Thankful: For the Word Made Flesh

Prayer over Scripture Reading and Sermon

Our text this morning:

1. John 1:1–4 (NASB95) 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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

2. Eugene Peterson in his Message translation says John 1:14 this way: John 1:14 (The Message) The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

The incarnation, considered one of the seven greatest events in the history of the universe, is a profound doctrine in Christian theology.

It refers to God, in the Person of the Son, fully identifying Himself with humanity by becoming human.

This event is described as the greatest miracle of all God's works, where the divine nature united with human nature in the person of Jesus Christ.

The incarnation demonstrates God's immeasurable love, as He became a kinsman of the human family to lay down His life for their redemption from sin.

It encompasses three key aspects:

the form of humility (exemplified by Christ's birth as an infant),

the proof of love (shown through His sacrificial death),

and the sacrament of redemption (displaying divine power in creation, renewal, and eternalization).

The doctrine is rooted in biblical passages such the scripture we just read: John 1:14, which describes the eternal Word becoming flesh and dwelling among humans.

Despite its complexity and the challenges it poses to human understanding, the incarnation remains a cornerstone of Christian faith, affirming that in Jesus Christ, God has come to humanity in the flesh.

Somehow we have lost the wonder, the mystery, the awe that should always accompany our thoughts of the incarnation.

The Word's Wonderful Incarnation

John 1:14a … And the Word became flesh

This part of the verse emphasizes the miracle of the incarnation, where the divine Word, Jesus, took on human form.

This demonstrates God's great love for humanity, bridging the infinite gap between God and man.

In the incarnation we see God's personal involvement in our broken world,

Coming alongside us to offer comfort and the assurance that He truly DOES understand our human struggles.

In order for us to appreciate that Jesus “came and moved into the neighborhood” as Eugene Peterson said it, we have to try to understand what our text is saying when it says: “the Word became flesh.”

1. I say try, because this is truly inconceivable to us.

2. We just don’t have the capacity.

B. We could talk about a comparison:

1. What if we went from being humans to being a slug?

C. But we still can’t grasp even that comparison.

1. We just don’t have the capability.

D. But we must accept it even if we don’t understand it.

E. That the Son of God became flesh is not an optional belief:

1. 1 John 4:1–3 (NLT) Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

F. Jesus willingly laid aside the prerogatives of divinity to become Emmanuel, God with us.

1. Philippians 2:5–11 (NASB95) Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

G. The Word became flesh

2. Dwelt Among Us

John 1:14b Jesus "dwelt among us,"

God pitched His tent in our world.

Tent would be a step up from what Jesus actually experienced.

Matthew 8:19–20 (NASB95) Then a scribe came and said to [Jesus], “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Jesus didn’t come to the palace — He came and lived among the lowest of the low.

No matter where you are, Jesus’ intimate presence is in the midst of our everyday lives.

We need to embrace this divine closeness, finding comfort in knowing that Jesus lived a human life and fully sympathizes with our weaknesses and challenges.

That Jesus dwelt among us.…

… is the true Christmas story

1. Not Santa Claus, or presents, or even Christmas lights,

2. But rather the wonder that … Jesus came.

3. That ought to inspire excitement and awe right there!

Jesus made the journey from heaven to earth.

From glory to the human wasteland that we call home.

The Son of God made that journey,

and He knew what He was doing.

He knew where He was going.

He knew what the sacrifice would be.

He journeyed from heaven to earth on a mission to save the human race.

He came to the garbage heap of this sin-scarred planet to live among us and to die a substitutionary death — to die in our place so that we can have life.

Then He rose from the dead and has ascended to the Father where He makes intercession for us.

But the thing is …

He came!

Jesus came to this earth.

1. He came as a baby in a manger.

2. He came to illustrate the Kingdom of God.

3. He came to institute the Kingdom by dying on the Cross.

4. He came to illuminate our need for the Kingdom and our utter inability to grasp it apart from coming through Him.

He came to be the sovereign King of the Kingdom.

He came to make us children of that Kingdom with all of the privileges of royalty.

He put on the robes of flesh and … He came.

He lived among us.

He DWELT among us.

Incredible!

1. Awesome!

3. Glory Full of Grace

John 1:14c … and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Let us reflect on the revelation of God's glory through Jesus Christ,

as witnessed by His first-century followers.

As witnessed by US!

This glory is marked not by grandeur but by grace and truth.

