Morse Code

In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent John the Baptist to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world. But although the world was made through him, the world didn't recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan – this rebirth comes from God. So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. (John 1:1-14 NLV).

In 1844, Samuel Morse demonstrated to Congress the practicability of telegraphy by transmitting his famous message of “What hath God wrought?” over a wire from Washington to Baltimore. With that event modern telecommunications took a great stride forward and thousands of people were able to connect with one another in seconds. Morse code is a series of dots and dashes reproduced electronically and transmitted by wire from one station to another. It is almost a lost science today. Most people could not recognize the code nor read it. For example, do you know what the following code translates: … --- … ? It is the internationally recognized code for “help,” or “SOS.”

Here’s one more series of code: ---. --- -.. .--- --- …- --- -.-- --- ..-

That message may be the most important one you ever receive! It translates, “God loves you.” But what good is a message if you cannot understand it? This is the truth that John reminds us of in our text this morning. God knew we needed to know of His love in a way that would be unmistakable. So He sent Jesus, His only begotten Son to convey that message.

The land of Persia was once ruled by a wise and beloved Shah who cared greatly for his people and desired only what was best for them. One day he disguised himself as a poor man and went to visit the public baths. A furnace in the cellar heated the water for the baths, so the Shah made his way to the dark place to sit with the man who tended the fire. The two men shared the coarse food, and the Shah befriended him in his loneliness. Day after day the ruler went to visit the man. The worker became attached to this stranger because he "came where he was". One day the Shah revealed his true identity, and he expected the man to ask him for a gift. Instead, he looked long into his leader's face and with love and wonder in his voice said, "You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this dark place, to eat my coarse food, and to care about what happens to me. On others you may bestow rich gifts, but to me you have given yourself!" As we think of what our Lord has done for us, we can echo that fire tender's sentiments. Oh, what a step our Lord took -- from heaven to earth, from the worship of angels to the mocking of cruel men, from glory to humiliation! And all of that so that we could understand the message that God loves us!