Love Came down

Joseph Tata

Love Came Down • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Intro: Just want to welcome you here today, as we celebrate Christmas together, there are a lot of reasons to be excited during Christmas, the music, the gifts, the family, the lights…but for a believer, though we enjoy all of those things, the real reason we sing and rejoice because of the incarnation:

Intro: Just want to welcome you here today, as we celebrate Christmas together, there are a lot of reason to be excited during Christmas, the music, the gifts, the family, the lights…but for a believer, though we enjoy all of those things, the real reason we sing and rejoice because of the incarnation :

(Prop) So today I want to answer 3 simple questions

What is the incarnation?

Why is it so important?

Why should it be important to me?

What is the Incarnation?

The word incarnation is taken from the Latin and it simply means “In flesh” “In carne” which is what the bible say about God...that the eternal creator of the universe, took on the flesh and blood of a human being...

The word incarnation is taken from the Latin and it simply means “In flesh” “In carne” which is what the bible about God…that the eternal creator of the universe, came as a man and dwelt among us...

Or as the Apostle John said...

John 1:1–4 ESV

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 was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 1:1-

John 1:4 ESV

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

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.

So here we see two big things, Jesus whom John is speaking about here is

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.

Here John’s primary audience were greeks who treasured wisdom…So John refers to Jesus as the “Word” or the greek word “Logos” would essentally referred too the power that puts sense into the world, making the world orderly instead of chaotic. the source of Ultimate reason in the universe

Remember that Matt, Mark, Luke, John were all writing the same story, each was writing to a difference audience. And because of that each Gospel writer chose to emphasize, highlight certain moments, certain events in the life of Jesus that would best communicate the Gospel of Jesus to their audience.

John says “The Word became flesh”

because The Greek philosophers saw the logos as the power that puts sense into the world, making the world orderly instead of chaotic. They saw the logos as the “Ultimate Reason” that controlled all things. (Dods, Morris, Barclay, Bruce, and others)

So here we see two big things, Jesus whom John is speaking about here is

Matt spoke to Jews who needed to be saved so he referred to Jesus as the messiah

Now this isn’t merely a reference to the human body but the entirety of what makes up humanity — body, mind, emotions, and will.

- He had a natural birth born of a woman

- Had a normal body of flesh and bones

- Grew up as a boy

Hebrews 2:17 ESV

17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

- Had a family

-He had a family business

tells us he had a natural birth and was loving and caring towards his parents

- Obeyed his parents

He had a home town

- He got hungry

tells us that he had brothers and sisters and they had a family business - Carpentry

- He got stressed

- He went to parties

All this to demonstrate that Jesus became real living breathing human being

4:15 teaches that Jesus had to be made like us “in every respect” except our sin…

In other words…He became just like us...

Flesh

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

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.

So here’s the point - In the incarnation, everything proper to humanity was united to the Son of God. The Son of God did not only become like man; he actually became truly and fully human.

Flesh isn’t merely a reference to the human body but the entirety of what makes up humanity — body, mind, emotions, and will. and 4:15teach that to save human beings Jesus had to be made like us “in every respect” except our sin. In the incarnation, everything proper to humanity was united to the Son of God. The Son of God did not only become like man; he actually became truly and fully human.

In the incarnation, everything proper to humanity was united to the Son of God. The Son of God did not only become like man; he actually became truly and fully human.

Max Lucado describes in practical term what this meant...

Philippians 2:6–7 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

So the eternal Son of God, without ceasing to be God, took on a fully human nature. This is what Christians have long called “the incarnation.”

The bible speaks of Jesus humanity clearly

“One author writes”

“The high and lofty One made low and helpless. The One who inhabits eternity comes to dwell in time. The One, who the testament describes as He who none can look upon and live, is delivered in a stable under the soft, indifferent gaze of cattle. The Father of all mercies puts Himself at our mercy…this is the “Incarnation”.

Max Lucado describes in practical term what this meant...

Mark spoke to slaves so he referred to Jesus as “the one who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many”

Max Lucado describes in practical term what this meant...

felt."

Max Lucado describes in practical term what this meant...

"God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He, the only one who to have ever truly been independent made himself highly dependent as a little baby. The Almighty learned to walk. Children played in the street with Him. Jesus may have had pimples. He may have been tone- deaf. Perhaps a girl down the street had a crush on Him... It could be that His knees were bony. He felt weak. He grew weary... He was tempted... He felt the frailty of the human condition and all of the weight that comes with it. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired, His head ached. For thirty-three years He would feel everything you and I have ever felt."

App: this is the Incarnation…Jesus christ descending down from Heaven becoming like one of us...

So the incarnation is God becoming flesh and blood…but understand this was no circus stunt, just for show. Jesus had to do it....

And this leads us to the next question

Why did Jesus do it?

