Christmas John 1_14_18 The Incarnation A (2)

JOHN 1:14-18 THE INCARNATION OF JESUS

INTRO: A father told his son that he would send him to sleep in the basement, with only bread and water for his supper, if he disobeyed once more. The child disobeyed again and was sent to the basement: The father could not eat. He had the boy on his mind and his heart. His wife said: “I know what you are thinking. But you must not bring the boy up from the basement. It would cause him to disobey again. He would have no respect for your word. You must not cheapen your relation as his father by failing to keep your promise.”To which her husband replied: “You are right. I will not break my word. To do so would cause my son to lose his respect for my word. But he is so lonely up there.” He kissed his wife good-night, entered the basement, ate bread and water with the boy, and when the child went to sleep on the hard floor, his father’s arm was his pillow.

The greatest need man has is to be reconnected to God, because of sin there is a great divide between the creator and man. But God Promised to return and to bridge that gap, restoring the relationship that had been severed because of man’s disobedience.

Like the disobedient young boy in the basement, His father came to Him in love and grace when he certainly didn’t deserve it, so it is with God and wretched man.

At Christmas time we celebrate God’s coming to earth, we call this His incarnation, which means the embodiment of God the Son in human flesh. We celebrate this marvelous event on Dec. 25th but no one really knows the exact date of the incarnation. However, the Bible tells us all we really need to know:

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Gal. 4:4

CPS: The most stunning thing about the incarnation is that God saw me in my wretched condition and loved me enough to change places.

The Revelation of God’s Glory in the person of Jesus 14-15

Man had waited Millennias for the return of God, yet when He came many missed His coming, this was because of a presumption that He would come in Glory and establish His Kingdom on earth and reign. However, when He came it was in Human Flesh as Jesus of Nazareth, the Carpenter son of a Carpenter. One could say that in the person of Jesus God’s Glory was concealed, but John writes to Jews and Gentiles a like giving full exposure to the Glory of God in Person of Jesus so that all would believe!

The Word is Made Flesh

Logos = Message of God (vs.1 God was the Word)

Ginomai (verb) become, to come and experience a state. {humanity and its consequences of sin}

Skēnoo (verb) to pitch a tent or to take up residence (Tabernacle – Temporary Dwelling)

The Glory is exposed

Doxa (noun) which means splendor

Signs (Miracles)

Shekinah (Mark 9:1-8)

Theaomai (verb) which means to look at with astonishment {WE!}

The Uniqueness is explained

Monogenēs (Adj) unique and only one of its kind

Plērēs (Adj) complete, a totality of fullness [Grace and truth]*** Its good He came in both, had he come in truth alone none of us would have survived

The Corroborating testimony (two or more witnesses)

John the Baptist

John’s Testimony (1:29)

Jesus’ Preexistence

John’s Gospel

Nathan (Son of God, King of Israel)

Peter (holy one of God)

Blind man of Chp 9 (Lord.. I believe)

Martha (the Christ, the Son of God)

Thomas (my Lord and my God)

APP: When Jesus came in flesh His glory wasn’t manifested for all to see but that does not negate the fact the Jesus is Glorious God!

The Revelation of God’s Grace in the Person of Jesus 16-17

The person of Jesus is the greatest gift ever given to mankind, some say we give Christmas presents because the Magi came bearing gifts when they visited the Lord Jesus, but I believe we give gifts to celebrate the gift God bestowed upon us…. Grace in the Person of Jesus! Grace is the key word in this text, it is used 4 times in these 5 verses, yet John does not use it again in His Gospel. This should open our eyes to the reality of the Gift which God gave us at His incarnation.

The grace received

Lambanō(verb) to acquire or take possession of)

The truth of the Law (Eternal Reality… your need for God)

The grace of The Law (Allowed Temp. Atonement)

Charis anti Charis (Grace for Grace) {Grace in place of Grace}

The greater grace that took the place of Grace

Taken in context, God grace in Jesus has taken the place of God’s grace in the Law. The Law was but a Shadow of the true grace that would come into the world, Jesus. (Hebrews 10:1) The Law could never perfect the worshiper but in Jesus the worshiper through faith is perfected forever, there is no need for any other sacrifice because IT IS FINISHED in the person of Jesus at Calvary’s Cross

The grace realized

The Jews held Moses in the greatest esteem, through him God gave the Law to Israel (Ex. 31:18, Ex.34:28), but John tells his readers Jesus is much greater! Through the Law grace could never be FULLY REALIZED.

Ginomai (verb) (2nd use) come to experience a state.

Through faith in Jesus we come to experience the fullness of God’s grace personally, as He perfectly fulfilled the Law for us in His life and Sacrifice.

APP: The revelation of God’s Grace in the incarnation of Jesus is that He came to experience humanity so through faith we get to experience eternity!

The Revelation of God’s Character in the Person of Jesus 18

No one has ever seen God, but He is revealed to us through General Revelation or Nature (Ps, 19:1-6, Rm 1:20) and His mighty works through History. The Bible teaches us that no human could look upon God and Survive! This text is an allusion to Old Testament Scripture. Exodus 33:17-23

Through Jesus God was explained

Declared = exēgeomai …. (exegesis) = explain or to unfold

While on earth Jesus explained and interpreted God to us as He taught man about God and His Kingdom. We can never understand God apart from knowing Jesus.

Through Jesus God was visible

John 14:7-9

Con: The incarnation is God great gift to mankind, in our text John carefully unfolds the deity of Jesus explaining that while a lowly Carpenter God’s glory, Grace, and character is revealed to wayward mankind so that He may receive eternal salvation through faith.

We are like the disobedient young boy in the basement, undeserving of our father’s kindness but because of His unconditional love He left the comfort and splendor of His house and came into the basement, doing much more than laying down on the ground and giving us His arm a pillow. He came to lay down His perfect life so we may have life eternal.