More Than A Baby

Credit:

Many of the ideas came straight from John MacArthur’s sermon, probably even uncited quotes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXzIKQ-OTXc – I chopped it up a lot, but not all of the sermon is original.

I also stole some from the intro of this sermoncentral sermon for my intro and conclusion. Also some of it is word for word. Nothing personal and no stories.

https://sermoncentral.com/sermons/he-brought-heaven-down-pro-sermon-on-god-30001538

Use this however you want, just don't give me credit :)

More than a baby #3

John 1:14

Let me share with you a quote from 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."

Today will conclude our series:

- More than a baby

- Remembering that before Jesus was a baby.

- He was already God, and part of the creation story in Genesis 1

Jesus did not become God at His birth,

but rather revealed God to the world

We will visit many texts today, but our main text will be John 1:14

“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 the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Word has become flesh:

- The Word becoming flesh can be hard to understand.

- 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 entered:

- into our world, into our lives,

- into our joys and sorrows,

- into our hopes and fears,

- into our dreams and disappointments.

While the Old Testament tells us about God,

Jesus shows us God in the flesh.

Let’s remember that at Christmas…

1. Jesus touches earth, but not for the first time.

A. The birth of Jesus….

Over 2,000 years ago:

- a young Jewish woman from the

- town of Nazareth named Mary

- was visited by an angel named Gabriel.

The Angel Gabriel told the Jewish woman:

- that she would have a son named Jesus,

- though unlikely, unmarried and a virgin

- she would give birth to a child who would be God's Son.

“And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

Luke 1:30-33 (NASB)

At this time:

- Mary was engaged to her soon-to-be husband, Joseph.

- When told, Joseph was hurt and confused because

- Joseph did not believe Mary.

The angel Gabriel visited Joseph and told him,

"Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit," and her son, Jesus, would save the people from their sins.” Matthew 1:19; 21 (NASB)

You probably know the story of the birth of Jesus:

Mary and Joseph had to:

- travel to Bethlehem because of

- an order from the Roman emperor

- that a census of all people be taken in their hometown.

After traveling pregnant on a donkey for several days:

Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem and

- were told there were no places to stay.

- The inns were full.

Seeing that Mary was due at any moment:

o an inn owner told Joseph.

o They could stay in his stable.

o Which was not like a wooden barn, but

o more like a cave with animals.

“While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke 2:6-7 (NASB)

B. Jesus has been here before:

When you were born:

- on your birthday you breathed for the first time

- Soon you saw light and heard noises.

- Everything was new and exciting.

That isn’t the way Jesus entered the world:

- He had been here before.

- He understood everything.

- Because He made everything and everyone

Have you ever ridden with a contractor?