The Real Story Of Christmas - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ is to help file. This is the word became flesh, God became flesh the transcend on Missy omnipotent and omnipresent eternal glory is God made becomes one of God became something he had never been without a reason. That is really difficult joining us today on this additional fellowship of the word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word are Laura use the rejected up till now it seems like you're anticipating this is great.

This story is going to really one of what a happy ending story can be a Hallmark movie, you know it's working in the right way and then all of a sudden you find the reality of it all.

He said he was in the world and the world was made through him, the world did not know what a sad statement not just in the world, but he made the world, not just among men but he made man rejected.

He said in verse 11 he came to his own and those were his own did not receive them. Not only was in the whole world to the nation Israel, specifically Judah, he becomes given to Israel as the Messiah and they reject him nothing to do with you, your Beelzebub, the Lord of the flies. You're of the devil. Jesus said when you did that you just committed and particles because I can help you is no hope that I can give you his own reject him, amazing statement the eternal one. That's the baby revealed one the promised one. The rejected one. And then it turns in verse 11 and verse 12. He's the saving one he said, but as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God. Even those who believe in his name as many as received him notice it doesn't say he gave them the power to be children of God that he needed a power that being Susie know this Greek word is the right. He said if you received the sun. If you receive the word if you receive Jesus Christ. That's what this verse as if you just receive Jesus Christ. He said he gave you the right to become children of God is been true since that's an amazing statement to the Jews. It was profound because I never thought of it that way. They always thought of it is what I have to do for God to be pleased with me in order to be a child of God. I have to live out my life through the law. The best that I can. There's always some kind of religious antidote to this, is always somewhere. We have to do this on her own. He says no you just have to receive him. If you receive him.

He said you will be called the children of God, and even though the word nearest techno which is sort of a nominal word for for children. The apostle Paul said in Romans that only we children of God, but we cry out, Abba, father by the air make word which in English would be day. This is profound of the Jews.

Wait a minute. He can be my daddy I could have that kind of intimacy with God because I just received the site.

Yes, that's what the word of God says yes you got the right your child of God. While what a statement he said as many as received him, he gave the right to be children of God. Even those who believe in his name, believe in his name. What's it mean to believe in his name. I believe that's his name, and I believe what's his name note in the Hebrew to the Jewish mindset.

The name means everything. You are all you do, that's your name that's I have a good name you see a good name doesn't one is in a first name that rhymes with your last name and the mechanism our culture a good name means there you have the character the backup your life. You believe in his name, and I always have to say this, Susie. Someone's always here is profound.

And remember what his name is is is name is yeah sure that's his name Bart Joseph that's his name. His name is not Jesus Christ, okay Jesus is in Hebrew.

It's not even drink it, we we turn it into name. There's nothing wrong with Jesus at sort for Joshua or Joshua but his last name is not Christ. Okay doesn't say that is mailbox and I don't say this with the Christ slip. He is Jesus the Christ. Christoph means Messiah. He is yes you are the Messiah, but all that that means who is he's God is the eternal one is the revealed one is the promised one. He said you gotta believe in all of that in order to be saved. This is in no mistake as I love verse 13 who were born, those who are children of God, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man of God can inherit salvation. You cannot say this all the time and application us. Please understand I doesn't have any grandchildren. Your menstrual is a decision everybody has to make on the Jews thought that they could inherit the relationship with God because of their forefathers. They were wrong, you can do that. It doesn't occur that weight, not the way you were born, or the blood is not the will of the flesh is not that you really go seeking God not God's will you find me was Roman say how many see God such as ICQ.

I look for you see is salvation always begins with God, for God so loved the world he sent his only begotten son, God is seeking us, he seeks out you. This is initiated completely by God.

He says not of the will of man, it's not them something that man can do in his own. He said it's all he said of God. So what's he told us so far he's told us that the baby was born in Bethlehem is the eternal one is the revealed one. He's the promised one is the rejected one, and he's a saving one. Then in verse 14.

The whole story of Christmas in one verse. Notice what it says in the word became flesh and one among us is the first time though Barbarossa showed up since verse one and centering about the lawn since verse one and verse one in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God. And then he says now and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Well, that's Christmas Word became flesh is the most profound thing that ever happened because we know the word is God.

God became flesh is a mystery how do you explain that highly understand that. I mean we know all of the factors about it. We know that he was born of a virgin. We understand that we understand that over the centuries we come away with a theology says he's truly God and truly man are fully God and fully man we know all that.

But when you think of just how profound this is. The word became flesh, God became flesh the transcendent. I'm missing omnipotent on the present eternal glorious God becomes like one of us baby born becomes one of his creatures. God became something he had never been without erasing all that it always been as a mystery that is really difficult to understand.

That's what the word is in God became flesh and dwelt among us, and then these words we saw his glory, glory is the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth. When an interesting thing for John to say, we saw the glory we sought. John never got over this in a select number he's right here on 9090 A.D. this is this is 60 years later and he can't help himself. We saw the glory we sought hold your place and go with me to first John chapter 1 first John chapter 1 no notice what John writes in verse one. He said what was from the beginning what we have heard what we have seen with our eyes.

What we have looked on in touch with her hands concerning the word of life and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you to you the eternal life which was with the father was manifested to us and we have seen and heard and proclaim it. You also so that you may have fellowship with us and indeed our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ. He said these things right so that our joy would be made complete jogs is what he said I saw God I talked to I touched him. I touched him. That's the glory thought about. I touched God I did just as I can get over that. What a remarkable thing.

