And The Word Became Flesh

"AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH!" Spring Valley Mennonite; December 20, 2020; Hebrews 1:1-2; John 3:16; 1 John 3:8 The wonder of Christmas! What a special time of year! Christmas is often referred to as a time of wonder. A popular Christmas song speaks of walking in a "Winter Wonderland" speaking of how snow transforms a landscape. I have always thought that the person who wrote that song didn't have to do chores in the frozen slush! "To wonder" is to admit a bit of mystery to something-to admit there's something we can't quite figure out. To wonder is to feel curiosity about something. As we turn our thoughts to that first Christmas, there is much which causes us to wonder. Max Lucato speaks of "peeking through the knotholes" of God's will where we can only see parts of the whole. The "white space" between the verses of scripture leaves much room for speculation and "wondering". For example, in the Christmas account--- I. WE WONDER ABOUT... Things like--the star of Bethlehem: Do you realize that it didn't shine over the stable, but later appeared when the Magi came? Anyhow, what kind of cosmic phenomenon moves and comes to stand over a particular house? How old were Mary and Joseph? We wonder about whether Mary rode on a donkey to Bethlehem or had to walk (the scriptures are silent). What was the stable like? Was it cave-like or was it a wooden structure? Was Joseph as flustered and helpless as most dads are during the birthing process? Did anyone check out the story of the shepherds and go to the stable to visit the newborn child? How many Wise Men were there? Tradition says three, and there were three gifts, but again, scripture is silent. Did Joseph take his carpenter tools with him to Bethlehem, and did he practice his trade in Egypt to support the family? We wonder about God's plan as it unfolded taking the holy family from Nazareth to Bethlehem and then on to Egypt. But then again, perhaps one of the greatest lessons in life can be learned from how God worked in the lives of Joseph and Mary, for how often do we find that God's plan for our lives takes turns that we didn't expect? Now, Joseph and Mary knew the faith adventure of following God's leading. To them, God revealed His will one step at a time, just as He does for us. But even though they wondered about how it all was going to work out, in the face of uncertainty, they simply obeyed. There is a lesson there, too. While there are many details of Jesus' birth which make us wonder, the greatest mystery of the incarnation lies in trying to understand the depths of the great love and plan of God which made the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, willingly take on human flesh to become the God/man for the rest of eternity. Why did God become man? II. WHY DID GOD BECOME MAN? We tread on thin ice when we begin asking "why" questions of God. For the most part, the Bible answers questions of "Who, what, when and where". But on most questions beginning with "why" God has been pleased to remain silent. This is like when a small child keeps asking his parent "why"? Some things are simply beyond the understanding of small children. We often ask God "why?" questions about events in our lives: for instance, "Why does misfortune come into the lives of God's children?" Wasn't that a probable question Joseph and Mary asked when they had to flee Bethlehem in the middle of the night to escape the murderous jealousy of Herod? When we ask "why?" of God, most often our Heavenly Father simply answers, "Trust Me". But in His Word, God has given us insight into the "whys" of the Son becoming man, for this "why" is crucial for us to understand. In Hebrews 1:1-2, we read: "God, after he spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world." (pause...) "In these last days, God has spoken to us in His Son". At the time of Jesus' birth, God had remained silent for over 400 years since He had spoken through the Prophet Malachi. The Gospel of John tells us that God personally stepped into human history and The "Word became flesh and dwelt among us." Jesus, the Living Word, was born. John goes on to tell us, "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." In John's Gospel, the term "word" (as in 'the Word became flesh') has the meaning of "divine communication." God the Son became a man to clearly explain what God is like. You wonder what God is really like? The Bible is the ONLY reliable source about God! In the Bible we find the only reliable and trustworthy account about Jesus. We are to look at Jesus, His words and His life! Look at what was-and what was NOT important to Him, for that tells us much about God. For instance, the shepherds and stable tell us God isn't impressed by much of what we consider important. Jesus did not live an affluent or "well-to-do" lifestyle. His parents were humble, common, and what we could call "blue collar" people. When the customary sacrifice was offered in the Temple for Jesus' birth, the offering was two turtle doves-the offering of those with limited means, rather than the more expensive lamb. Jesus trained and worked as a carpenter for most of His life, and after He began His ministry, He lived serving others, saying "He who would be great in God's kingdom must be the servant of all." Jesus demonstrated God's love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." In Jesus we observe love, mercy, compassion, and grace extended toward sinners. This is what God is like. Jesus came to communicate what God is like. A second reason why Jesus became man is seen in 1 John 3:8, "The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil." What a promise! This purpose fits with God's promise that the seed of woman would inflict a fatal blow to the devil. Satan has never created anything except chaos and disorder; he seeks only to destroy. But what Satan has destroyed through sin, Jesus came to restore. He came to mend broken lives. Jesus brings wholeness to lives which have been destroyed by sin. Where sin has destroyed harmony with God, Jesus came to put us back in tune. I have told before the story about a letter sent from a sheepherder in Wyoming to Toscanini, then the principle conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In essence, the sheepherder wrote: "Dear Mr. Toscanini, Each Sunday night I enjoy listening to you conducting the orchestra in New York City. It's awfully lonely out here with nobody to talk to. My only comfort is my battery radio and my old fiddle. Winter is coming and then I won't be able to get into town. I'm afraid my batteries will be dead by spring. This means that soon my only comfort will be my old fiddle. However, it desperately needs a tuning. Would you be so kind as to sound the note "A" next Sunday night so I can be sure that my fiddle is up to standard pitch? Thank you." Toscanini's announcer read this letter over the radio the following Sunday, and then said: "Now ladies and gentlemen, for our sheepherder friend in Wyoming, here is the note of "A". The pianist sounded the note and thousands of listeners visualized what was happening over 2000 miles away-a lonely man, fiddle under his chin, busily tuning four strings to match the pitch being sounded in New York City." Over 2000 years ago a note was sounded from heaven, a note of love which