Formosa Baptist Church
2025-12-21
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- I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
- Main idea: Our culture thinks that Christmas has some kind of special ‘magic’ of its own. But ‘holiday cheer’ and ‘season’s greetings’ are hollow platitudes without the substance, which is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The true wonder of Christmas is that God himself took upon our form to ransom for himself a people.Intro: If you drive down Hwy 67/167 (now I-57) in Sherwood, you can’t help but notice a giant Fireworks Superstore that sits just off the highway.PictureThe not-so-subtle advertisements on the front of the building claim that it has the “largest selection in Arkansas,” and the building appears to be roughly the size of a small Walmart (like the old Walmart building in Clinton)—absolutely huge for a fireworks store.PictureBut, if you look closer, you can see that the 20’ tall, 250’ long building front is actually just a facade. The actual building is only 150’ long and 40’ deep. In reality, the building is a 250’ long massive billboard with a modestly sized fireworks store behind it that is neither as tall, wide, or deep as it appears from the road.The facade makes it appear like a fireworks-lover’s dream—a one-stop shop with any and every firework you could imagine. The “Walmart of fireworks.” But, the second you walk through the door, you realize you’ve been duped. It’s just a fireworks store. Decent selection, yes; Walmart of fireworks, not so much.Every year, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I see tons of commercials and movies and advertisements trying to capitalize on the Christmas season. There’s all these references to things like “season’s greetings,” and “holiday cheer,” and the “magic of the season.” Our culture thinks—or wants us to think—that Christmas has some kind of special ‘magic’ of its own, even without reference to Jesus or what Christmas is all about. Christmas movies teach us that “if we just believe”—in Santa or “Christmas magic,” that is—then we’ll experience the wonder of Christmas. Other Christmas movies redefine Christmas to make it all about family, and giving, and cheer.We can try to redefine Christmas to make it about family, but families are usually the source of most of our deepest brokenness. Families split, break apart, disappoint and frustrate each other, and then even in the best of families, people die and leave a gaping hole in our lives and an empty spot around the table.If we try to redefine Christmas to be about giving and generosity, that proves empty as well. Our bank accounts usually can’t support the extravagant giving we’d like to do for those we love, and then sometimes we get caught up in the materialism and consumerism ourselves and just end up driving ourselves into debt. It doesn’t take an extremely intelligent person to realize that those commercials that talk about the “season of giving” are just manipulating you into buying more of their products.And then we come to the so-called “magic,” and “cheer,” and “wonder” of Christmas and we’re told that we’re supposed to “just believe,” but believe in what? And it doesn’t take much digging to realize that these are just empty marketing buzzwords to generate hype and get us to spend more money.See, the problem is that when you strip out the source of what makes Christmas special, all that’s left is a hollow, fake imitation. Our culture’s idea of Christmas is like a giant glittery billboard but all that lies behind it is just disappointment and disillusionment. And if you go chasing after the culture’s idea of Christmas, every Christmas will be a disappointment to you because it will always over-promise and under-deliver.But, the Bible’s idea of what Christmas is all about is just the opposite. There’s no magic promised, no material gifts to receive, and it doesn’t even really have anything to do with family, let alone reindeer, fat guys in red suits, or snow.Instead, it’s a story about a poor, unwed mother giving birth to a nobody Jewish peasant in some backwater stable with a bunch of smelly livestock. And yet, the deeper you go into this story, the more you uncover a sense of awe and wonder that the over-commercialized, secular version of Christmas can never give you. Because the true wonder of Christmas is the incarnation—that God himself came down to our broken, smelly, dirty, sinful, evil world and took on our form and bore our sins and diseases so that we could be made whole, righteous, clean, and worthy in his eyes.
