A Christmas Story in One Verse

THE WORD BECAME FLESH JOHN 1:14 LUKE 2:1–20 NOW IN THOSE DAYS A DECREE WENT OUT FROM CAESAR AUGUSTUS, THAT A CENSUS BE TAKEN OF ALL THE INHABITED EARTH. THIS WAS THE FIRST CENSUS TAKEN WHILE QUIRINIUS WAS GOVERNOR OF SYRIA. ↓ AND EVERYONE WAS ON HIS WAY TO REGISTER FOR THE CENSUS, EACH TO HIS OWN CITY. JOSEPH ALSO WENT UP FROM GALILEE, FROM THE CITY OF NAZARETH, TO JUDEA, TO THE CITY OF DAVID WHICH IS CALLED BETHLEHEM, BECAUSE HE WAS OF THE HOUSE AND FAMILY OF DAVID, ↓ IN ORDER TO REGISTER ALONG WITH MARY, WHO WAS ENGAGED TO HIM, AND WAS WITH CHILD. WHILE THEY WERE THERE, THE DAYS WERE COMPLETED FOR HER TO GIVE BIRTH. AND SHE GAVE BIRTH TO HER FIRSTBORN SON; AND SHE WRAPPED HIM IN CLOTHS, AND LAID HIM IN A MANGER, ↓ BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM IN THE INN. IN THE SAME REGION THERE WERE SOME SHEPHERDS STAYING OUT IN THE FIELDS AND KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCK BY NIGHT. AND AN ANGEL OF THE LORD SUDDENLY STOOD BEFORE THEM, ↓ AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE AROUND THEM; AND THEY WERE TERRIBLY FRIGHTENED. BUT THE ANGEL SAID TO THEM, “DO NOT BE AFRAID; FOR BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY WHICH WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE; FOR TODAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID ↓ THERE HAS BEEN BORN FOR YOU A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD. “THIS WILL BE A SIGN FOR YOU: YOU WILL FIND A BABY WRAPPED IN CLOTHS AND LYING IN A MANGER.” AND SUDDENLY THERE APPEARED WITH THE ANGEL A MULTITUDE OF THE HEAVENLY HOST PRAISING GOD AND SAYING, ↓ “GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE AMONG MEN WITH WHOM HE IS PLEASED.” WHEN THE ANGELS HAD GONE AWAY FROM THEM INTO HEAVEN, THE SHEPHERDS BEGAN SAYING TO ONE ANOTHER, “LET US GO STRAIGHT TO BETHLEHEM THEN,↓ AND SEE THIS THING THAT HAS HAPPENED WHICH THE LORD HAS MADE KNOWN TO US.” SO THEY CAME IN A HURRY AND FOUND THEIR WAY TO MARY AND JOSEPH, AND THE BABY AS HE LAY IN THE MANGER. WHEN THEY HAD SEEN THIS, ↓ THEY MADE KNOWN THE STATEMENT WHICH HAD BEEN TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS CHILD. AND ALL WHO HEARD IT WONDERED AT THE THINGS WHICH WERE TOLD THEM BY THE SHEPHERDS. BUT MARY TREASURED ALL THESE THINGS, PONDERING THEM IN HER HEART. ↓ THE SHEPHERDS WENT BACK, GLORIFYING AND PRAISING GOD FOR ALL THAT THEY HAD HEARD AND SEEN, JUST AS HAD BEEN TOLD THEM. THIS IS LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF THE •BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST… IT IS THE MOST DETAILED •DESCRIPTION IN SCRIPTURE OF THE GREATEST •EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF MAN… •WE TEND TO FOCUS ON THIS NARRATIVE •OR POSSIBLY MATTHEW’S TELLING OF CHRIST’S BIRTH BUT… THERE IS A THIRD ACCOUNT •IN SCRIPTURE OF THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT. •THIS THIRD ACCOUNT IS VERY BRIEF… •ONLY ONE VERSE… BUT IT IS VERY POWERFUL… •CONTAINING IN ONLY