The Four “M’s” of Christmas
Part 1 - The Mystery
John 1:1-14
November 30, 2008
NOTE: THE ME/WE/GOD/YOU/WE FORMAT IS FROM ANDY STANLEY’S BOOK, "COMMUNICATING FOR A CHANGE."
Me: Anybody here like a good mystery?
I like watching them on TV or the movies, and I especially like reading them. I like trying to guess who committed the crime or what’s going to happen next.
Sometimes I get it right, sometimes I don’t.
I know at least one person here likes John Grisham novels, and also shares my love for good ole Sherlock Holmes.
I’ve read those stories I don’t know how many times, and they never get old.
I even know how they’re going to turn out, and I still love them.
There are some things in my life that I prefer to remain a mystery. Like bologna. And hot dogs. I don’t know what’s in them and I don’t want to know.
Another mystery in my life is why anyone would intentionally spend money on head cheese – which, to me, doesn’t even look like cheese.
We: There are mysteries all around us.
As much as technology continues to advance, and at a greater and greater pace, there is still much to learn.
Mystery is part of life. And in my opinion, it’s part of what makes life enjoyable. If we could understand everything in life, it would be kinda boring, wouldn’t it?
At Christmas time, we think about the mystery that surrounds a divine baby who set into motion the salvation that God had promised from the very beginning of the world.
God: Today I want to talk about the mystery of Christmas.
A mystery, by definition is something that is beyond explanation or comprehension.
And that is the case with the mystery of Christmas.
We can read about it in Scripture, we can study it, and do everything we can to try and wrap our brains around it, but we can’t truly grasp it.
But does that mean we shouldn’t look into it or try to understand it as much as we can?
Many people look at a mystery, and because they can’t figure it out, they mistakenly assume that it cannot be true.
But just as with my bologna and hot dogs, not understanding doesn’t mean it isn’t real.
My hope is that as we look at the mystery of Christmas, it will draw you to a greater awe of God and what He’s done for you.
The passage we’re going to look at today is John 1:1-14 (p. 750) –
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.
And here’s where I want to focus during our time today:
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.
The mystery I want us to explore a bit today is this:
God took on human flesh.
God Himself became a man.
Not just a man. He was still God. But also fully man. In every way except sin.
The fancy word we use for this amazing act is “incarnation.”
The Christmas accounts in the gospels of Matthew and Luke both tell us that the Holy Spirit caused a young virgin to become pregnant with the Son of God.
And you know what? I don’t totally get how that’s possible. I don’t understand the mix of the natural biology of Mary and the supernatural acting of the Holy Spirit. I don’t get the mechanics of how God made that happen.
But you know what else? I don’t need to understand it. I think my brain would explode if I really tried to understand it.
I don’t understand internal combustion engines and power tools, either. But I use them. With extreme caution.
The incarnation is a mystery. A mystery that I don’t think we are meant to understand while on earth.
“The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.” Martin Luther, Table Talk. (Sermoncentral.com – Contributed by Mark Hensley)
I’d like to show you the best definition I’ve ever seen for the phenomenon called the incarnation:
“Christ entered into a new dimension of existence through the gateway of human birth and took up his residence among men…He left his usual place and accepted the conditions of human life and environment, with the…limitations that all humans experience.” (EBC)
So that’s the “what happened.” It still doesn’t explain the “how.”
But the real question to me is, “Why?”
Why would God choose to take on human flesh and come down to earth?
Was it because He needed to know more about humans so He thought that becoming one would help Him understand them better?
Was it because God had nothing better to do so He said, “You know what? I’m bored – I think I’ll head down to earth for a while. Boy, I hope nothing bad happens to me while I’m down there…”
No! Scripture tells us that He did it for two reasons:
1. His glory.
2. Our benefit – salvation.
We’re going to talk about the glory part of that next week. But today I want us to focus on the fact that one of the reasons for God taking on human flesh was for our benefit. God came to earth so we could go to heaven.
According to verse 12, He came so that we could become children of God.
“Well, isn’t everyone a child of God?” That’s one of the more popular notions about God nowadays – that we are all children of God.
But Scripture is very clear that no one is a child of God simply because they are a human being.
Look back at verse 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.
To become a child of God, it takes more than just a physical birth. It takes a spiritual birth that happens when we believe that we have no other hope than Christ, and when we receive Christ and the forgiveness He brings.
Even this is only possible because God Himself acted on our behalf. Acted in a way that only He could.
God took on flesh.
God acted in a way that would help us gain a better understanding of God’s compassion, holiness, and love for His creation.
He didn’t come in some way that we wouldn’t see or comprehend.
He chose to come as a man. A man who dressed like the people of His time, who ate the food of His time, who spoke the common language of His time and of His people.
A man who was relatable in every way. He didn’t hide behind fancy religious robes and fancy religious words.
He came as one of us.
Look at this passage from Hebrews 2 –
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.
God took on human flesh.
In taking on human flesh, God became like those He came to save.
This passage tells us that He did this to nullify the power of the devil, and so that He could really meet us where we are.
Because God took on human flesh, He is able to relate to everything that you and I go through.
To be loved and rejected, to be hungry and full, to be sad and glad. To be tempted to sin. To be accused of crimes He didn’t commit and of saying things He didn’t say.
He did it willingly. Out of His love for you. In spite of everything He knew you would do, say, and think, He came to earth to die for you.
He came to earth so we could go to heaven.
I hope you’ll take some time today and this next few weeks to let that really sink in.
He came to earth so you could go to heaven.
That is the mystery of Christmas.
God wrapped in the flesh of a tiny baby. A baby who was born to die.
You: So how will you respond?
What will you do with the mystery?
Will you allow it to draw you to an even deeper appreciation of who God is, His love for you, and the lengths He went to to show you His love?
Will you, this Christmas season, allow the mystery of the incarnation to give you a greater love for the One who gave up so much on your behalf?
Will you, this Christmas season, receive gifts with a greater sense of gratitude for the greatest gift of all in Jesus?
Will you, this Christmas season, give gifts out of a sense that nothing you could give comes close to the forgiveness of sins that comes because Jesus was born – born to die and rise again. Born for you.
And if you haven’t yet, won’t you receive Christ for your own?
Receiving Christ is like receiving a gift. First, a gift is offered. But for the gift to really count, it has to be received. It has to be taken from the giver.
God is offering you a gift – the ability to become a child of God by accepting what Christ has done for you.
Coming from heaven as a baby, growing to be a man, dying for your sins, and rising again so you can have heaven when you leave this earth.
I’m going to stay up front after we get done singing our final chorus, and if you’d like to pray to receive Christ, I’d be thrilled to help you do that.
If you have more questions about what that’s all about, then feel free to call or e-mail me, and I’ll be more than happy to answer anything I can.
We: Folks, one of the biggest complaints we hear this time of year is that Christmas is too commercialized and selfish.
How about you and I decide that when people see us preparing for Christmas, they see people who are filled with gratitude for what Christ has done for us, joy because of His love for us, and an urgency to help others discover Him as we have?
How about they see something different in us? How about they see a calm in our spirits, even with all the hustle and bustle?
And how about they see Christ – living in you, all year ‘round, but especially this time of year.
I think that if people see Christ living in us, they just might see that Christmas is more than sales, more than food, and more than wondering if what they give will just end up back at the store in January.
Whattya say?
Let’s pray.
