Kalamazoo Mennonite Fellowship
January 3, 2010
Will Fitzgerald
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.
Let’s start this way.
I would like everyone to close their eyes. I want you to imagine a green field in early spring, with wild flowers in it. Ok? Now, I am going to say a word in just a little bit. Keep imagining that field. The word is “rabbit.” I’m going to say another word in just a little bit. Keep imagining the field. The word is “fox.”
Ok, you can open your eyes. Tell me what you saw.
[share stories]
I don’t know about you, but there is something astounding that the human mind can imagine things in such detail. And, even more astounding, I can, merely by saying a word, insert a thought and start a story inside your mind. I say, “rabbit,” and a rabbit appears in your mind’s eye. I say, “fox” and a fox appears. Probably, in your imagination, the fox chases the rabbit, or the rabbit sees the fox and runs to its hole. This astonishing thing happens so quickly and naturally that we might easily overlook it. And, of course, it happens hundreds of times a day, every time we talk to one another. Our words create thoughts and images in other people’s minds.
Is there any wonder that John calls Jesus “Word”?
By calling Jesus the Word, John reminds us that Jesus was both the agent and the means of creation. “All things came into being through him.” The Word was spoken, and the world was created: galaxies, stars, planets, continents, lands, fields, real rabbits, and real foxes.
I have a video to show you.
The Known Universe takes viewers from the Himalayas through our atmosphere and the inky black of space to the afterglow of the Big Bang. Every star, planet, and quasar seen in the film is possible because of the world’s most complete four-dimensional map of the universe, the Digital Universe Atlas that is maintained and updated by astrophysicists at the American Museum of Natural History. The new film, created by the Museum, is part of an exhibition, Visions of the Cosmos: From the Milky Ocean to an Evolving Universe, at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan through May 2010.
Let’s spend a few minutes in praise to the Word who created all of this. Let’s pray silently, but speak out loud words or phrases that will help each other praise.
[pray]
We are created in the image of God, and our God is a creative God, who creates through words. In what ways will you be creative in your use of words in 2010?
Are there stories you need to write? Are there conversations that you need to have? Are there kind words that you need to speak? Are there hard words you need to write? Are there words you need to “take back?” Are there spaces you need to create for conversations to happen? Are there new technologies you need to understand how to use so you can communicate with others? Are there technologies that you should limit because they are creating images in your head that are not healthy?