1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,120 to have you as a son-in-law. 2 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:03,820 So, sit down. 3 00:00:03,820 --> 00:00:05,700 We start a whole new sermon series today, 4 00:00:05,700 --> 00:00:08,160 and I get very excited to start a new sermon series, 5 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,360 and especially one that is going to take us through 6 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:15,460 the entirety of John's gospel. 7 00:00:15,460 --> 00:00:17,840 And the gospel of John is different than the, 8 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:19,300 what we call the synoptic gospels, 9 00:00:19,300 --> 00:00:21,720 Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and we're gonna get into 10 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,800 a little bit throughout the series of why that is, 11 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:29,240 but John has almost like a mission 12 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,440 to get us to understand the who, what, when, where, 13 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:34,520 and why of Jesus. 14 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,800 That it was written that Jesus is always in control 15 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:40,600 of every aspect of the book of John. 16 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:42,720 A challenge I have is over the next couple months, 17 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,080 read the book of John for yourself. 18 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,000 See how John writes it in such a way 19 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,680 that it gives all control, kinda honor and glory to Jesus, 20 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,600 which I think we all would agree belongs to him, 21 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,640 but he writes it in such a way that Jesus has control 22 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,760 over the entire part of the narrative, 23 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,080 and as reformed believers, believers that are in the 24 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,600 reformed kind of theological realm, 25 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,080 as a Christian Reformed Church, 26 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,000 that goes right in line with what we believe 27 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,680 about the sovereignty of God. 28 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:17,160 That God is then in control from the beginning, 29 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,360 is in control even now, and is in control 30 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,640 until we breathe our last and we are with him. 31 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,320 But the question that is being asked 32 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:28,120 for the next couple months is what's in a name? 33 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,920 And we're gonna explore names, titles, 34 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:35,200 but then this word, distinctives of Jesus. 35 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:36,520 That for a lot of us, 36 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,760 distinctives play a huge role in our life. 37 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:45,000 I liken this to, many of you knew my grandpa Fletcher, 38 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,080 we call him Pa, he passed away now almost five years, 39 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:48,960 which is crazy. 40 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,120 To think about it, he was one of my absolute favorite people. 41 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,560 I don't know if I ever heard him call my grandma 42 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,280 by her name Judy. 43 00:01:58,280 --> 00:01:59,920 Okay, it was Ken and Judy Fletcher. 44 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:03,760 He had all of the pet names, right? 45 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,560 All of the lovey dovey names that you could ever call, 46 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,000 even nonsensical names, absolute gibberish 47 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:11,520 that he would call my grandma. 48 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:12,600 Duger bear. 49 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,560 Does anyone know what Duger bear means? 50 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:17,960 I don't either, right? 51 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,640 But he would call it, and he would said 52 00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:23,560 with so much love and affection, 53 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,040 and much like, how many of you when you were growing up, 54 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,560 when you got middle named by your parents, 55 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,320 you knew that they're, oh Larry knows, yeah Larry. 56 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,440 Lawrence, right, is your, no it's not, sorry. 57 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:38,120 If they called you that, they were talking to someone else. 58 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:39,680 What is your middle name, Larry? 59 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,440 So when you were called Larry, 60 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:46,360 you were in trouble, right? 61 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:50,120 It was James Christopher Holland-Donor. 62 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,480 And my grandpa, the only time we ever heard him 63 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,800 call my grandma by Judy is when she was in trouble. 64 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,720 And it was just Judy. 65 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,360 And we knew that, and growing up, he would always say, 66 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:03,520 can I see you in the bedroom? 67 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,720 And I thought it was more for because she was in trouble, 68 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:07,800 come to find out as I get older, 69 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,520 it wasn't necessarily the case, 70 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:10,800 but we're not gonna go into that. 71 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:15,800 But understand that names and the way we say things 72 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:17,400 mean something. 73 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,600 That when, ha, people in the back finally got it. 74 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,560 But understand that the book of John is filled, 75 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:28,560 starts right in the beginning with a different name for Jesus. 76 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,040 That Jesus not only has the name Jesus the Christ, 77 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,040 Jesus of Nazareth, Messiah, King, 78 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,560 but there is so many more. 79 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:44,560 Over 120 different distinctives in the Gospel of John 80 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:48,040 that we're gonna try to cover like 20 of them. 81 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,360 But do yourself a favor, dive into it for yourself. 