“One author writes”

Why did God become a human being?

I’m gonna give you 3 big reasons...

Luke Spoke of the “humanity” of Jesus

To reveal God to us even more

Before Jesus came people had a somewhat limited and fearful view and God…they knew the Fear of God of Mt.Sinai…they knew Holiness of God through his Law…but it wasn’t until Jesus came in flesh and blood that people began to see the relational Heart of God...

look at what John said...

In other words Jesus explained the heart of God to humanity. We need no longer wonder what God is like; Jesus shows us.

John 1:18 ESV

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

In other words Jesus explained the heart of God to humanity. We need no longer wonder what God is like; Jesus shows us.

Jesus when speaking to one of his disciples said this...

John 14:9 ESV

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Here’s the point: Jesus is the clear expression of God’s heart and his intention towards humanity…towards you…you wanna know what God thinks about you…look at Jesus and you can know for sure

Here’s another reason Jesus did it...

To save us from our sins

Jesus came to bring salvation into the world

John wrote to an overwhelmingly Greek audience so he spoke of Jesus as “the Word which to them would have referred to the one who that puts sense into the world, making the world orderly instead of chaotic.

Illastration: I saw something interesting - Did you know that Christmas is a massive commercial success in Japan, but theirs no connection to the spiritual side of it...”Wasn’t that the day Jesus came to die?…She was half wrong and half right....

Conclusion: Jesus was born to die for us

As in America, Christmas in Japan has become a huge commercial success – people shop and give gifts - yet few folks observe its religious significance. One Christmas an American reporter was in Tokyo doing people on the street interviews.

He asked one young woman, “What is the meaning of Christmas?”

If you were to read the first 3 chapters of the bible you would get good sense of How good looks at humanity

She started laughing because she had no idea. When the interviewer pressed her for an answer, she said, “Isn’t that the day Jesus died?”

Obviously, her answer revealed her ignorance - but in one sense the Japanese woman was exactly right. When Jesus left heaven He knew that one day cold, pointed nails would pierce the newborn flesh He occupied.

If you were to read the first 3 chapters of the bible you would get good sense of How good looks at humanity

You are not a mistake…but instead you were created by God

Now that statement has come under much scrutiny in our modern culture…but in literally every other scenario where are quick to acknowledge a creator

So here’s John saying to these greek who longed to make sense of this chaotic…there is a wisdom that makes sense of the universe, He is God, and now he has drawn near to us by becoming flesh and dwelling among us...

“One author writes”

App: So this

Now that statement has come under much scrutiny in our modern culture…but in literally every other scenario where are quick to acknowledge a creator

Why is the Incarnation important?

Why did God become a human being?

Why is the Incarnation important?

The bible tells us that you are not a mistake of just some random collection of Atoms…but you have a creator

He came to pay a debt...

The bible tells us that you are not a mistake of just some random collection of Atoms…but you have a creator

Now that statement has come under much scrutiny in our modern culture…but in literally every other scenario where are quick to acknowledge a creator

Which makes sense

Illastration: Now one has ever said “Look at this wonderful chocolate cake that I grew” or “look at my brand new computer that put itself together” yet when you think about your 206 bones, and your 700 muscles and your heart that beats at 10000 times per day as it pumps about 75 gallons of blood an hour through more then 60000 miles of veins, arteries and capillaries…how could you ever think you’re some random collection of atoms....You were created

The tells us that we were created in the image of God to enjoy relationship with God to make something great on this earth

But Gen also tells about the entrance of Sin into the world

The best way to describe sin is that it’s a disease and it’s a debt

It’s a disease that eats away at us...

It came through our first parents Adam and Eve

and 2 talk about the creation... talks about the fall…where sin entered the world

You were created

They bought into the lies of the enemy

They thought they could be God

Through this Sin entered the world...

talks about the fall…where sin entered the world

Here’s the truth - THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE ARE NOT BROKEN BECAUSE OF THE WORLD…THE WORLD IS BROKEN BECAUSE OF US: Sin has overflown out of us onto the structures we have built so that we live in a broken world…all of us struggle with

Sin is the reason we are broken today in-spite of all our intellect, intentions, and resources…Sin has overflown out of us onto the structures we have built

And we all have reasons for why the world is broken “If we could just fix this”

is the reason we are broken today in-spite of all our intellect, intentions, and resources…Sin has overflown out of us onto the structures we have built

Our families, Our cities, our Government, even things that good things like The churches, sometimes law enforcement...

THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE ARE NOT BROKEN BECAUSE OF THE WORLD…THE WORLD IS BROKEN BECAUSE OF US: Sin has overflown out of us onto the structures we have built so that we live in a broken world

This is where Sin entered the world: Sin is a debt you were born into…and a disease that we all carry

in Genesis, chapter 3: Adam and Eve believed the lie that they would make better gods than God and that they could run things better than he could, and despite his goodness and his grace, they would prefer to be their own masters.

