Sunday, December 4, 2011

Christmas: When God Put On Flesh

John 1:1-14
No matter how many times you hear the Christmas story it never grows old.  Time has not tarnished the story.  It is the story of good news!  But good news seldom makes the headlines.  
John’s gospel does not give us as many details regarding the Christmas story as Matthew and Luke do. John simply says, "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."  The Christmas story is when God put on flesh so He could live among us.
Two great truths are revealed in John's prologue concerning the Christ of Christmas.
  1. I. The Christ of Christmas Is Undeniably Divine. John 1:1-2
John's emphasizes the pre-existence of Jesus.  He writes, In the beginning was the Word.”  
  • was speaks of timeless existence.  
  • the Word was with Godspeaks  of equality and intimacy.  
  • the Word was Godmeans the pre-existent Word was fully divine, He was God.
Jesus declares in John 8:58 “Before Abraham was born, I am.”
He also said in John 17:5 “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”
The good news for us today is that the Christ of Christmas is capable of meeting every need in your life.
  1. II. The Christ of Christmas Is Undeniably Human. John 1:14
The uniqueness of John’s Christmas story is declared in verse 14.  He says, And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”  John announces that the eternal Word, God Himself, put on flesh.
  • becamespeaks of an action that occurred at a point in time.  
  • The manger scene affirms that at a point in time the eternal Word, God Himself, put on flesh.
To the Philippian church, Paul writes, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human  likeness.”
The good news for us today is that the Christ of Christmas was willing to put on flesh for us so that we might have eternal life.  

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