82 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,040 You'll talk about it in the discussion group, 83 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,920 you'll unpack a little bit, but what does that name, 84 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:57,800 much like I ask people that come into my office 85 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,440 that need it, what distinctive or what attribute 86 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,320 of Jesus do you need today? 87 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:08,080 Because Jesus freely gives those. 88 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:12,920 And by having a relationship with Jesus, 89 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,360 we understand a little more of what those names 90 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:16,200 mean for us. 91 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:17,080 That if you're here this morning, 92 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:18,400 much like I said during communion, 93 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,080 and maybe you're just kind of restarting Jesus, 94 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,640 or maybe you don't have a relationship with Jesus, 95 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:25,000 and you know him just as that, 96 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,100 you're gonna learn a lot over the next couple weeks 97 00:04:27,100 --> 00:04:29,600 of just who Jesus really is, 98 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,700 and why Jesus is the way that he is. 99 00:04:33,700 --> 00:04:35,320 Because not only did Jesus, 100 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,240 Jesus didn't really inherit nicknames 101 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:40,360 that all of the distinctives of Jesus, 102 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,120 and here's the mind blowing thing, 103 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,160 and I just had to sit there and I just stared 104 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,840 at that poster for like 10 minutes, 105 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:48,080 which seemed like forever. 106 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,000 A lot of these names were foretold about him, 107 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,840 or given to him from the Old Testament. 108 00:04:55,840 --> 00:04:58,680 That a lot of these names are actually prophecies 109 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,680 that he is walking in that actually describe him 110 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,320 on a deeper level. 111 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:06,840 And the first one we're gonna look at is 112 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:09,320 the word made flesh. 113 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,220 We see that in the very beginning of the Gospel of John. 114 00:05:13,220 --> 00:05:14,480 Now, where's Evan? 115 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,040 Evan knows this as he, well, when do you start Greek one? 116 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:20,880 Last semester, you've already done it. 117 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,280 So John one, right, is usually the prototypical 118 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:26,120 Greek starting point. 119 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:27,780 I'm not gonna ask you if you actually did 120 00:05:27,780 --> 00:05:29,020 because I might be wrong. 121 00:05:29,020 --> 00:05:31,280 But understand that when I took Greek, 122 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:32,840 this is where we started. 123 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:36,420 It was all around the word logos, or logos. 124 00:05:36,420 --> 00:05:41,420 That the word made flesh is one of the most important 125 00:05:41,420 --> 00:05:45,440 distinctives of Jesus in the entire scriptures. 126 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,080 That's not my opinion, right? 127 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,760 Though I believe it, that a lot of scholars believe 128 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:53,920 that word made flesh brings a difference. 129 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,880 That John one doesn't simply introduce Jesus 130 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,300 like we see maybe like in the book of Matthew. 131 00:06:01,300 --> 00:06:03,280 Without looking at your Bibles, 132 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:07,120 Matthew starts with a what of Jesus? 133 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:08,080 A genealogy. 134 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:08,920 I knew a couple of you. 135 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,240 I wasn't gonna put lunch on it this New Year 136 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:12,400 because I knew a lot of you would get it. 137 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,440 But understand, there's a whole genealogy 138 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,460 of the humanity of Jesus to follow the line of Jesus 139 00:06:18,460 --> 00:06:19,720 to the manger. 140 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:24,720 But John in John one, not only introduces him, 141 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,640 but declares right off the bat three things. 142 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:30,940 Eternal nature, divine authority, 143 00:06:30,940 --> 00:06:34,200 and intimate relationship with humanity. 144 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,760 There's a Christmas story in John. 145 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:39,480 But let's think about it, where's Lisa? 146 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,520 Let's think about John one in light of 147 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:43,320 if you were gonna try to act that out 148 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,160 with the lighthouse kids. 149 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:46,600 Luke and Matthew are a lot easier 150 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,200 because you got a lot of characters. 151 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:49,680 You got your shepherds, you got your sheep, 152 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:51,920 and we do what we give, make a lot of kids animals 153 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:53,960 in lighthouse fitting. 154 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,600 But John one, how would you just put word made flesh? 155 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,200 How would you give that to a kid? 156 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:01,640 Exactly, you wouldn't. 157 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,040 It doesn't make any sense. 158 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:04,640 Mike, I didn't ask you. 159 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:09,640 But understand, word made flesh is a Christmas story. 160 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,480 So we're gonna look at three aspects 161 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,160 of the word made flesh. 162 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:18,960 The first is Jesus as eternal word. 163 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:20,960 Jesus as the eternal word. 164 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:22,240 So open your Bibles if you have them. 165 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,660 If not, they'll be on the screen. 166 00:07:24,660 --> 00:07:26,160 And again, we read from the ESV 167 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:27,840 because I see a lot of new people here today. 