This is John today. It was incredible. You see, one of the things is so amazing about God is we say when noticing got at any time. That was true.

That's true, except when he showed up. Once he showed up music I like to know what God's like okay I'll tell you how to find out read the Gospels you want to know what God's like read the Gospels because there years you see in the word was God. You see, that's the point. He says that's is what happened. The word became flesh and dwelt among us aces and we saw his glory, not the way that you would think that this is an transfiguration. This is and while looking at me can barely look at every shiny white light Mike in the book of Revelation, chapter 1, or in the transfiguration said no.

I saw his glory heard him speak. These units define what part of the glory really had an impact on him. This tremendous mystery. We beheld his glory. He said he's the only begotten, the only begotten please understand what he means when he says that when he says that he is the only begotten mono Genesis, it means he's the one and only mono single is the one and only of God to let some cult member try to tell you see he was begotten of the father's beautiful best known of the verses are all, he's the one and only. He's the one and only the truly loved for example in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 it says that Isaac is the only begotten of Abraham was the was in Ishmael, begotten by Abraham C no is not talking about that he's talking about the fact that he is the one and only the loved one. You see, that's what he is. He said he's the only begotten of God, has nothing to do with orientation of how we came into being an ass to do his relationship with God and he says and he is full he says full of grace and truth is glory. We were singing not long ago. Hark the Herald Angels Sing Charles Wesley the great found in Methodism, and Wesley said this and that song was amazing, veiled in flesh the Godhead see what a great statement veiled in flesh the Godhead see incarnate deity. That's what happens at Christmas card one to infinite lines to make himself someone you can know he cities full of grace and truth, full of grace and truth. How many other things easy for he doesn't say anything about that. He doesn't talk about his love, his mercy is wisdom is knowledge is power's justice is holiness's immutability is compassion is on this units on the presence omnipotence is anger's wrath is kind of suspected and talk about that noise full grace is a summary of John.

What was it like to touch him what was like to be there with them. What was a like to walk with them for three and half years. What was that like the sick I tell you we just full of grace and truth is true in John eight Jesus said when you find me, you find the truth and the truth will set you free. When you find me, you find the truth in Johnson's we found and he says he's full of grace, full of grace.

Notice he says in verse 15 John testified about him and cried out, saying, this is he whom I have said here comes after me is a higher rank than I for he existed not was born existed, he says, before me, he said four of his fullness we have all received and I love those words. Grace upon grace. What a great way to express this grace upon grace how much grace grace upon grace upon grace upon grace upon grace.

You want a picture of the grace of God go to the golf doing ocean stain on the seashore much the waves commit there always coming.

That's the grace of God semi-gracious keeps coming and coming and coming. Grace upon grace upon grace. That's what he says. That's why Paul said looking Romans five he said we stand in grace. That's where we stand. That's where we have our being. He said in verse 17 for the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth will realize who Jesus Christ and that amazing.

He starts out with the word the log us and he said the law addresses God, and they start talking about him.

The log us now is as clear as he can be who is him who is the log us.

Jesus Christ.

He said no one has seen God at any time, the only begotten, the one and only he said God. Notice the one and only God who was in his bosom of the father. He has explained to. He has explained him as Christmas will get caught up in so many of the other things we talk about Christmas and so many levels. We see the sweet story and there's no room at the end you, knowing she was in labor and she's writing a little borrow. When I showed up and we think she's writing a little borrow when we make up all kinds of stories about all this and I want to destroy her imagery for Christmas but we sang the song. You know, there were three wise men. The cave me when they want their Christmas. By the way they were there way. Later that night and we don't know their history.

We know this lady and ride camels.

I know your nativity sets blown for horses.

The Persians see we make these beautiful romantic stories about the imagery but this is the reality, the reality of what really is going on at Christmas is, the word became flesh and dwelt among us, the log us of God's eternal one. The revealed one the promise one the rejected oneness saving one the glorious one Emmanuelle God with us) may have said it best in the little town of Bethlehem, I was silently how silently the wondrous gift is given. So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven.

No ear may hear is coming, but in this world of sin where meek souls will receive him still the dear Christ enters this year. I beg you think about the meaning of Christmas how extraordinary this was because your hope, your security, the promise of heaven for you is all because of the incarnation of Jesus Christ is so profound and so important you realize that if you believe in the incarnation of the word of God of God himself in human flesh. Just what we read all the other issues that might be in your head if your skeptical result.

While I'm not really sure he can walk on water. No one can see I'm not.

I'm not really sure that bind people saw I am not really sure he fed 5000 people with just a few pieces of food. I'm not really sure about a lot of things like that will listen if that was God coming in the flesh, and he's God. So if you believe that you should have trouble that he walked on water, he's God you see all of the other skeptical things we think about some who were dismissed. If you understand and believe in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. That's the message of Christmas word became flesh and dwelt among us, the spring father were so familiar with the Christmas story that we can miss it.

We think even from a biblical point of view. We think of all of the things that happened on that night and we thought about this this extraordinary little baby being born. Thank you for John giving us the theology behind that birth.

Thank you for his insight into this baby born in Bethlehem, because he is none other than God incarnate. Father, I thank you for this miracle of his birth because after that birth, his life and death have so much meaning now. The people just like me who will put our faith and trust in as many as received is given the right children of God think that I'm thinking Pastor Bill Gebhardt, the radio ministry or fellowship nor if you ever missed one of our broadcasting or maybe you just like the message one more time.

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