ONE VERSE EVERYTHING↓ WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT •THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST •THAT JESUS IS GOD COME IN HUMAN FORM •THAT HE HAS COME FROM THE FATHER •THAT HE IS FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH •WE FIND THIS THIRD ACCOUNT IN THE BOOK OF JOHN TURN TO JOHN 1:14 •JOHN BEGAN HIS GOSPEL BY SAYING •THAT THE WORD WAS WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING •AND THAT THE WORD WAS GOD.. JOHN SAID •EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS… CAME INTO BEING THROUGH THE WORD JOHN 1:14 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. THE WORD IS GOD •WHEN JOHN SAYS THE WORD HE IS TALKING ABOUT GOD… •JOHN MAKES IT REALLY CLEAR IN JOHN 1:1–3 IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD. ALL THINGS CAME INTO BEING THROUGH HIM, AND APART FROM HIM NOTHING CAME INTO BEING THAT HAS COME INTO BEING. THIS IS WHY CHRISTMAS •IS SO IMPORTANT…. •WHEN JOHN SAYS THE WORD BECAME FLESH HE IS TELLING US •GOD TOOK ON HUMAN FORM… •THAT IS HUGE.. THAT IS AMAZING… THIS IS WHY THE HEAVENLY •HOST OF ANGELS APPEAR TO THE SHEPHERDS AND PRAISE GOD… •THIS IS WHY THEY SAY… GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST.. •PEACE ON EARTH AMONG MEN WITH WHOM HE IS PLEASED… THEY ARE PRAISING GOD •AND GIVING GOD GLORY FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE… •FOR COMING IN THE FORM OF A MAN… JESUS CHRIST… •SEE, FOR THERE TO BE PEACE ON EARTH…GOD HAD TO COME AS A MAN… ONLY BY GOD COMING IN THE •FORM OF A MAN… JESUS CHRIST… •LIVING A SINLESS LIFE AND DYING ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS… •COULD THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH AMONG MEN WITH WHOM HE IS PLEASE… •THE WORD IS GOD… AND THE WORD IS JESUS….. •NOW… HOW DO WE KNOW FOR SURE •THAT JOHN IS TALKING ABOUT JESUS? •IN HIS GOSPEL JOHN IMPLIES THAT JESUS IS THE WORD… •BUT IN HIS REVELATION JOHN TELLS US STRAIGHT UP THAT JESUS IS THE WORD… REVELATION 19:13 HE IS CLOTHED WITH A ROBE DIPPED IN BLOOD, AND HIS NAME IS CALLED THE WORD OF GOD. SEE… JESUS WHO IS FULLY GOD… •HAS MANY TITLES.. HE IS THE “SON OF MAN” •HE IS THE MESSIAH, THE CHRIST, • THE LAMB OF GOD, “THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, •THE KING OF THE JEWS, THE SON OF GOD.. THE ALPHA & OMEGA WHEN JOHN CALLS JESUS THE WORD •HE IS SAYING… •THAT IN JESUS WE SEE GOD’S ULTIMATE COMMUNICATION OF THE TRUTH ABOUT HIMSELF… •THE FULNESS OF GOD… JOHN USES THIS TITLE THE WORD •BECAUSE BEING THE WORD OF SOMETHING MEANS REPRESENTING IT.. •KINDA LIKE A LOGO DOES.. WHEN I SEE THE DALLAS COWBOY’S •LOGO… THAT BLUE STAR WITH THE WHITE LINE.. •I IMMEDIATELY THINK OF ROGER STAUBACH •TOM LANDRY… TROY AIKMAN… SUPER BOWLS… •THE UNIFORMS… EVERYTHING THAT IS THE DALLAS COWBOYS. THAT IS WHAT A LOGO DOES… •IT REVEALS IN ONE IMAGE… EVERYTHING •WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT THAT LOGO STANDS FOR… •SO IN JESUS CHRIST WE HAVE THE LOGO.. THE WORD •OF GOD… THAT REVEALS EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GOD… HIS LOVE, HIS GRACE •HIS FORGIVENESS, HIS COMPASSION… •AND THIS IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD •NOT ONLY BECAME VISIBLE… •HE BECAME ONE OF US… GOD BECAME HUMAN •THAT IS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT.. •THE SAVIOR COMING INTO THE WORLD… •THAT IS WHY THE ANGEL SAY; •I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY WHICH WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE •FOR TODAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID THERE HAS BEEN BORN FOR YOU A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD… •WOW, THAT REALLY IS GOOD NEWS… IT IS THE BEST NEWS THE WORLD HAS EVER HEARD… JOHN TELLS US THAT THE WORD BECAME FLESH •HE DID NOT JUST LOOK LIKE A HUMAN •HE DID NOT JUST SOUND LIKE A HUMAN •HUMANITY WAS ADDED TO CHRIST’S DEITY. MAYBE BECAME IS NOT THE BEST •WAY TO WORD THIS… HE DID NOT STOP BEING GOD •AND BECOME A MAN… HE ADDED 100% HUMANNESS.. •TO HIS 100% GOD’NESS… JOHN USES •THE WORD FLESH… TO MEAN ALL THE FRAILTY AND WEAKNESS OF BEING •HUMAN… OUR NEED FOR FOOD… SLEEP… •SHELTER… OUR TEMPTATIONS… OUR MORTALITY… •AND THE WAY THIS IS WORDED IS AMAZING.. •WHEN JOHN WRITES THE WORD BECAME FLESH THE WAY HE WRITES BECAME… •MEANS PERMANENTLY… IRREVERSIBLY BECAME… •GOD THE SON DID NOT JUST TAKE ON HUMAN •FORM… FOR 33 YEARS… HE TOOK ON HUMAN FORM •FOR ETERNITY… HE LIVED AS ONE OF US HE DIED AS ONE OF US.. HE WAS •RESURRECTED AS ONE OF US… HE ASCENDED •TO HEAVEN AS ONE OF US… AND HE SITS •AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER AS ONE OF US… •AND ALL THIS HAD TO HAPPEN FOR GOD TO LIVE WITH US… •RIGHT AFTER TELLING US THAT THE WORD BECAME FLESH •JOHN SAYS… THE WORD DWELT AMONG US •THERE IS A CONNECTION IN THE TEXT BETWEEN •BECAME FLESH… AND DWELT AMONG US. SEE, THE ONLY WAY HE COULD •DWELL AMONG US… IS TO BECOME ONE OF US… •THIS PHRASE DWELT AMONG US LITERALLY MEANS •PITCHED HIS TENT WITH OURS… •THIS IS A REFERENCE TO GOD SAYING IN.. EXODUS 25:8 “LET THEM CONSTRUCT A SANCTUARY FOR ME, THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM.” GOD HAD TABERNACLE… OR •PITCHED A TENT AMONG THE ISRAELITES •AS THE WANDERED IN THE WILDERNESS FOR 40 YEARS •AND NOW GOD… THE WORD… BECAME FLESH •SO THAT HE COULD TABERNACLE AMONG US. WHEN JOHN SAYS.. DWELT AMONG US •US COULD MEAN ALL HUMANITY… •OR THE JEWISH PEOPLE… •IT COULD MEAN THE APOSTLES… •BUT I THINK US… IS TALKING ABOUT BELIEVERS, FOLKS WHO TRUSTED IN CHRIST.. THE LAST GROUP OF PEOPLE JOHN MENTIONED ARE IN JOHN 1:12 BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, EVEN TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME, THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL •BUT AS WE GO ALONG IT BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT.. •NOW… •I DON’T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED BUT JOHN JUST TOLD US •AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF STUFF IN JUST THE FIRST HALF↓ OF THIS ONE