WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.060 And I would ask that if you are able, if you would take a copy of God's Word, if you didn't bring a Bible with you, that's okay. 00:00:08.179 --> 00:00:11.500 You came to the right place. We actually have Bibles here for you. 00:00:11.620 --> 00:00:14.280 And there's some in the seat backs there in front of you. 00:00:14.700 --> 00:00:25.640 But I do encourage you to open up to the passage that we just read from the Gospel according to John, verses 1 through 14 of chapter 1. 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:29.519 John chapter 1, verses 1 through 14. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.000 What is the message of Christmas? 00:00:36.219 --> 00:00:41.060 Christmas is tomorrow morning. Big news. Hopefully you know that by now. 00:00:41.859 --> 00:00:46.780 What is the message of Christmas? How would you summarize it? How would you put it into your own words? 00:00:46.899 --> 00:00:51.859 I wonder how many of us, despite going through the past month and hearing the carols sung, 00:00:51.859 --> 00:00:59.420 maybe you've been a part of church services over the past month, how many of us truly understand the message of Christmas? 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:07.840 I was asked to give the message of the Gospel at the German Christmas market here in Allendahl just a few weeks ago. 00:01:08.060 --> 00:01:09.920 Some of you may have been there. I'm not sure. 00:01:10.359 --> 00:01:16.420 It's a wonderful opportunity for me the second year in a row that I've had a chance to go over there and share the Gospel. 00:01:16.420 --> 00:01:22.519 They give me an open opportunity to share at the fireside with whoever would be there and whoever the Lord might bring. 00:01:22.900 --> 00:01:28.960 They said, I want you to share the Gospel and the message of Christmas and you have two minutes to do it. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:34.799 Which is an impossible task for a preacher to do. 00:01:36.479 --> 00:01:43.079 And so what I shared was the message that we just heard, the message of the angels from the Gospel of Luke. 00:01:43.199 --> 00:01:50.899 They said, fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy for all peoples. 00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:54.700 I shared that the Gospel is a message of good news. 00:01:55.180 --> 00:01:56.280 Christ has come. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.480 It's a message of good news of great joy that He's come to save us from our sins. 00:02:01.580 --> 00:02:05.960 The response ought to be joy that our sins are forgiven, that we're made right with God. 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:09.460 And that this is good news of great joy for all people. 00:02:09.580 --> 00:02:13.200 The best news of all is that anybody can get in on it. 00:02:13.460 --> 00:02:14.500 That was two minutes. 00:02:14.500 --> 00:02:17.080 And tonight I have more time than that. 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:21.879 And so what we're going to do is we're going to look to the Gospel of John. 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:26.560 And let him help us understand what exactly we're celebrating at Christmastime. 00:02:26.659 --> 00:02:30.539 You know, typically, when we think about the Christmas story, 00:02:31.099 --> 00:02:34.719 we tend to go to Matthew and we tend to go to Luke. 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:37.000 And poor John gets a little bit ignored. 00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:38.599 And that's for good reason. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:42.539 Matthew and Luke give a little bit more detail about the birth narratives of Christ. 00:02:42.539 --> 00:02:44.079 Mark ignores it altogether. 00:02:44.239 --> 00:02:45.900 I guess he assumes you know it by now. 00:02:46.539 --> 00:02:50.699 But John, he zooms out of the details of the birth of Jesus. 00:02:51.259 --> 00:02:58.699 And he gives us a big picture view of what God is doing in the birth of Christ. 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:04.180 So this evening, as we look through verses 1 through 14 of John chapter 1, 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:11.219 what we'll see tonight is that the birth of Jesus is a wonderful present 00:03:11.219 --> 00:03:21.099 given because of a terrible problem that comes with an incredible promise. 00:03:21.740 --> 00:03:24.280 Three brief points for us this evening. 00:03:24.419 --> 00:03:26.620 Not two minutes brief, but brief enough. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:32.599 A wonderful present, a terrible problem, and an incredible promise. 00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:38.759 First, we see that the birth of Jesus is a wonderful present. 00:03:39.579 --> 00:03:41.400 It's a wonderful present. 00:03:41.539 --> 00:03:45.019 We celebrate Jesus' birth because it's good news. 00:03:45.500 --> 00:03:47.719 It's good news of great joy. 00:03:47.819 --> 00:03:49.280 It's a wonderful present. 