Christmas at Home: The Christmas Story According to John
“In The Beginning”
1 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…
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.
JESUS WAS AT HOME “IN THE BEGINNING.”
“WAS the Word… through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made…”
Colossians 1:15-17 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,
Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
CHRISTMAS WAS AT HOME “IN THE BEGINNING.”
Matthew 2:4-6 (Herod after magi) 4 “…he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
ISRAEL “CHILDREN” OUT OF EGYPT…
JESUS: SON OUT OF EGYPT.
TRINITY = FATHER: Creator / SON: “chosen before creation” / SPIRIT: hovered over the formless earth
John 14 7 “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well… 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father… 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you… 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
Luke 24:44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
PROPHECY / HOPE wasn’t new news, just to us! (Births foretold: John the Baptist & Jesus… prophecy)
OUR HOPE WAS ESTABLISHED BEFORE OUR “FALL.”
I Peter 1:20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
WE ARE AT HOME IN “THE BEGINNING.”
II Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY IS JUST THE “BEGINNING!”
Romans 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
HOPE INSPIRES LABOR FOR THE REST OF THE STORY!
“MAKE READY A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE LORD” (He’s always been… the time is now) GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES… WE ARE AT HOME IN “THE BEGINNING”… OF ETERNITY! IN WHATEVER CULTURE THROWS AT US, IT IS ALL THE BIRTHING PAINS OF ETERNITY!… HOPE!