Verse 14 also uses a critical term in John 1:18 and John 3:16: monogenesis. This is the source of the phrase "one and only," or "only begotten," and it means that Jesus is of the same "stuff" as God. "

 

The Bible tells us that the glory of God dwells in us (John 1:14). Apostle Paul said, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Christ’s miracles expressed God’s glory. 

Christ’s words deliver God’s glory to us. 

 

Being called by God is a privilege, and it requires responsibility as well. One proof of our salvation is whether we share the gospel with other people or not, whether we are truly brothers of the “firstborn of many brothers” (Romans 8:29). Many people are waiting for Christ’s Gospel, which is why we need a zeal for evangelism and missions. As the LORD said, “I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and testify to what we have seen, but still, you people do not accept our testimony” (John 3:11). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God’s love in Christ insists that we proclaim the Gospel. 

 

One of the ways God makes us into saints is through suffering and difficulties that result from proclaiming the gospel. He wants to conform us to be like Christ through suffering. As the apostle Paul said, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). God calls us to grow until we are like Christ. 

 

When we are called, he works all things together for good, forming us more perfectly in his image. Someday, we will be in the presence of God. At that time, angels will whisper to each other. “This saint reflects the image of God!” That is why God chose us: to live lives patterned after the image of the God who foreknewed us, predestined us, called us, justified us, and glorified us (Romans 8:29-30). 

 

 

Today’s Prayer: What a wonder Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1-2,14). Pray that many who hear of him will repent and believe. 

Prayer Pointer: The more you pray, the less you'll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry. You'll feel more patient and less pressured.  - Rick Warren. 

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 24-26; James 3

 

 

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11월 21일 - 말씀이 육신이 되어

 

“말씀이 육신이 되어 우리 가운데 거하시매 우리가 그 영광을 보니 아버지의 동생자의 영광이요 은혜와 진리가 충만하더라”- 요 1:14

 

 

복음의 가장 중요한 내용은 예수님은 진실로 완전한 육체로 오신 인간이였다는 것입니다.  요한복음의 1장의 첫 18절은 예수님의 정체성을 소개하며 거짓된 믿음을 지적합니다. 이러한 주장의 오류는 예수님은 단지 신기루와 환상이라는 사상입니다. 이 주장은 사실이 아니며 예수님은 100퍼센트 진정한 인간이었습니다. 14절의 "말씀"이 이 사실을 명확히 밝히고 있고   예수님은 "육신이 되어” 말씀으로 사람들 가운데 함께 이 세상에 오신 것입니다.  

 

말씀이 육신이 되었다는 것은 예수님은 사람으로 위장한 유령이 아니라는 것을 말하며 살아 숨쉬는 진짜 사람이었다는 의미입니다. 예수님은 인간으로서 하는 모든 일을 우리와 똑 같이 경험하셨다고 말씀하셨습니다(히4:15). 여기에 사용된 헬라어 “스케누”는 구약의 성막을 암시합니다. 성막은 일시적인 건축물로서, 하나님께서 그의 백성과 함께 거하시는 것을 상징할 뿐만 아니라 실제적인 물리적인 장소였습니다. 하나님께서 성막에서 그의 백성과 함께 계셨던 것처럼 예수님은 인간으로 우리와 가운데 함께 계십니다. 14절은 또한 요한복음 1:18과 요한복음 3:16에서도 말씀하고 있는 중요한 용어인 “모노게네스”를 사용합니다. 이것은 유일한, 또는 독생자라는 문구의 근원이며, 예수님은 하나님과 같은 신격을 가지고 있음을 의미합니다. 

 

성경은 하나님의 영광이 우리 안에 거하신다고 말씀합니다(요 1:14). 사도 바울은 “어두운 데서 빛이 비취리라 하시던 그 하나님께서 예수 그리스도의 얼굴에 있는 하나님의 영광을 아는 빛을 우리 마음에 비취셨느니라”(고후 4:6)고 말합니다. 예수님께서 행하신 기적은 하나님의 영광의 표현이었고 또한 예수님의 말씀은 하나님의 영광을 우리에게 전하는 것이었습니다.

 

하나님은 우리를 부르시고 우리에게 특권과 책임이 있습니다. 구원 받은자는 복음을 전하는가를 보면 압니다. 바울은 우리를 “많은 형제 중에 맏아들”이라고 말합니다(롬 8:29). 아직도 예수 그리스도의 복음을 기다리는 사람들이 많이 있습니다. 하나님의 택함 받은 성도는 반드시 전도에 열정을 가져야 합니다. 예수님은 “진실로 진실로 네게 이르노니 우리 아는 것을 말하고 본 것을 증거하노라 그러나 너희가 우리 중거를 받지 아니하는도다”(요 3:11), “하나님이 세상을 이처럼 사랑하사 독생자를 주셨으니 이는 저를 믿는 자마다 멸망치 않고 영생을 얻게 하려 하심이라”(요 3:16). 하나님의 사랑이 우리를 강권하여 복음을 전하게 합니다.

 

복음을 전할 때 어려움이 있는 것은 택함받은 성도임을 확신해 주는 하나님의 역사입니다. 바울은 “우리가 사방으로 우겨쌈을 당하여도 싸이지 아니하며 답답한 일을 당하여도 낙심하지 아니하며 핍박을 받아도 버린 바 되지 아니하며 거꾸러뜨림을 당하여도 망하지 아니하고 우리가 항상 예수 죽인 것을 몸에 짋어짐은 예수의 생명도 우리 몸에 나타나게 하려 함이라”(고후 4:8-10)라고 말합니다. 하나님은 우리로 그리스도의 장성한 분량까지 자라도록 부르셨습니다. 하나님은 우리가 주님의 형상을 닮도록 합력하여 선을 이루어 나가십니다. 

 

우리가 하나님의 보좌 앞에 설 때에 천사들은 우리를 보고 서로 이렇게 속삭일 것 입니다. “저 성도는 예수님의 형상을 많이 닮았다!” 하나님의 형상을 닮는 것이 주님께서 우리를 부르신 목적입니다. 하나님의 형상을 본받기 위하여 우리를 미리 아시고, 예정하시고, 부르시고, 의롭게 하시며, 영화롭게 하신 하나님께 영광을 돌리는 자들이 되어야 합니다(롬 8:29-30).

 

 

오늘의 기도: 예수님이 육신으로 오신 말씀인 것이 얼마나 놀랍습니까 (요 1:1-2,14). 많은 사람들이 예수님을 듣고 회개하고 믿을 수 있도록 기도하십시오. 

기도 지침: 당신이 더 기도하면, 고통이 더 적어진다. 당신 더 예배하면 염려가 더 적어진다. 당신 더 인내하게 되고 덜 압박을 받게 된다. – 릭워렌

성경 읽기: 에스겔 24-26장; 야고보서 3장