The Word Became Flesh

The Christmas Story

Mathew and Luke tell the Christmas story in narrative form

Luke tells of the taxing, the historicity (Augustus, Herod, etc.) and of the shepherds, Mary, the birth in the manger

Matthew focuses on the fulfillment of prophecy, the name, the virgin birth, Joseph, the wise men, the flight into Egypt

John uses metaphor and depth of though

He describes the event in the grandest scope

The magnificent Word, God becoming a human

the purpose and scope

The Word Became Flesh

John 1:1–14 NKJV

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 nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

In the beginning was the Word

This story of this child begins long before the trip to Bethlehem and the message tot he Shepherds

It goes back to the very beginning, even before the world was ()

In the beginning, the Word was with God, becasue the Word was God

This “Word” he is describing is the living expression of God - The Living Word

Jesus Christ has always been, and Always will be.

His existence did not begin that day in the manger.

Although this seemed like such a surprise, it was not such a new concept. It had been prohesied

Isaiah wrote (chapter 9) of this child who would be born, who would actually be “Almighty God”

Isaiah 9:6–7 NKJV

6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

He speaks of a child who would be born, a son

yet this child is actually called, Mighty God, Everlasting father

and will establish a kingdom and peace of which there will be no end

Micah also spoke of this in chapter 5, when he prophesied the Messiah would be from Bethlehem

Micah 5:2 NKJV

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

A ruler would come, yet His “goings forth” have already been from of old, from everlasting.

That is this Jesus. He has always been, and He will always be.

He is alive in himself - not created - from eternity past to eternity future

All Things Were Made Through Him

He is the creator and possessor of all things

Why should we worship Him? He must have preeminence

A young man recently complained that we were “forcing it” becasue we maintain that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.

He claimed to be a Christian himself, and believed in Jesus Christ. Yet he believes that this belief should not be “forced” on anyone who did not believe.

His definition of force, is more like insisting that something is true.

He claimed that he had Muslim friends for instance and he believed that they would go to heaven also. And basically, all of the “good People” who just follow their own beliefs would also go to heaven.

As much as I respect this young man, and his non believing friends, his position is simply untrue, and in fact impossible.

If he believes in the Jesus Christ of the Bible, who we speak of here today, then he believes that: “All things were made by Him, and that without Him nothing was made that was made”

That is what the bible says. That is what Jesus Christ affirmed. That is the truth that every true Christian acknowledges and lives by.

From the highest peak of mount Everest at 29,029 feet to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench in the pacific ocean at 36,200 feet everything that was made was made by this Word who became flesh, who is Jesus

From the sun and the moon here in our solar system, to the Icarus star, which scientists 9 billion light years away, there isn’t even one speck of cosmic dust that was not created by Him

In these days, Quantum physicist are even theorizing that there could be such things as parallel universes, and alternate dimensions beyond are own space-time, and if any of these things were true, even if there were a billion dimensions, there would not be a single atom, or anti-atom anywhere in any universe that was not made by Him. Without him nothing was made that was made.

From eternity past, to eternity future, He stretched out the heavens by Himself and beside Him There is no God

So, if this young man believes in this Jesus of the bible, and of history, this Jesus who was God in His Glory, became flesh for us, crucified and rose from the dead, then he cannot also claim that Islam can get you to heaven. Not becasue I say so, but becasue this Word who became flesh said so.

Paul said it this way in :

Colossians 1:16–17 NKJV

16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

In Him was Life

Here is a marvelous truth: Life comes from God

How silly these scientists are who claim that life just happened by accident

It takes far more faith to believe that than it ever took to believe any religion

If all of the life in the universe could happen accidentally, it seems to me that we ought to be able to create just a little bit of it on purpose

Yet with all of our technology, and the combined efforts of every scientist on earth, along with the best supercomputers ever built, and the full data from every scientific study since studies were being documented, our best scientists have not even been able to create one single living cell - on purpose, by accident, or any other way!

It seems that if they are going to claim that God does not exist, and pronounce all of us who believe He does as silly morons believing legends, they ought to be able to accomplish at least the simplest of the things they claim He didn’t do. Create life.

Life comes from God. Period.

In Him was life.

And if you are here, listening to this message today, either in person on online, you can be sure that your life came from God. Only God can create a Spirit. Only He can breathe into you, the spirit of life that caused you to be. He claims that He chose to do so, for you, before the world was. You are not an accident, but the deliberate decision of God!

The Light Shines into Darkness

His life is Light. Yet,t he world fell into darkness, through sin.

The light shined into the darkness, but the darkness could not comprehend it.

Those who walk in darkness cannot comprehend the light.

In fact., they hate the light

He is that true light that gives light to every person coming into the world.

every person, has been given a measure of faith.

every person has life from God, and faith to hear Him and be saved. If they will choose Him.

He was In The World

Jesus Christ was in the World, he walked among us - humans

He was in the world, which was made by Him

Yet the world rejected Him

He came to His own people - Israel - Those who had been writing of Him, and expecting Him, for thousands of years - yet they not receive Him

But everyone who did receive Him…

This who believed on Him -

Those who were not Jew, who had not been expecting Him (and those who were)

Every one who received Him....

To them, He gave the power to become the children of God

This is the greatest Christmas Gift that has ever been given. It is the one still given today.

That we can be born again, reborn

not of the will of the flesh, not of blood, not of the will of men, but of God.

The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us

What a wonderful statement.

That is the Christmas Story. This is that baby born in a manger: The Word become flesh

This is that child that was born that day in the city of David, the Savoir, Christ, The Lord, :

He is the good tidings of great joy that is for all people: The Word Become flesh.

And He lived among us, and we beheld His glory

They were able to experience His glory then

And we can continue to behold His glory to this day - through His salvation which is offered to you.

He could have come as an angel, yet He chose to come as the seed of Abraham

to be the firstborn of many brethren -(to everyone who receives Him)

Full of grace and truth.

Grace for you - the forgiveness of sins - redemption through His Blood

Peace with God

Truth for your future - the way of salvation - the way of victory.