Christmas

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We are celebrating an uncommon birthday today. Without Jesus’ birth, no birthday could give promise of future good. The Gospel gives the reason for the joy to all people of which the angels sang. Today we affirm the Word became flesh.

1.    What a profound mystery!

A.   Jesus is God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. (Vv. 1-2) 

1.    He is not merely in God or an emanation from God.

2.    He reveals God so that no one can know God except through Jesus. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. (v.18)

B.    Jesus is the creator. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  (v.3)

1.    His wisdom and might are displayed in the depths of the seas, in the heights of outer space, in the way in which we hear, see, and think.

2.    He is Lord of the universe.

C.    Yet Jesus is also a man. 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. (v.14)

1.    He was a helpless infant who developed and grew up in human fashion.

2.    He was a friend of sinners who was numbered with the transgressors. He was confronted with temptation, acquainted with sorrow. He suffered and died. He became like us, except that he was without sin. He partook of our humility in the fullest sense. It is a mystery indeed: “The Word became flesh.”

Through the incarnate Word God has something of eternal import so say to us. Here in the incarnation is god’s own testimony.

2.    What a unique testimony!

A.   God used human beings to bring His testimony to the world. 

1.    He used John the Baptist. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. (Vv.6-8)

a.    John was a fine witness.

b.    But many nevertheless rejected his testimony. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  (vv.9-11)

2.    Today God uses pastors as well as lay Christians.

3.    Are our ears open to the LORD’s testimony?

B.    The testimony is that Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth.

1.    He is full of grace toward you. You can leave your sin and burdens with Him.

2.    God is full of truth toward you. In a deceitful world, you can still rely on Him.

C.    God enables us to receive this testimony.

1.    We cannot receive it by our own powers. The light shines in the darkness, He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. (vv.5a, 10)

2.    The Spirit creates faith through the testimony about Jesus. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world…who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (Vv. 9, 13)

3.    To believe in Jesus is to be born of God.

The Word becoming flesh is an unparalleled event in the assuming of our humanity by the Son of God we see a mighty wonder and receive a saving testimony. Our birthday was the prelude to our rebirth in Baptism through which we have the joy of salvation. That joy is a reality because the Word became flesh.

Words –680
Passive Sentences – 8%
Readability – 81.9%
Reading Level – 4.2

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[1] Joy to the World, copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.