168 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:29,640 The English Standard Version you could bring 169 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:33,440 whatever version you want, but we do use the ESV. 170 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,520 And John writes, in the beginning was the word. 171 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,280 And the word was with God and the word was God. 172 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,040 He was in the beginning with God. 173 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:43,520 All things were made through him 174 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,640 and without him was not anything made that was made. 175 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,520 In him was life and the life was the light of men. 176 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,440 The light shines in the darkness 177 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,840 and the darkness has not overcome it. 178 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:01,520 So John begins his gospel echoing what? 179 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,280 In the beginning, where do we see that? 180 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,200 Genesis, we see that in the book of Genesis. 181 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:10,320 Before creation, the word or logos, 182 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,280 the Greek word, was eternal and divine. 183 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,360 He was from the beginning. 184 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,840 Now some of us struggle with that. 185 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:20,600 How was he the preeminent? 186 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,520 How was he preexisting? 187 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,800 Remember, they brooded over the waters in Genesis 188 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,960 that the Godhead was there from the beginning. 189 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:30,440 A lot of us struggle with that 190 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,960 because we kind of need to see it to believe it. 191 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:34,800 Well, understand, that's not faith. 192 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:36,600 That's observation. 193 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:38,800 It's a lot easier to be able to trust 194 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:40,120 and understand that Jesus, 195 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,960 that we can physically tangibly see. 196 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:45,520 But understand, Jesus was there from the beginning. 197 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,240 That Jesus was the eternal word, 198 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,520 the word preexisted creation. 199 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:55,200 Wrestle with that with me for a minute. 200 00:08:55,200 --> 00:09:00,200 The word God, logos, Christ, preexisted creation. 201 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:01,440 Jesus is eternal. 202 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:02,960 He's not created. 203 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:04,480 He's outside of time. 204 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,760 He is fully divine and he is fully equal with God. 205 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,280 Let's be honest, that's tough. 206 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,880 That's hard to really grasp 207 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:20,880 because we understand time, we understand life as finite. 208 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,640 We have seen a lot of babies born in the last year. 209 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,160 A lot more who I'm sure will be born this year. 210 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,520 This church on average is about 11 to 13 babies a year. 211 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:32,560 Fantastic. 212 00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:35,080 Be fruitful, multiply, and you are. 213 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,000 But that is kind of our understanding of life. 214 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:41,200 We are born, we grow up, and we die. 215 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,160 Finite. 216 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:44,520 Jesus is not finite. 217 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:46,640 Because if your Jesus is finite, 218 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:48,520 then you can figure that out. 219 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,920 Then you have some level of control over Jesus' life. 220 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:53,880 And friend, that's never been the case. 221 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,160 I love you, but that will never be the case. 222 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,640 That Jesus is infinite, he pre-existed. 223 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,080 And then we see in verse three 224 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,360 that the word created all things. 225 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:07,080 That all things were made through him. 226 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,760 The same voice that said let there be light 227 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:15,120 is the voice that speaks life into you and me today. 228 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:20,760 The same voice that spoke life into you and me yesterday 229 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,840 and barring him coming back and taking his own with him, 230 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,720 tomorrow he will speak life into you. 231 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:28,760 Think about that. 232 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:30,720 Let there be light. 233 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:32,600 Let the light and the darkness separate. 234 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,800 We did that a couple years ago in Genesis, 235 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,080 that sermon series. 236 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,880 That same voice speaks into your heart daily, 237 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:45,880 speaks into your mind, into your senses, into who you are. 238 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,240 So what does this word give? 239 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,840 It gives us not only pre-existed creation, 240 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:51,280 he creates all things. 241 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:55,240 The word gives us light and life. 242 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:58,720 That Jesus is the source of our spiritual life. 243 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:03,720 He illuminates our hearts to see God and to see sin. 244 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,040 So let's sit there for a minute. 245 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,720 That voice of Christ allows us 246 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,520 to have that relationship with God. 247 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,520 When that veil tore after he was crucified, 248 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:18,000 that opened the relationship. 249 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,200 You don't need to have your relationship with God through me. 250 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,240 You can't say I am saved through Jesus 251 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:24,600 because of Pastor Jim. 252 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:26,000 That doesn't get you anywhere. 