12/23/18 - Love Changes Everything - John 3:16; Isaiah 9:1-7

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

This is the most popular verse in the Bible. It tells us we will have eternal life through Jesus Christ. It also reveals the heart of God. What motivated God to send his only son? It was his love for the world.

Seven hundred years before John wrote his famous verse there lived a man named Isaiah. He was a prophet who spoke on God’s behalf. He wrote about the coming of a very special child given to this world steeped in darkness. The details surrounding this child are not what one would expect. The baby is from an out of the way place. He is born to an unwed teenage peasant girl. The first to hear the news are marginalized shepherds. Many parts of the Christmas story are not what they should be. Or are they? The world does not recognize greatness in this way. I hope you see that God loves to bring greatness and power into your life in ways you do not expect.

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

Why do we spend great amounts of time, money, and thought trying to make ourselves great? Why do we want to be seen as strong? When we are full of ourselves there is less room for God. A simple definition of sin: “Me first!” Isaiah reminds us we were born into a darkened existence but light has arrived through the birth of a baby. The names of this baby can only be attributed to God. Amazingly, the child comes to us as a gift. This gift causes you to swallow your pride. It confronts you with the reality that you have a desperate need to be rescued. At the same time it shows you how important you are. God loves you and sent his son to die for your sins. This is the true spirit of Christmas and when we embrace this love we in turn, love others.