The Sign

The Sign Luke 2:10,12 & John 1:14NKJ

A sign (Noun), one substance that points to another. An object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else.

Jesus Christ- Savior of the world came as a baby. (A Sign). Lovely, Precious, Pure, Untouched, Innocence Etc.

Luke 2:10,12NKJ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” John 1:14NKJ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Christians once a year remember Jesus’ birth on Christmas day. This is the key to the whole of Christianity. Luke writes, that as the angel came forth he proclaimed, “Do not be afraid...” However, the normal response- and an appropriate one when someone is confronted by a divine visitation or a mighty work of God. (Gideon, John on the isle of Patmos etc.) is fear- Godly fear!

Vs.10... I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

Ann Frank once wrote: “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!”

The angel of the Lord Proclaimed over these shepherds, keeping watch over their sheep. “Today, I’m proclaiming My love and potential over you!” (Potential in a manger).

Luke 2:12NKJ And this will be the sign to you:

In India their religion would say, “You will find a mystic light that will be the sign.” In China, “You will find a correct code of morality.” In Greece, “You will find a philosophical concept.”

However, in the gospel, “You will find a baby.”

The mystic light, a correct code, the philosophical concept and much, much more came together in an embodied person! (A babe.)

This babe, became the meeting place for God and His people.

Men would have chosen a huge stature, or a grown up marvel or creation!

Listen to Philippians 2:5-11TM Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

9-11 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

The sign... The material and the spiritual, after a lengthy divorce, have in Him found reconciliation through this sign.

One man said, "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind." Jesus came as a sign to restore the eye. (As a believer, It’s a beautiful life!)

Luke 2:12b... a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

What are you going to do with this sign? Stab Him, beat Him, Talk about Him, Kick him, or pick Him up, love on Him, worship Him and believe in Him?

Good News: “If you believe- you are forever reconciled!”

John 1:14Amplified And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.

John 1:14TM The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

Listen, “A weeping child isn’t satisfied with the mere idea of motherhood- it wants a mother! We cannot be satisfied with the idea of salvation- we need a Savior!”

Exodus 33:18-19; Exodus 34:5-7 (Read)

In the OT, God’s glory was seen within the tabernacle called the Tabernacle of meeting; however, presently, Jesus’ glory could be seen through the attributes or characteristics of God (grace, mercy, wisdom, truth etc.

Benediction.