VERSE… HE TOLD US •THAT GOD THE SON… KNOWN AS THE WORD ADDED •HUMAN FORM TO HIS GOD NATURE| •BECAME FULLY HUMAN ALONG WITH BEING FULLY GOD… •AND LIVED WITH… PITCHED HIS TENT WITH US. THE FANCY NAME FOR THIS IS •THE INCARNATION… GOD COMING DOWN •TO OUR LEVEL… TO LIVE AS ONE OF US •THAT IS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT •THIS WAS NECESSARY… FOR US TO KNOW GOD •FOR OUR SINS TO BE PAID FOR… FOR OUR SALVATION…. IT WAS CHRISTMAS MORNING •HIS DAUGHTER AND HER FAMILY HAD COME TO VISIT •HE WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN TO PLAY WITH HIS GRANDSON •BUT THE LITTLE FELLA SAT IN HIS PLAYPEN CRYING, TEARS ROLLING DOWN HIS RED CHEEKS. HE TRIED TO COMFORT THE POOR •CHILD….IMMEDIATELY THE CHILD RAISED •HIS TINY ARMS SAYING; “OUT PA PA OUT.” •WHAT IS A GRANDPA TO DO? •HOW CAN SOMEONE RESIST THAT? •SO GRANDPA WENT OVER TO THE PLAYPEN, HE BENT OVER. HE REACHED DOWN TO LIFT HIS •LITTLE BUDDY FROM CAPTIVITY AND DISTRESS •JUST THEN "LAW AND ORDER" WALKED INTO THE ROOM. •MOMMA SAID "YOU STAY RIGHT THERE! •I'M PUNISHING YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN BAD! DAD, LEAVE HIM IN THERE!" • WHAT IS A GRANDPA TO DO? • GRANDPA BACKS OFF AND IS THINKING, •“I CAN'T LEAVE THE ROOM BECAUSE •HE WOULD FEEL LIKE I HAVE ABANDONED HIM." •WHAT IS A GRANDPA TO DO? BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? •LOVE ALWAYS FINDS A WAY. •SINCE GRANDPA COULDN'T TAKE THE LITTLE FELLA OUT OF THE PLAYPEN, •GRANDPA CLIMBED IN WITH HIM! •GRANDPA SAID "IF YOU ARE IN THE PLAYPEN BUDDY, I'M IN THE PLAYPEN TOO. •WHAT ARE YOU IN FOR? WHAT IS YOUR SENTENCE?" •THE INCARNATION, CHRISTMAS… GOD BECOMING MAN •IS GOD GETTING RIGHT DOWN HERE WITH US. •CLIMBING INTO THE PLAYPEN.. AS IT WERE. JOINING US IN THIS WORLD •UNDERSTANDING OUR SUFFERING •UNDERSTANDING OUR TEMPTATIONS… •LIVING LIFE WITH US… OUT OF LOVE FOR US. •CHRISTMAS IS GOD HUMBLING HIMSELF BY BECOMING HUMAN JOHN 1:14 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. BEHOLD JESUS…. •WHEN JOHN SAYS WE SAW THAT WE IS THE SAME •AS THE US HE IS DWELLING AMONG…. •AND THAT WE JUST CAN’T MEAN THE WHOLE WORLD… •AND IT JUST CAN’T MEAN THE JEWS.. CAUSE THOSE PEOPLE DID NOT SEE •HIS GLORY… THIS IS ANOTHER REASON •I THINK THE US AND THE WE… MEANS •ALL WHO RECEIVED OR BELIEVED IN CHRIST. •JESUS WILL MENTION THIS IDEA LATER IN JOHN’S GOSPEL JOHN 6:40 “FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF MY FATHER, THAT EVERYONE WHO BEHOLDS THE SON AND BELIEVES IN HIM WILL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND I MYSELF WILL RAISE HIM UP ON THE LAST DAY.” AND JOHN USES THE EXACT SAME •WORD FOR SAW IN JOHN 1:14 THAT HE USES FOR •BEHOLD… IN JOHN 6:40… THIS WORD •MEANS MORE THAN JUST TO VISUALLY LOOK AT •IT MEANS… TO OBSERVE DEEPLY.. TO CONCENTRATE ON THIS WORD IS ONLY USED OF •GREAT AND IMPORTANT THINGS •AND IT GENERALLY HAS THE IDEA OF WONDER •AND ADMIRATION… WHEN YOU BEHOLD SOMETHING •IT IS A BIG DEAL… YOU DON’T JUST LOOK AT IT. AND JOHN SAYS WE SAW… •OR BEHELD THE