This is where Sin entered the world: Sin is a debt you were born into…and a disease that we all carry

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

rom

Sin

Sin is a debt you were born into...

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And we’re told that Sin has not only had a negative effect on the this world we live in…but its also an offense to our creator

Here is God’s final verdict as He looks at humanity - guilty

It’s damaged your relationship with your Creator

Also Sin is a debt before God..

The bible tells us that when we are born, we are born with this debt - through the sin of Adam

And we accumulate more through our own sinful action

Here is God’s final verdict as He looks at humanity - guilty

Romans 3:10–18 ESV

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Romans 3:10–18 NLT

10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” 13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.” 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “They rush to commit murder. 16 Destruction and misery always follow them. 17 They don’t know where to find peace.” 18 “They have no fear of God at all.”

This describes us as a people with striking similarity…we’re at war with each other and we’re war with God..

“Humanity has no hope to save itself, and we can’t do anything about it. There’s no ray of light, no silver lining, and no exceptions. You are guilty. I am guilty. The Pope is guilty, Billy Graham is guilty, Mother Teresa is guilty. Your grandparents are guilty. That brand new infant just born into your home is guilty. No one can stand on their own merits before God. His wrath is righteous and just.”

And tells us that the penalty of sin is death

Now you might say “A loving God would never send people to hell”

Understand God is loving, but God is perfectly just, and in order for him to be just he must judge evil

Illastration: could you imagine if there was a judge In Pomona who was letting guilty killers go without any penalty? people would be picketing outside the courthouse

Now because humanity sinned and was unable to save ourselves, we needed a representative who could be our advocate and our sacrifice and undo all that Adam had done...

Romans 5:18–19 ESV

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

And I’ll honest believe that a person won’t end up in hell because God sent them there…but rather because God is

Rom 5:18-

Matthew 20:28 ESV

28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Apostle Paul said this about Jesus

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Here’s the point: Jesus Christ came into the world to become humanity's Savior. Without His coming humanity would not have a Savior.

Romans 5:17–19 ESV

17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

2 Corinthians 5:19 ESV

19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Some people thing Jesus in the manger is cute…it’s more crucial then cute…No manger, no cross, no cross, no resurrection, no resurrection…no forgiveness…no forgiveness…to hope

We can’t

Colossians 1:22 ESV

22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

Here’s the last reason the incarnation is necessary

Here’s the point: Because of the sin we are born into, and the sin that we ourselves commit…we are guilty…and those who are guilty, and for to be fully just, he must judge the guilty…

Jesus came because God promised he would

Here’s the point: Because of the sin we are born into, and the sin that we ourselves commit…we are guilty…and those who are guilty, and for to be fully just, he must judge the guilty…

So God sent Jesus christ to earth so that we might have mediator

Did you know that roughly a quarter of the Bible was prophetic at the time it was written. Many of those prophecies specifically pointed to the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah...Throughout scripture we see God showing up to desperate people and promising a savior for this world…

”

Throughout scripture we see God showing up to desperate people and promising a savior for this world...

Throughout scripture we see God showing up to desperate people and promising a savior for this world…

So we’re sinners....we’re guilty…and the penalty to that guilt was death

Excerpt From: Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears. “Vintage Jesus.” Apple Books. Throughout scripture we see God showing up to desperate people and promising a savior for this world…

This promise spoke of a savior…who would come and undo all that sin had done....and over time thorough God’s messengers the promise become clearer and more spicific

So we’re sinners....we’re guilty…and the penalty to that guilt was death

This promise spoke of a savior…who would come and undo all that sin had done....and over time thorough God’s messengers the promise become clearer and more spicific

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

This promise spoke of a savior…who would come and undo all that sin had done....and over time thorough God’s messengers the promise become clearer and more spicific

That he would crush the head of the enemy -

That he would be a Jew -

That he would bless all the families of the earth -

He would be a descendent of King David -

He would be God Ish 9:6

That he would be humble - Ish 53:2

That he would pay for our guilt - ,

That he would be born in Bethlehem - Micha 5:2

That he would pay for our guilt - ,

That His birth would super natural…Born of a virgin - Luke 1:35

Then he came...

Then this happened…

Matthew 1:21–23 NLT

21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”

Luke

Matt

Some people don’t think the manger is important…but it’s absolutely central to the faith…because if there wasn’t a manger, their couldn’t be a cross, and if there wasn’t a cross, there could be a resurrection, and if there wasn’t a resurrection, then our sins could be paid for and we’re still dead men walking...