May the Holy Spirit enable us to recognize the grace that emanates from Christ's life,

And may we model OUR lives after His truth and love,

and to live in gratitude for the grace received through Him.

Let us pray for a fresh revelation of glory.

That as WE see the glory of the only begotten of God we would be able to tell others like the shepherds did on the night of His birth:

Luke 2:16–18 (NASB95) So they [the shepherds] came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

All who heard it wondered…

Let’s pray for a fresh outpouring of the glory of God upon His church.

Not just this church, but every church that exalts Jesus.

Let’s pray for a fresh outpouring of glory such as happened:

On Wednesday August 17, 1727 when the Moravian colony in Germany was overwhelmed and filled with the Spirit at their communion service.

Their leader, 27 year old Count Nicholas Zinzendorf, said it was like being in heaven.

That month they began a continuous prayer meeting called the Hourly Intercession with people praying in teams for an hour at a time day and night.

That non-stop prayer meeting went for 100 years.

Within 25 years they had sent out 200 missionaries, more than all the Protestants had done in two centuries.

Why?

Because the Glory of God came down.

David Brainerd, missionary to the North American Indians from 1743 to his death at 29 in 1749 saw a powerful visitation of God in October 1745.

Whole communities were changed by the power of the Spirit.

Crime and drunkenness dropped, idolatry was abandoned and marriages repaired.

Why?

Because the glory of God came down.

From October 1904 Evan Roberts in his twenties, formerly a miner and blacksmith, saw God move powerfully during the Welsh revival in answer to his and others' persistent prayers.

100,000 were converted in Wales during 1904 and 1905.

Churches filled from 10 a.m. till after midnight every day for two years, bringing profound social change to Wales.

Why?

Because the glory of God came down.

The Holy Spirit fell dramatically on a small prayer group of 8 people in Argentina in 1948, and their church immediately exploded with many signs and wonders and healings.

Some converts in that move of God were in Bible College in June 1951 when the Spirit fell on them there.

The college prayed for 4 months with intense weeping, and many astounding prophecies including that the largest stadiums in Argentina would be filled soon for Christian meetings.

That happened in 1954 with the visit of Tommy Hicks.

The largest stadium seating 110,000 was filled for weeks as 300,000 made commitments and hundreds were healed each night for three months.

Why?

Because the glory of God came down.

Just 2 years ago the 2023 Asbury revival was a significant Christian revival.

It began on February 8, 2023, at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, attracting thousands and sparking a movement among young believers.

Overview of the Revival

The revival started spontaneously after a routine chapel service when a small group of students chose to remain in Hughes Auditorium for prayer and worship. This gathering quickly grew, with students from various colleges and universities joining in, leading to continuous worship and prayer that lasted for 16 days. The event attracted an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 visitors, with many coming from across the United States and even internationally. Wikipedia+1

Key Features

Spontaneity and Leadership: The revival was characterized by its spontaneous nature and lack of a central charismatic leader. Instead, it was primarily led by students, reflecting a grassroots movement among Generation Z. 2

Social Media Influence: The event gained significant attention on social media, particularly TikTok, where the hashtag #asburyrevival garnered millions of views, helping to spread awareness and draw in visitors. 2

Community Involvement: Local businesses and community members played a crucial role in supporting the influx of visitors, providing food and assistance during the revival. 2

The revival has been compared to previous revivals at Asbury, notably the one in 1970, which had a lasting cultural impact. 

The 2023 revival has been described as a pivotal moment for young Christians, emphasizing a return to authentic worship and community. Following the conclusion of the on-campus services, Asbury University encouraged students to continue sharing their experiences and testimonies, fostering a spirit of revival beyond the campus. Wikipedia+2

Conclusion

The Asbury revival represents a significant moment in contemporary Christian history, particularly among younger generations. 

Its emphasis on community, authenticity, and spontaneous worship has resonated with many, leading to ongoing discussions about faith and revival in various contexts. 

The legacy of this event continues to inspire similar movements across other campuses and communities.

Just last Sunday, nearly 8,000 people gathered at Utah Valley University with thousands more participating through live-streaming.

The place where Charlie Kirk, an outspoken Christian, was assassinated for speaking the truth.

Those thousands sought the Lord and sang praise to Him.

They sought God’s glory — full of grace and truth.

Let US pray in a fresh revelation of God’s glory.

