Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
Christmas Eve, 1993
John 1:1-13
AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM
I. Different perspectives on Christmas.
A. Gospel of Mark doesn't mention birth at all. Jesus is 27.
B. Matthew and Luke give traditional stories we all know.
C. Gospel of John gives a unique perspective - from eternity.
1) Jesus was before the "Big Bang."
2) Jesus came according to the Father's plan.
II. What Jesus did before he ended up in a manger.
A. Has always existed as part of Godhead.
1) Clearest statement in Bible is found in John 1:1.
2) We know this because Jehovah's Witnesses, who reject diety
of Jesus, are armed to the teeth on this verse.
3) Not only has Jesus always been around, but God has always
been like Jesus. God of whole Bible is same God.
B. Instrument of creation of world.
C. Visit earth as angel of Lord?
1) Everyone loves angels.
2) Both Time & Newsweek have special articles on them this week.
III. What we did once he came here.
A. Those who should have been closest to him, rejected him.
1) They didn't even recognize him. 1:10
B. Most of us would not recognize him, either.
1) We love personalities: People Magazine, Us Magazine.
But they certainly aren't about people like us.
- Unless you are a lot like Michael Jackson!
2) At his birth, the only people who honored Jesus were
blue-collar workers and foreigners.
3) Would you have gathered at the manger?
C. It is what is inside that counts.
1) A modern example of incarnation:
Ted Engstrom tells the story of Pat Moore. One day in
May, 1979, Moore, who looked like she must be eighty-
five years old, opened the door of her New York
apartment and stepped nervously into the hall. She put
her cane out in front of her and hesitantly felt for
the first step on the stairs. Her legs moved gingerly,
awkwardly. One step... two... three... all the way to
the twelfth step. So far so good. When she arrived at
the bottom of the stairs, she saw her landlady who
exclaimed, "Oh, I'm sorry, I was expecting somebody
else."
"Don't you recognize me?" asked Pat, her voice strained
and cracked. "No, ma'am, I don't," said the landlady,
staring at the frail woman. "I'm Pat Moore," she said
laughing. As she saw her landlady's mouth widen in
disbelief, Pat knew in that flash of a moment she
passed the test.
You see, Pat Moore was not eighty-five years old at
all. Not even close. She was an attractive twenty-six-
year-old specialist in industrial design, who was
concerned about the needs of the aged. At least once
each week for the next three years, Pat put on her
masquerade of facial latex foam, a heavy fabric that
bound her body, and a convincing gray wig. She visited
fourteen states as an old woman. She met hundreds of
people who never once discovered her true identity.
Pat Moore wanted to have a first hand experience of
what it was to be elderly in America.
The journey God made that first Christmas from the
throne of glory to the stable in Bethlehem was that
kind of journey. He emptied himself, he invaded our
world.
AUTHOR: Guideposts, Jan,'84, Pp.2-5. Cited In Engstrom,
"The Fine Art Of Friendship" (Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1985). Seven Worlds Publishing: Dec 4 91
DATE: 10/1/91 ENTERED: 11/7/91
#1663
2) Jesus became one of us, to save us.
a) He was only on earth a short while, but he was God in
the flesh.
IV. Those who receive him have a special blessing: adoption.
A. What may seem second-rate to us is mandatory to God.
1) God has no natural-born children.
a) Not a decision by parents or ethnic heritage.
b) We can't even make ourselves children of God.
2) God's children are born supernaturally.
a) We must become children of God.
1> Bible refers to this as being born again.
b) It takes a miracle to be a Christian.
1> God has to do it. He opens the way.
2> God offers, we must accept him.
B. How to receive Jesus as Savior.
1) Barclay on two sons, one with motel-mentality and other
with devotion. Become a devoted child. Do what Dad says.
