God Actually Came, and Dwelt Here Among Us
John 1:1,14
DATE: 4 Dec, 2005 AM
PLACE: BBC Ballincollig
DATE: 4 Dec, 2005
PLACE: BBC Mallow
I. Introduction - Let’s Behold His Glory (Isa 40:5; 60:1)
A. I want to change our perspective of Christmas this morning – get us all to see the glory behind the marketing
B. We are under pressure to see it as magical only in the joy of the children, and in the magic of Santa, and the Christmas cookies, and the fictitious stories
C. But, there is something FAR more amazing about Christmas than what Hollywood can conjure up! Something glorious.
D. Let me tell you about The Legend of Kilroy!
1. There was one person who led or participated in every combat, training or occupation operation during WWII and the Korean War. This person could always be depended on. GI's began to consider him the "super GI." He was one who always got there first or who was always there when they left. I am, of course, referring to Kilroy Was Here. Somehow, this simple graffiti captured the imagination of GI's everywhere they went. The scribbled cartoon face and words showed up everywhere - worldwide.
2. The Legend of how "Kilroy was here" starts is with James J. Kilroy, a shipyard inspector during WWII. He chalked the words on bulkheads to show that he had been there and inspected the riveting in the newly constructed ship. To the troops in those ships, however, it was a complete mystery — all they knew for sure was that he had "been there first." As a joke, they began placing the graffiti wherever they (the US forces) landed or went, claiming it was already there when they arrived.
3. Kilroy became the US super-GI who always got there first — wherever GI's went. It became a challenge to place the logo in the most unlikely places. It was said to be atop Mt. Everest, the Statue of Liberty, the underside of the Arch de Triumphe, and scrawled in the dust on the moon. An outhouse was built for the exclusive use of Truman, Stalin, and Churchill who were there for the Potsdam conference. The first person to use it was Stalin. He emerged and asked his aide (in Russian), "Who is Kilroy?"
4. In 1946 the Transit Company of America held a contest offering a prize of a real trolley car to the person who could prove himself to be the "real" Kilroy. Almost forty men stepped forward to make that claim, but James Kilroy brought along officials from the shipyard and some of the riveters to help prove his authenticity. James Kilroy won the prize of the trolley car which he gave it to his nine children as a Christmas gift and set it up in their front yard for a playhouse.
E. Well, a GREATER than Kilroy was here (John 1:14; Lk 2:9)! God was here, in all His glory!
1. Not as the brightness of the Sun, or as the royal being that He is, but in Grace and in Truth! Two great anchors for the souls this morning!
a. Grace – not just the Law, but a measure of forgiveness available to anyone who by faith repents of their sinfulness, and invites Jesus Christ to save their soul! The graciousness, the giving-ness of Jesus
b. Truth – not a fairy tale, or a Christmas fable – but the Gospel truth that still breaks the chains of bondage and sin!
2. You will see the GLORY of the invisible God in the following three things about Jesus today!
a. The Glory of God Pre-Incarnate
b. The Glory of God In the Flesh
c. The Glory of God Living Amongst Us Here
II. Message
A. The Glory of God, the Word (John 1:1,14)
1. God the Word is the Proof of the Trinity
a. There is One God – three Personalities to God – three sides (1Jn 5:7)
1) God the Father – Jehovah – the great I Am
2) God the Word – did you notice it did NOT say Son
3) God the Holy Spirit
b. The Father, and the Holy Spirit are invisible
c. But God the Word took on human form, and showed us not just Himself, but the Father, and the Spirit – all three, in one! Cool!
d. Jesus says in John 14:8,9, that if you looked right at Him, you would be looking right at God the Father, and yet here was a man, claiming to be God’s Son
2. God the Word is The Power of God
a. Gen 1:1-3 – God spake and the entire universe appears (Gen 1:14-16). It was THAT “word” that made everything (Col 1:15,16)
b. Then, when God became a Man, all He had to do was speak, and Lazarus rose from the dead
c. Jesus spake, and dying servants were healed – Mt 8:8, “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”
d. Jesus SPAKE triumphantly on the cross, “It is FINISHED” and sin was completely paid for on the cross!!!
3. Hallelujah! The Word of God almighty is glorious!
B. The Glory of God, Made Flesh (John 1:14) - There was something very glorious in that virgin womb, and later in that barn manger!
1. Here was a Merger of two Beings - A Man that was also God
a. A Man who better than Adam. Why? Because He was not just a man
b. God, all God – the fullness of the Godhead
c. Perfectly joined in one Person – Jesus!
