1.4.4a 12.24.2024 The Word Became Flesh John 1.14 (Christmas Eve)

Start:

Entice: We make Christmas far more complicated than it should be. At Christmas we celebrate a basic, miraculous event.

God. With. Us.

Engage: Even at an early age most of us know the story of Jesus in detail.

We hear it in Church,

at home,

We see it on television

and

in movies.

We even celebrate the birth of Jesus

at school.

As we tell and retell the tale, we leave out some details and even imagine others. So often is the tale repeated that we might become numb to the simple, elegant truth. God. With. Us.

God with you,

God with me.

God with the weak.

God with the Strong.

God with the poor.

God with the strong.

God with the African.

God with the Chinese.

God in the ghetto.

God in a mansion.

God with us.

All of us.

Each of us.

In the person of Jesus God was and is right here in the thick of things with His fallen creation.

Expand: Preachers often make more of things than we should. The single, necessary truth is that Jesus became flesh to redeem us.

God with us.

God for us.

Excite: On Christmas Eve we remember the rustic cradle where He Lay. On Christmas Eve we remember the ruthless cross where He suffered. To remember God born among us requires that we remember God dying among us and being raised for us.

Explore:

On Christmas Eve we await and adore God with us.

Expand: The basic, most simple truth we celebrate @ Christmas is God’s saving presence among us.

Body of Sermon:

John 1:14 ESV

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.

John 1:14 ESV

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.

1 Incarnation.

1.1 The Word Became flesh.

1.2 In so becoming He shared our history and our misery.

His body of flesh also meant

2 Identification.‌

2.1 And dwelt among us…

2.2 No high-off Olympus for Jesus!

No grand palace! No privilege. He pitched a tent and identified with those whom He came to save…

The body of His flesh, and His presence with us provide for us

3 Illumination.

‌3.1 We have seen His glory!‌

3.2 God’s own glory!

The very same glory which wrestled with Jacob,

the glory Moses saw in the burning bush,

the glory which led Israel via the pillar of fire,

and the same the glory of God filling the temple…

That very glory in a human body bringing life and immortality to light…for all who respond in faith.

Shut Down‌

The waiting of Christmas season is not easy. It’s not supposed to be easy, but it is worth it. Jesus has come among us to build among us His redeeming work.

Through the presence of the Holy Spirit among us He is still present and still active.

When He comes…

He comes to restore,

He comes to lift,

He comes to love,

He comes to bring peace,

He comes with comfort,

He comes in mercy.

Will you receive Him in faith…When He comes….

Join me in singing Away in a Manger

Now we transition from anticipation of His coming, to the promise of Him coming again.

‌

On the night when He was born, he, of course, said nothing. However,

1 Corinthians 11:23–25 (ESV)

23 ….on the night when he was betrayed took bread,

24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Because God is with us, we remember.

We celebrate His coming,

His sacrifice,

and

His coming again.

Let us now partake together.

(Congregation moves to encircle the auditorium. Bob takes lights his candle and sends light down each arm of circle. Congregation sings Silent Night.

We close in prayer and dismiss for Christmas.)