John 1:1–18 ESV 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 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 bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.PrayerThere are two truths in this passage which on their own do not seem to be anything particularly remarkable. But, when you put them together, they speak to a truth that is so powerful and wonderful that it will transform your life forever if you let it.The first of these two truths is that...The Word is transcendent.John 1:1–5 ESV 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.Now, I need to explain what I mean by that. There are two things especially in that simple sentence that are difficult to understand. First, we need to understand what is meant by the word ‘transcendent.’When we speak of the ‘transcendence’ of God, we are referring to the Bible’s teaching that...Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine B. Creation Is Distinct from God Yet Always Dependent on God...God is distinct from his creation. He is not part of it, for he has made it and rules over it. The term often used to say that God is much greater than creation is the word transcendent. Very simply, this means that God is far “above” the creation in the sense that he is greater than the creation and he is independent of it.
Now, maybe that seems obvious to you, but this is one distinctive about Christianity that separates it from many of the world’s religions. Hindu gods, for example, are not transcendent like this. In fact, they are very much a part of creation and many of them are believed to be created beings themselves. The same is true of the Greek and Roman gods of ancient times—they were not transcendent, they were part of the created order.The second thing that we need to understand in that phrase (“The Word is transcendent”) is what we mean by “The Word.” Now, it becomes clear in v. 14 that John is referring to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when he says “the Word.” But, that is still a very odd way to refer to Jesus. But, in using this term, John is actually pointing to one of the ways that the Son of God is transcendent.The word in Greek that is translated “Word” in our Bibles is logos.The Greeks thought of the logos as the wisdom or reason that held the universe together. So, John borrows the term and redefines it here to say “Jesus is the Wisdom of God that holds the universe together.The Word is wisdom.John 1:1 ESV 1 In the beginning was the Word...This does not mean merely that the Son is wise, but that the Son is wisdom personified. He is the source of all wisdom.This is not the kind of wisdom that tells us “I shouldn’t go back for seconds on the chili dogs,” it’s the kind of wisdom that makes water behave in such a way that it gives life to living creatures. It’s the kind of wisdom that makes gravity work so that we don’t all just go spinning off into space. It’s the kind of wisdom that we can spend a lifetime pursuing and only scratch the surface of.And not only is the Word the source of wisdom, but we see in Jn. 1:1 that...The Word is eternal.John 1:1 ESV 1 In the beginning was the Word...As soon as we read those first three words, we immediately think of the account of creation:Genesis 1:1 ESV 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.And here in John 1, we see that when God created the heavens and the earth, the Word—the Son of God, Jesus—already was. He already existed. He is eternal.And, the only way that is possible is because...The Word is God.John 1:1 ESV 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.And here is one of the most mind-blowing truths of Scripture. The Word is distinct from God the Father. The preposition ‘with’ implies a distinction from God, here referring probably to the Father as the word typically is used.While the Word is distinct from the Father, yet he is still said to be God—divine. While distinct from the Father, he shares every characteristic and essence that makes God divine.This is one of those truths that is difficult to get our minds around. But, we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the nature of the God who can speak matter into existence is beyond our comprehension. If we could fully comprehend the nature of God, he wouldn’t be God.So, we see in Jn. 1 that the Son of God, the Word, is transcendent precisely because he is God.The Word is Creator.John 1:2–3 ESV 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.He is the source of all created things. He is transcendent, he is not part of his Creation, because it is his creation.One of the most mind-bending truths that we have to come to grips with is that this Jesus that we worship is the eternal, Creator God—the one through whom all the galaxies and stars and every living creature and all the trees and grass and supernovas and black holes and light itself was created.Speaking of Jesus, the author of Hebrews says,Hebrews 1:3 ESV 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power...And, the Word that John talks about is the source of life and light...The Word is life and light.John 1:4 ESV 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.See, our culture wants life and light, and all the marketing around Christmas is evidence of that. Christmas for many is a time to try to escape the darkness of their lives, a time to try to find meaning and purpose in their lives. and so we fill