The Incarnation

Intro

Distorted Stories

The Telephone Game

Paul Revere's Midnight Ride (April 18–19, 1775) - Revere did ride to warn colonists ("The British are coming!"), but Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1860 poem dramatically reshaped it into a lone-hero epic where Revere single-handedly alerts the countryside. In reality, he was one of several riders, got captured midway, and others (like William Dawes and Samuel Prescott) completed much of the warning. The poem, written amid rising sectional tensions before the Civil War, turned a group effort into a patriotic solo legend—still the version most Americans "know" today.

The "First Thanksgiving" (1621) - The brief 1621 harvest feast between Pilgrims and Wampanoag people was a diplomatic meal amid alliances, not a religious "thanksgiving" holiday. Through 19th–20th century retellings (school pageants, textbooks, and presidential proclamations), it morphed into a harmonious, turkey-centric national origin story of peaceful cooperation and gratitude. Details like Pilgrims in black hats with buckles, massive feasts, and it being the "first" Thanksgiving were added or emphasized later for moral and patriotic reasons, overshadowing the complex (and often tragic) relations that followed.

The Ghost of Kyiv (2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine) - Early in the invasion, social media spread tales of a lone Ukrainian fighter pilot ("Ghost of Kyiv") who supposedly downed dozens of Russian jets in dogfights over Kyiv. It became a viral morale-boosting legend with videos, memes, and claims of ace status. In reality, it was a composite myth from real Ukrainian air successes and edited footage—no single pilot matched the feats. Retellings amplified it into superhero status before official sources clarified it as inspirational folklore rather than fact.

The "weapons of mass destruction" narrative leading to the 2003 Iraq War - Initial intelligence claims about Saddam Hussein's WMDs were uncertain and later proven flawed or absent. Through media repetition, political speeches, and selective leaking, the threat was presented as imminent and certain. Over time (and especially post-invasion when no stockpiles were found), retellings by critics exaggerated it into deliberate lies, while supporters downplayed the errors. The event became a polarized myth: either a total hoax or a honest intelligence failure, with nuances lost in partisan retellings.

The "Mandela Effect" itself (coined ~2009–2010s) - This modern phenomenon describes shared false memories (e.g., many "remember" Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s, when he died in 2013; or the Berenstain Bears spelled "Berenstein"). It illustrates real-time distortion: internet forums, social media, and viral discussions amplify minor misrememberings into collective "glitches in the matrix" or alternate realities. What starts as individual memory errors becomes a widespread "legend" through online retelling.

Lesson

Jesus’ Birth

The birth of Jesus came as a surprise to many in the ancient world.

Even though the prophets had long predicted Him.

The Old Testament scriptures that everyone read had told of Him.

Those scriptures even pointed to the very bloodline that He would come through. (Can anyone name some of Jesus’ ancestors?)

Primarily, this King Jesus would come from the bloodline of the greatest king Israel had ever known: King David.

2 Samuel 7:16 NLT

16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’ ”

David wouldn’t live forever, but his kingdom would be established forever. There would be an ETERNAL King…

And the Jews that were living in the time of Jesus were entirely aware of the prophecies about the Messiah, but they did not notice when it was happening!

Instead, magi (wise men from the East) were the first to understand the Word of God and follow it to its location: the city of Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2 NLT

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.

And they follow a star to find Jesus exactly where He was supposed to be, exactly where the prophet said He would be: in Bethlehem.

For the ones who were LOOKING for this Messiah, it was clear as day where He would be born.

So with that understanding, we have to ask ourselves: Am I looking for a Savior in my own life? Am I looking for Jesus to be a part of who I am?

There was a group of shepherds who were tending to their sheep. And all of the sudden, the skies light up and there’s an angel that appears.

The angel declares:

Luke 2:11 NKJV

11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The moment the angel is done saying this, a HOST of angels appear and begin praising God.

Luke 2:15–17 NLT

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.

A Promise to You

SUPPLIES NEEDED: PAPER, PENS, OR PENCILS.

Has God ever given you a promise?

Has God called you to do something big?

