Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
This sermon explores the divine manifestation, motivation, and magnitude of Jesus's sacrifice, urging believers to embrace the hope, peace, and glory found in Christ.
Good morning, dear family of faith. It’s a beautiful day that the Lord has made, and we are here to rejoice and be glad in it. We are here to gather in His name, to share in His Word, and to find nourishment for our souls. We are here to seek His face, to hear His voice, and to understand His heart. We are here, not by accident, but by divine appointment, to encounter the Living Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, in a fresh and life-giving way.
Let me share with you a quote from the esteemed theologian, J.I. Packer, who once said, "The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity - hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory - because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross." This profound thought encapsulates the essence of what we are about to consider today.
A. The Word has become flesh. The Word becoming flesh can be hard to understand. But in a very simply way, that phrase is talking about God revealing Himself to us in a way that we can understand and relate to. It's about God making Himself known to us, not just through words or ideas, but through a person, through a life, through a relationship. God showed us who He is, what He is like, and how much He loves us. He entered into our world, into our lives, into our joys and sorrows, into our hopes and fears, into our dreams and disappointments.
B. What this means for our lives. It means that we are not alone in this world, that we are not left to our own devices, that we are not abandoned to our own fate. We have a God who cares for us, who understands us, who empathizes with us, who stands with us, who fights for us, who suffers with us, who rejoices with us, who weeps with us, who loves us. God is not distant and detached, but close and involved, not indifferent and aloof, but passionate and personal, not cold and impersonal, but warm and intimate.
C. What this means for our understanding of God. It means that God is not just a concept or a category, but a person and a presence. He is our father and friend, companion and a comforter. He is not just a ruler or a judge, but a redeemer and a savior. It means that God is not just a master or a monarch, but a mentor and a model.
D. What this means for our relationship with God. It means that our relationship with God is not just a duty or a discipline, but a delight and a desire. We have a privilege and a pleasure to be in a relationship with God. It is no burden!
E. What this means for our advancement of the Kingdom of God. It means that our mission is not just to proclaim a message, but to demonstrate a life. To both teach truth and embody love. Our mission is not just to spread and live the gospel! It means that our mission is not just to convert a world, but to serve a world, to heal a world, to bless a world, to love a world.
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