Sunday, December 10, 2017 - Before the Baby Came!
Pastor Roger C. Marcos
December 10, 2017
Delivered at North York Church of Christ
At 12pm-12:30pm
Text: John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Without, the divine plan of God, I don’t really know where WE ARE. More than, 2,000 years ago, when the prophecy, was fulfilled on Him. Did you ever wonder WHY HE CAME AS A BABY?
It would be John’s account of the Christmas story. Fourteen verses, no Joseph, no Mary, no Bethlehem, no manger, no stable, no shepherds, no wise men, no star, no angels and no baby.
Last verse, verse 14, and here is the story in four words.four words in English, four words in Greek, “The Word Became Flesh.” The Word became flesh. That is the most profound truth of all truth. That’s why we celebrate Christmas.
Do you ever find it astonishing that, of all the ways in which God could have reached us-of all the ways in which the Father could have saved humanity-He chose, in His infinite wisdom, to send a baby.
Not a man. Not an obvious Messiah. Not a solider or a king.
But an infant, helpless in so much as any infant, I have always wondered why..
Jesus was the Logos before He came to earth, He is still the Logos today, and He will always be the Logos.
Let's look the facts concerning this Word, Logos:
I. THE INCREDIBLE WORD.
A. The Word Was With God. 1-3
The Bible begins with the well-known verse:
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1
The Bible traces all beginnings to God, who is omnipresent, and is present at the creation.
John explains in his Gospel with the same startling three words -- "In the beginning" -- but introduces Jesus Christ as "the Word," as God himself, as co-Creator with the Father.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made - John 1:1-3
B. The Word is Eternal.
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched -- this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." 1 John 1:1
Jesus described Himself this way: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." - Rev. 22:13
Alpha/Omega- mean to signify God's eternity
C. The Word (Jesus) is God.
...He was with God, and he was God. - John 1:1b
Jesus was God before coming to earth, He was God, and He will always be God, according to the Scripture.
The phrase “word of God” appears often in the Bible and can have a slightly different meaning depending on context and the Hebrew or Greek word used. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” Here, Word is a title of the Lord Jesus. The term translated “Word” is logos, which basically means “the expression of a thought.” Logos can be thought of as the total message of God to man Jesus embodied that total message, and that is why He is called the “Logos,” or “Word,” of God (Colossians 1:19; 2:9).
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
D. Jesus Is Creator.
- He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn't make. - John 1:2-3
2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
- From a full reading of Scripture it would appear that the Father, Son, and Spirit were all involved in the Creation Account, but Jesus took center stage.
- Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see.Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together. - Col. 1:16-17
- Now, if I'm going to get to the rest of what I need to say today, I need to move on, but I think it is vitally important and completely relevant to understand these central facts about Who Jesus is - without them, Christmas means nothing.
II. THE ILLUMINATING WORD.
Illuminating- to supply or brighten with light; light up
Illuminate- brightened with light
intellectually or spiritually enlightened
A. Light and Life. 1:4-5
In Genesis 1:3, light is created by God's Word:
"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." (Genesis 1:3)
Indeed, light characterizes God's glory, as we'll see when we examine 1:14. In John's Gospel, Jesus, the Logos, the co-Creator, is the Bringer of Light to all humankind
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." 1:4-5
We are moving from Who Jesus is, to how Jesus wants to make Himself known to us - This great God, this eternal being, this creator of the universe, wants to introduce Himself to each and everyone of us.
Jesus is the Word that brings light to the lives of men/women.
"The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." (1 John 3:8)
B. The Purpose
- The whole purpose of Christmas is wrapped up in the fact that God wants to know you, to be in relationship with you, to save you from your condition, and to be your companion for all of eternity.
He sent John the Baptist to testify to the people about Him specifically so they might believe in Him.
"6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light." (1:6-8)
We learn from the Apostle John that John the Baptist: Is sent from God.
Is a witness to testify regarding Jesus the Light! What happen?
C. The Light Is Not Recognized or Received by All (1:9-13)
God has sent people to testify to the Light, but not all accept this testimony or receive the Light as God.
"The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world." (1:9)
But although the world was made through him, the world didn't recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. - John 1:10-11
These verses really bother me because they tell me that even though Jesus, God in the flesh, willingly came to earth for our benefit, many refused to acknowledge Him and in fact, rejected Him.
And what was true when He came is still true today - some people, for whatever reason, will not accept God's great gift of Himself.
- But there is encouragement here - because John adds, But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan-this rebirth comes from God. - John 1:12-13
- Jesus doesn't force Himself on anybody - we are free to reject Him if that is what we choose to do - but for those who accept His invitation to relationship, great benefits await - let's look at them real quickly.
- God is going to change you from the inside out - you will experience a rebirth where you are transformed into the person God has created you to be.
- All of your past is behind you, your future is certain, your purpose is now clear.
- When you accept Jesus, you might have the same name, wear the same clothes, have the same job and family, but you are not the same person you were before.
- God works the miraculous in your life and you are now one of the redeemed.
D. The WORD Became Flesh.
So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. - John 1:14
Who is the Word? Verse 1 says, “The Word was with God and the Word was God. And this Word became flesh, verse 14 says, and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory.” The Word became flesh, dwelt among us without giving up any of His glory. This is the story of Christmas.
Conclusion:
Can you see what God has done for us? He could have just given up on us and wiped us from the face of this planet - He could have not cared - but He cared enough to come to earth, and not only that, but to come for the purpose of dying in our place and then rising again from the dead.
Jesus loves you no matter who you are and no matter what you have done.
He has done everything He can to bring you back to Him.
And now, it's up to you - what will you do now that knowing Jesus is our Eternal life.