Results of the Incarnation

Defining Incarnate - the personal wrapping of flesh around God

Philippians 2:7 NASB95

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Jesus is God - Gospel is only Jesus

ILLUST: Scared girl story

READ: John 1:6-18

RESULTS OF THE INCARNATION

1) Witness - John the Witness

John’s primary purpose was not to baptize

John’s purpose was to witness

To bear witness to Jesus - to point to Him

The Good News was proclaimed by John

Came through John

People did follow John, but he steered them to Christ

Acts 18:25 and 19:1-3

John himself was not light - reflecting Jesus

Jesus is Light - what pierced darkness

And John’s goal was that “all might believe”

2) Experiencing Jesus

v. 10 - Logos was not part of creation; He came TO the creation

To the realm of where humans live (the world, kosmos)

He experienced what we do

The people experienced Him

And the people of the world did not know the Creator, the Logos, was among them

v. 14 - “dwelt”

“took up residence”

“tabernacled”

Context - in the wilderness, where God was, holy of holies, etc

God had Moses move the tabernacle/tent of meeting outside the camp - due to rebellious people

Wanna be with God? You know where He is

JESUS CAME - He was where God was!

Came to God’s people - in the flesh

Some rejected - oh, they knew who He was

Some received - became sons of God; they knew Him

They are children of God

v. 12 - “even” is not in orig. mss

To be a child of God - accepting personally the WORD coming into this realm with us; comes by way of receiving God’s gift

Grace is the gift, see Eph 2:8-9

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

COOL THEOLOGY - Adam gave names to animals, they understood their nature, received them; God wants to name all people as His own, people need to understand their nature, receive His gift, that new name of identity in Christ

3) Understanding the Christian Life

Understanding the KEY

The very presence of God with you - that is the key

People met Jesus through John

People meet Jesus through you, believer!

They need to believe they need Him

Not enough to believe in God, but to really believe receive the gift of grace through Jesus

James 2:19 NASB95

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

Everything in life is filtered through Jesus - He is the key to every aspect of life

The Christian life is personal

Jesus came in person

You must receive a personal relationship with Jesus

You then have personal relationships with people

(#1 reason people come to church is b/c of a personal invitation)

And you invite them to a personal relationship with Jesus

POINTS for us

Embrace the reality of the glory of Jesus

TIP - Read 1:1-18, then whole Gospel, then 1:1-18 again

QUESTION - “no one has seen God” - John 1:18

John 1:18 NASB95

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

OT - Moses did not see God’s face; Jacob wrestled with Jesus, etc.

(“angel of the Lord motif”)

Yes, Jesus was, is fully God, fully man

God incarnate, embodied in the flesh - Jesus

Being in Jesus allowed humans to experience God, not yet in the fullness of His glory

To see God, one had to look to Jesus - same then and now

People denied Jesus’ really coming in the flesh - but the evidence is overwhelming - Christianity is reasonable when you consider all options, and truth

Same then and now

Jesus is the Way to see God!

Need light to see

You are light - reflecting Jesus, the Light, helping people see

We are witnesses to the Light

Chris the Witness (insert names); Jake the witness, etc. - witness to what Jesus has done for you

Reject or receive - each individual, it’s personal

You are vehicles of the Gospel - through you

People will reject Him, might seem like us, but they reject Him

What about the law ?- summarized in 10 Commandments

Apply today? Sure

Purpose today, same as then?

Galatians 3:24 NASB95

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

Go ahead, memorize the 10 Commandments

How do you present them?

Can you get to Heaven by keeping them all, always, never sinning?

Can you live without sinning?

Sorry to break it to you, you are guilty

And “justified” means “not guilty” - is that you?

It is if you have accepted His gift, personally

Guess what, you need a Savior, a personal Savior

So do many people you know, people who like you and trust you

So tell them the truth

Love them all the way to meeting Jesus

Good thing Jesus came in person, to leave no doubt of what it means to be a child of God

Dangerous world without God. Good thing He came with skin on!

Wow! i do love Jesus!