And then let’s tell of it as people listen in wonder at what God is doing.

Thankful for the Incarnation

So, this morning, and Thanksgiving 2025 I am thankful that …

The Word became flesh

That He dwelt among us

That we have been allowed to see His grace and glory

This is the Gospel.

That Jesus came.

That the innocent Jesus died for OUR sins.

That He rose again.

That He has ascended to the Father and sent forth the Holy Spirit.

Thankful for the Gospel

Like I said last week, there is a burning inside to tell the world.

And yet, I cannot go to all the world.

Especially at this hour of my life.

But I can contribute so others can go.

And so can you!

And so, many at this church do.

Tens of thousands of dollars to send, house, and equip witnesses of the Gospel.

To this country.

To all the world.

A Faith Promise

With all of that in mind, I want to encourage us to do our part this morning.

If you’ve never done so, I would like to encourage you to extend your faith into the realm of finances.

To stand on the promise Jesus made in Luke 6:38 (NLT) Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

I would like to encourage you to participate in making a Faith Promise to Missions and the Building Fund.

As the card says: By faith and as God enables me…

There can be no mission work accomplished through the local church apart from our faithfulness to give financially that others might hear the gospel.

New Life Family Church uses a biblical plan called “faith promise” to determine how much we as a church will be able to give to world missions in the coming year.

Some of you are new to the family and so this morning I want to share with your “God’s plan for financing world evangelism.”

Not only give, but PRAY for missions projects and missionaries.

Every week you see these listed in the Bulletin.

There is a faith promise card.

Fill it out.

Give it to an usher.

We will make copies and give them back to you.

This understanding of financing world missions is found by looking at 2 Corinthians chapter eight and nine.

In these chapters we find the most through examination of stewardship in the entire bible.

After waiting a year for the Corinthian church to fulfill their promise regarding their promised offering. Paul writes 2 Corinthians 8 to challenge them.

In order to effectively get the message into their hearts, he begins with an example of what the Macedonian churches had done.

Remember, the Macedonians had participated in this offering because of the report they had received from Paul about Corinth’s promises.

Paul tells us about this in

2 Cor. 9:1-5, “Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; (2) for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. (3) Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; (4) lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. (5) Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.” (NKJV)

Paul begins to lay the groundwork for the Corinthian believers participation in the offering by citing to them the example of the Macedonian believers in

2 Corinthians 8:1-5, “Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: (2) that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. (3) For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, (4) imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. (5) And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.” (NKJV)

As we notice the example of the Macedonians giving to the needs of others began with the recognition that they had been given a great deal themselves as recipients of grace of God bestowed on them. Paul repeats the word for “grace” seven times in the eight chapter and three more times in the ninth chapter.

People who care about missions are a thankful people…

Thankful that THEY heard the Gospel.

They are SO thankful, that THEY are willing to:

Give sacrificially so that the world might know.

Work sacrificially to share what they have received

Notice that Paul says that there are three parts to the equation:

the great trial of affliction,

their abundance of joy

and their extreme poverty.

When Paul added the three factors together the outcome was rich generosity.

Here is a mathematical equation that make absolutely no sense to the world or even to the Christian who is not surrendered, that is affliction + poverty+ joy = liberality or generosity.

The word “liberality” means to be free from ulterior motives.

It is uncalculating.

It was just sheer unadulterated joy of giving that motivated their hearts.

We need to note that this giving is obedience in the face of trying circumstances and overwhelming difficulties.

The Macedonian churches were not giving out of their abundance: rather they were giving generously out of their poverty.

The Macedonians make it absolutely clear that our stewardship does not depend upon our circumstances.

It depends upon the quality of our relationship with Christ.

We give because, like the Macedonians, we have been recipients of his amazing grace.

Verse four says, “imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints,” another translation of this would be “begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints.” Notice that the Macedonians considered it a privilege to give to the aid of brothers and sisters in need.Nobody asked them to give – they did it on their own and even pleaded with the apostles for the “privilege” of sharing in this way.

According to verse five the primary key to godly stewardship, to giving in joy, is to first give yourself to the Lord.

Paul says as much to his readers in Rome, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1 (NKJV)

Paul says that the Macedonian believers did not do as they had expected, but rather first they gave themselves to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.

