God's Powerful Word Incarnate
John 1:1-5, 10-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Philippians 2:5-8
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, because sometimes words just can't adequately describe an experience, or a person, or even a scenic view.
Last Week: God's Powerful Word in Print!
• How the Bible stands alone among every book ever written.
o Supernatural in its prophesy, its unity, its depth of insight, its vast corroboration, its power to transform lives and offers peace with God, and its eternal strength/survival. (Greg Koukl: Stand to Reason)
• How anyone who claims the Bible to be just one of many sacred writings is revealing a profound lack of knowledge.
• The Bible is a Powerful Revelation of God Message of Hope for Humanity!
So God didn't rest on the grandness of Creation to reveal who He is!
And God didn't rely only on the descriptions and directions he gave through human mediators!
God's greatest word/revelation of truth happened when God became flesh!
John 1:1-5, 10-14 (NIV) 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 men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
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 received 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, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV) In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
Jesus displayed God's POWER
• As Creator
• As Revealer (Communicator!)
• As the source of all light (knowledge, understanding, wisdom – all revealed!)!
o ALL SEE HIS glory and majesty through what He's created!
o He bursts into His creation at times and places through various means!
? He led alongside and through Moses!
? He introduced walking in step with God – according to His will!
? He introduced a plan of substitutionary sacrifice for sin!
? He introduced a covenant relationship – (personal responsibility to choose life)!
o JESUS OFFERS THE CLEAREST TRUTH REGARDING THE NATURE OF GOD
Jesus displayed God's WILL
• To give life!
• To offer a place in His family!
• To relate to his children as a loving Father – guidance, discipline, and grace!
• HOW DID MOST HUMANS RESPOND??
o Distracted by sin… they hid from the light of truth!
o Deceived by counterfeits!
o They rejected the authority of their MAKER!
Jesus displayed God's LOVE
• He approached us on our level!
• He came announcing peace without a show of force!
(But as a baby in a manger! Vulnerable, non-threatening, temporarily powerless.)
• Jesus never showed a sign of force against humanity – his enemy was the deceiver and his lies, and Jesus's only weapon was truth!
• His constant self-sacrificing demonstrated love like no other person had shown!
Jesus displayed God's CHARACTER
• He was without sin!
o He did what God, the Father gave Him to do.
o He said what the Father gave Him to say.
o He accomplished what the Father gave Him to accomplish.
"He became obedient unto death; even death on a cross!"
o There was never any rebellion or resentment or disagreement.
• He was without factual error!
o He quoted and explained scripture with authority like no other! (He's the source!)
• He never failed to relate to anyone inappropriately!
o He was always at the ready to extend grace, but…
o He always respected the right HE GAVE EVERYONE to simply walk away empty!
Jesus displayed God's MERCY, GRACE, and COMPASSION
• Jesus never met a single person that didn't require GRACE!
(EVEN HIS OWN MOTHER… Mary… did you know… that she needed grace?)
• He reached out to the outcast and lowly!
• He reached out to the powerful and wealthy!
• He reached out to the working middle class!
• He reached out to the devoutly religious and the devoutly rebellious!
• He loved the unlovely! He forgave sins of all who trusted Him!
Jesus displayed God's PROVISION (describe the call to sacrifice Isaac!)
• He healed the sick and fed the hungry (BUT IT WAS NOT HIS PRIMARY PURPOSE!)
• JESUS WAS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD!!
God provided a lamb for Abraham when he tested his faith long before, and he provided another LAMB on that same mountain 2000 years later in Christ Jesus!
• God used this powerful illustration to make us understand how great a sacrifice he made when He sent us HIS SON!!
Jesus displayed God's HATRED OF SIN!!
Why does God HATE SIN?
• God by nature is love and life!
o Everything about his character leads to the flourishing of love and life!
o God's laws for us are based on his nature and lead to the flourishing of love and life!
• Everything opposed to God and his nature leads to death!
o "When you sin you will die!"
o "Apart from me you die!"
o "The wages (what you receive for what you do) of sin is death."
o James 1:13-15 (NIV) When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
• Sin harms and kills God's children! (We all hate what hurts our children!!)
o I was talking with a man who was a heavy equipment operator. His daughter introduced a young man who she was determined to be with. The father took the guy out into a field, dug a big hole, and buried it again in just a quick minute.
"That's about how long it will take to dispose of your body should you decide to demonstrate any violence toward my daughter." "I thought you were a man of God."
"I am a man of God. When God sent his men into battle he said – kill every one of them. If you hurt my daughter, you're waging war on me and my family!"
• GOD HATES SIN BECAUSE IT DESTROYS ALL THAT IS GOOD!
o God's hates the sin in us, because we hurt ourselves (and others).
o It's like CANCER – it replaces the good with the corrupt... it grows and spreads until it takes over and kills!
GOD'S PURPOSE IS TO ERADICATE SIN ONCE AND FOR ALL!!
So how did Jesus display God's HATRED OF SIN & HIS DESIRE TO DESTROY THE DESTROYER?
• JESUS TRADES HIS LIFE FOR OUR DEATH!
• JESUS TOOK THE PUNISHMENT FOR OUR SIN UPON HIMSELF!
o We see that Jesus took all of our sins upon himself and suffer God's wrath toward sin on the cross!
o 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
o THIS WAS POWERFUL DISPLAY OF THE ENORMOUSLY DEADLY NATURE OF SIN AND GOD'S HATRED OF SIN!
• JESUS GRANTS ACCESS TO HIMSELF TO THOSE WHO TRUST HIM!
o We gain victory over temptation (AND SIN!) when we fix our eyes on Christ and yield to His presence and authority.
o Jesus pleads with us to stay united with Him! (John 15:5)
• JESUS DELIVERS US FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN AND GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE (One free from all sin once and for all!)
o For those who desire life in Him/with Him!
o If you don't want Him today – you won't have to "suffer being with him for eternity."
o If you desire to be made right with God today through Jesus's sacrifice, then you will be made right with Him forever!
These are the clear truths that God's Powerful Living Word Incarnate reveals – and that we celebrate this Christmas.
