In John 1:1, we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." So, what does this "Word" mean? The Greek word used here is Logos, a term that carries deep significance in both Jewish and Greek thought.

For Jewish rabbis, the "Word of God" was often seen as the very presence of God himself. In Exodus 19:17, Moses led the people to meet God, but some Hebrew editions say they came out to meet the "Word of God." For them, the Word wasn’t just an expression; it was God in action, revealing Himself to humanity.

In Greek philosophy, Logos was understood as the rational principle that brought order to the universe, making sense of chaos. The Logos was seen as the ultimate reason, governing everything. When John uses this term to describe Jesus, he’s connecting with both Jewish and Greek audiences, meeting them where they’re at and showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of both traditions.

John continues by declaring, "He was in the beginning with God... and without Him, nothing was made that was made." Jesus is not just a part of creation; He is the Creator. Everything we see, hear, and experience was made by Him. And when John says that the Word was God, he’s emphasizing that everything true about God the Father is also true about God the Son. Jesus is fully divine.

But here’s the stunning part: This Word, the Creator of the universe, the One who reigns in glory, chose to leave heaven. Heaven was His home, a place of unimaginable beauty and perfection. Imagine the most magnificent sunrise you’ve ever seen, the most beautiful music you’ve ever heard, or the happiest moments of your life. Heaven is more glorious than any of these—infinitely better than anything we can fathom. And that was the home Jesus left behind.

In John 17:5, Jesus prays, "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." Jesus longs for the glory He had before the world began, the intimacy and perfect harmony He shared with the Father. In heaven, He was worshiped by angels, surrounded by peace, love, and perfect alignment with God’s will. There was no sin, no conflict, and no chance of separation from the Father.

Yet, in order to fulfill His mission to save humanity, Jesus had to leave that perfect existence behind. He had to move from glory to the gritty reality of the world we live in. John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us." Jesus didn’t just visit; He moved into our world. He was born of a woman, in a stable, in a small village, in a broken world.

When we were in Nicaragua, the men from our team were riding in the back of a truck with Lee, our missionary. We were heading out to visit a family, and as we drove, I noticed hundreds of birds circling in the sky. Curious, I asked Lee what they were. “They’re buzzards,” he said, pointing ahead. “That’s the dump. There are people who live there.” Lee went on to explain that many of the families in that area don't have jobs. The only way they survive is by living off the trash. They never leave the dump. When the garbage trucks come in, hundreds of people swarm to it, sifting through the refuse to find anything they can use or eat. For many of them, the food they feed their families comes directly from the trash trucks—what they can scrape together for their next meal. The shacks they call home are built from materials found in the dump. Some of these people have never lived anywhere else. The dump is all they know. We asked Lee if he had ever been there, and he told us that he’s visited several times, not just to see the conditions, but to share the gospel with the people. His reason for going was simple: he loved them. Despite the difficult circumstances, he saw them as souls in need of hope and love.

In many ways, that’s what Jesus did for us. We live in a world that is broken, sin-stained, and cursed. The effects of sin have polluted everything. Why would anyone leave perfection to live in a dump? Jesus did. He came into the "dump" of this world because He loves us. He knew the sacrifice, and He made the journey to save us. He moved into our world to bring us hope, redemption, and eternal life. The journey from heaven to earth was not just a physical one; it was a mission of love that changed everything.