1 John 4 “Why Jesus came” 3 thoughts before we hear the reading: * Love * Missing the mark * Being Born Again

Conditional ‘love’ depends on the attractiveness or worthiness of the object for it to be exercised. Divine love does not

Conditional love is missing the target

Unconditional love hits the target

Unconditional love brings about new birth Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13) No-one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (I John 3:9)

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God towards us: that God sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 In this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. Why did Jesus Come? 1 John 4 Thank God for his written Word to us

Upside down We remember the birth of Jesus, the Christ We have been told stories of old God came as a child To change the destiny of all men To show forgiveness to sinners To believe such things is misguided, the truth is He was just an ordinary man who lived an ordinary life Those who do not believe the truth say We proclaim his name Emmanuel, God with us We share the wonder of the shepherds We sing the songs of the angels This is not what is real Shepherds were not awakened by angelic announcement

There were no wise men celebrating the birth of the King I'd be lying to you if I said that For the creator of the universe There was no room in the inn For the Son of God There was but a humble stable Whether you like it or not This is the reality of Christmas That's what I used to think But then I made room for him in my heart And Jesus turned it all upside down There were no wise men celebrating the birth of the King I'd be lying to you if I said that For the creator of the universe There was no room in the inn For the Son of God There was but a humble stable Whether you like it or not This is the reality of Christmas

Upside down We remember the birth of Jesus, the Christ We have been told stories of old God came as a child To change the destiny of all men To show forgiveness to sinners To believe such things is misguided, the truth is He was just an ordinary man who lived an ordinary life Those who do not believe the truth say We proclaim his name Emmanuel, God with us We share the wonder of the shepherds We sing the songs of the angels This is not what is real Shepherds were not awakened by angelic announcement We remember the birth of Jesus, the Christ We have been told stories of old God came as a child To change the destiny of all men To show forgiveness to sinners To believe such things is misguided, the truth is He was just an ordinary man who lived an ordinary life Those who do not believe the truth say We proclaim his name Emmanuel, God with us We share the wonder of the shepherds We sing the songs of the angels This is not what is real Shepherds were not awakened by angelic announcement

O Little town O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin, and enter in; Be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel!