The Word Became Flesh
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Opening Illustration - Red Wings Game
Opening Illustration - Red Wings Game
A few weeks ago I was invited to attend a Red Wings game.
I’m a hockey fan, so even though my team wasn’t playing,
I was more than happy to go!
The tickets we had gave us special access to food, drinks, snacks, desserts,
which you could enjoy before the game, in between periods, and after the game.
But there was something else very unique and special about these rooms.
They had glass doors and windows from the floor to the ceiling,
and there was a hallway between the rooms,
where the Red Wings players would walk through to get to the ice.
So you could sit there, enjoying delicious food,
watching your favourite players walk right beside you!
it was very cool!
Application of Illustration
Application of Illustration
As humans, we have a fascination with celebrities/famous people/heroes.
We have people that we look up to in life,
and we have a fascination with them,
almost as if they’re more special, or greater than other people.
And when we see them in person,
it’s just the coolest thing!
We try and take a photo,
or if we’re lucky enough get a selfie or autograph.
Every now and then, celebrity/famous people will make public appearances.
They will do meet and greets with their fans (take photos/autographs);
They will do charity events (visit sick kids at the hospitals);
They “descend from on high” to mingle with common people,
to grace us with their presence.
While it is pretty cool to meet someone you admire/respect/look up to,
they are human just like you.
And that’s part of what makes it special.
You realize they sin, make mistakes, have fears, worries, joy, failure and success.
They become relatable!
Main Point of Sermon
Main Point of Sermon
And this is exactly what makes the incarnation of Jesus so incredible!
Incarnation simply means to take on flesh.
This afternoon, we want to take time to remember the reason we celebrate the Christmas season,
which is that Jesus, the Son of God,
descended from on high,
came down to earth, and
took on human flesh…
to save us!
The Word Became Flesh
The Word Became Flesh
John’s Account
John’s Account
Normally, during the Christmas season we talk about the details surrounding the birth of Jesus.
Matthew and Luke emphasize these glorious details!
But since we’ve been going through the Gospel According to John,
I thought it would be fitting to go back to the beginning of His account of Jesus’ life.
John doesn’t start with the details surrounding the birth of Jesus,
he goes back even farther...
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.
Rather than going back to the place of the manger,
John goes WAYYYYYY farther back.
To before the foundation of the world.
And there’s Jesus, the Word.
He had an intimate relationship WITH God…
Indeed, Jesus WAS and IS God!
And therefore is: ETERNAL!
In fact…
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jesus is shown to be God,
because ALL THINGS were made through Him!
There is nothing in our world that was not made through Jesus.
As God, He holds all power and authority in His hands.
And then in verse 14 John says some of the most shocking words in all of Scripture…
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us
You mean that Jesus, who IS God,
eternal, having no beginning nor end,
having created all things way back in the beginning,
now becomes flesh, and dwells among the people He created?
YES!
HOW?
I have no idea!
This is a mystery we can never comprehend!
Jesus did not remain distant from His people,
but came to dwell among them.
Then John adds...
14 and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Having witnessed Jesus’
teaching,
miracles, and
perfect life of righteousness,
people witnessed the glory of God!
And Jesus was full of grace and truth.
This is not what we would expect from a perfect, holy God!
Yet…
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
God has always been gracious.
Through the Law given to Moses God’s grace was revealed…
Though His people were sinful,
He graciously gave them His law,
so that through faith leading to obedience to the law,
they could be forgiven and cleansed,
so that God could dwell in their midst!
But now through Jesus, God’s grace is revealed in an even richer way…
Though people were still sinful,
Jesus made the final sacrifice for sin,
so that through faith they could be forgiven and cleansed,
so that God could dwell in their hearts through the Spirit!
The idea here as Bill Cook puts it, is that…
“the grace of Christ replaces the grace of the law.” Bill Cook
God was gracious through the giving of His Law through Moses,
but the sacrifices were a constant reminder of their sin,
and could never cleanse the hearts of the people.
But now, through Jesus,
people can be fully forgiven and cleansed,
given a new heart and a God’s own Spirit,
so that they LONG to walk in His ways!
Indeed, this is exactly why Jesus came!
So that through faith in Him people could experience His grace!
And John reveals the two possible responses to Jesus’ coming…
First, those who reject Him…
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.
There are those in the world,
even those who claim to love and know God,
who reject Jesus.
He is the One who IS eternal God,
He is the One who created them,
He is the One who came to earth as a man and died for them,
and yet they reject Him!
Oh, but what blessings for those who believe in Him!
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Every one of us is here today because we were born in the flesh.
We were created from two cells,
one from your mom, and one from your dad.
But there is another birth that happens the moment you put your faith in Jesus…
You are BORN AGAIN!
This is something that can’t happen through human strength, planning, or wisdom…
IT’S OF GOD!