253 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,640 Do not pass go, do not collect $200. 254 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,600 That Jesus is the intercessor for you and God, 255 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,880 your faith is with him. 256 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:37,480 He is your light, he is your life. 257 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,320 Couple Sundays every month I'll pray that prayer. 258 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,840 Open our eyes to see what you have us to see. 259 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:49,840 I know for a lot of us we like that. 260 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:52,160 Lord give us eyes to see the person in need. 261 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:54,960 Allow us to see how I can serve you today. 262 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,440 But part of that vision is also to see 263 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,560 where we've fallen short. 264 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:03,040 Where we're playing hide and seek with God. 265 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,840 Where we just enjoy that secret little sin right over here 266 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:07,920 and we think someone omnipotent can't see it. 267 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:09,320 That doesn't make any sense. 268 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,600 That when we ask for God to give us eyes to see, 269 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,000 it's to see the world through his eyes. 270 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,360 And it's one thing we're gonna see 271 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:19,880 over the next couple weeks and months. 272 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,040 Jesus saw the sin in people. 273 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:23,320 He called it out. 274 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,240 He desired that the person would cease sinning 275 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,160 and live a life in him. 276 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:33,880 So where does that connection come from? 277 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,000 Well, one of the things we have in life 278 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,560 and especially as a Christian Reformed Church 279 00:12:37,560 --> 00:12:39,760 and the Reformed tradition, we have a catechism. 280 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,200 It's called the Heidelberg Catechism. 281 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,680 If you maybe don't know that this morning. 282 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:45,440 That we have a catechism that was written 283 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,080 52 Lord's days, 52 weeks out of the year. 284 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:53,080 That can help us understand ever deeply the word of God 285 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,280 because the word of God can be a challenging read. 286 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,120 That there's things we can do that can help us. 287 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:03,680 And question answer 26 helps us with this today 288 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:05,200 from Lord's day nine. 289 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:06,680 What do you believe when you say, 290 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:09,200 I believe in God the Father Almighty, 291 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:11,080 creator of heaven and earth? 292 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,400 And the answer, that the eternal father 293 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,560 of our Lord Jesus Christ who out of nothing 294 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:19,640 created heaven and earth and all that is in them 295 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,640 and who still upholds and governs them 296 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:24,800 by his eternal counsel and providence 297 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:29,800 is for the sake of Christ his son, my God and my Father. 298 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:35,600 There's so much in there that helps us understand 299 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:37,400 what the word means. 300 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:41,120 That the word made flesh is active, is living 301 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,360 and gives us life and purpose. 302 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,960 So we need to understand that not only does God, 303 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,640 creator, sustainer care for all things 304 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:56,640 but through Christ he cares for you personally. 305 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,840 That there's that personal connection with Jesus. 306 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:05,200 The word made flesh shows us that Jesus' divine nature 307 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:10,200 gives us, and this is a word that some of us struggle with, 308 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,840 gives us confidence that he is powerful enough 309 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:18,760 to create you, to redeem you and to be with you 310 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:22,440 even through those trials of life. 311 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,120 Friends, that's the easy sermon, right? 312 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:26,400 You're going through something, 313 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,560 life isn't how you thought it was gonna go, 314 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,160 maybe anxiety has taken over, 315 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,240 come two weeks from now, go to the seminar, 316 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,800 help with that, but understand Jesus is with you 317 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,680 even in that. 318 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,320 Well then Jesus, just take my anxiety away. 319 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,120 If you're all things, if you're the word made flesh, 320 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:44,880 just let it go. 321 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,640 Jesus isn't Elsa, right? 322 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:51,120 It's not a let it go, frozen theology. 323 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,960 Jesus is like, no, we're gonna do this together arm and arm. 324 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:56,920 I've said this before, I'll continue to say it, 325 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,840 we can't treat Jesus like he's a genie. 326 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:01,520 We don't get three wishes. 327 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:05,280 The word made flesh, sovereign God, has a plan for you 328 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:09,000 and if you're going through it right now, he is with you. 329 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,600 Jesus didn't say at the end, in the ascension, 330 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,000 I'll be with you always to the very end of the age, psych. 