A VISION OF JESUS FOR CHRISTMAS

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it....He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth...18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

John 1:1-5, 10-14,18 ESV

I get so distracted at Christmas. How about you. So many people to see, places to go, activities to attend. Do you ever find yourself so distracted that you lose vision and the center of what Christmas is all about?

Christmas more than anything is about seeing Jesus! In John 1 the apostle John says some of the most profound truth ever spoken. Take a deep breath and ponder what this means as if for the first time. 

An uncreated God who would dare to become a man! The Word became flesh! God became human! The invisible became visible! The untouchable became touchable! Eternal life experienced temporal death! The transcendent one descended and drew near! The unlimited became limited! The infinite became finite! The immutable became mutable! 
The unbreakable became fragile! Spirit became matter! 
Eternity entered time! The independent became dependent! 
The almighty became weak! The loved became the hated! The exalted was humbled! Glory was subjected to shame! Fame turned into obscurity! From inexpressible joy to tears of unimaginable grief. From a throne to a cross! From ruler to being ruled! From power to weakness! 

The apostle Paul put it this way in Philippians 2:5-11, "Christ 
Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality 
with God something to be grasped, but made himself 
nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in 
human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!"

Max Lucado put it this way: The omnipotent, in one instant, 
made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became 
pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an 
embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl. God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother. God became a baby and God God came near.”

As Paul said in I Timothy 3:16, " Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body.”


The marvel of it all is that He did it for you and me! John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 2 Cor. 8:9, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

It was an expression of the depths of His love for you that the Word entered the depths of human ugliness, human weakness, and human humiliation. This one who comes and John says tells us, teaches us, and shows us what God is like. (John. 1:18) Jesus tells us in John 14:9, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

Jesus shows us the life, heart, grace, mercy, kindness, passion, and love of God. He shows us that God is approachable, personal, touchable, and accessible. A God who identifies with us and understands us. A God who cares for us. What we need most in a God, you will find in Jesus. All that we might hope for in a savior, all that we need in a friend, what we need most in a man, all is found in Jesus so perfectly that everything else cannot help but be seen as disfigured, shameful, inadequate, and unworthy of our love and devotion.

Christmas teaches us that those who saw Jesus were never the same Look at some of the responses to “beholding His glory” in the birth of Jesus Christ.

1. The shepherds in Luke 2:17-20, "so they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them... The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." They could not help but tell others what they had seen and experienced. We saw last week that worship fuels evangelism. When we have found something of great worth and value. When we have seen something that is beautiful and precious. We cannot help but to speak of it because it completes the joy! Christmas is a very appropriate time to tell others about Jesus.

2. The Magi in Matthew 2:11, " On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."  The Magi brought him gifts and worshipped him.

3. Mary in Luke 2:19, But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary responded with worship and quiet reflection.

4. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 9:15, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"  His heart was overwhelmed with gratitude and adoration. As He ponders Jesus and the depth of His person, love, and work, listen to Pauls response in Romans 11:33-36, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen."

 I want to direct you to one word in Pauls response to God. It is, perhaps, the least likely word to attract your attention. Yet it is powerful and life changing. “OH!” that’s right, “OH!” This is Paul’s passionate proclamation of the impact on his own soul of the greatness and glory of Jesus Christ. I ask myself this morning and I ask you: Is there an “oh” in you this Christmas? Where is your “oh” in response to seeing God this Christmas?

Is there an intensity, a love, a passion, a devotion, that has been evoked by seeing Jesus Christ like the shepherds, the Magi, Mary, and Paul? The kind of “oh” of enchantment, excitement, surprise, amazement, wonder, yearning, hunger, thirst, urgency, awe, adoration, submission, joy, and passionate enthusiasm. Perhaps your response to Jesus is a “who?” of ignorance, or a “huh?” of disinterest, or a “so what?” of indifference, or a “ho hum” of boredom or a no response of familiarity. It has always been like this. It was even when he was on the earth there were all these responses as well. (John 1:11).

