Years ago -- an old pioneer journeyed westward across the
Great Plains of North America -- until he came to an abrupt halt at the edge of
the
Dumbfounded by what he was seeing -- he gawked at the sight before him; -- a vast chasm 1 mile deep -- 15 miles across -- & stretching out of sight.
He gasped -- as he uttered the words: -- "Something really big must have happed here!"
Today -- on this first Sunday of Advent -- we officially begin another Christmas Season.
Anyone who stops to look & listen -- must ask what the hustle & bustle is all about.
A thoughtful man or woman -- seeing the lights -- the decorations -- the festivities -- & the religious services -- might also conclude: -- “Some-thing really big must have happed here!"
And indeed it did! -- Something really big did happen!
We need to tell the world about it! -- God has visited our planet!
God's only Son -- Jesus Christ -- came to reveal God to all mankind!
It is the best -- & the greatest news ever!
At this season
of the year -- we usually turn to the opening chapters of Matthew &
I personally
never tire of hearing about that night long ago -- when Jesus was born in a
stable in the little town of
I thrill every time I read how the angels announced the coming of the Savior -- & how a great heavenly host burst forth in praise, saying: -- "Glory to God in the highest -- & on earth peace, good will toward men."
But an even
greater record of this glorious event is found in the opening words of John's
Gospel. -- Would you look with me at
This is the real Christmas story!
It tells us that something Big happened!
Here we learn the significance of what really happened!
The writer of
John prefers theological reflection -- over historical reflection. -- Let’s
look at it together! -- (Read
It has been
suggested that the most important words in the entire Bible are these in verse
This is the great truth that sets Christianity apart from all other world religions.
Our God has not remained remote & unapproachable; --
He has come to us in person!
He did not just write us a letter. -- He did not just send us a representative
He did not just speak His laws from a mountain.
He came to us as one of us!
The Infinite became an infant. -- The Eternal One became a wee one.
The Bible
describes the miracle of what Christ has done when it says: -- "Though He
was God -- He did not demand & cling to His rights as God. -- He made
Himself nothing -- (He laid aside his mighty power & glory); -- He took the
humble position of a slave -- & appeared in human form (was born in the
likeness of men). -- And in human form He obediently humbled Himself even
further by dying a criminal's death on a cross" (Phil 2:6-8 -
It is impossible to over-emphasize how important God's arrival on earth was! -- The world -- & life itself -- is forever different!
"Something Big really did happen here!"
On that first Christmas night long ago -- God "enclosed" Himself in the body of a tiny baby -- who was born to die for the sins of all mankind!
God, Himself -- entered into time & space! -- & into human flesh!
No longer is God just a theological nicety -- or an abstract concept.
God became human in Jesus Christ!
The omnipotent -- in one instant -- made himself breakable!
He Who was larger than the whole universe -- became an embryo!
God as a fetus! -- Holiness sleeping in a womb! -- The Creator of life being created! -- God comes into human life!
He Who sustains the whole world -- chose to become dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl. -- Unbelievable -- but true!
A certain father declared that Christmas was going to be different this year. -- He called a family conference & challenged his family to be more conservative & disciplined in the expectations of their gifts.
They would have to curtail excessive spending on gifts.
He talked about better relationships between visiting relatives -- & a more congenial atmosphere around their home.
He brought his speech to a musical pitch with his final rally cry -- "Let's make this the best Christmas ever!"
His little second grade son countered the big motivational speech -- by noting -- "But dad, I don't see how we could ever improve on the first Christmas." -- And the boy was right! --
For something really big happened on that first Christmas!
But while we certainly can't improve on what happened that first Christmas -- we can improve on the way we celebrate it!
At the beginning of this Advent Season -- as we begin preparing our hearts to truly celebrate the significance of Christmas -- there is so much that could be said; -- so many points that could be made; -- but I wish only to suggest three thoughts this morning: --
1. God's appearance in human form is important because: -- It reveals the heart of God!
God's appearance in human form on earth speaks volumes about God's love for you -- & for me.
We have become
so familiar with the words of
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one & only Son -- that whosoever believes in Him -- shall not perish, but have eternal life."
It goes on into the next verse to say -- "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world -- but to save the world through Him."