The moment you receive Jesus,
and believe in His name,
you become a child of God!
WOW!
This is the heart of God that Jesus has revealed to us.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Jesus came to the world to show us the heart of God!
And His heart is full of grace!
So much grace, that He was willing to die on a cross for you and me!
Speaking to Nicodemus early in His ministry,
Jesus knew this was why He had come…
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
Jesus knew that He had come down to earth to die,
so that He could rise from the dead,
and extend His eternal life to those who believe in Him!
So many people, when they think of God more like the Grinch:
He’s mean and grumpy,
hates people,
and wants to steal all their joy!
But Jesus reveals the TRUE HEART of God…
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
If God wanted to condemn and judge the world,
He could have done that from heaven.
But instead, God came down into the world…
to dwell among His creation,
ultimately being rejected and killed,
so that through His death we might live!
Oh what glorious truth and grace there is in the incarnation of Jesus!
As R.G. Lee so beautifully put it…
“Christ who in eternity rested motherless upon the Father's bosom and in time rested fatherless upon a woman's bosom, clasping the Ancient of Days who had become the Infant of Days.
What deep descent from the heights of glory to the depths of shame; from the wonders of heaven to the wickedness of earth; from exaltation to humiliation; from the throne to the tree;
from dignity to debasement; from worship to wrath; from the halls of heaven to the nails of earth; from the coronation to the curse; from the glory place to the gory place!
In Bethlehem, humility and glory in their extremes were joined. Born in a stable! Cradled in a cattle trough! Wrapped in swaddling clothes of poverty! No room for Him who made all rooms!
No place for Him who made and knows all places! Oh, deep humiliation of the Creator—born of the creature! But in His descent was the dawn of mercy.
Because we cannot ascend to Him, He descends to us.”
This is the glorious truth of the true meaning of Christmas!
Though Jesus was eternal God,
who has existed eternally,
and created all things…
He was willing to take on human flesh and dwell among us,
so that He could reveal the grace and truth of God!
But because of His faithful obedience to the Father,
He was raised to life through the Spirit,
ascended back to heaven,
where He is seated at the right hand of God.
From there He intercedes for us as our great high priest,
having made the final sacrifice for sins!
Closing
Closing
Since Jesus is our great high priest,
who was willing to become human,
The writer of Hebrews says…
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Point to Christ (How does the Gospel speak to this?)
Point to Christ (How does the Gospel speak to this?)
The famous, rich, celebrity type people in our world,
come in limos, with security, and glitz and glamour…
They come and reveal how much better they are than you!
But Jesus was willing to come and be just like you…
Living an ordinary life as a carpenter’s son…
Struggling with temptation, hunger, and human limitations…
Enduring suffering and hatred,
as He shed His blood on the cross to pay for sin.
Though He suffered and was tempted in the same ways we are,
HE NEVER SINNED!
We would expect then, because of His holiness,
that He could never relate to us…
Yet even then He is accessible to us,
and can sympathize with us,
having gone through everything we go through.
But more than that…
He is accessible as our great high priest!
He is willing to apply His sacrifice to us,
when we believe in Him by faith!
What is our response to such incredible love?
DRAW NEAR!
Timid and afraid, worried He will reject us?
NO!
WITH CONFIDENCE!
And you will receive mercy…
Mercy is: NOT GETTING WHAT YOU DESERVE!
We are all sinners.
Our sin separates us from God,
and because of it we deserve hell.
But when we draw near to God through Jesus,
we get mercy!
Instead of hell, we get grace…
Grace is: GETTING WHAT YOU DON’T DESERVE!
When we draw near to God through Jesus,
all our sins are forgiven…
we become sons and daughters of the living God… and
we have the hope of eternal life through Jesus, our Great High Priest!
Land the Plane (Last call to action)
Land the Plane (Last call to action)
What a glorious, magnificent, unfathomable truth for us to remember….
That Jesus:
The Son of God, eternal, with no beginning or end…
The Creator of all things who holds all power and wisdom in His hands…
Perfect in holiness and worthy of the praise of ALL creation…
Jesus, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
so that by making His glory known to us,
we might know and experience His grace and truth!
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
draw near to Him who drew near to you!
Draw near to Him each and every day,
and you will find His mercy and grace new each morning!
He wants you to have the confidence that He has saved You through faith in Jesus,
and the confidence to continue to experience His mercy and grace,
as you continually draw near to Him through His Spirit,
working through His Word!
Friend,
if you have not given your life to Jesus,
put your faith in Him as your Saviour today.
He did not come to condemn you,
but to show you His heart of grace and truth!
He loves you so much He revealed the truth to you,
the truth that you are a sinner.
But even though you are a sinner,
He has revealed His grace to you…
That if you will believe in Jesus,
and draw near to Him,
you will receive mercy and grace!
Turn to Jesus today and be saved!
