On Sundays, I’m preaching a series called “Don’t Know Much About…” on various topics. I’m usually primarily expository in my preaching, but in this series I’m addressing various doctrines/teachings/beliefs using a basic structure each week that looks at what the Bible says on the topic, what the church has historically believed (or in these two sermons’ case what problems developed historically that get us off track), then wrapping up with how it affects our Christian walk and how we can better love God and love our neighbor.

When it came to the topic of the Incarnation of Jesus, one week wouldn’t cut it. So part 1 is the lesson one primarily deals with the Biblical ramifications of Christ having come in the flesh, and part 2 deals with the problems of Gnosticism and its effects on the church to this day. Both find their roots in John 1:1-14:

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 were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.