2. Where would you begin to tell the story of salvation?

3. John 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. 

4. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

5.  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.

6. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us
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. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)

7.  16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

8. In the beginning…

9. Then John says something totally shocking.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling amongst us. v14
Creative, dynamic God became a person; moved in to our neighbourhood.
And we saw him. v15

10. To the Greeks – impossible.
That God could and would enter into human life.
This makes Jesus and Christianity utterly unique.
Jesus was not just a great man, awesome teacher, spiritual leader.

11. What we celebrate at Christmas is God incarnate. In carne – in flesh
Why shocking?
It’s not just that God became man.
Flesh describes all our frailties.
Humanity with all its weaknesses and limitations.

12. Why is it important we believe this?
If we don’t recognise Jesus as God incarnate then the cross is meaningless.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The definition of love is seen in this self-sacrificing action.

13. God didn’t stay in the safe confines of heaven.
He was not remote from human pain and suffering.
He took our nature.
He lived our life.
He endured our temptations.
He experienced our sorrows.
He felt our hurts.
He bore our sin.
He died our death.
There is nothing of our human experience that our God hasn’t experienced.

14. And then to those who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God. v12
He offered of life and light to mankind.
This is profound and life changing transaction.

15. We enter that life by believing.
Is Jesus the son of God?
We look, learn, study, watch – and we come to a conclusion.
2. Is Jesus someone I can trust?
This isn’t just an intellectual decision.
Can I take him at his word and accept his teachings?
Can I be a seeker of the truth?

16. This is a head and heart decision.
We believe in our mind; we trust in our heart
Faith is the journey from our head to our heart as we learn to trust God and follow Jesus.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. v4 

17. Light puts chaos to flight.
Jesus brings his light when life is bewildering.
He rescues us from being at the mercy of our unpredictable emotions.
He drives out fear and panic.

18. Light brings revelation.
Jesus brings his light to help us see the corrosive effect of sin.
Strips away disguise and those things that we conceal.
We see ourselves as Jesus sees us.
This drives us to God – good news!

19. Light guides our lives.
In the dark we don’t know where we are going.
Jesus spent much time answering the question what should I do..?
Jesus guides us through life step by step.

20. Jesus is also full of grace and truth. v14
Our relationship with Jesus is full of grace.
Like waves in the ocean.
No interruption….
Ever…

21. God is not stingy! Grace for every season.
Grace for every sin and weakness.
Grace to remove the guilt of sin.
Grace also to break the power & grip of sin.
God is not stingy!

22. Jesus perfectly walks the tightrope of grace and truth.
This isn’t cheap grace. It’s grace that leads us to the Father. Grows a desire in us for holiness.

23. We are called not just to believe the incarnation but to imitate it.
John 20: 21 (17:18)
Jesus said, Peace be with you! As the father has sent me, I am sending you.
Just as Jesus entered our world, we enter other people’s.
How can we get better at walking in other people’s shoes?

24. In what ways might we take a leap of faith and risk showing unexpected love to someone this Christmas?

25. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. 1 John 4:12

26. Jesus makes the invisible God visible.
God is exactly like Jesus.
We are called to imitate Jesus.

27. As we approach Christmas…
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete. 1 John 4:12