00:03:49.959 --> 00:03:57.060 The heart of what we celebrate at Christmastime is the wonderful gift of Jesus' birth. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:01.539 I think personally that all births are worth celebrating. 00:04:01.539 --> 00:04:06.099 Now, I remember distinctly the birth of all three of my children. 00:04:06.219 --> 00:04:07.099 We have three boys. 00:04:07.500 --> 00:04:13.000 I remember the announcement very distinctly when my wife, Amanda, shared with me that she was pregnant. 00:04:13.620 --> 00:04:17.800 She's expecting a child that my life is about to change. 00:04:17.939 --> 00:04:19.860 A baby is coming into the world. 00:04:20.339 --> 00:04:22.839 It was good news of great joy. 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:28.819 And then I remember, of course, the birth of each individual child, their entrance into the world. 00:04:28.819 --> 00:04:32.719 I remember how they were welcomed into the world with gifts. 00:04:33.420 --> 00:04:35.040 Family came to celebrate. 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:36.839 We had loved ones nearby. 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:39.819 Their births were celebrated. 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:45.560 And every year at Christmastime, of course, we're celebrating the birth of Jesus. 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:50.079 In fact, at our house tomorrow morning, we'll wake up. 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:52.420 My kids are excited to eat birthday cake for breakfast. 00:04:52.420 --> 00:04:53.840 We do that every single year. 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:59.439 In one of our traditions, we celebrate Jesus' birth with a birthday cake for breakfast. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:01.960 We celebrate the birth of Jesus. 00:05:02.080 --> 00:05:09.439 But what John is telling us here is that this is much more than just the birth of any ordinary child. 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:17.560 He wants to clue us in that this birth, the arrival of Jesus into the world, is anything but ordinary. 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:23.220 And what we celebrate at Christmastime is the birth of the Son of God. 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:26.500 What we call the incarnation. 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:29.860 God become man. 00:05:31.019 --> 00:05:37.720 John tells us that this Jesus that we celebrate at Christmastime is the eternal Word of God. 00:05:37.840 --> 00:05:39.340 This is no ordinary child. 00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:40.259 He says, 00:05:40.259 --> 00:06:10.240 He says, 00:06:10.259 --> 00:06:15.379 That's a really complicated way to phrase that sentence, isn't it? 00:06:15.659 --> 00:06:21.680 He's trying to say that everything that you see, everything that you know in this creation, 00:06:22.180 --> 00:06:25.180 was made through this baby in a manger. 00:06:25.319 --> 00:06:28.139 Was made through Jesus Christ. 00:06:29.060 --> 00:06:34.879 He tells us that Jesus, before He ever took His first breath, He already had life. 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:38.219 His beginning as a baby was not His beginning. 00:06:38.219 --> 00:06:39.819 He was there in the beginning. 00:06:40.259 --> 00:06:41.539 He says in verse 4, 00:06:41.539 --> 00:06:45.920 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.639 And then He tells us that this light, it shines in the darkness. 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:53.019 And the darkness has not overcome it. 00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:59.199 What He's telling us is that this birth is no ordinary birth. 00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:03.979 This is the birth of God Himself in the flesh. 00:07:03.979 --> 00:07:05.500 That's what we celebrate at Christmas. 00:07:05.500 --> 00:07:11.740 It's the incarnation, the coming of Emmanuel, God with us. 00:07:11.740 --> 00:07:13.019 Verse 14. 00:07:13.019 --> 00:07:13.439 Verse 14. 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:16.800 If you look there with me, it tells us that this eternal Word, 00:07:16.900 --> 00:07:19.340 the one who was with God, the one who is God, 00:07:19.400 --> 00:07:21.060 the one through whom all things were made, 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:26.460 this eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 00:07:26.459 --> 00:07:29.839 And we have seen His glory. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:36.199 Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 00:07:36.339 --> 00:07:38.859 What a wonderful gift. 00:07:40.019 --> 00:07:44.219 God Himself has come down to us. 00:07:44.220 --> 00:07:46.360 The light of the world has come. 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:49.060 Life has come down to us. 00:07:49.220 --> 00:07:51.240 Light has come down to us. 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:53.640 This is good news, church. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:57.840 But of course, that won't make any sense to you whatsoever 00:07:57.840 --> 00:08:01.220 if you don't understand the reason why He came. 00:08:01.940 --> 00:08:05.520 The Creator of the world stepped into His creation 00:08:05.520 --> 00:08:08.540 in order to redeem it. 00:08:09.440 --> 00:08:10.400 This is second. 00:08:10.540 --> 00:08:11.400 Point number two. 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:15.500 He came because of a terrible problem. 00:08:16.039 --> 00:08:19.759 This world needs redemption, church. 00:08:20.859 --> 00:08:23.299 I would be willing to bet that all of us, 00:08:23.419 --> 00:08:24.799 whether or not you're even a believer, 00:08:25.039 --> 00:08:26.679 whether or not you're a church-going person, 00:08:26.739 --> 00:08:28.299 if you're a Christian or not, 00:08:28.500 --> 00:08:34.120 I think all of us would agree that this world is not as it should be. 00:08:34.919 --> 00:08:35.199 Amen? 00:08:36.319 --> 00:08:38.220 Things are broken. 00:08:39.079 --> 00:08:40.579 Systems are broken. 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:43.860 Politicians, leaders are broken. 00:08:44.199 --> 00:08:45.579 Countries are broken. 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:48.139 This world is not as it should be. 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:49.039 It's messed up. 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:50.620 And if we're honest, 00:08:51.079 --> 00:08:55.559 we would say that we are a little bit messed up, too. 00:08:56.699 --> 00:09:00.279 We don't think the things that we think that we should think. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:02.860 We don't do the things that we know we ought to do. 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:06.379 Something is off here, even with us. 00:09:07.439 --> 00:09:10.840 Plenty of people have tried to explain everything that's wrong with the world. 00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:12.440 There's plenty of philosophies out there. 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:18.639 But the Bible, the way that the Bible explains all of the messed upness of our world 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:22.960 and all of the messed upness of our lives is sin. 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.759 We are sinners. 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:31.480 And the world we live in is in rebellion against God. 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:33.200 That is our problem. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:38.860 And I want you to know that Christians are no better than anybody else. 00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:46.160 Sometimes when Christians speak about sin, it might come across, you might perceive that to be judgmental. 00:09:46.160 --> 00:09:47.720 If we talk about sin. 00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:51.040 I want you to know Christians are no better than anybody else. 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:53.120 We are sinners just like you. 00:09:53.120 --> 00:10:00.219 The only difference is that we have, by the grace of God alone, come to see our sin. 00:10:00.719 --> 00:10:04.019 And come to realize our need for help for a Savior. 00:10:04.539 --> 00:10:06.099 And the Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:10:07.839 --> 00:10:12.819 You may wonder why Christians speak so much about Jesus. 00:10:13.099 --> 00:10:13.839 Well, this is why. 00:10:14.599 --> 00:10:16.919 We believe He's the Savior of the world. 00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:25.459 He's the only answer for the brokenness that all of us experience day in and day out in a world that is cursed by sin. 00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:29.879 So we bear witness about the light. 00:10:30.439 --> 00:10:33.740 We do just as John the Baptist does here in verse 7. 00:10:33.860 --> 00:10:37.439 We bear witness about the light that all might believe through Him. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:38.419 We are not the light. 00:10:38.539 --> 00:10:40.879 We go to bear witness about the light. 00:10:40.959 --> 00:10:44.079 If you ever wonder why Christians keep talking so much about Jesus, 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:48.460 again, it's because we believe He is the light of the world. 00:10:48.540 --> 00:10:51.660 If the world is in darkness, there's only one solution. 00:10:52.160 --> 00:10:53.780 It's not to trust in more darkness. 00:10:54.580 --> 00:10:57.639 It's to turn to the light of the world. 00:10:57.740 --> 00:11:05.200 What we celebrate at Christmas is the good news that this light has come down to us. 00:11:06.040 --> 00:11:10.400 So we bear witness that all might believe in Him. 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:15.079 In fact, in just a little while, if I don't knock my candle off of the podium here, 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:19.840 we're going to light these candles as we sing Silent Night together. 00:11:20.019 --> 00:11:24.919 And I hope that you will see this as a visual illustration for you. 00:11:25.439 --> 00:11:26.559 It's not just a tradition. 