But the bibile tells us that God in his love sent his son Jesus christ to pay our debt and set us free from sin

but the bibile tells us that God in his love sent his son Jesus christ to pay our debt and set us free from sin

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 2:1–7 ESV

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 2:1–4 ESV

Romans 3:23–25 NLT

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,

Romans 3:23–25 NLT

luke 2:1-

Luke 2:1

And Jesus would go on to fulfill that many things that God promised about him...

And It’s

So we’ve talked about what the incarnation is, and why the incarnation needed to happen, but here’s one last question...

So we’ve answered the questions “what” and “why” and lastly…we need to ask the question “what does this means for us today”

What does the incarnation tell us about God?

rom 3:21

What does the incarnation tell us about God?

So finally, what are the simples truths that the incarnation communicates to us about God?

Through the incarnation…God showed us...

God cares about us...

The First thing that the “Incarnation” should reveal to you about God is that he loves you

John 3:16 ESV

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.

John 1:

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:9 NLT

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

1 john 3:

The First

Here’s the point - Our sin had left us in a hopeless and desperate situation…Yet God saw that, and was moved to action…He sent his son Jesus to become human with all of it’s limits and loss…all to tell you that you are loved

John 3:

Here’s the point, Our sin had left us in a hopeless and desperate situation…Yet God saw that, and was moved to action…He sent his son Jesus to become human with all of it’s limits and loss…all to tell you that you are loved

App: Some of you don’t really know what it’s like to be

One author writes, “The high and lofty One made low and helpless. The One who inhabits eternity comes to dwell in time. The One, who none can look upon and live, is delivered in a stable under the soft, indifferent gaze of cattle. The Father of all mercies puts Himself at our mercy.” App: Some of you don’t really know what it’s like to be

App: Some of you don’t really know what it’s like to be

Through the incarnation…God showed us...

We can be forgiven from our sin...

God made a way for us to be forgiven

The bible says clearly that of all the issues you will face in this life, your most important issue is that you need to be forgiven and washed clean…You can’t do that for yourself…But God made a way through His son Jesus for you know the peace that comes with a clean conscience

We avoid it

We have lots of things to distract us from thinking about it

We try to work make amends on our own

We run to a lot of things to help us forget about it

But

Though it might be uncomfortable to think about, Jesus was born so that he might die on a cross and rise again so that anyone who would place there personal faith

Though it might be uncomfortable to think about, Jesus was born so that he might die on a cross and rise again so that our guilt would be taken away and anyone who would place there personal faith in him would know His peace

John 14:27 NLT

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

A story that reveals this is the story of the Jesus paralyzed man in

For the restless soul

App: The reason Jesus came to earth was so you would know the freedom of forgivness

Guilt is a haunting thing

App: If you are restless, and without peace God demonstrated through the

We try to bury it, forget about it, or we to be good enough to work it off ourselves...

Jesus is the only way to experience true peace and forgiveness

Through the incarnation…God showed us...

True peace is available...

God made a way for us to have peace...

Let’s think about this as a country

Since the United States was founded in 1776, she has been at war during 214 out of her 235 calendar years of existence. In other words, there were only 21 calendar years in which the U.S. did not wage any wars.

To put this in perspective: Pick any year since 1776 and there is about a 91% chance that America was involved in some war during that calendar year.

for all the peace summits, all the promises made, all the rallies…their peace hasn’t come…it’s always off in the distance

Here’s the point: The reason for the wars out there is because of the wars we fight in here…the heart - The enemies of pride, shame, rage…these enemies can’t be fully defeated by anyone but Jesus

John 14:27 ESV

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

App: if you need peace your gonna need to go to the source…the prince of peace

Through the incarnation…God showed us...

What true humility looks like...

“One author writes”

What true humility looks like...

Jesus is the greatest of all Kings

The incarnation tells us something really special about Jesus…He’s a different kind of king…He is a humble king…this is seen in the fact that Jesus came down for us

App: He’s the great example for us to follow

App: He’s offered the great invitation

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28 ESV

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Through the incarnation…God showed us that

God keeps his promises...

God keeps his promises

Jesus is the greatest King

2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT

20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

2 cor

App: Maybe you have trust issues...

You can trust God....and because he said that Jesus would come…and Jesus did come…and he would take our sins to the cross…and rise on the 3rd day…and through personal faith in him…He will change your life

Love Came down

What is the Incarnation?

Flesh

Why did Jesus do it?

To reveal God to us even more

To save us from our sins

Jesus came to bring salvation into the world

Why did God become a human being?

Why is the Incarnation important?

Why is the Incarnation important?

He came to pay a debt...

Jesus came because God promised he would

What does the incarnation tell us about God?

​

What does the incarnation tell us about God?

God cares about us...

We can be forgiven from our sin...

God made a way for us to be forgiven

True peace is available...

God made a way for us to have peace...

What true humility looks like...

What true humility looks like...

Jesus is the greatest of all Kings

God keeps his promises...

God keeps his promises

Jesus is the greatest King