331 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,160 No, he means it. 332 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:20,440 The word made flesh dwells with us. 333 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,480 He's with you in the highs and the lows. 334 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:27,840 Even when we're in the lows and we cry out to him, 335 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,560 but in the highs when we forget to thank him, 336 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:32,880 he's even with us then. 337 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,720 Because Jesus is the incarnate word, 338 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:37,360 that is the second point this morning. 339 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:40,280 He is the incarnate word of God. 340 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:44,720 John's gospel takes a drastic turn in verse 14. 341 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,600 The word became flesh and dwelt among us 342 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:50,600 and we have seen his glory, 343 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,480 glory as the only son of the father, 344 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:57,160 full of grace and truth. 345 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,240 So we've been going on, but now the word, 346 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,240 it's not just theory, it's not just in the rear view, 347 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,040 the Old Testament, it's the now. 348 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,760 The word became flesh dwelt among us. 349 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,600 Some of you read the message, 350 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:16,120 I don't really like calling it a translation, 351 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:17,720 because there's a lot of issues with that, 352 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,080 but the message is something to read and devote on. 353 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,120 I don't teach from it because it doesn't really 354 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:24,960 pull a lot from the Greek and the Hebrew 355 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:26,600 and the languages as I was taught, 356 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:28,880 but the way that Eugene Peterson wrote it, 357 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,320 which I will always remember and I actually really like, 358 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:33,680 is that he pitched his tent in the neighborhood. 359 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:38,680 That he took the word became flesh and dwelt among us 360 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:40,760 and made it very visible. 361 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,640 And I don't think that's a bad way to think. 362 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,240 I don't think it's a bad way to think 363 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,440 that Jesus comes in human form, 364 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:51,960 as Pastor Derrick brought us last week, 365 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,800 and he is with us in the flesh. 366 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,960 That he pitched his tent, that he is in the community. 367 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:03,920 One physical way that I can understand that 368 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:05,600 is that he is here. 369 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:06,840 Little Old Testament theology, 370 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:08,800 that he lives in the tabernacle, 371 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,240 but we know that that's not true anymore. 372 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,400 That Jesus in his life, in his death, in his resurrection, 373 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:15,640 now lives in who? 374 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,320 Okay, 10 of you. 375 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:20,800 Let's say us on the count of three. 376 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:22,200 One, two, three. 377 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:23,280 Us. 378 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,640 That you are the living temple of Christ. 379 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:32,640 That should excite you and terrify us. 380 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:36,160 Because let's call a spade a spade this morning, 381 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,080 you might be the only Jesus someone interacts with. 382 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:43,560 Half of us just got real tight, right? 383 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:45,040 Half of us are like, oh, I definitely need 384 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,000 the overcoming anxiety seminar now, 385 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,480 because that means something for us. 386 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,200 That if we're supposed to be reflections of Christ, 387 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:55,920 little Christ, Christian, the word, 388 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:57,600 and if God is incarnate with us, 389 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:00,640 if he is dwelling with us and he's showing us his glory, 390 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:05,640 then we need to be people that point to God's glory. 391 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,600 Now, just think of the last two weeks, 392 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,400 especially those of us that have kids home from school. 393 00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:18,480 Has God always seen in a glorified way in the house? 394 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,000 Going through Christmas, probable sicknesses, 395 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,960 trying to get away from the cold, all of those things, 396 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,040 all of a sudden you wanna leave the house at nine 397 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,280 and it's 9.20 and nobody's ready? 398 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,480 Is the glory of the Lord still seen, 399 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:36,600 still realized in your life, in your kid's life? 400 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,000 That we have this tension in us, 401 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,200 that God is always at work, and if you are in Christ, 402 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,280 he is with you, he is a part of who you are. 403 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,680 Yet the world is there and sometimes draws 404 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:53,520 that depravity out of us. 405 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,280 That the word became flesh, dwelt among us, 406 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,000 means three things in our understanding 407 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,480 of the incarnate word, the first, God dwelling with us. 408 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:03,800 We talked about that. 409 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:05,680 Just as God's glory filled the tabernacle, 410 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:09,880 now his glory is revealed in Jesus and in us. 411 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,800 That this helps us understand that Jesus, 412 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,400 fully God, fully man, that he is the one 413 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:20,160 that lives in that and lived in that tension first, 414 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:25,000 perfect life, never sinned, so he could be that sacrifice 415 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,880 that we're gonna celebrate Holy Week, Easter Sunday, 416 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:32,320 when he rose from the dead, something we can't do. 417 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,280 I've said it before, my death on the cross 418 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:36,320 would have meant nothing for all of you, 419 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,040 just as yours wouldn't have meant anything for me. 420 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,120 But that perfect, fully God, fully man, 421 00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:45,240 sacrifice on the cross gives us everlasting life. 422 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,400 Jesus did not merely appear human, 423 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:51,080 he became fully human while remaining fully divine. 424 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,120 But pastor, I don't get it, and because I don't get it, 425 00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:56,800 I'm uncomfortable with it, and because I'm uncomfortable 426 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:58,960 with it, I don't know if I believe it. 427 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:04,280 Well, friend, if this is something you struggle with, 428 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:08,160 understand that salvation is based in this. 429 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:11,200 That to understand and believe in Christ, 430 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:15,560 fully God, fully man, who fully died and fully resurrected, 431 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:17,680 that is salvation. 432 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:21,960 If we confess Jesus' Lord and believe in our heart 433 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,600 that God raised him from the dead, 434 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:30,200 you can't be raised from the dead unless you actually died. 435 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,280 And understand, Paul wrestles with this 436 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,880 in almost every one of his epistles, 437 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,400 because he knows it's a weird thing 438 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,360 for us to take on faith at times, 439 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:42,680 because we want that proof, we want that understanding, 440 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:44,880 we wanna be able to see it. 441 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,520 The hard part is it's 2025, and none of us were there. 442 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,240 But we take on faith the testimony of people 443 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,320 that saw him die, that saw the nails in his hands 444 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:55,920 and his feet, the spear in his side, 445 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,760 that saw the body go in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, 446 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:03,760 and that saw him in risen form, that saw him ascend. 447 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,200 If we don't believe that, then I think you and I need 448 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,080 to have a question about your salvation, 449 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,440 is that is a cornerstone of what it means 450 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,280 to believe in Jesus. 451 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:21,000 Because if we don't believe that, 452 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,200 if we think that Jesus is merely a theory, 453 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,720 that you can't talk about salvation, 454 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:31,800 and there was no atoning sacrifice, 455 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,320 then there was no actual reconciliation, 456 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:38,400 that your debt is still unpaid from sin. 457 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,080 See how important word made flesh is? 458 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,320 And for some of us, we may be at arm's length, 459 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,440 but understand that word made flesh 460 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,640 reminds us of a God who draws near. 461 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,440 The Greek idea of logos is more of an impersonal force 462 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,720 as he is described in the beginning of John one, 463 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:01,880 but as we continue through John one, 464 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:06,880 Jesus reveals a personal God who comes close. 465 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:11,040 So when you're 20, 25, understand that Jesus 466 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:15,400 is a savior we serve that steps into our struggles. 467 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:20,400 He experiences our pain, and he redeems our brokenness. 468 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,600 You may be limping into 20, 25. 469 00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:31,480 Understand Jesus sees you, he knows you, 470 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:32,760 and he redeems you. 471 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:37,760 He is that mediator between God and us. 472 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:41,760 He is the one fully God, fully man that draws near to us, 473 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,760 and gives us that new life in Christ. 474 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:48,760 The catechism helps us understand this as well. 475 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,760 Lord's Day six, question and answer 16. 476 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,760 Why must he, Jesus, be a true and righteous man? 477 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,760 And the answer, he must be a true man 478 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,560 because the justice of God is in him. 479 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:05,200 God requires that the same human nature 480 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:07,600 which has sinned should pay for sin. 481 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,980 He must be a righteous man because one who himself 482 00:23:10,980 --> 00:23:14,800 is a sinner cannot pay for others. 483 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:21,000 Friends, live in that truth in 20, 25 with me. 484 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,140 That this fully God, fully man died for you and for me 485 00:23:25,140 --> 00:23:27,400 because like I said, if it was any one of us, 486 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,400 it wouldn't have meant anything. 487 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:33,400 That the word made flesh not only brings us to salvation, 488 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:38,040 deliverance of sin, but that the incarnation 489 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,300 is essential for salvation. 