WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.759 Now, one of the things I'm really thankful for this year is the brilliant people who volunteer and work in our church. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:12.640 We have a small staff team as well. And Jen here is a part of our staff team. 00:00:12.820 --> 00:00:18.359 We're very grateful to you. God for you, Jen. And she's going to read for us at last minute notice. 00:00:19.119 --> 00:00:19.880 Thanks, Jen. 00:00:22.740 --> 00:00:24.700 OK, reading from verse 14. 00:00:25.619 --> 00:00:32.619 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing to you with these instructions so that if I am delayed, 00:00:32.619 --> 00:00:38.899 you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is a church of the living God, 00:00:39.339 --> 00:00:47.459 the pillar and foundation of the truth. Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great. 00:00:48.379 --> 00:00:56.200 He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, 00:00:56.359 --> 00:01:02.239 was believed on, sorry, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:02.899 Amen. 00:01:07.579 --> 00:01:08.240 Thanks, Jen. 00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:15.400 Now, I know I'm going to leave it on that slide. Don't worry. I've not forgotten. It's all right. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:20.320 So you can keep your Bible open, but I've also kept it up on the slide behind. 00:01:20.439 --> 00:01:23.439 So we're just going to have a look together at that verse 16. 00:01:23.540 --> 00:01:30.200 I don't intend to keep us for very long, but I want us just to think about that very first line in that sentence there. 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:34.760 He appeared in the flesh. He appeared in the flesh. 00:01:35.379 --> 00:01:40.159 My hope this morning, and my expectations are fairly limited this morning, 00:01:40.240 --> 00:01:45.079 but my hope is that we can pause together and see amidst everything else that's going on this morning, 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:50.739 just how significant the events are that we are celebrating together today. 00:01:51.219 --> 00:01:56.799 We are celebrating the arrival of the Lord Jesus in flesh. 00:01:56.920 --> 00:02:00.379 He appeared in the flesh. It's about the incarnations, isn't it? 00:02:00.379 --> 00:02:09.120 God the Son, the eternal Son of God, taking on himself human flesh and being born as a baby. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:11.859 And here's the thing that we've got to try and keep in our minds, 00:02:12.099 --> 00:02:16.079 that at the same time, in the same person, 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:24.300 God the Son in human flesh is a weak, small, helpless, totally dependent baby, 00:02:24.300 --> 00:02:27.719 lying in a manger and wrapped in cloths, 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:32.580 whilst at the same time, that same person, according to his divine nature, 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:36.920 is sustaining the very world into which he has come, 00:02:37.780 --> 00:02:40.080 putting the air in the lungs of his mother, 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:45.220 holding the stars in space above the stable. 00:02:45.780 --> 00:02:47.640 It's an extraordinary thought, isn't it, 00:02:47.939 --> 00:02:49.740 to try and hold those two things together. 00:02:49.740 --> 00:02:55.439 Those two things are true of the same person at the same time. 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:58.520 One person, two natures. 00:02:58.640 --> 00:03:03.040 Now, we're going to hear today, aren't we, all sorts of extraordinary things. 00:03:03.379 --> 00:03:05.040 Yeah, you're sitting around a dinner table, 00:03:05.100 --> 00:03:07.379 and people will tell you extraordinary things. 00:03:07.780 --> 00:03:09.719 Some of them will not be very important. 00:03:09.900 --> 00:03:12.780 They will have read them from the cracker that they opened, right? 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:16.960 There'll be some pointless facts about space and how big it is, 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:21.580 or how deep the ocean is, or how many times it's snowed on Christmas Day in London. 00:03:21.900 --> 00:03:24.700 Those are extraordinary things, but they are totally irrelevant. 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:26.020 They don't matter at all. 00:03:26.300 --> 00:03:29.400 But I want to suggest to you that this extraordinary truth, 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:32.920 that one person, the person of the Son, 00:03:33.060 --> 00:03:39.260 has a fully human nature and a fully divine nature at the same time, 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:41.960 is not extraordinary but irrelevant, 00:03:43.140 --> 00:03:44.780 but is vital and essential. 00:03:44.780 --> 00:03:48.960 I want to suggest to us this morning that it is impossible for us 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:53.300 to live properly and know God truly 00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:57.979 unless we grasp this idea that we've been talking about. