1. 1 Christmas The Greatest Mystery: God Incarnate J.I. Packer Knowing God

2. 2 When Reason fails  The Atonement  The Resurrection  Virgin Birth  Gospel Miracles Walking on waterWalking on water Feeding 5,000Feeding 5,000 Raising the deadRaising the dead

3. 3 1. The Greatest Mystery - Why make faith harder than need be? Forget the others. Look here. - The supreme mystery: The God-Man - Plurality of persons within Godhead - “The Word became flesh.” ……. God became flesh Luke 1:34-35Luke 1:34-35 Charles Wesley: Our God contracted to a span, Incomprehensibly made manCharles Wesley: Our God contracted to a span, Incomprehensibly made man

4. 4 2.The Reality of the Incarnation Dissolves Other Issues of Belief  Foundational issue is identity of Jesus  “Once His divinity is established, it is all of a piece, a unity and hangs together complete.”

5. 5 3.Going Deeper into the Identity of the Christmas Child  Mark, Matthew and Luke  John’s Prologue  1 Tim 1:3 “instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines”  Two Clear Essential Truths About the Baby Born at Bethlehem: 1. He was God 2. He was God made man

6. 6 4.The Baby was God “The only begotten Son of God” John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 5: 11-12 John 1:18 – No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. 1 John 5:11-12 – And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; He who does not have the Son of God, does not have the life.

7. 7 4.The Baby was God (continued) Still Questions Deut. 6:4 “The Great Shema”Deut. 6:4 “The Great Shema” Divisions: Jews, Arians, Muslims, Unitarians, Jehovah WitnessesDivisions: Jews, Arians, Muslims, Unitarians, Jehovah Witnesses

8. 8 John wrote to set record straight John 1:1 - 18 “The Word” “The Word” God’s creative utteranceGod’s creative utterance “ In the beginning God... God said, ‘Let there be... and there was' …”“ In the beginning God... God said, ‘Let there be... and there was' …” It is His power in action fulfilling His purposeIt is His power in action fulfilling His purpose

9. 9 Seven Truths about Word of God John 1:1 - “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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

10. 10 Seven Truths about Word of God 1.Eternal - John 1: 1 2.Personality - 1:1 3.Deity - 1:1 4.Creating - 1:3 5.Animator - 1:4 6.Revealing - 1:4 7.Incarnate - 1:14

11. 11 5.The Baby was God made man A real human baby …… who had not ceased to be God Not minus divinity, but plus manNot minus divinity, but plus man Fair game for Satan Hebrews 2: 17 – 18; 4:15 - 16Fair game for Satan Hebrews 2: 17 – 18; 4:15 - 16

12. 12 6.Born to Die 2 Corinthians 8:9 “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” The baby in the manger … not simply a marvel of nature, but rather a wonder of grace

13. 13 Application Christmas Message  Hope for ruined humanity  Hope for peace with God  Hope of glory  “Most wonderful message world has or will ever hear” Our Attitude: Philippians 2:1 -3

14. 14 Philippians 2:1-3 “Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ (and there is), if there is any consolation of love (and there is), if there is any fellowship of the Spirit (and there is), if any affection and compassion (and there are), make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves.”