John 1:10

Fully God and fully Man condescending to stoop and silently grace the world with His presence - the Creator paid a visit to His creation. Unlike this first Advent, Jesus’ second coming will not be as quiet or anonymous – it will be visible to the entire world including those who do not believe. John tells us in Revelation:

7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen Rev 1:7 (NIV)

Taking our nature upon Him, Jesus humbly dwelt among us. The fullness of the Godhead in bodily form left a world of glory and bliss to enter into the misery, melancholy and mayhem of this world brought on by the poor choice of sin – a world where darkness reigns and where Satan waves his withered hand promising all, yet delivering none. For a time, Jesus surrendered His right of deity to manifest Himself visibly in all of His Glory.

“To sacrifice something is to make it holy by giving it away for love.” Frederick Buechner

Paul tells us in Philippians:

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:5-11 (NIV)

Indeed the light came to shine in the darkness. Matthew speaks of this in his gospel quoting the prophecy from Isaiah:

14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Matt 4:14-17 (NIV)

Yet, we are told, in our verse for today that “the world did not recognize him”. The world and everything in it He had created yet the world was blinded by the darkness to their Creator.

“The ox knows his owner, but the more brutish world did not. They did not confess him, did not bid him welcome, because they did not know him. When he shall come as a Judge the world shall know him.” Matthew Henry

“If you keep in step with God, be out of step with the world.” Anonymous

Distracted by pagan cultures the people were blinded by the glitz of the world – filled with fickleness and idolatry. Simply put, they did not recognize God. The word translated “recognize” is from the Greek word “Ginosko” meaning “acquired knowledge, knowing by exposure to something, knowing by learning and experience.” The people had been given plenty of prophecy. Jesus had performed for them many miracles. Indeed, Jesus had Himself proclaimed who He was – yet the people remained unknowing – they had not come to know Him by experience. Have we come to know Him by experience? Has our knowledge of Him been acquired by our exposure to Him? Have we chosen rather to stay on this side of the Jordan, devoting ourselves to destruction, clinging to that which is worthless? God states through the prophet Isaiah:

1 "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me.
To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' 2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations-- Isaiah 65:1-2 (NIV)

Jesus states similarly the following to all those who are weary from carrying the burden of sin, both the guilt and the power of it – all invited to rest in Jesus – all those who are aware of sin as a burden, and are groaning under the weight of it:

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 (NIV)