Enlightenment

John 1:1-14

And the word became flesh and lived among us.

This world was created by the very word of God. Whether that happened with a big bang or otherwise makes no difference to me. It was the creative power of almighty God that made it happen.

God set in motion His created order. God set in motion a story where the characters, you and I are free to write our own scripts, free to love him or reject him. God saw that when left completely alone we are incapable of helping our selves. So God entered the story as one of the participants to offer us an opportunity for a happy ending.

And the word became flesh and lived among us.

Pause for a moment think of the beauty that is all around you. Feel the breath fill your lungs and feel the air leave them. And feel the rhythm of your heart. Every breath, every heartbeat is a gift of god. Here now in this sacred place we take time out to celebrate the coming of the Baby Jesus into the world. We also come with Holy expectation that Jesus will be born into our lives again. That his Holy Spirit will germinate in us and take root and make us better than we have ever been before. We are here to make a very special birth announcement. God the Father wants everybody in all ages to hear this announcement.

The birth announcement was first delivered by the angels that night in Bethlehem, but now the announcement of Jesus birth comes from each one of us down through the ages who comes to know that Jesus is Lord.

This truly is a grass roots campaign. God could have started with emperor Augustus. And then the emperor could have made decrees that everyone should worship Jesus. That’s the way we humans would go about it. God doesn’t call a people to himself. He calls you to himself. He calls me. Has been calling individual people to himself and he will continue to seek out every individual until the end of time. Being a Christian isn’t about being part of an organization, its is first about pondering in your heart what god has already done for you. Pondering what he is offering you and you simply accepting that free gift that is yours for the taking. Pondering the fact that the Word became flesh and lived among us.

The Word became flesh and was born in a
barn.  Now that's really real.

When one person makes that decision and joins with other people who have made that same decision to worship God and praise his name, there is Joy in the heavens and in the earthly church.

It is the action of God that makes the difference in our lives. It is the presence of God and our willingness to accept God's presence that will enrich our lives. Only God can truly Change us. The change that we can come up with in our lives are things like Pregnancies, promotions, relocation, weddings, war, resistance to war... All these things can change our life and will make things different. The Big news that God sent his angels to announce not only made things different from that point on for Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the magi and anyone else that may have been a witness. But it change the course of human history, and even more important than that it will change your destiny if you only believe. I don’t know where you are, at this point in your life. Only you and god know how your relationship is.

Know this: The Word became flesh and lived among us.

The difference this makes is significant to say the least. The efforts we make in this life to change ourselves, to change others, to change systems are doomed to failure until we admit that we are helpless as babies and need to fully rely on God.

Not only rely on God but to fully submit to God. Now if I were a motivational speaker rather than a pastor I would not use the word “submit.” that word seems has taken on negative connotations in our culture. We value individualism, strength, resourcefulness, power, fortitude. Submission seems to fly in the face of all that.

Well...we're just going to have to get over that. Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth. Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.

In verse 12 of our reading today it says “But to all who received him (Jesus), who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God... He gave them who believe 'power' to become children of God. It is as if belief isn't necessarily enough. Please correct me if you think I am wrong but it sure sounds like if if you believe you still have the option of not being one of God's Children.

One can believe that Jesus is the Word made flesh and still live apart from God.

Well we know this is true from Mark's Gospel when a man with an unclean spirit cried out,
what have you to do with us , Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who your are, the Holy One of god.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying , “Be silent, and come out of him.”

So just knowing who Jesus is and acknowledging it isn't enough. Especially if you are opposed to God.

Knowing Jesus is the first step.

The next is becoming his disciple. That means searching the scriptures and discerning the will of God for your life. That means opening yourself, being willing to be enlightened by the Power of the Holy Spirit. There is no formula for this. There is no spiritual checklist for this to happen, it all goes back to submission to God. Are you willing to admit your complete lack of ability to save your self and ask God to save you.

God will change you. It wont feel forced or awkward. Your spirit will be changed, and you will begin to see the Kingdom of heaven realized in your own life.

The word became flesh and lived among us. This is information that matters but its what you do with it after you believe it that makes the difference.

So How is it with you today on this Christmas morning? Are you ready to begin or begin again your discipleship journey with the Lord of heaven and earth?

Would you pray with me?