490 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,380 Jesus had to become like us to save us, 491 00:23:45,380 --> 00:23:47,600 and we give him our life. 492 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,480 Because I think that's the right gift to give. 493 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,000 Our heart, our life, everything we are, 494 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:56,900 our highs, our lows, our struggles, our anxieties, 495 00:23:56,900 --> 00:24:01,900 our everything we give to the one who is everything. 496 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:03,600 Well then what? 497 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,600 Verse 14 through 18 tells us that Jesus then becomes 498 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,840 the transforming word. 499 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:11,800 And we start in verse 14. 500 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,420 And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. 501 00:24:14,420 --> 00:24:16,000 We have seen his glory. 502 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,240 Glory is the only son of the father, 503 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,040 full of grace and truth. 504 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:22,560 John bore witness about him and cried out, 505 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:27,440 this was he of whom I said, he who comes after me 506 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,960 ranks before me because he was before me. 507 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,400 For the fullness we have all received, 508 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,160 grace upon grace, for the law was given through Moses, 509 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,320 grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 510 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,680 No one has ever seen God. 511 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,680 The only God who is at the father's side 512 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,280 has made him known. 513 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:52,200 So John closes this section with something we need 514 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:55,360 if we're gonna walk this life out as believers. 515 00:24:55,360 --> 00:24:57,560 We need two things today. 516 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:01,760 We need two things every day and we need to extend this 517 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:03,120 to the world around us. 518 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:06,400 That is grace and truth. 519 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,240 They flow from the word, that means they flow 520 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:10,600 in and through our hearts. 521 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:14,160 I love this, grace upon grace, verse 16. 522 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:17,800 Through Jesus we receive not just the initial grace, 523 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:20,680 for salvation, but an ongoing grace, 524 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:25,320 sufficient for every step of our sanctification. 525 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,040 That growing in Christ. 526 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,480 I'm just gonna put it out there this year, 527 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,400 that I just have a feeling that we are going to have 528 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:40,400 many of our kids stand up and declare their faith in Jesus. 529 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:43,560 I see the way that our youth ministry, 530 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:45,320 I see the way that our children's ministry, 531 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,000 our catechism, I see the way you as parents 532 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,600 are building in to your kids. 533 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:55,560 That one day we're gonna have these kids wake up and go, 534 00:25:55,560 --> 00:26:00,080 this is not just my parents' faith, but this is my faith. 535 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,760 I wanna take hold of this salvation that Jesus gives me 536 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:07,040 and I wanna walk in this in whatever stage of life, 537 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:11,840 junior high, high school, college, post college, 538 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,400 and that we all get a part of that dance, 539 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:17,280 we get to sit in the seats and welcome them 540 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:18,880 into the body of Christ. 541 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:22,000 That is one of the greatest days in the church. 542 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,880 That initial grace and that ongoing grace, 543 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:30,960 this grace frees us from a religion 544 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,200 that is performance based. 545 00:26:34,360 --> 00:26:36,680 I gotta go this many days, I gotta say these things, 546 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,080 I gotta do this, I gotta do that, add a cup of sugar 547 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,440 and I will have salvation. 548 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:43,320 That's not how it works. 549 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:48,320 But this grace anchors us to God's unchanging love. 550 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:54,440 When is the last time someone told you Jesus loves you 551 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,400 in spite of you at times? 552 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,520 That Jesus loves you. 553 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:02,800 If you need me to say that more to you, 554 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:04,800 I will happily do it. 555 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,080 Because that is a truth we need to live in every day, 556 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,480 that Jesus loves you. 557 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,720 And he's called you to love others. 558 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:17,600 That is a truth that transforms, verse 17. 559 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:21,240 While the law reveals sin, Jesus fulfills the law 560 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:25,040 and calls us to live in holiness through our faith. 561 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:28,880 I don't know if I can be holy, Jim, 562 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:31,520 because I swear sometimes. 563 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:33,000 I don't know if I can be holy, Jim, 564 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:34,480 because I think these thoughts, 565 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:38,000 when that person cuts me off or I get angry really quickly 566 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,240 or I haven't paid taxes for 25 years 567 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:44,600 or whatever it is, understand that God is meeting you 568 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,080 and growing with you in this. 569 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,080 Now the taxes thing, you'll have to take that up 570 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:51,600 with an accountant, I can't help you with that. 571 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:55,320 But understand, you can ask God before you start driving, 572 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:58,760 give me the mind of Christ. 