the darkness with Christmas lights because we’re fascinated by the light. We chase after life and meaning by pursuing wonder and awe, but those things find their source in Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Outside of him, they’re just empty shells, hollow facades.John 14:6 ESV 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.And so, when we talk about Jesus, the Son of God, the Word of God, this is who we’re talking about. We’re talking about the one through whom creation and all matter came into being. The one who upholds the universe by the word of his power. The one who is eternal, uncreated, the source of all wisdom and the source of all life and light and everything that is good in this world. That is who Jesus is. He is transcendent. He is so far above us that we are not even worthy to speak his name.And yet, the miracle of Christmas is that...The Word is immanent.John 1:5–18 ESV 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 bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.Definition of immanent:Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine B. Creation Is Distinct from God Yet Always Dependent on GodThe technical term used to speak of God’s involvement in creation is the word
You see, the Christian doctrine of God’s transcendence separates us from mythology and pagan religions like Hinduism and Animism. But, it’s the Immanence of God—his nearness and involvement in his creation—that separates us from religions like Islam and modern Judaism.The Light came into the darkness.John 1:5 ESV 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.John 1:9 ESV 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.Jesus is not merely like light, he is the true light. Jesus isn’t like light, light is like Jesus. Jesus is what light truly is. He shines into the darkness and exposes it. He is the source of all that is good.This is the amazing, wonderful truth of Christmas. The light has come down into the darkness.This time of year there are lots of lights. I love Christmas lights. But, those little lights are nothing compared to the awe and wonder I get when I think that the one who gives light it’s brightness came down into our world, into a world filled with sin and evil and darkness.When we look at the life of Jesus, we see what our lives are supposed to be like. We see his love, his sacrificial giving, his humility, his patience. And like a light shining in the darkness, the nature of Jesus Christ exposes our sin for what it is—our selfishness, pride, and judgmentalism. The question is, are you running away from the light? Do you love the darkness?John 3:19–21 ESV 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”So, this Christmas, are you running to the light, or away from it?The beauty of Christmas is that...The source of all Wisdom came into ignorance.John 1:10 ESV 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.The first thing that is said about humanity’s reception of the Word of God is that “the world did not know him.”Here is the logos, the Word, the Wisdom of God coming to those who are ignorant—they couldn’t even recognize him for who he was. And it wasn’t just that they didn’t know or couldn’t figure it out, it was that they didn’t want to. They were willfully ignorant.A lot of people say that if God would just work a miracle for them, they’d believe. But the fact is, during his ministry, Jesus walked on water, miraculously fed thousands of people, calmed the stormy sea, healed the blind and lame with a word, cast out demons, and raised the dead. With no formal training, he interpreted the Jewish Law so expertly that he left the so-called experts speechless. And even when they couldn’t deny the miracles he did or the wisdom that he spoke with, they still rejected him.We have an incredible capacity for ignorance. Not just stupidity, but willfully refusing to believe even when the truth is staring us in the face. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that if you’re sitting there thinking to yourself, “Well, if he’d just do a miracle for me, I’d believe,” I’d be willing to bet that God has already done such miracles in your life and yet you have still refused to believe. And right now, I’m asking God to bring those to your mind. I don’t know what it is—maybe a car wreck that God spared you from when you shouldn’t have lived, an illness that inexplicably was healed.But, even if you don’t have such a miracle in your life, Christmas is that miracle. Because God himself has incarnated himself into humanity.If anyone had the right to be impatient and frustrated with ignorant people, it was Jesus. And yet, he patiently pleaded with them and gave them chance after chance.Matthew 11:28–30 ESV 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”The miracle of Christmas is that the wisdom of God came to fools like you and I and he patiently waits for you to see him for who he is.The Sovereign came to his subjects.John 1:11 ESV 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.Getting to meet your king or president is a special privilege that most of us will never get. We recognize that the king or president is a busy and important man with far more important things on his plate than our little problems. He’s solving wars and trying to stimulate the economy and dealing with international incidents on a grand scale.Jesus is the King of the Universe. If