Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year!......

The incarnation of Christ is a most extraordinary and amazing affair - John Gill

The Word Became Flesh

Who is this Word?..... Jesus!

That is what John has been building since verse 1 of this chapter!

What does it mean that he became flesh?

Chesterton wrote, “the hands that had made the sun and stars were too small to reach the huge heads of the cattle.”

The baby Mary carried was not a Caesar, a man who would become a god, but a far greater wonder – the true God who had become a man! - Kent Hughes

Hebrews 2:17 (ESV)

17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

The basis of our union with Christ is Christ’s union with us in the incarnation.

He became one with us so that we might become one with Him. - R.C. Sproul

Jesus was Fully God and became fully man....

That is the equation.... %100 God and %100 man....

The Incarnation - Is the great prerequisite to every other facet of our faith.

There is no crucifixion without the incarnation.

There is no resurrection without incarnation first.

There is not a second coming of Christ if there wasn’t a first coming.

There is no imputation without Jesus coming as the second Adam.

The incarnation has sin as it’s instigation, divine love as its motivation, and the Holy Spirits’ cause in the virgin Birth, revelation as it’s content, redemption as its goal and worship as it’s result.

- Dane Ortlund

God’s Glory Revealed

Jesus came to reveal God and His Glory to us!

Hebrews 1:3 (ESV)

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,

How do we see Jesus rightly?.... Spiritual senses.... our Spiritual Eyes! John 1:4 1 John 1:1-2

John 1:4 (ESV)

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

How do we see the light of Jesus… not physically but spiritually!

Full of Grace and Truth

Fully God’s Grace -

Jesus showed us this in his coming to us when we did not deserve it.... seeking the least, the lost, and the lonely..... tax collectors and sinners...

“Man's maker was made man that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother's breast; that the Bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey; that Truth might be accused of false witnesses, the Teacher be beaten with whips, the Foundation be suspended on wood; that Strength might grow weak; that the Healer might be wounded; that Life might die.”

― Saint Augustine of Hippo

Fully God’s Truth

Jesus showed Truth in his interactions with religious leaders.... in their sin.... loving, truth-filled discipline.

AND.... not OR!

And only by union with Jesus Christ, can we grow in the same truth and grace that walked among us in the miracle of the incarnation.

Jesus is the only normal life the world has ever seen - Dane Ortlund

We worship together, Jesus who took on flesh and dwelt among us!

When you think of Christmas.... you think of God’s Grace coming and taking on Human flesh...... you think about the Truth of the World coming to us!