He Has Made Him Known (John 1:18)

“No one has ever seen God…” That’s a problem for some of us isn’t it? We live in a culture that repeatedly says things like, “If I can’t touch it, taste it, hear it, smell it, or see it I refuse to believe in it.”  Have you heard that before? That’s the mantra that is repeated over and over again. It’s pounded into our heads when we’re little. It has shaped every one of us to some degree. 

So, when we hear the phrase, “No one has ever seen God…” we flinch a little—we cringe—because we think it’s a problem. How can I believe in something I have never seen—that nobody has ever seen? That is one of the primary objections coming from those who refuse to believe. 

Even Christians struggle with this. Some have relented themselves to having a “blind faith.” They’ve decided that they don’t have to see to believe, they just believe. It’s that simple. Other Christians refuse such a “blind faith,” and spend their lives looking to see God. They grasp onto every little thing they think is a glimpse of the God they want to see. They grasp and search because they are unwilling to settle with the phrase, “No one has ever seen God…”

Even the disciples struggled with this. Phillip looks at Jesus and says, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Many of hear that and say, “Yeah, that sound reasonable.” The disciples just want to see God. That’s all they are asking. Just show us the Father. “We want to see God!” 

Jesus stares back at them slack-jawed, dumbfounded. He says, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” You can almost hear Jesus saying, “You’ve got to be kidding me, Philip! I’ve been with you this long and you still don’t get it. You’ve been following me, watching me, listening to me, and you still don’t get it!” He continues saying, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” You want to see God? Look at Jesus. It’s that simple. 

“No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” That’s a powerful verse for those of us who want to see God. Jesus has made Him known. Not only that, but Jesus—who is the only God—has made Him known. Jesus—the one who is at the Father’s side—has made Him known. It’s not that Jesus was simply a good preacher/teacher who helped people understand God better. No. Jesus is God. When you look at Jesus you look at God. That’s why Jesus has made God known. That’s why when you see Jesus you see God. 

Now, take a moment to connect some of the dots of that comment. When you see Jesus, you see God. That means that as we look at this little baby Jesus lying in a manger, he is making God known to us. When we look at Him, we are seeing God. That’s why the angels were singing and proclaiming, that’s why the shepherds were hurrying, that’s why the wise men were traveling….BECAUSE that little baby, lying in a manger, was making God known. When they looked at that baby, they saw God! That’s what we celebrate tonight. I saw a quote by R.C. Sprout yesterday that said, “What we celebrate at Christmas is not so much the birth of a baby, but the incarnation of God Himself.” This is a big deal. 

Let’s make sure that doesn’t get lost in all of the warm-fuzzy Christmas feelings. There’s much to love about Christmas. The hot chocolate or apple cider or eggnog. The Christmas trees and lights. Cozying up by a fire. Reuniting and celebrating with family and friends. The candlelight service at church. All of these things make us feel warm and fuzzy on the inside—and they are all good things created by God—yet the foundation under each of these things in the celebration of God making himself known in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ making God known to us. 

So, if you want to see God look at Jesus. Yet, there are many people who look at Jesus and don’t see God. Jesus says to a crowd, “You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you.” Why? Why are these people unable to see God? “…FOR you do not believe the one he sent”—Jesus. You must believe in Jesus—you must have faith. If you turn to Jesus in faith, you will finally be able to see God. As you get to know Jesus more and more you will get to know God more and more. As you see the way Jesus speaks and acts you will more fully see how God speaks and acts. If you want to see God, look to Jesus in faith. 

That’s the call of this entire Christmas season—look to Jesus with faith. As we sing O, Holy Night, it’s calling you to bow down and worship our God—to look to Jesus in faith. As we circle around this sanctuary, and see how the candlelight pushes back the darkness, we’re reminded that Jesus is the light of the world and we’re called to look to him in faith. As we leave here and gather with family and friends, eating together and opening presents together, we’re reminded that all who look to Jesus in faith are gathered into the family of God, and we’re called to look to Jesus in faith. 

For those who say, “I won’t believe in God unless I can see Him,” you’re excuse has been removed. God says, “If you want to see me, look at Jesus and believe.” If  we want to see God, we don’t have to look in every nook and cranny, we don’t have to simply have a “blind faith,” we don’t need to make things up, we simply have to look to Jesus in faith. When we do that we will finally see Him. When we look to Jesus in faith, we will finally hear God. When we look to Jesus in faith, God’s Word will dwell in us and we will be welcomed into His family and will be called children of God. Look to Jesus and Believe.