could restore harmony to out-of-tune lives; lives whose strings had gone badly out of tune and thus were unable to play in harmony with the Divine Conductor. From heaven came the pure tone by which men may tune their lives. Jesus came to destroy the disharmony which is the work of the devil. He does that right here and right now, perhaps He wishes to do so for you this morning. The third reason of the incarnation is that, as a man, Jesus came to die. This is difficult to think about at Christmas, but that tiny, innocent, dependent baby in the manger was to be the Savior on the Cross. John the Baptist called Jesus "The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Throughout the Old Testament, sacrifices were required of the people to cover their sins. But the blood of animals could not remove the sin, only cover it. Then Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice, "God's Lamb" and He died to pay the penalty for our sin. The old sacrificial system was done away with after Jesus perfectly fulfilled its requirements. In the book of Revelation, there is a scene in heaven when a song is sung to Jesus as He begins to open the scroll of Judgment. The song has these words: "Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou was slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation." Without the death of Jesus, without the shedding of the blood of the perfect Lamb of God, we would have no hope of the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus became a man; He took on human flesh so that He could die for our sins. You see, God cannot die; but a human can. And through the shedding of His blood and giving His life, He redeemed mankind from their sins. I will say more about the results of Jesus' death in a moment. A fourth reason Jesus came to was to establish His rule and reign over the earth. He came into the world as the God/man to fulfill the Covenant made with King David. In Luke 1, Gabriel's words to Mary were that her Son would be given the throne of His ancestor David, and that Jesus would reign over the house of Jacob forever, and that His kingdom would have no end. It took a man to be the descendant of David. Jesus, through His incarnation, became that Man. But before this kingdom could be established, man first had to be redeemed. The King had to die before He could reign. At His Second Advent-His second coming, He will return to earth as the triumphant King over all. He will rule from the throne of David. Because Jesus was born as a baby in Bethlehem, the implications to us are staggering! (This is the "SO WHAT" of this message!) The implications are enormously life changing! Allow me to suggest to you three of these important implications: III. THREE IMPLICATIONS OF THE INCARNATION The first of these implications is that each one of us is incredibly special. I once read an editorial in which the author was complaining that mankind was being incredibly arrogant in supposing that human beings were the highest order of life. His premise was that all life was sacred and all life forms were on an equal plane. The incarnation answers such foolish ideas, for God chose to exalt and supremely honor humanity by joining with human flesh-by becoming a man. The Creator-the Eternal Son-took on human flesh and became a man. And understand when Jesus was raised from the dead, He retained His human body, and will do so for all eternity! Jesus Christ not only became man for the period of His earthly ministry, but He retains His unique status of the God/man throughout eternity. That idea staggers the imagination! That means that we are extremely special and valuable to God. If you ever have doubts whether you are important to God, just meditate on the fact that God the Son took on human flesh to redeem you! You are special to God! The value of something is determined by its cost. A second implication of the incarnation is that we are supremely loved. John 3:16 states this clearly: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrated His love in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." I John 3:1: "Behold, what manner of love the Father has given upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..." For Jesus to leave the glories of heaven and condescend to become a man, and subject Himself to the restrictions of human needs and limitations, as well as to subject Himself to be ignored, ridiculed, lied about, tortured and put to death-this took a caliber of love that we can barely imagine. This is indeed a wondrous thing! To feel loved and cherished is one of the most basic of human needs, for God planted it within us. Do you ever feel neglected and unloved? Do you ever feel like nobody cares? Jesus said, "I love you so much, I tell you what I'm going to do: I'm going to die so that you can live forever surrounded by My love." And while we may at times feel unloved, realize the fact is that God loves you with an everlasting love, and He yearns for you to experience that love. I mentioned this a moment ago, but I want to bring it up again because of its supreme importance: a third implication of the incarnation is that we now have the potential to establish a relationship with God on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to earth, He came to establish a bridge between God and man. Sin had created a chasm, a great separation between a holy God and a sinful man. Jesus bridged that gap as He became our substitute. Jesus' death and resurrection makes possible a relationship between God and man. Now we all have a choice whether we will accept forgiveness for our sins or not. All mankind is potentially redeemed. We need only to accept the free gift of eternal life. Suppose your husband or wife or parent gives you a very valuable Christmas gift. They wrap it very beautifully and place it under the tree. They see you open all the other presents that have come from various relatives and friends, but you leave that special gift that your loved one has given you under the tree and you don't open it. You don't even seem care about it. Christmas comes and goes. The tree is taken down and thrown away, and the gift still sits there, unopened. New Year's Day comes and goes, and the gift remains unopened. Easter comes and goes. The paper begins to fade with age. And you have never opened that special gift that been purchased and given to you in love. You say, "How unthinkable! How inconsiderate! How heartless not to open a gift a loved one gives to you." But think of God's gift. Think of God hanging His priceless gift on the tree of Calvary. This gift, purchased with the most valuable currency in existence, is the gift of eternal life, forgiveness of sin, and peace with God. And all we must do is reach out and take and open the gift, accepting what God is given. There might be hearing this message that has never opened that gift that God offers. Is this the day you will accept the new life that Jesus made possible? You will never understand the true joy of Christmas, the true wonder of Christmas until you open the gift God offers. And that might be the greatest wonder of all: that someone would be offered the gift of eternal life and rejected it. May that not be true for anyone hearing these words, for you will wonder throughout all eternity why you did not open God's gift of eternal life. 6