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:02.860 And that's what Paul introduces in this statement in 1 Timothy 3 verse 16. 00:04:03.340 --> 00:04:04.939 He appeared in the flesh. 00:04:05.460 --> 00:04:07.420 And if you have a look just a bit further up, 00:04:07.500 --> 00:04:10.080 at the bit that Jen read for us in verses 14 to 15, 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:12.520 you will see how important it is. 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:15.100 So Paul here is trying to teach the church. 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:19.100 So 1 Timothy, very briefly, written to a guy called Timothy, 00:04:19.280 --> 00:04:20.280 by a guy called Paul, 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:23.620 and Timothy is working in a church in Ephesus. 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:27.800 And he is writing to them to tell them how they should run their church life. 00:04:28.460 --> 00:04:30.079 If you look, particularly here, 00:04:30.139 --> 00:04:33.340 his concern is how people ought to conduct themselves 00:04:33.340 --> 00:04:35.180 in the life of the church, 00:04:35.300 --> 00:04:37.699 the church which is called God's household, 00:04:37.699 --> 00:04:40.519 the church which is the church of the living God, 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:43.319 the pillar and foundation of the truth, 00:04:43.459 --> 00:04:44.319 is how he puts it. 00:04:45.019 --> 00:04:46.199 In other words, what he's saying, 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:47.019 verse 16, 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:50.099 these are essential truths for church life, 00:04:50.579 --> 00:04:52.439 the church which is the pillar of the truth, 00:04:52.860 --> 00:04:55.240 and this is the truth about how you should live, 00:04:56.099 --> 00:04:57.899 he appeared in the flesh. 00:04:59.039 --> 00:05:02.399 He says the same thing as he introduces it in verse 16 as well. 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:04.639 If you just walk through verse 16 with me, 00:05:04.679 --> 00:05:05.719 he starts by saying, 00:05:06.219 --> 00:05:07.099 beyond all question, 00:05:07.639 --> 00:05:09.139 or most certainly, 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:10.819 or undeniably, 00:05:11.060 --> 00:05:13.099 it's the only time that word appears in the New Testament. 00:05:13.299 --> 00:05:15.500 It's like a highlighter pen that Paul's using, 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:16.539 an underlining. 00:05:17.019 --> 00:05:18.159 Listen, what comes next? 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:19.319 Beyond all question, 00:05:20.039 --> 00:05:21.459 without a shadow of a doubt, 00:05:21.539 --> 00:05:23.419 this is centrally important. 00:05:23.979 --> 00:05:24.979 The mystery, 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:26.899 which is a reference to the gospel, 00:05:27.019 --> 00:05:28.319 the message about Jesus Christ, 00:05:28.359 --> 00:05:29.399 which is now being revealed, 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:33.199 the mystery of the gospel is the source of true godliness. 00:05:33.919 --> 00:05:34.579 In other words, 00:05:35.099 --> 00:05:35.859 Christian living, 00:05:36.419 --> 00:05:36.839 godliness, 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:37.819 being good, 00:05:37.959 --> 00:05:39.500 is a fruit, 00:05:40.239 --> 00:05:42.299 not a root. 00:05:42.719 --> 00:05:42.859 Yeah? 00:05:43.259 --> 00:05:44.019 In other words, 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:45.579 you get the gospel right, 00:05:46.339 --> 00:05:47.959 he appeared in the flesh, 00:05:48.359 --> 00:05:50.319 and you'll get living right. 00:05:51.339 --> 00:05:53.159 Godliness doesn't come before the gospel. 00:05:53.299 --> 00:05:54.739 People get this wrong all the time, right? 00:05:55.419 --> 00:05:56.179 So listen up. 00:05:57.039 --> 00:05:57.159 Right? 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:03.400 The good living comes from the change that God has made in our hearts through the gospel. 00:06:04.080 --> 00:06:07.880 You don't change your life so that you're acceptable to God. 00:06:08.340 --> 00:06:13.760 God in the gospel makes you acceptable to him and changes your life by the spirit. 00:06:14.620 --> 00:06:16.560 Godliness is the fruit of God saving us, 00:06:16.620 --> 00:06:18.180 not the root of us saving ourselves. 00:06:19.060 --> 00:06:21.400 And this mystery of the gospel is first, 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:21.940 he, 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:22.379 God, 00:06:22.460 --> 00:06:23.460 appeared in the flesh. 00:06:24.960 --> 00:06:25.760 Herman Bavinck, 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:26.899 who you might not have heard of, 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:29.120 but I'd like to think of him as a friend of mine. 00:06:29.180 --> 00:06:30.860 He's been dead for over 100 years, 00:06:30.939 --> 00:06:32.000 but he was a Dutch theologian. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:36.019 And he says this is the central point of all Christian truth. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:42.300 All Christian doctrine is either preparing for this or springing from this, he says. 00:06:42.740 --> 00:06:44.839 Which means that today, Christmas Day, 00:06:44.899 --> 00:06:48.360 we are celebrating something that is centrally important. 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:49.800 God appearing in flesh. 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:50.659 It's a great day. 00:06:50.660 --> 00:06:54.160 And I want to show you two reasons why it's so important. 00:06:54.340 --> 00:06:55.360 And the first one is, 00:06:56.080 --> 00:06:56.880 he appeared. 00:06:57.140 --> 00:06:57.320 Right? 00:06:57.400 --> 00:06:58.700 Let's think about those first two words. 00:06:58.820 --> 00:06:59.500 He appeared. 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:00.780 God appeared. 00:07:00.880 --> 00:07:03.520 Now I'm going to need a bit of help to think about this first point. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:04.300 And I've got a present. 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:04.540 God, 00:07:04.540 --> 00:07:09.680 I need someone to help me with and help me open. 00:07:11.840 --> 00:07:12.160 Jamie, 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:13.040 you're sat in the front row, 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:15.699 so you're like very convenient to open if you'd like. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:16.300 Do you want to help me? 00:07:17.620 --> 00:07:20.180 But I want you to not open it straight away. 00:07:20.960 --> 00:07:23.480 I want you to try and work out what it is first. 00:07:23.660 --> 00:07:25.319 Because this is what you do when you get a present, right? 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:26.699 You've got to try and work out what it is. 00:07:27.100 --> 00:07:27.819 Take it from me. 00:07:28.139 --> 00:07:28.460 There you go. 00:07:29.080 --> 00:07:29.680 Have a shake. 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:32.240 What do you think? 00:07:33.800 --> 00:07:34.699 Maybe smell it. 00:07:35.459 --> 00:07:35.780 Glitter. 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:37.160 I think it's glitter maybe, yeah? 00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:39.500 That would be heavy glitter, I think. 00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:40.139 Shake it. 00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:40.720 Smell it maybe. 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:42.519 A little smell. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:45.740 You can ask your dad for wisdom if you want. 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:48.560 Yeah, that's a ridiculous thought, isn't it? 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:49.180 Why would I do that? 00:07:51.340 --> 00:07:52.100 So you see, 00:07:52.259 --> 00:07:53.699 you can shake it again, shake it again, see with you. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:56.620 It's very difficult, isn't it, with a present, 00:07:56.680 --> 00:07:57.800 to know exactly what it is. 00:07:58.120 --> 00:07:59.439 Lindsay, do you want to have a go? 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:00.439 I know it is. 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:00.459 I know it is. 00:08:00.459 --> 00:08:00.459 00:08:00.459 --> 00:08:01.420 I know it is. 00:08:03.420 --> 00:08:06.920 Now, Lindsay might be about to spoil my whole illustration. 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:08.900 Should we let her try? 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:09.959 Go on. 00:08:12.439 --> 00:08:13.139 I think she knows. 00:08:20.060 --> 00:08:20.960 Shake it, see what you think. 00:08:22.899 --> 00:08:24.199 Oh, no, it's not. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:27.519 See, it's too heavy for Harry Bowie, Star Mix. 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:27.819 Yeah. 00:08:28.500 --> 00:08:29.079 There you go, James. 00:08:29.079 --> 00:08:30.300 Well, good try, though. 00:08:32.319 --> 00:08:38.759 It is impossible to tell what is in there without doing what? 00:08:39.939 --> 00:08:40.419 Open it. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:41.399 So why don't you open it? 00:08:41.399 --> 00:09:02.159 there you go what is it 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:07.439 chocolate there you go that's right you can have that you can go and have a sit down you can share 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:12.720 them out later if you want to play the after eight mint game where you slide it down your face and 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:17.240 get it in your mouth you can play that with jamie later if you'd like to right here's the point 00:09:17.240 --> 00:09:22.600 without without opening it we can have a guess can't we lindsay but we can't know for sure what 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:31.200 it is this is what's going on at christmas god is appearing he's showing himself you know without 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:38.960 him doing that we would not really know who god is or what god is like and in the incarnation god 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:45.480 without for a moment shedding any