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MORE THAN A BABY. John 17:1-5. 12/25/2022. CHRISTMAS.
1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
1. A peasant’s birth
a. The Lord of the universe entered the world in incarnate form in the lowliest of fashions
a1. Born to a peasant girl
a2. Born away from home in a stable
a3. No family was present to aid Mary
a4. God had to provide a witness
b. Jesus had no biological father
a1. Joseph was a carpenter from Nazareth in Galilee (a minor town on a trade route)
a2. Before Jesus is 30, Joseph passes away
a3. Jesus had 4 half-brothers and at least 2 sisters
2. A walk of obscure distinction
a. Isaiah 53:2 Jesus had no outstanding physical features (not handsome like Absalom, strong like Samson, famous like David, or acclaimed like Solomon)
b. John 2 he did not reveal his nature until age 30
c. Through numerous miracles and much amazing teaching, he gained a following and powerful enemies
3. Gloria
a. What was hidden was his eternal glory as the creator and master of the universe (kenosis – emptying out)
b. All who saw him did not realize who he was
a1. All authority had been given to him (Matthew 28)
a2. Before his Incarnation he shared glory with his father, God
c. No one knew that after he finished his task, he would glorify father who would glorify him
d. No one knew that the savior was the almighty God
a1. Colossians 1:13-20 Jesus is the creator of all things and sustains everything
a2. He appeared before Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, Gideon, and Manoah
e. All that he is was hidden behind a veil of human flesh (no light, emanating power, or thunder)
f. In 3 short years of ministry he gave hints of his ID
a1. He healed the lame and leper, made the blind to see, and raised the dead
a2. He cast out demons and silenced evil spirits
a3. He spoke words no man had ever said
a4. He turned water into wine and multiplied fish and loaves of bread
a5. He calmed a raging storm with the wave of his hand and by his command
a6. He revealed what was in the hearts of men
a7. He predicted the future
g. None of what he did was done in secret
a1. At 12 he baffled the learned men of Israel
a2. His disciples saw him turn water into wine and calm the storm
a3. Many saw Jairus’s daughter raised
a4. Thousands witnessed the multiplying of fish
a5. Many, including the Pharisees and priests, saw Lazarus rise from the dead
h. All that Jesus did proved that no ordinary babe had come to Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago
a1. Isaiah 7:14 this was Immanuel
a2. Isaiah 9:6-7 this was the Everlasting Father
a3. John 2:1-2 this was the savior that takes away the sin of the world
i. All who honor the babe without honoring the God indwelling the babe, miss the point and eternity
a1. He could point to stars and say, “I made that”
a2. He points to us and says, “I did this for you”
j. The babe, man on cross, and resurrected Lord = same
Key verse: Colossians 1:13-20
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.