Is the world worth saving

John 1:1-14
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.  The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

There is a story of a young couple who were totally into the ecological scene. One day they were driving along with their preschool son up the East Coast, not far from the Atlantic. They came upon a sign that intrigued them: “Naturist Camp: 3 Miles,” with an arrow pointing toward the ocean. Thinking they might meet up with some new friends who love the natural world, they turned. A couple of miles along the two-lane road, they looked into the distance and were shocked to see three people on bicycles, riding toward them…totally nude.
Realizing  their mistake, they were suddenly embarrassed that their son would see the oncoming bikers before they could get turned around. The dad slammed on the brakes, tried his best to do a quick U-turn as he and his wife worked hard to divert their son’s attention. Neither worked. The boy was staring intently while his dad was steering intensely. Both parents were amazed when they heard their boy burst forth, “Look, Mom and Dad; none of them are wearing safety helmets!”

Perspective is everything.

John 1:1-14 gives a beautiful picture of the Christmas story from God’s perspective. There is not a manger or barn. There are no shepherds or wise men. No Mary and Joseph. John tells us what happened at Christmas from God’s perspective.

From God’s perspective everything changed because of the birth of His son.

The world was dark and hopeless and  full of fear. The religious leaders were making it hard for people to please God. They just kept creating rule after rule to keep the people oppressed and in bondage.

But the birth of Jesus, changed everything! In the midst of this darkness and hopelessness and bondage – we read in vs 9 that God sent the true light down to earth,

“The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

The True Light came into the world. This light shines upon all people; however, it only shines into those who receive him and believe on his name. This means when we receive him we become privileged lights, whose primary responsibility is to shine forth for the True Light. We then become reflectors of the True Light.

God came into this world to change our lives forever. There is not a better way to understand how God changes our lives than the testimonies of those who have experienced this change. Each testimony you are about to hear is different. One is a fifteen year old-young man whose parents don’t come to church with him but he has found a family with the church he attends. The second is a young lady who had it pretty rough growing up.  She had an eating disorder. She had an absent dad. Her mother never expressed love to her and she got up in a crowd of friends that influenced her to make some disappointing choices.  The third video is a video of a young lady who grew up in the church but has discovered that having Christian parents and being good does not mean you have a relationship with God. Each on of these individuals have become reflectors of the light.

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All of the changes that happened in these people’s lives is because of Jesus coming to earth. In the midst of their darkness, their hopelessness, and their fearfulness, Jesus was born!

The birth of Jesus shines a light of hope in the midst of our brokenness, a light of courage in the midst of our fear, and a light of love in the midst of a hateful and cruel world.

From God’s perspective,

• He does not see us as broken people.  He sees us as people worthy of sending His one and only son into the world.
• He does not see us as courage – less people. He sees us as people worthy of sending His one and only son in to the world.
• He does not see as hateful and cruel. He sees us as people worthy of sending His one and only son in the world.

He chooses to use broken, courage-less, hateful and cruel people to be his reflectors of the true light. If you don’t believe that’s true get on the internet and research the disciples that Jesus chose.

The only reason darkness exist is because of the absence of light.

Vs. 5 reminds us that,

“darkness cannot extinguish the light.”

All of us on planet earth are called to be the reflectors of the True light. Each person has been knit together in their mother’s womb and created in the image of God. But not everyone chooses to believe him and accept him. Vs. 12-13 reminds us,

“ But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”

If you do believe in Him and have accepted Him then you are to reflect the True light.

From God’s perspective – He loves you the same as He loved (s) His one and only son.

John says in vs. 10-13

“that Jesus offers us the right to be called children of God.”

Because of His birth we are offered the right be called His Kids. For those of you who didn’t grow up with a father around or your father was never there,  God is telling you that He wants to be your Father and he freely offers adoption. And for all of us, we can claim God as our spiritual Father.

This is incredible good news!

You belong to God. No matter what kind of dad you had growing up,  God wants to be your Father. He wants us to experience His unconditional love. Even good earthly fathers are limited by their sinfulness in how well they can love their kids. My Christian dad did a pretty good job but even he couldn’t love me perfectly like my heavenly Father can.

• Because I belong to God, I am forgiven.
• Because I belong to God, I have hope.
• Because I belong to God, I have a peace that passes all understanding.
• Because I belong to God, I know I am loved even when I mess up.

Both you and I belong to God.

The question is,  “do you want to belong to Him?”

God wants to change your history. In each of the  testimonies you heard near the beginning of this blog entry,  they all had one thing in common and its the same for all of us who have chosen to believe and accept Him – their history changed forever. No matter how dark their past was, no matter how good their parents were, no matter how broken they might have been, God changed their history.  God changed their perspective on life, on others, and themselves.

Do you want to belong to a God who is enduringly strong, and entirely sincere?
Do you want to belong to a God who is immortally graceful and imperially powerful?
Do you want to belong to a God who is impartially merciful and has impeccable timing?
Do you want to belong to God whose goodness is limitless and his mercy is everlasting?
Do you want to belong to a God whose love never changes and his grace does all the changing?
Do you want to belong to a God who is forever faithful and incredibly committed to you?

Maybe a more accurate question is: Who wouldn’t want to belong to a God like this?

Only stiff-necked people wouldn’t want this God
Only foolish people wouldn’t want this God.
Only selfish people wouldn’t want this God.
Only hard-hearted people wouldn’t want this God.
Only professional religious people wouldn’t want this God.

From God’s perspective – humanity is worth saving.

This is why He lived among us. Vs. 14 says,

“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

He didn’t stay in heaven and tell us all to just be good boys and girls. He didn’t snap his fingers and make it all work out the easy way. Because humanity is worth saving He came to earth to be with us. He came to walk among us. He came to experience temptation like we do. He came to experience heartache like we do. He cried like a baby. Laughed at dumb jokes. Got angry with those who disrespected his heavenly Father. He was not some distant god who does what he wants without being with his people. He is a loving God who thinks that humanity is worth saving and works salvation for us by being one us.

God didn’t send His only son on that first Christmas day – to stop us from going to hell.

God didn’t send His only son on that first Christmas day – to make our lives easier.

God didn’t send His only son on that first Christmas day  – to create a feel good moment for the world.

God sent His only son because He wants to change our history. He wants to change the direction our life is going. He offers hope in our hopeless situations. He offers a Father’s love and a place to belong. He walked with us to save us.

Do you want to belong to a God like that?

The moment you want to belong to him – He will change your life forever.
The moment you belong to him – you will become a reflector of the True light.
The moment you belong to him – you become His Kid.

What’s stopping you?