Write a short description of you God-given promise or calling at the top of the page (don’t worry - this is only for you to see).

Now… when you think about that promise… it might seem far away. But that doesn’t mean nothing happens in the waiting.

Under the description of your promise or calling, make a short list of things you can do right now in preparation for the day it happens.

Pray, study, faithfulness, serving, developing discipline, investing in yourself, do well in school, etc.

Like a lot of people in Scripture, there is always a season of preparation that requires daily work before the promise is fulfilled.

In Luke 2, we find Simeon and Anna. They were two faithful people who lived righteously and saw Jesus for who He really was.

When they got to where the birthplace was, Simeon was the first to proclaim who Jesus was to everyone around:

Luke 2:29–32 NLT

29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30 I have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared for all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

Then, up steps Anna:

Luke 2:38 NLT

38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

The responses of these two show us the excitement they had about the Messiah. Their whole lives were dedicated to seeing Jesus, and once He had come, they couldn’t help but share the news.

So here’s what we need to pay attention to today: Everything that Anna and Simeon did was influenced by their love for God and their expectation of His promises.

As the people of God, our days should be filled with love for Jesus and excitement for what He will do in our lives each day!

We should be filled with expectation and hope in the promises God has made to us, our church, and our family.

The Messiah Has Come

To the people listening, it might have seemed weird to hear Simeon include the Gentiles as he spoke of the Messiah. But as we look at the Book of Isaiah, we see that God’s plan was always a promise to save the world from sin, not just the Israelite people.

Isaiah 49:6 NLT

6 He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

And throughout this book of Isaiah, it becomes clear that he is pointing to the Messiah.

From the beginning, God wanted to save ALL humanity.

Like in ancient times, it’s easy to look around at our world and find reasons why someone shouldn’t be worthy of saving.

Sin is everywhere. And there is little anyone can do to stop sin from happening over and over again.

But here’s what we do know: the power of the Holy Ghost and the forgiveness we find in Jesus are enough to overcome any sin and transform any life!

Instead of disqualifying people around us, we must look to Jesus to transform their lives instead!

For the people who live for Him, His return is going to be WILD. He came as a lamb, but He will return as a LION!

Isaiah 52:14–15 NLT

14 But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. 15 And he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about.

Here’s what God desires of each of you guys today: COVENANT. A fulfilling relationship that influences and impacts every moment of our lives.

We take on His name! And when we do, we should live in a way that respects and glorifies Him for who He is.

We should also live in a way that expresses His love to others and draws them toward Him.

Jesus life was a ministry of love and hope.

Believing in the gospel is who we are. It should be the trademark by which we live and are known.

Like the apostle Paul, we should never be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, but should willingly share this message with everyone we meet.

While it is true that some people will not be ready or willing to hear this message, for everyone who is resisting His love, dozens are seeking Jesus.

Conclusion

So let’s close out with this: How many in here have friends that you know, very likely, if it all ended today they wouldn’t be saved?

You certainly don’t want to see that.

But if they’re going to change, what has to happen? (“How shall they hear without a preacher?”)

Now… it can seem daunting, scary, or even embarrassing to open up to people about God. But we can’t allow those feelings to prevent us from taking our first step in at least sharing our testimony and truth. (You do have a testimony!)

Like a lot of things, practice helps!

But as talented or comfortable as we might be as a speaker, what matters most is that the message is from God. He will give us the words to say. And if we trust Him in those moments, we will see the miraculous happen.

God isn’t looking for people who have it all figured out. He is looking for the Simeon, the Anna, and the magi from distant lands - men and women who simply want to know Him better.

The question today is: will we reach those people?

Paul put it this way:

1 Corinthians 9:19–20 NKJV

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;

1 Corinthians 9:21–23 NKJV

21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

What does this mean? MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND BRING THEM TO JESUS!

Remember, His was a ministry of love and of hope! We can’t let our ministry be defined by what we want it to be. It must be by Him alone!

Prayer

Announcements

Youth-led service - Feb. 25th

Youth Rally - Mar. 20th

RISEN Practice - TONIGHT