The one coming into the World

In the story of the raising of Lazarus found in John 11 Martha recognises Jesus as the one coming into the world. This is a marvellous image of God's grace and love. Jesus is coming into the world and in him God is coming into the world. Whilst having a historical context there is a constancy of the movement of Jesus coming into the world through the power of the Holy Spirit, the helper that Jesus says the Father will send.

Jesus coming into the world shifts we human beings in our relationship with God. Firstly, it celebrates our created existence. Our lives are affirmed by the incarnation which reminds us that the creation is good and we are to live in the light not of what we expect may happen after we die but in the gift of life we have now. Second, it says we do not need to go to find God anywhere because Jesus is one who comes to us. Jesus coming into the world is God's coming into the presence of our daily living and we can discover that God is there with us not simply some God out there who is immune to what it means to live.