anyone was too important and too busy to deal with the commonfolk it was the Son of God. And yet, “he came to his own.” Not to campaign or pose for pictures, not as a PR stunt or to get re-elected, but to sacrifice himself for his people.And now, for those who receive him and repent of their sins, he lives within them through the Holy Spirit. We who are saved have the presence of the King of the Universe within us every single day. We can ask the King of the Universe for advice in difficult decisions, for comfort when we’re hurting, and as a friend we can talk to every day—a friend who never leaves us, never rejects us, never abandons us. And that’s all because of Christmas.And when this King came to his people, he came for a purpose...The Eternal came to die.John 1:11–13 ESV 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.He deserved a parade like no earthly parade has ever been done. But, instead of grateful, willing subjects acknowledging his rule and bowing before him, he was rejected and mocked and beaten and crucified.Matthew 27:28–30 ESV 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.And he came knowing full well what was going to happen. He came for that purpose. If I know that some trial is coming, I’m going to make every effort to avoid it because I don’t like to suffer. But Jesus not only didn’t avoid it, he knowingly went headfirst into that suffering. The King of the universe humbled himself before his subjects and allowed himself to be killed by them for their benefit.Have you received him? Have you believed in his name?The best that our culture can offer you at Christmas is the hope that a fat guy in a suit will break and enter into your home at night and leave presents behind instead of taking them.John 1:12 ESV 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...But Jesus offers you real hope. Not fairytales, but the opportunity to become a child of God, with all the perks of royalty.Imagine what it would be like to be the son or daughter of a king. The privileges, the wealth, the inheritance that would be yours. You can be a son or daughter of the King of the Universe.But, you don’t get that by believing in some ‘magic of Christmas’ nonsense. You have to believe in Jesus Christ. That he is who he said he is, that he died for you and rose again, and that he offers you new life.The Creator came into the creation.John 1:14 ESV 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.The uncreated Creator took upon himself the form of his creation so that he might reveal himself to us.God is as much outside of and above his creation as an artist is to his painting. But this divine artist entered into his painting so that he could reveal himself to us.We could not behold God’s glory in his normal form. So, without the initiative of God, we would have no way of knowing who he is or what he is like. We would be groping in the dark, like a painting trying to understand its painter.God had revealed himself partially in his written word in the Old Testament, but that only gave us a glimpse into who God is.John 1:16–18 ESV 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.But, in the Word, in the person of Jesus, God has revealed himself fully in a way that we could understand.Colossians 1:15–20 ESV 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation...19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.Jesus came so that you and I could know what God is like. God is invisible, but when we look at Jesus, we see God in human form.God is transcendent—he is not part of his creation. He is above and outside of creation. But, he loves us so much that the divine artist has stepped into his painting in the person of Jesus Christ to show us what he is like. To allow us to see and hear and know God and have a relationship with him. That is the miracle of Christmas.Conclusion: Outside of Jesus Christ, there is no ‘magic’ that makes December 25th and the season surrounding it special. Without him, it would just be another overhyped excuse for consumerism and marketing like Valentine’s Day and Halloween.But, because of Jesus, Christmas means everything. The eternal, uncreated Creator, Sovereign of the universe, has stepped into our world to show us who God is. So, do you know him? Do you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Have you received him and believed in his name?Romans 10:9–10 ESV 9 ...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.The greatest gift that you can receive this Christmas is the gift of God himself—the gift of eternal life with God given through a little baby in a manger 2,000 years ago.Reflection Questions:What are some traditions and beliefs in our culture that strip Christmas of its real meaning?How can we ensure that our Christmas celebrations are centered around Jesus rather than consumerism?What do we mean when we say that God is both transcendent and immanent? Why is that good news for us?What aspect of the incarnation do you find the most awe-inspiring?In what ways can we keep our focus on Jesus during the busy holiday season? John 1:1–18ESV
John 7ESV
John 1:1ESV
John 1:1ESV
Genesis 1:1ESV
John 1:1ESV
John 1:2–3ESV
Hebrews 1:3ESV
John 1:4ESV
John 14:6ESV
John 1:5ESV
John 1:9ESV
John 3:19–21ESV
John 1:10ESV
Matthew 11:28–30ESV
John 1:11ESV
John 1:11–13ESV
Matthew 27:28–30ESV
John 1:12ESV
John 1:14ESV
John 1:16–18ESV
Colossians 1:15–20ESV
Romans 10:9–10ESV