2. Here was a Miracle
a. God CAME into this world (Jn 6:38). He didn’t start at conception. God had entered into our world!
b. Virgin born (Mt 1:21) – tell me that ain’t a miracle!
c. Everything about Christmas is a miracle
3. Here was a Means
a. There was a purpose to this miracle happening
b. To do what God alone could not do
1) Live under His own rules - perfectly
2) Lead believers in the way they should live
3) Love this world in Person, instead of only in theory
4) Let sinful men crucify Him
C. The Glory of God, Dwelling Among Us (John 1:14)
1. This blows me away!
a. Not just the fact that God’s Word was actually a Person
b. Not even that THAT Person had all power
c. But, most glorious of all, that that all powerful Word of the living God, became like ME! Lived right here! Walked our streets, and lifted our burdens, and loved our souls, and laid down His life for us – all HERE! Not up in heaven, or in some fairy tale, but in our world!
2. Jesus’ life was not a VISIT, not a passing event – He came and lived here for 33 very long years
a. I like to visit County Clare, and the Gap of Dunloe, and Dublin (not rare enough though)
b. I love it when people come and visit us
c. But you have to admit that it is a totally different thing when people come to STAY! Come to live with you!!!
3. God actually dwelt HERE – lived here (Isa 40:5)
a. Was born on this planet – not a “blow-in!”
b. Born in the lowest of conditions – poverty and troubles
c. He grew just as slowly as we all did – no cheating
d. Lived first in a barn, then in a rented house in Bethlehem, then on the run in Egypt, and then finally, in the family home up in Nazareth
e. He actually lived here on this soil, among normal human beings
f. He had neighbours, and friends
g. He had family and loved ones
h. He actually lived on this earth! The Being who created this world, came, and walked on it, and lived within its confines (Jn 1:10)
i. He came unto His own people (Jn 1:11) and lived among them
4. God actually experienced as a man what every human experiences
a. Misunderstandings
b. Hunger and thirst
c. Excitement – at the sign of little children coming to Him
d. Uncertainty – foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but Jesus had no certain place to lay His head
e. Poverty – didn’t have enough to pay taxes with
f. Joy – at the cross coming up, and Him finishing His task
g. Loneliness
h. Abandonment – “will ye also go away?”
i. Temptations – “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”
j. That’s just amazing to me!
5. It is such a blessing to know that God, who is Creator of all things, and all wise, and all powerful, and omnipresent, came to OUR WORLD, and LIVED AMONG US (Philp 2:5-8), all FOR us!
a. He who was equal with God – all God…
b. Made Himself into a baby – no reputation – started from scratch
c. Grew up into a Servant, not a Emperor
d. Lived, breathed, ate, slept, ached, hurt, laughed, walked, ran, slept, just like all of us! In the likeness of men!
e. Then, humbled Himself further, in obedience to His heavenly Father, and allowed wicked men to brutally torture, and then crucify Him
6. Now, all of that was at a particular time, and place 2,000 years ago
7. But if you are saved then you have some wonderful promises concerning the presence of God in your Life right here, and right now!
a. See Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
b. 2Timothy 4:16-17 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
c. Acts 18:9-10 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
d. Look what God said to Abraham in Genesis 28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
e. (Moses) Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
f. (Joshua) Joshua 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
g. (Samuel) 1 Samuel 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
h. 1 Chronicles 28:20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
i. (Israel) Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
8. With all of that true, how much do you consider His presence in your life?
a. In your conversations
b. In your concerns – worry – what would He be trying to say to you when you are “freaking out?”
c. In your concealed actions – things you do when no one is watching
d. In your concentration - in what you think about – your attitudes
e. In your church – is this not where He wants to be worshipped most of all, and not ignored? Even if just 2 or 3 gather, He joins with them!!!
III. Conclusion – The Glory of God
A. Behold His glory this Christmas!
1. Not in a picture, on a crucifix, in a nativity crib, or on TV
2. NOT as the brightness of the Sun, or as the royal being that He is, but in Grace and in Truth! Two great anchors for the souls this morning!
a. Grace – not just the Law, but a measure of forgiveness available to anyone who by faith repents of their sinfulness, and invites Jesus Christ to save their soul! The graciousness, the giving-ness of Jesus
b. Truth – not a fairy tale, or a Christmas fable – but the Gospel truth that still breaks the chains of bondage and sin!
B. You will see the GLORY of the invisible God in the following three things about Jesus
1. He was God Pre-Incarnate – God , the Word - Hallelujah! The glory of the Word of God almighty!
2. He became God In the Flesh - There was something very glorious in that womb, in that manger
3. He is God Living Amongst Us Here – the best of all!
C. Have you allowed Him to move into your heart and life, and save your soul? He wants to do that right now! And He will, if you let Him!
Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church
Ireland