Christmas Turns the World Upside Down

Read

John 1:1–5 (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. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Opening Prayer

A Common Thread

In our culture today, there seems to be a thriving motto.

This motto is beyond being underlying unspoken motto..

And has become a spoken motto, as well.

I think if it was summarized in a statement it would sound something like this...

We have no ultimate purpose, so party hard.

It’s a motto that entails these sorts of ideas:

Do what feels good.

Follow your heart.

Don’t let anyone tell you what to do.

Don’t let anyone stop you from making your dreams come true.

Don’t worry about consequences.

You don’t have long, just do it.

This life is it. Your only chance at living to the extreme.

It’s a view of life that makes living arbitrary, purposeless.

I guess the only purpose is to do what you want for as long as you can because when you die its over.

Which is no ultimate purpose.

Well, in the days that Christ walked the earth there was a very similar mindset.

While arguing for the truth of the resurrection, Paul put the philosophy of the day like this...

1 Corinthians 15:32 (ESV)

32 ...If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

IOW, the resurrection argues against the worldly philosophy of the NT days.

That philosophy being the same as our culture’s worldly philosophy.

Don’t worry about anything but satisfying the flesh...

And living today to the fullest, no matter the consequences...

Because, in this worldly philosophy, consequences are minimal and temporary.

The NT cultural philosophy is the same as today...

You have no ultimate purpose.

So, we have our secular culture has a common thread with the secular culture of Jesus’ day.

It was a view of life that had no purpose.

There were and are whole schools of thought that just came up with the conclusion...

Since, there are no answers...

The only thing to do is have a good time, party hearty.

One of those NT schools of thought were the Epicureans...

You’ll remember them from Paul’s time at the Areopagus...

In which Paul addressed their statue that said “To the Unknown God.”

Right. It’s all unknown. Party hard.

No consequences, because there’s no purpose to life.

The Incarnation Turns this Worldview Upside Down

Let’s look at the passage again...

John 1:1–5 (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. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Greek word logos is translated here as “Word.”

The word logos can be translated logic...

But the meaning is not the form of logic that we think about.

The Greek meaning behind the word logos was what the philosophers discuss and argue about throughout the history of mankind.

That ongoing discussion is the purpose of life.

v1. In the beginning was the reason of life…God.

Later in...

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.

And the reason for life became flesh.

Jesus is the embodiment of the reason for life...

And, He lives out that reason to perfection.

When John says we have seen His glory...

An aspect of that glory is a life of sinless perfection.

Full, perfect obedience to God.

The same glory that we all fall short of...

Jesus did not.

Jesus is the full revelation of God.

And, His incarnation reveals, in a way that cannot be ignored, that there is real purpose for life.

Your life matters, not just in this life, but eternally.

To who? God.

John 3:16 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he [sent] gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

God has revealed Himself in order to set you free from the false systems of meaninglessness...

To show you your purpose and the glorious nature of your design...

And, how there is pleasure forevermore in God’s will for your life.

What We Celebrate at Christmas is the Gift of Knowing the Purpose of Life and the Ability to Live Life to its Fullest.

This was accomplished by the incarnation of the Savior of the world...

Jesus Christ.

This is what we celebrate, with special emphasis, during this season of Christmas.

Christ’s perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection...

Is the work Jesus completed so that we could be delivered from false systems of belief...

And placed into the kingdom of God.

Only through faith in Jesus can one truly live.

So, this Christmas and every day...

We need to celebrate the truth that life has purpose...

And the purpose is joy forevermore...

And, that joy is found in Jesus Christ...

And the redemption that we find in Him.

Merry Christmas is like saying Rejoice that we have Purpose in Life...

And that purpose is found in Jesus.

Closing Prayer