Sermon – John 1:1-14 – Seeing God in the Coming of Jesus

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon – John 1:1-14 – Seeing God in the Coming of Jesus

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Christmas Day

December 25, 2011

Today is a day for opening presents. Last Monday I went home and had lunch with my parents and sister. I can remember arguing with my brother and sister about when to open presents. I wanted to wait until Christmas morning when I would be rested and could play with the toys all day. They couldn't wait for morning and wanted to open presents after church on Christmas eve. Our parents compromised and let each of us open one presents on Christmas eve but told us to save the rest for morning after Santa Clause came. This morning we will be looking at some the the gifts we have received as a result of what happened last night.

Last night we celebrated the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. We saw the reaction of his mother and some shepherds who came to visit. We heard the voices of angels and heavenly choirs. And we saw the shepherds leave the young family to tell the world what they had witnessed. Something extraordinary had happened. But what was it? The answer to this question is tied to the identity of that baby in the manger. Who is he? And why did he cause such excitement? We will try to answer these questions but first let's pray.

“O God, before whom mountains melt like wax, the earth trembles, and idols are humbled, we proclaim your righteousness as we behold your glory. You have sought out a people and proclaimed them holy. You have sent your chosen one, Jesus, to prepare your way. We have passed through the gates of salvation, which he opened for us, and now gather to worship you with our praise and thanksgiving.” (When We Gather 15)

John 1:1-14 ^NIV John 1:1 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. 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. ⁶ There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 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.

Who was the baby in the manger? Accord to the Gospel of John that baby was the Word of God who was present when God first created the world and has now been born of a woman as a human. We know his name as Jesus and he is both God and man.

We believe this by faith, faith that leads us to eternal life. But believing something and understanding something are two different things. Faith is a gift from God that allows us to believe the Jesus is both human and divine. Understanding is a product of our own minds and it is very difficult to understand with our minds how someone can be both human and divine.

Christians have struggled to understand Jesus' humanity and divinity since the beginning. Some have suggested the Jesus was just a man with God's spirit, but if Jesus was just a man how could he have been with God at creation? This would be impossible. Others have suggest that Jesus is God and just appeared to be a man. But if this were so how do you explain what happened in Bethlehem last night with the birth of a baby. The church has always taught that you cannot believe one or the other; you must believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully man.

But understanding that Jesus is both God and man has created other problems for us because we believe in one God and with Jesus and the Father we seem to have two. Some Christians suggested that Jesus was not really God, just like God in many respects, but if Jesus is only like God he is not really God, of the same stuff. Is he?

These debates raged for the first four centuries of the church. The church consistently taught the faith that Jesus was fully man and fully God, and that Jesus and God were one, but our understanding fell further behind until the great work of a church father, Gregory of Nazianzus. Gregory realized that sin touches every part of us. Nothing in us is ever free from the stain of sin. And so a savior must be fully one of us to remove all the sin. But the only one who can forgive sin is God. And so a savior must be fully God to forgive us. Thus our savior must be both fully man and fully God. Jesus Christ, the savior, and must be fully God, the one who saves, and fully man, able to touch every part of us and heal all of our sins.

So the baby born last night was truly God with us. Jesus was fully a human, he dirtied his diapers and cried though the night. He grew up experiencing all the joys and problems we experience. He died experiencing the pain of rejection and death. He was a man in every sense of the word. But through his death and resurrection he proved that he was truly the Word made flesh, fully God and fully man who dwelt among us and saved us from our sins. This is what you are to believe to receive eternal life, and your Christmas gift from God this day is this gift of faith and life in his presence forever.

Saving us from our sins is a very important gift, but Jesus being both God and man gives us an even greater benefit. In Jesus, God reveals himself to us. Through Jesus' life and teaching we have a glimpse of what God is like. We have seen God for ourselves. Another great church father, Athanasius of Alexandria said that Jesus “became human that we might become God. He manifested himself by a body by means of a body in order that we might perceive the mind of the unseen Father … (and) endure shame from men that we might inherit immortality.” And so in Jesus Christ we see God, we know what God is like, and we can develop a relationship with God that will last forever.

We see that though our faith in Jesus, the baby in that manger, we believe that he is both fully human and fully God. Through this belief, which itself is a gift from God, we begin to understand that Jesus being fully man can save us from our sins, and Jesus being fully God can reveal the Father to us. With this faith we are granted by God the additional gift of eternal life.

So as you open your presents this morning remember that the best Christmas gift of all is the gift of faith the God gives you. As you unwrap this faith you will believe that Jesus is fully man and fully God. You will discover other gifts in the box. One is the gift of knowing God in Jesus Christ. Another gift is the forgiveness of you sins. And, of course, there is the gift of eternal life through through your faith. These are glorious gifts so rejoice, give thanks and pray.

“With “hosannas” we herald the birth of our Savior; we sing of glad tidings, O God our Redeemer. Through a child you have come to bring peace among us; we are reborn with the hope of new life. We hear the angels proclaiming that we need have no fear, for henceforth you shall be with us in Christ, your begotten. We give thanks for your gift of salvation and hope. We glorify and praise you for making your will known to us. You have opened the gates of heaven to pilgrims such as we. From Jesus we have caught sight of your righteousness and truth. By him we have been taught your commandments and been called to follow in the way of justice and service. You have not forsaken us when we have strayed from his paths of obedience. Through him we give thanks for your forbearance and forgiveness. On this day when all the earth is bathed in the dazzling light of your presence, we give thanks for your Holy Spirit, who continues to guide us. When we are confused, you grant us clarity. In the midst of ambiguity, we can discern the direction you would have us take. When perplexed, you empower us to rise above those forces that would subdue us. Your gifts are immeasurable and will endure when all else fails. You are the cause of joy that abounds, the source of our righteousness, and the author of hope that dispels shadows of lingering doubt. With the multitude of the heavenly host, we praise you, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom God favors.” Amen. (When We Gather 16)