Christmas

Christmas:  Celebrating a Season of Jesus’ Love

Date:  December 9, 2007

Place:  Seaman Baptist Church

Scripture:  John 1:1-14

Introduction:

1. Great books are often remembered because of their opening lines
1. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”—Tale of Two Cities
2. “Call me Ishamael”—Moby Dick
3. “Marley was dead to begin with.”—A Christmas Carol

1. Today we look at a Biblical book with a distinctive opening line—the Gospel of John—A distinctive way of telling the Christmas story versus how the other gospels tell their story

Theme:  Through John’s gospel, we experience the Christmas gift of love from Jesus by experiencing him as the Word/Logos, Light, and Son of God.

Body:

A.        We see the Love of Christmas as Jesus the Logos (1:1–3, 14).

--Significance of the term Logos--

The Logos of John is the real, personal God (1:1), the Word, who was originally before the creation with God, and was God, one in essence and nature, yet personally distinct (1:1, 18); the revealer and interpreter of the hidden being of God; the reflection and visible image of God, and the organ of all His manifestations to the world.[1]

--The passage explains that he is truly God

--The power of words

            Ex. Happy Holidays

            Any encouraging word versus discouraging word remembered

Just as our words reveal our mind and heart, so Christ reveals the mind and heart of God to men. “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9, NKJV). A word is composed of letters; and Christ is the Alpha and Omega (first and last letters of the Gk. alphabet; Rev. 22:13) who spells out God’s love to us. In Genesis 1, God created everything through His Word; and Col. 1:16 and 2 Peter 3:5 indicate that this Word was Christ. While God can be known in part through nature and history, He is known in full through His Son (Heb. 1:1–2—Warren Wiersbe

B.         Jesus reveals Himself as love at Christmas as the Light of the World  (1:4–13).

--John’s theme throughout the gospel and his letters is light vs. darkness

1.  Light was shown on fulfilled prophecy—John the Baptist coming before him

2. Light was ignored by whom

            The Innkeeper

            The Religious Leaders of the Day

            Herod

            The Omaha Shooter

3.      As believers we need to shine that light to all we are around

a.       Darryl and installing the central furnace on 106.9 FM

b.      Tim Tebow and the Heisman 

c.       “Tin Man” mini series

C.         Jesus shows the greatest demonstration of His love as the Son of God (1:15–18).

--Jesus had a choice—he could stay or come to earth to save us from our sins—John 3:16

--Jesus demonstrated His love as Son of God

            The sick man lowered from the roof

            The woman who poured perfume on his feet

            Healing of the blind man in John 9

            Water into wine

            Healing of the Roman leaders’ servant

--Rom. 5:8—“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

            --It is the agape love—unmerited, sefless and self-giving

Conclusion:

            A. What are going to do with this special gift of love this Christmas?

                        --Charlie Brown Christmas Special

B.      It starts with receiving God’s gift for yourself

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[1]Vincent, Marvin Richardson: Word Studies in the New Testament. Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2002, S. 2:32