Sermon: Word Made Flesh (1-1-23)

Sunday, January 1st, 2023

Isa 61:10—62:5 Ps 147:12-20 Gal 3:23—4:7 John 1:1-18

SERMON  

Bringing Heaven to Earth: Grace upon Grace

Introduction: The Ambassadors of God

The main point I want to make with you today is that God desires intimacy with you. 

Two Images:

There are two images from our readings

 that serve to me as a sort of side by side comparison. 

First the Image from John: The Word became flesh.

Second the image from Galatians: You are clothed with Christ.

I want to unpack these images for us 

and use them as a tool to describe 

this bringing together of God and Humanity.

John: Clothed in Flesh

Image: Wearing Superman

1. God Made the First Move: (1 John 4:10)

“In this is love, not that we loved God 

but that he loved us and sent his Son 

to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

• God set up the world in such a way so that you might be saved.
  • Not that you will, but so that you could if you chose to be.

God Went Down: (Philippians 2:7-8) 

“but emptied himself,

    taking the form of a slave,

    assuming human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a human,

he humbled himself

    and became obedient to the point of death—

    even death on a cross.”

• The way of God’s incarnation is unexpected: it is a way of humility.
  • Suffering results in this new life
    • (think of reproductive suffering with a child)

God Shined in Darkness: (John 1:5)

“The light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness did not overtake it.”

• Jesus spoke and lived the truth.
  • Some saw Jesus’ truth and followed it
    • Most saw Jesus truth and rejected it or tried to squash it.

Galatians: Clothed with Christ Adulting in Faith (Galatians 3:25-26)

“But now that faith has come, 

we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 

for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.”

• Start acting like Jesus
  • Everyone is watching you to see how God acts. 

No more Democrats or Republicans (Galatians 3:28)

“There is no longer Jew or Greek; 

there is no longer slave or free; 

there is no longer male and female, 

for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

• Not just “stop acting” in Christ there are none.
  • One in Christ means we are all responsible for one another.
  • We cannot ever say “not my problem”

Heirs of God’s Promise (Galatians 3:29)

“And if you belong to Christ, 

then you are Abraham’s offspring, 

heirs according to the promise.”

• You belong to Christ
  • You also inherit what God’s children inherit

AMEN

Thank you for listening!
If you would like to support the ministry of Good Samaritan Church, or learn more about us please visit us at www.goodsamaritansugarhill.com.
Or visit our social media pages

linktr.ee/GSACBuford