The Incarnation

The True Miracle and Meaning of Christmas

John 1:1-14

I.      Introduction (John 1:14)

 

A.                According to John 1, the true miracle, and meaning of Christmas was:

 

1.     Not a virgin conceiving a child by the Holy Ghost a great miracle

2.     Not an angelic announcement to shepherds at His birth - miracle

3.     Not a baby in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes - miracle

4.     Not the gifts brought to Him from the Wise men - though miracle

 

B.    The Real miracle of Christmas was IN that baby Himself - If we could get a hold of this, it would transform our homes, and community!

C.                ‘Incarnation’ doesn’t mean “Trees, gifts, Santa and stockings”. It means “GOD WITH US” - “God in Flesh”. Now THAT was a miracle!

D.    But so what? What does that mean? It means everything, both to God, and to this lost and dying world! Let’s take just a moment and see for ourselves from John 1, what the miracle of Christmas really means!

 

II.    Message - The Incarnation (John 1:1-14)

 

A.    The WORD (1:1-5) The WORD is:

 

1.     The Word is W’hat God Is (1:1,2) - He is the “I AM”, the “all holy One”, the “all powerful One”

2.     The Word is God’s O’racle - What God Said (1:3)

3.     The Word is Life’s R’eality - What Life Is (1:4)

4.     The Word is God’s D’esire that we could know Him (1:5)

 

B.    Became FLESH (1:10-14) What the WORD became:

 

1.     As Flesh, He came F’or Us (1:10,29) - We could do nothing for Him, and merited none of His love - we needed Him!

2.     As Flesh, He became L’ike Us (1:10,14) - Dwelt among us. Lived like us, hungered, and hurt like us. Felt like us. Tempted like us. He was truly LIKE us - except without any sin! Amen!

3.     As Flesh, He was E’asily Misunderstood (1:5,10,11) - people comprehended Him not - didn’t, and still don’t understand Him!

4.     As Flesh, He S’ubstituted Himself in Our Place (1:12) - Since no man could be perfect, and since no man could earn heaven, God came and paid the price for our sin, personally on the cross! Only a perfect sacrifice could be accepted by an all holy God! Jesus was

5.     As the Living Saviour, He H’umbly Waits to Save (1:12) - His death was not in vain - He waits even now, ready to save the sinner who would cry out to Him by faith in His perfect and final death, burial and resurrection! He waits to save someone here today! Repent of your sinfulness, and receive Christ as Saviour!