of his divinity is in the person of the son taking on flesh that you 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:54.400 and i can see him so that we can know him god in flesh is god revealed you know without the incarnation 00:09:54.399 --> 00:10:01.819 god is if you like shrouded covered over in mystery he is wrapped up he's like jamie with the unopened 00:10:01.819 --> 00:10:08.139 present he is unknowable distant far off we can have a guess what he's like but we might guess haribo 00:10:08.139 --> 00:10:12.659 instead of after eight minutes lindsay you've helped me out greatly this morning that's brilliant 00:10:12.659 --> 00:10:19.639 jesus said to his disciples he said anyone who has seen me has seen the father in heaven 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:29.439 the apostle john writing years later said this the life appeared god appeared and we've seen it and 00:10:29.439 --> 00:10:35.580 testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the father and has appeared to us 00:10:35.580 --> 00:10:40.960 i guess for a couple of ways you can say you know something can you so if we say that god has revealed 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:45.919 himself so that we can know him there could be a couple of ways of saying i know something couldn't 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:52.159 there there could be one way of saying it which is you know like i know quantum physics i don't i'm 00:10:52.159 --> 00:11:01.139 just imagining i know quantum physics or i know what 3799 times 1245 is you know it could be i know 00:11:01.139 --> 00:11:05.899 something because i've got a really big brain right but there's another way of saying something isn't it 00:11:05.899 --> 00:11:12.939 you could say i know my mom or i know my teacher or i know my friend or i know my sister or i know my 00:11:12.940 --> 00:11:17.880 brother and then you're not claiming to have a big brain are you what you're claiming is to have a 00:11:17.880 --> 00:11:24.780 relationship with somebody the christian claim to know god because he has arrived in the person of 00:11:24.780 --> 00:11:30.960 the son is the claim to have a relationship with him it's not to have a big brain that we've worked 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:38.360 god out it's the news that god has appeared so that we might know him we know god not because we 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:46.039 researched god but because he revealed himself to us he arrived in the person of the son maybe you're 00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:49.800 not a christian this morning you don't really go to church very often it's great that you're here 00:11:49.800 --> 00:11:53.440 this we're so pleased that you're with us this morning this is the claim we don't claim to be 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:58.840 any better than you we don't claim to be any more intelligent than you what we're claiming is that god 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:06.000 in his kindness in the person of the son has made himself known to us that we might know him 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:12.059 ultimately that he might die in our place to forgive us of our sin that we might be in a relationship 00:12:12.059 --> 00:12:18.960 with him a holy god with unholy people like us through the person of the son god has appeared 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:24.919 he's unwrapped himself clothed himself in flesh so that we could know him that's the first thing 00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:33.440 he appeared second thing he appeared in the flesh now i need some help with this as well i need 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:36.400 someone who might be able to blow a whistle for me 00:12:36.400 --> 00:12:49.780 so uh what's your how's your confidence levels lindsey you still up still up for something like 00:12:49.780 --> 00:12:55.440 this anyone else up for this do you want to have a go you want to have a go you can come do you want 00:12:55.440 --> 00:12:59.600 to bring your mom or dad with you come on bring your dad with bring your dad with you 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:03.440 come on come on 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:09.840 here we go 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:17.120 you look very smart this morning by the way i'm very impressed right so this is a whistle have you 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:24.360 ever seen a whistle like this before so this is a it's called a shepherd's whistle right and so i want 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:29.879 you to have a go can you make a noise with it you want to have a go have a go and if you can't do it 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:33.480 see whether your dad can have a game with it 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:39.960 quite difficult swing it around to your room that would make a noise 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:45.000 so you are supposed to blow through it that's how you make a noise with it 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:51.720 