GOD’S INDESCRIBABLE GIFT – A Gift Worth Understanding
John 1:1-14
INTRODUCTION:
Video Clip: HIS NAME WILL BE (:59)
Jesus—A Gift Worth Understanding
Many people do not understand God’s gift.
• John 1:10-11 (NIV)
[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.
Over the last few weeks we have taken a closer look at God’s indescribable gift. God’s gift is a gift worth giving; it is a gift worth waiting for, and it is a gift worth receiving. But do we UNDERSTAND GOD’S GIFT?
On this Christmas morning I want us to come to better understand God’s indescribable gift. These are basic but essential truths we need to know about the gift God has given to us. To help us remember God’s gift we will use the word GIFT as an acrostic:
G—God’s Son, Jesus;
I—Illumination, Light and Life;
F—Father God’s Forever Family;
T—Truth and Grace!
God’s Gift; G — God’s Son, Jesus
• John 1:14 (NIV)
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.
John’s gospel does not give all the details surrounding the birth of Jesus; Matthew and Luke give the account of the birth of Jesus, God’s Son.
• Luke 1:26-38 (MsgB)
[26] . . . God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth [27] to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. [28] Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
“Good morning! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.”
[29] She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. [30] But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: [31] You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
[32] He will be great, be called ’Son of the Highest.’ The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; [33] He will rule Jacob’s house forever—no end, ever, to his kingdom.”
[34] Mary said to the angel, "But how? I’ve never slept with a man."
[35] The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God. [36] And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months’ pregnant! [37] Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”
[38] And Mary said, “Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say.”
Matthew picks up the story.
• Matthew 1:18-25 (MsgB)
[18] The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) [19] Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.
[20] While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. [21] She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—’God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins." [22] This would bring the prophet’s embryonic sermon to full term:
[23] Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").
[24] Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. [25] But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.
But how can we know that the baby miraculously born to Mary and Joseph is really God’s Son, the Word made flesh? John introduces us to a man known as John the Baptist, this John came as a witness to God’s Son.
John the Baptist’s Testimony
• John 1:19-23 (MsgB)
[19] When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. [20] He didn’t evade the question. He told the plain truth: "I am not the Messiah."
[21] They pressed him, "Who, then? Elijah?"
"I am not."
"The Prophet?"
"No."
[22] Exasperated, they said, "Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something—anything!—about yourself."
[23] "I’m thunder in the desert: ’Make the road straight for God!’ I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached."
• John 1: 29 (NIV)
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
God’s Son, Jesus, is the gift of Christmas. However, Jesus is not just a man. Jesus is the God-man, the eternal Son of God who became a human being just like us. This is the miracle of the incarnation, the eternal Son of God, Who is one with God the Father, became a man—the God-man.
“The Word [Jesus] became flesh,” but look what John tells us about the Word.
• John 1:1-3 (NIV)
[1] 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.
You have misunderstood God’s gift if you think Christmas is just about presents and packages under a Christmas tree. And you have likewise misunderstood God’s gift if you think Christmas is only the birthday of a little boy born in Bethlehem. Yes, Jesus was a real baby laid in a real manger. Jesus cried when he was hungry, and yes he dirtied the swaddling clothes he was wrapped in too.
But Jesus was more, much more than just a baby. He is the eternal Son of God without beginning or end who was born that day. Only then can we begin to understand God’s gift. God’s Son, Jesus, the creator of the universe became one with His creation. God became a man when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
God’s Gift; G—God’s Son, Jesus
God’s Gift; I — Illumination, Light and Life
• John 1:4-5, 9 (NIV)
[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 . . . [9] The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
God does not want us to walk in darkness. God’s gift illuminates our lives! The Word is light; light that gives us life! Nothing will ever diminish His light; it shines to overcome the darkness of sin and death.
• Psalm 119:105 (MsgB)
By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
• John 8:12 (NIV)
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
• 1 John 1:5-7 (NIV)
[5] This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
We better understand God’s gift when we walk in His light. Illumination, we have light to see clearly and live our lives for His glory.
God’s gift; G—God’s Son, Jesus; I—Illumination, light and life.
God’s Gift; F — Father God’s Forever Family
• John 1:12-13 (NIV)
[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.
Some people don’t understand God’s gift and therefore refuse to accept what God has given to them. They unknowingly reject God’s Son, Jesus. They choose to remain in the darkness instead of receiving the illumination of God’s light and life. And because they refuse to accept God’s gift they remain outsiders and are not included in Father God’s Forever family.
How can anyone who understands what God has given ever refuse it? You can’t! Only those who are ignorant of God’s gift leave it unopened and unused.
ILLUSTRATION: A wealthy father wanted to give his son whom he loved very much a birthday gift. His sixteen year old son had made it know that all he wanted fro his birthday was the new sports car down at the local car dealer. When his birthday came his father gave him a wrapped gift and a card. The card had a handwritten note that said, “Son within the pages of this gift you will find all you need for life, and so much more; with all my love, Dad.” The boy opened the box and to his dismay his father had given him a Bible. The boy put on a smile and said a half-hearted “Thank-you,” but he was hurt and angry. The boy grew to despise his father more and more as time passed. A few years later the father died. After the funeral the boy was alone in his room still angry and hurt, but now unable to vent his frustrations. He saw the Bible his father had given him a few years ago sitting on his bookshelf. In anger he took the gift and threw it across the room. When he did a piece of paper fell out. It was a note from his dad. Son I love you so much! I pray you will learn to live your life by God’s word; it will keep you safe even when I’m not around. And to show you how much I love you take the attached check down to the car dealer; they will have your car ready for you.” The son had left His father’s gift unopened and unused.
• Romans 8:17 (MsgB)
And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!
God’s Gift; T — Truth and Grace
• John 1:14 (NIV)
[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.
• John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• 1 John 4:16 (NIV)
God is love.
• Ephesians 4:15 (MsgB)
God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do.