Using the biblical example provided I want to speak to you a few minutes this morning about Faith Promise Missions Giving. For some of you this will be a new principle. For the benefit of those who do not understand how we finance our missions program, I want to explain what Faith Promise giving is. Simply defined “A faith promise is money that God will give through you, which he might never give to you, if he saw that he could not trust you to pass it on to others.” Let me try to clarify by answering four questions.

First, we need to understand what faith promise giving to missions is not!

It is not the same as your tithe.

The Bible not only instructs us to give a tithe (which is returning to God the first tenth of our income) but we are also told to give an offering.

When these tithes and offerings are not given the word of God charges us with being robbers.

The prophet Malachi (3:9-10) hundreds of years earlier had said, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. (9) You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. (10) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:8-10 NKJV).

Neither is faith promise the mere reassigning of a part of our tithe to missions.

For simplification let’s suppose that my weekly offering is $12.00, and now that I have been convicted about missions this week, I decide to divide my offering giving to $5.00 to the general fund, $ 5.00 to missions and $ 2.00 to the building debt.

It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that the end result is still a total of $12.00.

Nothing has actually been giving to missions, there has been no increase!!!

Faith promise is an agreement made by you to God. It is an act of faith, whereby you are willing to say, I am trusting God to provide an amount that I have determined through prayer, that I may in turn give it to missions. It is a offering made of your own freewill and it is a commitment for one year.

The nature of a faith promise is that I have to pray about it and ask God how much He would have me to give and then trust Him for it and month by month go to Him in prayer and ask Him for the amount promised, and wait upon Him until it comes in. How can a church know how many missionaries to accept for support unless you make a Faith Promise? If you are really interested in reaching lost men and women with the gospel of Jesus Christ then you should be involved in giving to the missions program of the church.

How Does God Supply After I Have Made My Faith Promise?

God is God and is therefore not limited in the ways that He can supply your faith promise to missions.

It may be that God will give you the grace to sacrifice something in order to give.

It may be that God will reduce your expenses in some area in order that you might give.

It may be that God will enable you to make more money in order for you to give Deut 8:18 reminds us, “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…”

It is God we gives the bounty that we enjoy.

God may even supply it supernaturally in some way that you cannot even imagine.

The question is will you trust him?

Will you step out on faith?

Will you prove your love?

Fill out Faith Promise Card.

Ushers collect them.

The Lord’s Supper

This morning we have not only believed for salvation.

And are thankful for salvation

We remember the cost of our salvation.

The Body of Jesus: beaten, bruised, marred beyond recognition.

And the Blood of Jesus: freely poured out for the remission of our sins

Jesus Himself told us to keep His sacrifice front-of-mind.

We must continually remember the price of our salvation and we do that by partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

In all of the Gospel accounts we read how Jesus sent His disciples to prepare for His Supper.

We too must prepare before we partake.

1 Corinthians 10:14–17 (NLT) So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15 You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. 16 When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.

1 Corinthians 10:21 (NLT) You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too.

1 Corinthians 11:27–31 (NLT) So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.

Prayer of Cleansing

Distribute the Elements

You don’t have to be a member to partake of The Lord’s Supper with us.

Are you in right relationship with Jesus?

Have you asked the Lord to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness?

Sister Becky Gill could you come serve us?

Worship Team, please come

If you are in right relationship with Jesus,

sing this song in remembrance

as you come to receive and HOLD the elements

Please stand across the front

And then we will all partake together.

Sing: Thank You Jesus For the Blood

Bread

Jesus said in: John 6:47–51 (LSB) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes [in Me] has eternal life. 48 “I am the bread of life. 49 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and also the bread which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

John 6:57–58 (LSB) “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

At the Last Supper: Luke 22:19 (LSB) [tells us that] … when [Jesus] had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Prayer (Konnie Davenport)

As Jesus would have prayed (from Seder): Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Let us partake.

Cup

Jesus went on to say in: John 6:53–56 (LSB) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

Also at the Last Supper: Matthew 26:27–29 (LSB) [tells us that] … when [Jesus] had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Prayer (Dave Davenport)

Again, as Jesus would have prayed ( from Seder): Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Let us partake.

Jesus Is Coming Back!

1 Corinthians 11:26(Phillips)… whenever you eat this bread or drink of this cup, you are proclaiming that the Lord has died for you, and you will do that until He comes again.

Folks, Jesus is coming again!

Until He comes, let’s praise, glorify, thank and worship Him.

He created us to do so.

Sing: One Day