GLORY OF THE WORD.. •AND THE ONLY WAY WE COULD DO THIS IS •BY HIM BECOMING FLESH… AND DWELLING AMONG US •THIS ALLOWED US TO TAKE A GOOD LONG LOOK TO CONTEMPLATE HOW HE LIVED.. •TO REST UPON HIS WORDS AND ACTIONS…. •THOSE WHO SAW HIM IN PERSON DID THIS DURING HIS LIFE ON EARTH…. •AND THOSE WHO HAVE READ THE BIBLE •FOR THE LAST 2000 YEARS HAVE DONE THIS…. AND WHEN WE SEE HIS GLORY •WE ARE SEEING THE SAME GLORY THE HEAVENLY HOST SANG ABOUT ON THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS NIGHT IN BETHLEHEM. •AND WHEN WE SEE HIS THIS GLORY •WE BEHOLD AMAZING THINGS.. •THE THING FIRST JOHN TELLS US ABOUT CHRIST IS THAT HE IS UNIQUE.. THAT PHRASE ONLY BEGOTTEN •LITERALLY MEANS THE UNIQUE ONE •OR ONE OF A KIND… AS IN THERE IS NO OTHER LIKE HIM.. •AND THIS IS CERTAINLY TRUE OF CHRIST. •HE IS FULLY GOD AND FULLY MAN.. •THAT IS UTTERLY UNIQUE HE LIVED A SINLESS LIFE… •THAT IS UNIQUE… HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD •AFTER THREE DAYS… THAT IS UNIQUE… •MOHMED IS NOT LIKE CHRIST.. BUDDHA IS NOT LIKE CHRIST •KRISHNA IS NOT LIKE CHRIST… THERE NEVER HAS BEEN NOR WILL •THERE EVER BE ANYONE LIKE CHRIST.. HE IS UNIQUE… •ONE OF A KIND… AND THAT IS PART OF HIS GLORY… •THE NEXT THING JOHN TELLS US ABOUT CHRIST’S GLORY •IS THAT HE IS FROM THE FATHER…. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND •WHAT THIS MEANS… TO BE “FROM THE FATHER” •THIS IS NOT TALKING ABOUT GOD CREATING JESUS •THIS IS TALKING ABOUT JESUS CHRIST BEING •SENT BY THE FATHER… JOHN 8:42 JESUS SAID TO THEM, “IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER, YOU WOULD LOVE ME, FOR I PROCEEDED FORTH AND HAVE COME FROM GOD, FOR I HAVE NOT EVEN COME ON MY OWN INITIATIVE, BUT HE SENT ME. TO HAVE GLORY IS TO BE OF GREAT VALUE.. •GREAT IMPORTANCE.. AND ONE •OF THE THINGS THAT GIVE JESUS GREAT VALUE •GREAT IMPORTANCE.. IS THAT HE WAS SENT ↓ BY THE FATHER… •JESUS DID NOT COME ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE •GOD THE FATHER SENT HIM… THIS INCREASES •CHRIST’S GLORY… HE IS THE UNIQUE ONE SENT BY THE FATHER… •BUT JOHN IS NOT DONE YET… HE ADDS TWO MORE THINGS •ABOUT THE GLORY WE BEHELD… •FIRST HE SAYS THAT PART OF CHRIST’S GLORY •WAS THAT HE WAS FULL OF GRACE.. •NOW… GRACE IS UNMERITED FAVOR THAT MEANS GETTING MUCH MORE •THAN YOU DESERVE… MORE THAN YOU EARNED.. •TO BE FULL OF GRACE… MEANS THAT •ALL THE THINGS CHRIST SAID AND DID… •DISPLAYED KINDNESS… CARE… LOVING CONCERN↓ TO PEOPLE THAT DID NOT DESERVE •KINDNESS… CARE… AND LOVING CONCERN… •TO BE FULL OF GRACE… MEANS THAT YOU SHOW GRACE •IN EVERYTHING YOU DO OR SAY… •AND THIS FULLNESS OF GRACE WAS PART OF CHRIST’S GLORY… WE BEHOLD THE FULLNESS OF •HIS GRACE WHEN WE READ OF HIS HEALING THE LAME, THE BLIND, AND THE SICK.. •WE BEHOLD THE FULLNESS OF HIS GRACE WHEN WE READ •OF HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS THAT PAID FOR OUR SINS… WE BEHOLD THE FULLNESS OF •HIS GRACE WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE TRUST •IN JESUS CHRIST FOR THEIR SALVATION… •THE