Sermon Tone Analysis

Secular:

* Wedding Ring

* More than jewellery

* At the wedding the ring is given as a symbol of a promise…

* “The wedding ring is the outward and the visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts in endless love.

The circle, the emblem of eternity; the gold, the type of what is least  tarnished and most enduring--it is to show how lasting and imperishable is the faith now pledged.

Let the ring, a fit token of that which is unending, continue to be to you both a symbol of the value, the purity, and the constancy of true wedded love, and the seal of the vows in which you have both pledged your most solemn and sacred honour.”

*  But after almost 19 years of marriage I look at the ring… and it means even more

* Every tender moment

* Every battle we have endured

* Every joy savoured

* Every challenge overcome

* Every loving moment

* Deep reflection reminds me it was more than a moment in history

* It represents so much more!

* When we look at pictures of  the nativity… or hear the Christmas story again we need to remember that the birth of Christ is about so much more than a baby… a marriage is more than a ring or a ceremony… Christmas is about so much more than the arrival of a baby….

Even about more than a Saviour!

Biblical:

John 1: 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.

Personal:

* It is official… I am getting old….

*  Technology used to come naturally….

* Owner’s manual… seriously…

* But I recently found out both my computer and my blackberry both have far more features than I have been using…

* It wasn’t that they were somehow limited because I didn’t know….

But because I didn’t know I did not experience the full benefit… failed to fully grasped there capabilities!

* GPS Mapping!

* An as a modem… no extra hardware!

*  I failed to see the full extent of that which was in my hand!

Bridge:

* It is Christmas….

* Any child will inform you that there is more to a present than wrapping paper… you need to open it to experience it!

* To leave it wrapped… or in its box is a failure to appreciate its real value!

* On the First Christmas morning….

The eternal God… sent his only begotten Son into the world as a baby….

* If we stop there….

If we see only the child in a manger we miss the gift…

* It is richer….

More valuable….

More glorious….

1.

The Lord Has Come

2.      His Glory Displayed

3.      Nature of God Manifest

*  Like the ring that symbolizes more than a day or an event….

* The Christ child is oh, so much more than a just a baby… Christmas more than just a day or celebration!

Body:

I. *The Lord Has Come!*

*And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,  *

* The Word became flesh…

* The Word John 1:1" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and *the Word was God*." (John 1:1, ESV)

* The Word that became flesh was God…

* Christmas is the celebration of the gift of God himself.

* Perfect revelation of God…

* The Word… valued… revered by the people of God… in the O~/T…

* Now Perfect revelation in Christ… God disclosed…

* It is a gift better than a comfortable life, or peace, it is even better than the gift of eternal life… the great gift is the gift of God for himself.

– in the Flesh!

* Became Flesh… not sin….

Human form

* The Word… very God… born of a woman to live amongst humankind…

* Royalty, Deity, Perfection – God to dwell with us….

* Dwelt amongst us – tabernacled ~/ tented

* "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

(Exodus 40:34, ESV)

*  The tent of meeting… the intimate presence of God

* Exodus 33:11….

Is wow!

* Jesus is God tabernacled with us….

Immanuel… the Word in the Flesh

* The very test of genuine faith!

*  1 john 4:1-3 the test! - " Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.

This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already."

(1 John 4:1-3, ESV)

* Testimony to the Incarnation is Christian… failure to acknowledge… is not of God!

* It is absolutely necessary for the Spirit of God to enlighten our spirit - to know Jesus is God.

* Anything else is a false faith….

/every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God./

*  "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law," (Galatians 4:4, ESV)

*  Jesus came… as promised… in perfect time….

The Son of God… as a man… under the law…

* The Lord promised a sign… even to an unbelieving people….

For it is not contingent on *us* whether Jesus is Lord…

* God has made it clear… God was faithful… demonstrating his holiness… faithfulness… steadfastness… his glory…

* "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

(Isaiah 7:14, ESV)

*  God with us….

The gift of himself…

* / *And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,  */

* /(Heb 4:14-16)/

* Even when the world turns its back… and seems dark… and we forget as his created people our beloved Creator….

Have hope….

And arise!

*  " Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you."

(Isaiah 60:1-2, ESV)

*  Arise… and turn to God….

And be the light of his glory….

* "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory."