John 1:1–4, 10-14 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. …10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Christmas is about the incarnation.
Incarnation: Put on a body.
Emmanuel GOD WITH US: Isaiah 7:14 (NIV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Why the incarnation? 1. To reveal God "The method is the message."
John 1:14(NIV) We have seen(Beheld) his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
"Jesus is the way TO The Father and OF The Father." "Jesus didn't change God's nature; He revealed it."
John 14:9 (NIV) …Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
2. To be present Presence is the opposite of absence.
ill.. TikTok of guy at football game in zoom meeting.
"He didn't just come to earth; he took a seat at our table."
A. To fellowship with us.
B. To be there with us and for us. Matthew 28:20(NIV) "I will be with you until the end of the age. Psalm 46:1 (NIV) God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
C. He came as one of us to identify with us. Jesus never entered into the activity of sin, but he suffered the effects of sin.
Hebrews 4:15–16 (NLT) 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
3. To bring us into the family John 1:12-13(NIV) 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. "Jesus was born of flesh so that we could be born in spirit."
John 3:3 (NLT) Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Matthew 1:18–23 (NLT) 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”
The Spirit of Christmas 1. A Promise fulfilled Matthew 1:22 (NLT) “… All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet….’
Matthew 1:1, 17 (NLT) This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham… 17 All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.
2. A Purpose revealed Don't miss the purpose of Jesus. “Jesus didn’t come to meet a human agenda; He came to reveal Heaven’s agenda.”
Matthew 1:21 (NLT) She will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Luke 19:10 (NLT) For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
John 6:44 (NLT) For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me… John 16:8 (NLT) When he comes, he will convict the world of its sin…
3. Presence pronounced Matthew 1:23 (NLT)…They will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’
John 14:26–27 (NLT) 26 When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart…
4. Power provided The Holy Spirit is a person, not a force.
Jesus revealed how humans filled with the Spirit of God should function. Acts 10:38 (NIV) God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. John 14:12 (NLT) “Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
John the Baptist Luke 1:15–17 (NLT) 15... He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”
After Mary conceives…. Luke 1:39–42 (NLT). 39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Receive the gift of the Father: Acts 1:4–5 (NLT) “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Miracles 1. Elizabeth became pregnant Luke 1:24 “Soon afterwards his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months”
Luke 1:7 “They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.”
-John was making the way for Jesus before Jesus was even here on earth.
“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17
2. Mary becomes pregnant supernaturally
1) Jesus would come from a virgin birth
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.”
Luke 1:34 “Mary asked the angel,” But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
2) Jesus would come from the line of David Psalm 89:3-2 “You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant;’ I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.” (referring to the promise God gave to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-13)
God loves to use common people for an uncommon purpose.
God needs nothing but a willing heart to do the miraculous.
It’s never too late for God to fill you and there is nothing more you need to do for Him to fill you.
3. John was filled with the Holy Spirit inside the womb Luke 1:41 “At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:4 “And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”
When Jesus came he brought the promise of the Holy Spirit
John 14:15-17 “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”
Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
