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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!
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