"Grace and Truth: the Arrival of Jesus Christ"
Notes
Transcript
Advent marks the season of preparation for Christmas. Usually three to four weeks before December 25, Advent means “arrival” and a wreath with five candles are lit from the start, up until Christmas Day.
The Christmas season happens at a time of year where there are myriads of distractions:
Football season;
Shopping (Black Friday);
End of year responsibilities, especially if you or your employer deals with financials.
It is a festive time of year, as W.J. Ronald Tucker states:
“For centuries men have kept an appointment with Christmas. Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, a time of good cheer, home.”
The spiritual things either subtly or forcefully get nudged to the side, while our busy-ness seems to increase every year.
It is as if a conscious decision for spiritual things must be made at the outset.
With that in mind, it is important to summarize Christmas in the meaning of Jesus’ title “Immanuel,” which means: “God with us.”
The Gospel of John, written by the apostle is a unique portion of Scripture. Named after the disciple whom Jesus loved, it is labeled by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as the best place for newcomers to the Bible to read.
In it, we are not only given some of the events of Jesus’ life but also why He came to this earth. It is the most theological out of the four gospels. And fills in the gaps from the other three gospels.
It’s purpose is given to us in John 20:30-31
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Today we are told two things about Jesus, the first of which is...
There was great significance in Jesus, the Creator, coming to us, His creation.
There was great significance in Jesus, the Creator, coming to us, His creation.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
This is a restatement of what we are given in verses 1-3 where we are told...
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Notice the striking similarity this has with the very first verse of the Bible in Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Christ was never created, but rather was/is the Creator. Colossians 1:16-17 tells us:
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
It is as if John takes the Jewish common knowledge about creation and inserts Jesus as the cause and purpose.
An example of this is in Luke 8, after Jesus calmed the storm, we are told in Luke 8:25:
25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”
Jesus is distinct from the Father, yet still our Creator-God and One with the Father and the Spirit. We understand it today in terms of the divinity of Christ. When Jesus came into this world, it was God Himself coming down to us; stepping into our realm of existence.
Even though Jesus Christ made this world, the latter portion of verse ten states: “…The world knew Him not.” In other words, they did not understand Him nor recognize Him. They failed to discern who Jesus was.
Most Jews of the first century did not convert, but many did. The original 12 were all Jewish, so were the 500 that witnessed the resurrection.
And most Jewish people still reject Jesus. And yet, the Pew Research Center found that 32% of all American Jews report having a Christmas tree in their home. This does not make one a Christian, as we know.
Knowing what we know about Jesus Christ, we dare not include ourselves with those who fail to recognize Him. But the fact of the matter is that outside of the grace of God, no one is able to recognize Jesus for whom He truly was or is. This takes spiritual rebirth.
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
There is great significance in Jesus, our Creator, coming to redeem us.
There is great significance in Jesus, our Creator, coming to redeem us.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The verb there is γίνομαι, which means “to come into being through process of birth or natural production, be born.” (William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 197.)
It is not to be confused as “created.” Arianism, an early church heresy, taught that Jesus was not coequal and coeternal with the Father, but was created by the Father. The Scriptures teach the opposite. He is “Immanuel,” which means: “God with us.” Matthew 1:23
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).
Jesus never stopped being God. In the manger that night, it was God in human flesh.
And so the Council of Nicea was called in the Spring of 325 and stated that...
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven… .
Jesus is the missionary “par excellence.” He left His home to come to us and show us the Father.
At Christmas time, it is crucial for our spiritual health to know why Jesus came “in the flesh and dwelt among us.” Galatians 4:4-5
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Moreover, John writes to the seven churches in Revelation 1:5-6
Revelation 1:5–6 (ESV)
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Man is a spiritual being with spiritual needs.
Consider your own spiritual needs at this time in your life. Your greatest need is to be forgiven. Only the grace of God can do this. This is why Jesus came to this earth so long ago. God in human form came for you, to rescue you from sin’s guilt and power.
Whereas in the Old Testament, God dwelt with His people through the tabernacle and then the temple.
But when Jesus came to this earth, it was God Himself walking among us, ministering to us, teaching us and showing us who the Father is.
Notice the contrasting statement in John 1:17:
John 1:17 (ESV)
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
In this statement, we are not to understand that John in any way is discrediting the law of Moses. Here, we can assume he is talking about most of the first five books of the Bible, what is often referred to as the Torah, the object of extreme respect among orthodox Jews.
The law was that body of material which shows us what sin is. It restrains the evil around us. And is a guide to a life that pleases God.
Most importantly, it points to our need for a Savior.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Dale Evans Rogers said:
“Christmas, my child, is love in action… . When you love someone, you give to them, as God gives to us. The greatest gift He ever gave was the Person of His Son, sent to us in human form so that we might know what God the Father is really like! Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.”
And maybe that is why this time of year is so enjoyable. It breeds joy. It encourages laughter. It makes you smile.
That’s why Harlan Miller said:
“I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.”
