What Child Is This?

What Child is this?

John 1:1-18

Introduction-

This year flew by us! Anyone besides me think that we spend a lot of time looking in our rear view mirrors because everything is going so fast. We say it every year and every year it flies bye.

When you read the Christmas Story Luke chapter 2- it will point you to Jesus Christ.

When you read Isaiah account of the coming Savior 700 years before Jesus walked this earth- it points to Jesus. It points to a coming savior.

Isaiah 9:6-

“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders and He will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Lyrics to what Child is this

What child is this, who laid to rest,

On Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping.

“This, this is Christ the King “

The answer to whose child is this is- God the Father! The Son of God! Christ the King!

Jesus is not God’s son in the sense of a human father and a son.

God did not get married and have a son. God did not have relationship with Mary, and, together with her produce a son.

Jesus is God’s Son in the sense that He is God made manifest in human form. John chapter 1.

Jesus is God’s Son in that He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit of God.

Luke 1:35

“The angel answered, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, so the Holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Matthew 1:23

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means God with us.”

John 1:1-18 Read from Bible

The Son of God-Christ the king the king has come to this earth not in the familiar way of birth, but by choice, out of supernatural love for a world that so desperately needs Him but most will reject.

The creator of the universe- the creator of all things! God the Son, came to this earth and the ones he came for did not recognize him, did not understand or care what had happened, yet to all that received him, to those that believed in His name, He gave the right to become the Sons of God.

That will preach! That will change your life forever if you will let it.

Each of us tonight has come to this service for many different reasons.

You like Christmas carols

You may feel obligated, you might feel it is your duty to attend.

I hope the reason you came tonight was because you recognize that Christmas is more than presents but about the birth of our savior and you came to worship and honor Jesus.

Maybe you came out of duty, but I pray that the God of the universe tugs on your heart and you respond by giving him your life.

God is delighted that we are here tonight. In a moment we will have a candlelight service. God is interested in what we have done with Jesus everyday of our lives, not just Christmas time.

We have to look at Johns Gospel to understand what difference this child makes in our lives.

John does mess with all the details.

No angel visitation

No manger scene

He summarizes the whole birth story by saying “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”

The message Bible says “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”

I like that! God came right where we live, He became our Savior!

Jesus the Word was there in the beginning.

He was a part of creation. He was more than a human child,

He was and is God come to this earth to dwell with us and for us.

He had to come in the flesh, walk among us to experience the same ups and downs, same temptations, heartbreaks, and died a brutal death on a cross.

Why would He leave heaven and all its glory and splendor and come to this dark world? Because he loves you that much!

He knew we had no other way to God- we could not experience abundant life apart from Him.

Very quickly tonight I want to share 3 thoughts of Christ coming to this earth.

We become adopted as God’s children

John 1:12-13

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decisions or a husband’s will, but born of God.”