00:11:26.740 --> 00:11:34.720 This is a visual lesson for you of what the glory of King Jesus looks like in the midst of our dark and broken world. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:38.700 But here's the tragic problem. 00:11:39.800 --> 00:11:41.560 Look there to verse 9 with me. 00:11:42.019 --> 00:11:43.220 John 1 verse 9. 00:11:43.340 --> 00:11:43.680 He says, 00:11:44.100 --> 00:11:49.139 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 00:11:49.259 --> 00:11:50.620 He was in the world. 00:11:51.160 --> 00:11:53.040 The world was made through Him. 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:57.720 Yet the world did not know Him. 00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:01.160 He came to His own, to His own people. 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:04.460 And His own people did not receive Him. 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:05.759 I mean, can you imagine? 00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:13.060 Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came in the humblest way imaginable, born as a baby. 00:12:13.420 --> 00:12:14.620 And how was He received? 00:12:14.740 --> 00:12:17.279 Almost instantly He was rejected. 00:12:18.420 --> 00:12:19.960 No room for Him in the end. 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:23.480 King Herod wanted Him killed before He was born. 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:29.240 And as soon as He heard that there was another king born in His region, He was despised. 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:30.360 He was rejected. 00:12:30.539 --> 00:12:31.560 He was mocked. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:35.000 And eventually this Son of God was crucified. 00:12:36.659 --> 00:12:45.759 Can you imagine to have God Himself come down to you, offer Himself to you, and for you to turn Him away? 00:12:46.659 --> 00:12:52.320 For the light of the world to come down to you, and for you to prefer darkness. 00:12:53.480 --> 00:13:00.620 That's exactly what's happening in the world around us. 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:03.860 Anywhere where Christ is rejected. 00:13:04.539 --> 00:13:10.759 And that's exactly what's happening in any heart that rejects Jesus Christ. 00:13:11.259 --> 00:13:16.980 Every place, every person who rejects Him is denying the light of the world. 00:13:16.980 --> 00:13:22.399 You know, we hear this good news that the light has come, and we shut our ears, and we shut our eyes. 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:27.379 Because if we're honest, in our sinful flesh, we prefer the darkness. 00:13:27.659 --> 00:13:29.899 That's sin in our hearts. 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:32.019 That is an incredible problem. 00:13:33.420 --> 00:13:35.980 My friend, it doesn't have to be that way. 00:13:35.980 --> 00:13:48.340 Because here at Christmas, we celebrate the good news, third, that He came to make an incredible promise to any who would receive Him by faith. 00:13:49.139 --> 00:13:50.460 Look at this, verse 12. 00:13:51.259 --> 00:13:51.680 He says, 00:13:51.679 --> 00:14:14.279 Did you hear that promise? 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:18.620 That any who receive Him, and how do you receive Him? 00:14:18.659 --> 00:14:20.019 Not by being good. 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:22.459 It's not by being born into the right family. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:25.120 Not by being born at the right time in the right place. 00:14:25.179 --> 00:14:27.100 It's not by just trying your best. 00:14:27.199 --> 00:14:29.059 Not by piecing your life together. 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:32.419 It's not by anything in you at all. 00:14:33.139 --> 00:14:39.620 You receive Jesus as a gift by simple faith alone. 00:14:39.620 --> 00:14:41.360 And He says, 00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:52.100 To any who receive Him by simply believing in Him through faith in Him are given the right to become children of God. 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:53.039 What a promise. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:15:01.299 That promise, friend, is extended to you this evening. 00:15:01.299 --> 00:15:13.199 Anyone who comes to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone will be transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His beloved Son. 00:15:13.899 --> 00:15:18.559 And will be adopted as sons and daughters of the living God. 00:15:18.679 --> 00:15:23.219 He invites you this evening to give Him all of your mess. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:26.379 To give Him your absolute worst. 00:15:26.379 --> 00:15:30.960 And to receive from Him His absolute best. 00:15:31.899 --> 00:15:35.080 That's the worst gift exchange in the history of mankind. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:38.279 That's what Jesus came to do. 00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:46.000 At Christmas, we celebrate the good news that He was born of man that we might be born of God. 