yeah yeah yeah oh there you see that's a latte can your dad make a noise with it 00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:05.480 i'm gonna sleep okay i'll tell you what sit down we'll have a look at it and see where you can do 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:09.399 it go but well done we'll give him a little clap here we do good well done for trying that's great 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:17.639 okay keep stretching your imaginations you're there what on earth has this got to do with it 00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:25.480 right listen jesus arrives in the flesh to show you that something is possible that you otherwise would 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:30.680 have thought impossible you see you look at a whistle like this and you think how does that make a noise 00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:36.359 and unless someone shows you how to do it you are not able to do it because this is a the kind of 00:14:36.359 --> 00:14:40.759 thing that you need to learn someone needs to show you that it is possible for you to be able to do it 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:48.679 right you put it in there right and it makes a whistle like that so you need to show don't please don't clap 00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:49.159 me for that 00:14:49.159 --> 00:15:01.319 jesus arrives in human flesh to show us that is possible to live a life that pleases god that's 00:15:01.319 --> 00:15:06.839 the whole point in this section right so paul is writing to timothy to tell the church how they should 00:15:06.839 --> 00:15:15.399 live their lives then well how can i live for them my flesh is weak i am a weak person i keep stumbling 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:20.279 and falling and if you're a christian this morning you know that don't you you're the story of this year 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:24.679 is the story of struggling to live a christian life just like we've struggled in years before 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:31.480 but jesus arriving in human flesh reveals to us that it is possible for human flesh to please god 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:39.480 and notice how how is that possible you're told in the next sentence jesus was vindicated by the spirit 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:49.399 it's harder to understand that line but the point is that god the son in human flesh pleases god in 00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:58.920 the strength of the spirit so that the flesh of the son is ruled by the spirit of god vindicated by him 00:15:58.920 --> 00:16:06.279 ultimately in his resurrection but over and over so that the incarnation jesus shows us the way to live 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:12.759 he shows us that it is possible in this world in these bodies to live a life that pleases him that 00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:22.199 is for his glory it follows his way and we can't do it in our strength we need the strength of the spirit 00:16:22.199 --> 00:16:30.199 we need god's strength so perhaps life is particularly difficult for you this morning maybe particularly hard 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:37.800 at christmas to think how can i go on how can i go on living for god and his glory how can i face all 00:16:37.800 --> 00:16:47.000 that's coming my way in 2026 well the incarnation says no you can live for god in this world in this 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:54.520 flesh because you can live by the spirit just like the son did he did it for christ and he can do it for 00:16:54.520 --> 00:16:59.320 you it's why the incarnation is so important for us as christians it's why it's the foundation 00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:04.759 not only of our salvation but also of our sanctification our growth in godliness and 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:11.960 christlikeness it's why it is beyond all question the mystery from which all true godliness springs 00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:23.080 that jesus god the eternal son has revealed god to us and has shown us how to follow god's way how to 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:28.359 live for him let me pray and then we'll sing together in christ alone 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:35.639 heavenly father thank you that you have shown us what you're like 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:46.519 by appearing in the person of the sun taking on human flesh that we might know you and thank you that 00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:54.200 because of his arrival we can see not only that we can know you but that we can also live for you 00:17:55.240 --> 00:18:01.079 that we can live lives that please you and honor you as we live in the power of the spirit please help 00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:14.519 us today as we celebrate to rejoice in these great truths that you have done this for us in jesus name amen amen