FULLNESS OF HIS GRACE IS WHY OUR SINS •HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN…IT IS HOW WE CAN↓ BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD….. •JOHN HAS SAID CHRIST’S GLORY IS HIS UNIQUENESS, •HIS GLORY IS BECAUSE HE IS SENT FROM THE FATHER •HIS GLORY IS BECAUSE HE IS FULL OF GRACE… •NOW JOHN WILL ADD THAT CHRIST’S GLORY IS BECAUSE HE IS FULL OF TRUTH... •THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO VIEW THIS IDEA OF TRUTH •ONE IS THAT JESUS NEVER LIES… HE ACCURATELY •REPRESENTS REALITY…. HE TELLS IT LIKE IT IS.. •TO BE FULL OF TRUTH… WOULD MEAN TO↓ DO AND SAY ONLY THINGS THAT ARE •ACCURATE… TO NOT LIE BY WORD OR DEED…. •AND THIS IS CERTAINLY A GOOD DESCRIPTION •OF JESUS… HE NEVER LIED BY WORDS OR ACTIONS.. •BUT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO SEE FULL OF TRUTH TO BE FULL OF TRUTH CAN ALSO •MEAN TO BE TOTALLY FAITHFUL… TO ALWAYS DO •WHAT YOU HAVE SAID YOU WILL DO.. •ONE WHO IS FULL OF TRUTH LIVES A LIFE •THAT DISPLAYS THIS FAITHFULNESS •A LIFE FOCUSED ON FAITHFULLY SERVING OTHERS… CERTAINLY, THIS IS TRUE OF JESUS.. •HE LIVED A LIFE THAT WAS FULL OF FAITHFULNESS •HE WAS FAITHFUL TO THE FATHER… ALWAYS DOING •THE FATHERS WILL AND NOT HIS OWN •HE FAITHFULLY DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS THE AMAZING THING HERE… IS THAT •BOTH WAYS TO UNDERSTAND FULL OF TRUTH •APPLY TO JESUS.. AND INCREASE HIS GLORY.. •THE THINGS HE SAYS AND DOES ARE ACCURATE •AND TRUTHFUL… HE IS FAITHFUL ↓ IN ALL THAT HE DOES AND SAYS… •WHEN WE REMEMBER CHRIST’S GLORY AT CHRISTMAS •WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE THINK OF HIM •AS THE UNIQUE ONE… LIKE NO OTHER •SENT FROM THE FATHER… WHO DISPLAYED THE FULLNESS OF HIS •GRACE IN ALL THAT HE DID AND SAID.. •WHO WAS TRUTHFUL IN ALL HIS WORDS AND ACTIONS… •WHO FAITHFULLY DID THE FATHERS WILL WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS. TO GIVE SOMETHING GLORY IS •ASCRIBE TO IT THE HIGHEST VALUE. •TO CONSIDER IT TO HAVE THE GREATEST WORTH. •THEREFORE, WE CAN ONLY GIVE GLORY TO ONE THING AT A TIME. •ONLY ONE THING CAN BE OF THE HIGHEST VALUE, ONLY ONE THING CAN HAVE •THE GREATEST WORTH. •CHARLES SPURGEON ONCE SAID— •"YOU WILL NEVER GLORY IN GOD TILL FIRST OF ALL GOD HAS KILLED YOUR GLORYING IN YOURSELF.” AT THIS TIME OF YEAR WE NEED •TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT GLORIFYING IN OUR SELVES…. •THAT WE DON’T MAKE CHRISTMAS ABOUT US…. •ABOUT THE FOOD… THE GIFTS… THE LIGHTS •CHRISTMAS NEEDS TO BE ABOUT CHRIST… AND HIS GLORY…. AND ONE WAY WE CAN DO THIS •IS TO REMEMBER JOHN’S WORDS… •HIS ACCOUNT OF THE CHRISTMAS STORY •IT IS NOT VERY LONG… IT IS EASY TO REMEMBER •BUT IT TELLS THE FULL STORY OF CHRISTMAS… JOHN 1:14 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. IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO HAS •NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVOIR… •IN A MOMENT I AM GOING TO PRAY… •AND WE ARE GOING TO SING A SONG.. •DURING THAT SONG I WOULD INVITE YOU TO COME UP…