Purpose of God: Reveal Himself to Man in order to save us from ourselves.

Schedules keep us from seeing the need: Rise, wash, eat. Work, wash, eat. Work, wash, eat, ?, sleep.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the hectic pace of our culture that we miss the whole point of life.

God sent us a reminder - Immanuel - God With Us - Matthew 1:23

God came to earth in human flesh to show us the way. - Philippians 2:5-8

In Jesus the possibility of reunion with our Maker becomes reality - Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus - Joshua - Jehovah is Salvation or The Salvation of Jehovah - Matthew 1:21

John points out for our acceptance the real meaning of the birth of Christ. John 20:30,31

A. Jesus Is The Word - 1a

1. He is the incarnation of the Divine thought.

2. He is the embodiment of the Divine purpose.

B. Jesus Is God - 1b

1. He is the visual representation of God's Divine intention/intervention.

2. He is the exact expression of God's being. see also Hebrews 1:3

C. Jesus Is Inter-dimensional - 2

1. He has always been.

2. He became Jesus at Bethlehem but this was not the beginning of His existence.

3. He was and is I Am - Preexistent.

4. Not with God in an associative sense but integrally and essentially God.

D. Jesus Is The Source of All Life and Activity - 3

1 All things came into being through Him.

2. No exceptions - No one thing came into being apart from Him.

E. Jesus Is The Source of All Spiritual Life and Enlightenment - 4

1. In Him is life - " Whoever has the Son has life, whoever has not the Son of God does not have life. " I John 5:12

F. Jesus Is Inextinguishable - 5

1. People only choose darkness

2. Evil did not and cannot win.

3. Darkness has a destination - The Pit - Isaiah 14:12-17

4. Those overcome by darkness will join Him - Revelation 21:8

A. John the Baptizer was sent by God - 6

B. John's purpose was to testify about Jesus so people would believe - 7

C. John revealed light but he was not the Light - 8a

D. John was a reflector and revealer of the True Light - 8b

E. The True Light is Jesus - 9

F. What is our Purpose? - Acts 1:8

1. Review the mission of John and we will see our own.

2. We are to be salt and light.

3. We need to remember that we have light but that we are not the light.

4. Jesus is the True Light that illumines every person.

G. When will the world know God ?

1. When we reveal what we know. - I John 1:1-10

2. When we demonstrate what we know.

a. I John 2:1-6 - Incarnational living. - Righteous Actions

b. I John 3:1-3 - Incarnational attitudes - Pure Thoughts

A. God's Crowning Achievement, mankind, just didn't get it. - 10,11

1. The world in general didn't get it. -10 ( Romans 1:18-32 ) ( for further clarification )

2. His chosen people didn't get it - 11 ( Romans 2:17-29 ) ( for your understanding )

B. God's Grand Plan Requires Acceptance of His Chosen Savior - 12,13

1. Regeneration not Reformation - 12

a. Receive, believe, power to become.

b. God provides the way, we must ponder the evidence, & give way to the Way.

2. Regeneration not Religion - 13

a. Not ancestral descent ... - 13a

b. Not personal achievement ... - 13b

c. Not human organization ... - 13c

d. But becoming one with God through Jesus. -13d

C. God's Sojourn Among Us Revealed His Worthiness To Be Praised - 14-16

1. Incarnation Brings True Sight To Our Eyes- 14

a. We see Jesus for who He really is - God's Pure and Holy Son - 14a

b. We see God's character lucidly - Full of grace and truth - 14b

c. We understand John the Baptizer's reasoning clearly- 15

d. We see God's blessings daily - 16

2. Incarnation Reveals God's Heart To Us - 17,18

a. The Law of Moses was but the shadow of God - 17a

b. The Gospel of Jesus is the reality of God personified. 17b,18

Conclusion:

Jesus is God's final and full revelation of His intentions and will for His creation.

All of His promises are wrought through His Son.

Full blessings are reserved for those who receive His Son.

Life is what you make of it. Circumstances should not and will not deter you.

The reception that God has planned for all people who wish to come out of the world and condemnation into forgiveness and salvation is found in your reception of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, as your Savior.

What's the Word? Jesus is Lord and Saviour of the world.

That's God's grand plan.

What will you do with the Word? Accept or reject?

What will you do for the Word? Cache away or show and tell?

Your decision today may well determine your eternal destiny forever.