573 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,400 That instead of saying words that might not be the best 574 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,320 for Christians to say, maybe offer a prayer. 575 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:06,720 And it's okay to pray that they drive better. 576 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:07,840 That is fine. 577 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:10,320 I can take that subjective prayer, 578 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,920 but there needs to be a change in a point of view. 579 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,200 There needs to be a change in our understanding 580 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,560 of how people are going to experience Jesus through you. 581 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:22,840 And if you're here and you say, you know what, pastor, 582 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,040 I appreciate you giving me a driving lesson, 583 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:26,880 but I'm still gonna cut people off. 584 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,360 I'm gonna still say all those things out loud 585 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:30,800 or in my heart or whatever. 586 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:32,320 I'm gonna say, brother, check your heart, 587 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:34,800 sister, check your heart, and please don't wear a magnet 588 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:38,120 that says Munster Church on your car. 589 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,880 But understand that as we walk through this life, 590 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,680 grace upon grace, there's transforming going on. 591 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:46,320 And I don't care if you've been in church 592 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:48,440 for the last 88 years of your life. 593 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:54,760 We are always crying out and growing in Christ. 594 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:57,680 As we behold Christ, the truth, 595 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,680 then we are transformed into his image. 596 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:04,120 And the third thing of the transforming word made flesh 597 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,240 is that we get to behold his glory. 598 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:10,560 That sanctification begins by beholding Christ, 599 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:14,320 fixing our eyes on his glory, revealed in scripture, 600 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,880 and experienced through worship. 601 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:21,280 And that's not just for the hour and 15 on Sundays. 602 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,080 That's every day of our life. 603 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:28,080 So let me ask you some challenging questions. 604 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:31,560 And I'm asking myself first, as we reflect on a year 605 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:33,640 that was to a year that will be, 606 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:37,080 where are you worshiping Jesus in your life? 607 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:39,840 If you're here on a Sunday morning, great, 608 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:42,480 you can check that box, but where else? 609 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,480 The savior of the world, the one fully God, fully man, 610 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:49,120 word made flesh, pitching his tents and all of those things, 611 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:51,080 he gets an hour? 612 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:53,720 Hour 15 if I go along? 613 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,400 That's what he, or does he get it every day of your life? 614 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,400 Is your modus operandi, the way you live life, 615 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:06,440 worship to God, and then everything else falls in place? 616 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:10,200 Maybe that needs to be our priority. 617 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,680 So as we reflect, as we gaze upon Jesus, 618 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:18,520 are we growing in that grace? 619 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,160 So one of the things I'm gonna do for this sermon series 620 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:24,480 is I'm gonna end with three kind of different 621 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:26,960 application questions, and then this can be talked about 622 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:28,160 if you go to the discussion group. 623 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,120 If you wanna take the questions for yourself, 624 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:31,760 they'll always be on the welcome center, 625 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:34,000 kind of week after week. 626 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,680 But the question I'm gonna ask for each of these names, 627 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:40,760 titles, distinctives is what does it mean for us? 628 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:42,400 So the first is for our mind. 629 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,720 Do you view Jesus as distant or near? 630 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:51,640 Let us meditate on the reality that the eternal God 631 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:56,640 took on flesh to know you and to redeem you. 632 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:57,880 So that's for our mind. 633 00:30:57,880 --> 00:30:59,320 How about for our heart? 634 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:01,280 So for our heart this morning and for our week, 635 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:04,240 are you receiving grace daily? 636 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:07,000 Rest in the sufficiency of Christ's grace 637 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,760 instead of striving in your own strength. 638 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:14,360 And then finally for our hands and our feet, 639 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,600 how are you reflecting God's grace and truth? 640 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:21,000 Let our actions, let your actions, my actions, 641 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:25,000 the church's actions this week reveal Christ's presence 642 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,200 in our life. 643 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,520 So friends, word made flesh means a lot. 644 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:35,520 And as we continue on through this week into next, 645 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:40,520 Lord willing, we're gonna try to tackle another distinctive. 646 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:44,520 Word made flesh, now lamb of God. 647 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:51,000 Again, a title, a distinctive, none of us can live up to. 648 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:56,000 And that's okay, let's pray.