This is truly the best news in all the world -- God deeply cares for us!
He has made a plan to save us from our sin -- & to save us from our-selves.
He wants to change our lives -- & give us a life worth living -- that will ultimately result in everlasting life with Him!
God made His home with us -- so that we might make our home with God. -- This is the kind of God we serve!
He loves us more than we will ever know.
He has not come to take the fun out of life -- but to make life enjoyable in ways that we never imagined.
How much easier it would have been for God to leave us to our own devices; -- or rain fire down from heaven & destroy us for our sin.
But God is not hostile toward us -- neither did He remain distant; -- He never was -- & never intended to become so.
God came! -- Even though He knew the consequences.
He was willing to come even if it meant that the Almighty -- the Eternal One -- had to experience pain & death -- so great was His love for us!
He came so that He might share our human condition -- & take our burdens upon Himself!
Booker T. Washington was born a slave -- & later became one of the great educators of our country -- after the emancipation.
He headed the Tuskegee Institute -- which flourished under his leader-ship -- as an institution of higher learning for the black people.
In his autobiography -- Up from Slavery -- he tells a very touching story about him & his older brother.
He writes: -- "The most trying ordeal that I was forced to endure as a slave boy -- was the wearing of a flax shirt."
Flax is a plant -- whose fibers were sometimes made into a coarse linen cloth. -- It was rough against the skin & very irritating & abrasive.
He continues: -- "I can scarcely imagine any torture, except, perhaps the pulling of a tooth -- that is equal to that caused by putting on a new flax shirt for the first time. -- It is almost equal to the feeling that one would experience if he had a dozen or more chestnut burrs -- or a hundred small pin-points -- in contact with his flesh."
But he writes: -- "I had no choice. -- I had to wear the flax shirt -- or none."
He said: --
"My brother
"On several occasions when I was being forced to wear a new flax shirt -- (my brother) generously agreed to put it on in my stead -- & wear it for several days -- till it was 'broken in.'"
My friends -- Jesus Christ is our Elder Brother -- Who has come along side of us -- to take on the roughness of the world on our behalf.
He has put on our shirt -- experienced what we experienced -- walked where we have walked -- & eased the pain of our life.
He is willing to place our suffering & pain on His own back!
In the very act of becoming human -- He identified with our pain!
The pain of loneliness -- He felt it.
The hurt of rejection -- He felt it.
The sadness of losing a loved one to death -- He felt it.
The scars of mental or physical abuse -- He felt it.
God's appearance in human form -- reveals the heart of God.
2. But secondly -- God's coming in human form is important -- also because -- It reveals the Need of People!
On March 5, 1994, Deputy Sheriff Lloyd Prescott was teaching a class for police officers in the Salt Lake City Library.
During a break -- he stepped into the hallway -- & as he did so -- he saw a gunman forcing 18 hostages into a nearby room.
Prescott -- who was dressed in street clothes -- fell in line with the group & became the 19th hostage.
The gunman had
not noticed him -- &
The gunman
announced the order in which hostages would be executed -- & then it was
that
A fight followed
-- &
All of the hostages were released unharmed.
Officer Prescott had placed himself at great risk -- but he was not thinking of himself -- he was thinking about the danger the hostages were in.
Like Lloyd Prescott -- God dressed Himself as one of us -- & entered our world!
God joined us because we were held hostage to sin -- & in danger of eternal death. -- He rescued us from eternal danger. -- Think of it!
God -- Who could have crushed the world because of its sin -- came into the world to be crushed for our sin!
The very One Who said that everyone who sinned would die -- came to the world to die in our place.
He both pronounced the judgment -- & took the judgment upon Himself!
We did not even understand the danger we were in!
We were too ignorant & stubborn to ask for His help -- but He came to save us from that danger anyway.
The Bible says -- "You see, at just the right time -- when we were still powerless -- Christ died for the ungodly. -- Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man -- though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. -- But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: -- While we were yet sinners -- Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8).
This -- my friends -- is an incredible story of love!
3. God's appearance in the world revealed His heart -- & our need -- but 3rdly -- His coming in human form is important because -- It Reveals the Mystery of God's Plan of Salvation!
