God In The Flesh

John 1:10-14

The Word became human and made his home among us. (John 1:14)

WHEN PIONEER MISSIONARY Hudson Taylor began to “turn Chinese”—in dress, language, and mannerisms—he was doing much more than attempting gimmicks. Many of his fellow missionaries looked down on his efforts, but Taylor’s approach was not unlike the one taken by the incarnate Word many centuries ago. God clothed himself in flesh (1 Timothy 3:16), divested himself of divine privilege by taking the form of a man (Philippians 2:7), and entered into our world born of a woman (Galatians 4:4). Why? Because words had not been enough to portray the Father accurately or to change our nature. The Son, the perfect image of the Father and the carrier of the Spirit, was. Humanity didn’t need another sermon or moral lesson. We needed a picture we could relate to. We needed to know what the divine life looks like in a human being.

Taylor took Christianity into inland China in a form Chinese people could relate to, not only by preaching in their language, but by demonstrating a devoted life in their culture. In some areas of the country, he was the first to do so and was a rare example of the wisdom, power, and love of the Spirit. Today, he is an example of what is called “incarnational missions”—the method initiated by God himself in sending his Son.

This method is not limited to God and missionaries. It is actually the kind of influence he calls all of us to have. When Jesus told his followers to go into the world in the same way his Father had sent him (John 20:21), this is what he meant. The gospel that begins with God in the flesh of his Son ends with the Spirit in the flesh of those who believe in the Son. It’s an amazing opportunity to take the presence of God with you into every corner of your world—to make your home in the world because God has made his home in you.

{Father, your love compelled you to send your Son; Jesus, you send me as the Father sent you; Holy Spirit, you now make your home in me. Thank you for welcoming me into this fellowship. Use it to bring others in too. Amen.