Christ At Christmas - The Greatest Gift Of All Series

Christ At Christmas - The Greatest Gift Of All

Our text for today consists of one verse – it is found in John chapter one and verse fourteen. Please follow along with me as I read:

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NASV)

Up to this point in John chapter one – he has been describing the glory of God. John has told us that God has always existed. He said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (verses 1-2) John also told us that God is the creator of all things when he said, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (verse 3) John then tells us that our reason for existence and our purpose for living can only be found in God Himself when he said, “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men." (verse 4) Then he shocks us by saying:

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NASV)

That which is eternal – ever lasting – has become human. That which is all powerful and all mighty has taken on flesh and bone. That which is infinite has become vulnerable. He who was above all human frailty – became fragile. He who was the creator of all flesh – became flesh Himself and dwelt among men. This is what we as Christians call: “The Incarnation”. God becomes flesh – He takes on human form and lives among humans. Not as one would put on a costume or a set of clothes. He actually becomes human – completely – totally human. The Bible says, “The Word BECAME flesh”. God becomes as human as you or I – yet with no faults – no defects – no sin. He becomes human – to save humans. The one we are talking about of course is Jesus Christ.

Every year at Christmas time – Christians celebrate the birth of Christ – God becoming flesh – the incarnation of Christ – the human birth of the son of God. Isaiah spoke of this event when he said:

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NASV)

(NOTE: I have a series of four sermons on sermon central from Isaiah 9:6 that I preached for Christmas 2007.)

Isaiah had already told us in chapter seven verse fourteen:

“Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 (NASV)

The name “Immanuel” in the Hebrew actually means: “God is with us” or “with us is God.” The Word became flesh and dwelt among us – he lived with us. He grew up as a human child grows up. He was born as a baby – grew up to be a child – then He became a man. He talked with people. He walked with people – He sat with them – He ate with them – He laughed with them – He cried with them. God became flesh and bone and dwelt among us – among the human race.

Why is the teaching of Christ becoming human – so important to us who are Christians? There are a number of reasons – but today I want us to focus in on two main reasons that the incarnation – Christ becoming “flesh” – is so important to us. Let’s look at the first reason:

I. The Birth Of Jesus Shows God’s LOVE For Us

As I have already stated – Jesus is God in the flesh. His nature is divine – His nature is Godly – His nature is holy. Christ has always existed – because God has always existed – but what we celebrate at Christmas is Christ becoming flesh. I know what some of you are thinking – “Pastor Tom, how can you say that Christ has always existed?” I can say that because that is what the Bible clearly teaches. Look at John chapter one and verse one with me:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2(NASV)

Go ahead and circle the word “He”. Who is the “He” that this verse is talking about? The “He” that this verse is talking about is none other than Jesus. He was in the beginning with God. He pre-existed before his birth with God the Father - before His birth as a Human.