The Bible speaks of the mystery of God's plan with these words: -- "Without question -- this is the great mystery of our faith: -- (God) appeared in a body -- was vindicated by the Spirit -- was seen by angels -- was preached among the nations -- was believed on in the world -- was taken up in glory" (1 Tim. 3:16 NIV).
Here is God's plan of Salvation! --
Here is the really big thing that happened!
God -- in Jesus Christ -- appeared in human flesh -- in a human body!
We could not have imagined it -- or guessed it in a million years.
The Creator of the universe comes to the rebellious world -- which He has created in love.
He avoids nothing: -- hunger -- sleeplessness -- thirst -- pain -- suffering -- or even death!
He comes to die in the place of those who deserve to die!
He suffers for those who deserve to suffer.
He comes as a King -- but is seen as human rubbish.
The Bible chokes
on this incredible mystery when it says in our Scripture reading of this
morning -- "Although the world was made through Him -- the world didn't
recognize Him when He came. -- Even in His own land & among His own people
-- He was not accepted” (John 1:10-11
The world deserved to be destroyed -- because of its sinfulness.
But God would come disguised as an ordinary man -- & die in the place of the world's people -- in order to take their sin away!
When John says in his Gospel that "the Word became flesh" -- he is saying that God Himself stepped right out of the pages of Holy Scripture -- so that we would have more than a prophecy; -- we would have more than the moral code of the Law; -- we would have God Himself standing among us; -- Emmanuel!
What other religion do you know whose God comes -- in person -- to die for His people?
Buddha did not claim to be God -- nor did he claim to have come from God. -- He was in search of the divine principle.
Mohammed did not claim to be God; -- only a prophet of God -- & author of the Koran.
Only in Christianity does God become flesh!
God became flesh -- & now He is personal!
God -- in Jesus -- became a man -- so that God becomes touchable -- approachable -- & reachable!
Make no mistake about it -- people loved being around Jesus!
They came at night; -- they touched Him as He walked down the street; -- they followed Him around the sea; -- they invited Him into their homes -- & they placed their children at His feet!
Why? -- Because He refused to be a stature in a cathedral -- or a priest in an elevated pulpit.
He chose instead to be Jesus! -- Deity dressed in humanity!
God -- here among us!
Max Lucado suggests: -- "He was the kind of fellow you'd invite to watch the Rams-Giants game at your house. -- He'd wrestle on the floor with your kinds; -- doze on your couch; -- & cook steaks on your grill. -- He'd laugh at your jokes -- & tell a few of His own. -- And when you spoke -- He'd listen to you as if He had all the time in eternity."
Conclusion: -- Yes! -- Something Big really did happen at this first Christmas -- 2000 years ago!
And it is important to you & me -- because God's coming in human form -- reveals God's heart -- & it reveals our need -- & it reveals the mystery of God's plan of Salvation!
I suspect that this Christmas -- you'll receive many gifts; -- some you probably don't need; -- most you could live without.
But there is one present you can't live without!
The one present you need is the very presence of Jesus Christ!
The One Who shows us God. -- The One Who feels our hurt!
The One Who came in human flesh -- & Who died for our sins.
The One Who is touchable -- approachable -- & reachable!
Christmas did not happen to give parents something to do in December -- nor to give department stores a sales theme -- nor to give the Salvation Army a reason for collecting food & clothing -- nor to give churches a plot for a pageant. -- Christmas happened to give you & me the opportunity to know God!
He came to us as one of us! -- He lived among us; -- ate with us; -- drank with us; -- felt with us -- in order to win our love.
He could have forced us; -- He could have overwhelmed us; -- but He chose to romance us.
He stands here today with the smile of love -- & with arms extended.
He is the God Who became real so that we could experience His transforming love!
Jesus is not just a truth to believe in -- He is a Person to be experienced!
He confronts you today -- in Person -- & He asks you to Believe in Faith!
Faith says -- "God, You have said -- 'to all who receive Him -- to those who believe in His Name -- He gives the right -- the power -- to become children of God.' -- I open my heart -- invite Jesus to come live within me. -- I receive Him -- & I accept Your gift of Eternal Life."
If you do that -- something really big will happen in your heart -- & in your life today!