Hebrews 2:9 says ,”But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

Have you been missing Jesus this season? Don’t miss Jesus at Christmas this year! Maybe this word has caused you, ever so briefly, to see a glimpse of his face.  The Spirit is touching your painful spirit as only one sent from God could do ... and there he is. Jesus. Do you see him? Has it been a while since you have seen him? If your prayers seem stale, it probably has. If your passion is waning? If your faith seems to be trembling, perhaps your vision of him has blurred. If you can't find power to face your problems, perhaps it is time to face him again. He came for you to see Him, savor Him, love him, and trust Him.

May you be able to say this Christmas like Peter in 2 Peter 1:16, "We were eyewitnesses of his majesty". This is a truth that will evoke an "Oh!" in your spirit the likes of which you may never before have known. Then this Christmas you will truly be able to  join with the angels “Oh come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!”

Pastor Bill























































came near.” 
 Paul said in I Timothy 3:16, " Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body.”
The marvel of it all is that He did it for you and me! John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and 
only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but 
have eternal life.
 2 Corinthians 8:9, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become 
rich."

It was an expression of the depths of His love for you that the 
Word entered the depths of human ugliness, human 
weakness, and human humiliation. This one who comes and 
John says tells us, teaches us, and shows us what God is like. 
(John 1:18) John 14:9, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?”

Jesus shows us the life, heart, grace, mercy, kindness, passion, and love of God. He shows us that God is approachable, personal, touchable, and accessible. A God who identifies with us and understands us. A God who cares for us. What we need most in a God, you will find in Jesus. All that we might hope for in a savior, all that we need in a friend, what we need most in a man, all is found in Jesus so perfectly that everything else cannot help but be seen as disfigured, shameful, inadequate, and unworthy of our love and devotion.

Christmas teaches us that those who saw Jesus were never the same Look at some of the responses to “beholding His glory” in the birth of Jesus Christ.

1. The shepherds Luke 2:17-20, so they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them... The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. They could not help but tell others what they had seen and experienced. We saw last week that worship fuels evangelism. When we have found something of great worth and value. When we have seen something that is beautiful and precious. We cannot help but to speak of it because it completes the joy! Christmas is a very appropriate time to tell others about Jesus.

2. The Magi Matthew 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. The Magi brought him gifts and worshipped him.

3. Mary Luke 2:19, But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary responded with worship and quiet reflection.

4. The Apostle Paul 2 Cor 9:15, Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! His heart was overwhelmed with gratitude and adoration. Rom 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. I want to direct you to one word in Pauls response to God. It is, perhaps, the least likely word to attract your attention. Yet it is powerful and life changing. “OH!” that’s right, “OH!” This is Paul’s passionate proclamation of the impact on his own soul of the greatness and glory of Jesus Christ. I ask myself this morning and I ask you: Is there an “oh” in you this morning? Where is your “oh” in response to seeing God this Christmas?

Is there an intensity, a love, a passion, a devotion, that has been evoked by seeing Jesus Christ like the shepherds, the Magi, Mary, and Paul? The kind of “oh” of enchantment, excitement, surprise, amazement, wonder, yearning, hunger, thirst, urgency, awe, adoration, submission, joy, and passionate enthusiasm. Perhaps your response to Jesus is a “who?” of ignorance, or a “huh?” of disinterest, or a “so what?” of indifference, or a “ho hum” of boredom or a no response of familiarity. It has always been like this. It was even when he was on the earth there were all these responses as well. (John 1:11).

Heb 2:9 says ,”But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

Have you been missing Christmas? Have you been missing Jesus? Don’t miss Christmas this year! Maybe this word has causes you, ever so briefly, to see a glimpse of his face.  You’ve heard a verse read in a tone you'd never heard, or explained in a way you'd never thought and one more piece of the puzzle has fallen into place.  Someone touches your painful spirit as only one sent from God could do ... and there he is. Jesus. Do you see him? Has it been a while since you have seen him?  If your prayers seem stale, it probably has.  If your passion is waning? If your faith seems to be trembling, perhaps your vision of him has blurred.  If you can't find power to face your problems, perhaps it is time to face him.   we will whisper the secret of the universe, 2 Peter 1:16, "We were eyewitnesses of his majesty.