John 1:1-34: The Medium is the Message

Marshall McLuhan was a 20th century scholar famous for coining the phrase, “The medium is the message.”

It’s a great line, and oh so true. Take heavy metal music, for example. Does it really matter what the lyrics are? The medium is the message. Or diamonds, which some of you might be lucky enough to receive this Christmas. There’s no need for words to explain them (that’s why men buy them!); the medium is the message.

Or consider Jesus. He is the eternal Word. He is the Creator. He is Light. He is Life. He is full of grace and truth. He is the bearer of the Holy Spirit.

And he’s as human, as approachable, as touchable and knowable as you and me! He’s God in the flesh!

The medium is the message.

I’m not trying to diminish our need for Jesus’ teachings or miracles, or his death and resurrection—of course we need these. But just the mere presence of Jesus in the flesh, “pitching his tent among us” as John 1:14 metaphorically states, almost says enough. It says God will go to all lengths to reach us. That God will condescend to all depths to reveal himself to us. That God will stop at nothing to save us.

John the Baptist saw the significance of Jesus’ mere presence. Before Christ did much of anything ministry-wise, John was already saying, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” The medium is the message. Just the fact that Jesus is here is a harbinger of wonderful things to come!

Posted by Greg