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:50.940 That He stooped down low that He might raise us up. 00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:55.080 That He became like us that sinners like us might become like Him. 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:57.160 That He defeated death. 00:15:57.220 --> 00:16:01.660 That any who come to Him in faith can join Him in resurrection life forever. 00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:04.759 That He who was rich became poor. 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:10.259 So that we who are poor might enter into the riches of His glory. 00:16:11.660 --> 00:16:14.480 You know, one of my favorite Christmas hymns is, 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:17.720 Thou Who Was Rich Beyond All Splendor. 00:16:17.800 --> 00:16:19.080 It's not a popular one. 00:16:19.160 --> 00:16:21.879 I'm assuming y'all probably maybe aren't familiar with it. 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:22.780 That's okay. 00:16:22.779 --> 00:16:28.919 But it comes from what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8, verse 9. 00:16:29.860 --> 00:16:30.819 Where he says, 00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:34.939 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:37.339 that though He was rich, 00:16:38.179 --> 00:16:40.220 yet for your sake He became poor, 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:46.279 so that you by His poverty might become rich. 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:51.919 Do you hear that gloriously unfair exchange? 00:16:52.419 --> 00:16:55.419 Jesus offers you by grace alone, 00:16:55.819 --> 00:16:58.559 through faith in this wonderful gift. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:05.500 I love to read the words of that hymn and think about them at Christmas time. 00:17:05.639 --> 00:17:09.460 It helps me to remember the true message of Christmas. 00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:10.359 It goes like this. 00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:14.159 Thou who was rich beyond all splendor, 00:17:14.679 --> 00:17:17.159 all for love's sake becameest poor. 00:17:17.939 --> 00:17:20.679 Thrones for a manger did surrender. 00:17:21.659 --> 00:17:24.139 Sapphire paved courts for stable floor. 00:17:24.959 --> 00:17:27.159 Thou who was rich beyond all splendor, 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:30.159 all for love's sake becameest poor. 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:33.400 Thou who art God beyond all praising, 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.860 all for love's sake becameest man. 00:17:36.580 --> 00:17:39.300 Stooping so low, but sinners raising. 00:17:39.840 --> 00:17:41.740 Heavenward by thine eternal plan. 00:17:42.600 --> 00:17:44.460 Thou who art God beyond all praising, 00:17:44.660 --> 00:17:46.900 all for love's sake becameest man. 00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:50.140 Thou who art love beyond all telling. 00:17:50.360 --> 00:17:52.700 Savior and King, we worship Thee. 00:17:53.300 --> 00:17:55.120 Emmanuel within us dwelling. 00:17:55.719 --> 00:17:57.899 Make us what Thou wouldst have us be. 00:17:58.599 --> 00:18:00.599 Thou who art love beyond all telling. 00:18:00.819 --> 00:18:04.199 Savior and King, we worship Thee. 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:07.959 Church, this is why the gospel is good news. 00:18:08.439 --> 00:18:11.299 Of great joy for all people. 00:18:12.339 --> 00:18:12.859 Let's pray. 00:18:16.159 --> 00:18:17.479 Lord, we thank You. 00:18:17.879 --> 00:18:20.059 And we do praise You for the good news of the gospel. 00:18:20.059 --> 00:18:23.119 We thank You, Father, for sending Jesus. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:25.459 To be born as a child. 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:26.859 To be born as a baby. 00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:29.599 In our likeness, yet without sin. 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:32.759 You stepped into our mess to redeem us. 00:18:33.399 --> 00:18:34.579 Who least deserve it. 00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:36.239 We love You, Lord. 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:38.179 And we pray, if there are any here this evening 00:18:38.179 --> 00:18:39.699 who don't know You, Father, 00:18:40.179 --> 00:18:42.099 would You save them this Christmas? 00:18:43.179 --> 00:18:45.519 Would You turn their hearts to their Messiah? 00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:49.319 And Lord, for those who have received this gift, 00:18:50.019 --> 00:18:52.119 Father, again, would You warm our hearts 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:55.659 to worship You with fresh joy this evening 00:18:55.659 --> 00:18:56.439 for who You are. 00:18:57.219 --> 00:18:58.919 We love You and we pray this in Jesus' name. 00:18:59.739 --> 00:19:00.039 Amen. 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:00.220 Amen.