God....Live and in Person

This day...two Sundays before Christmas....I had planned on delivering a straightforward Christmas sermon.  The one we always hear around Christmas...about Joseph, Mary, the manger and such.  But Thursday's unspeakable tragedy changed all that.  Today I struggled to come to terms with what happened....along with everyone else.

Today's sermon was a meager attempt to both understand how such a tragedy could happen....as well as appreciate the miracle of the birth of Jesus.  The only way I knew how to approach it was through the Gospel of John.  If you don't have time to read the notes or listen to the audio recording of the sermon, here is the message in a nutshell:


While the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) give us an historical account of Jesus’ birth, it is the Gospel of John that most accurately tells us the reason for Christ’s birth.  The Son and Word became a creature on earth.  The light became life.  There is no other gospel which so stresses the humanity and diety of Jesus.  
 

As a human, I can’t fully understand or know why suffering happens, why God allows it or what the purpose might be.  Furthermore, as a human, I can’t fully understand how God can be born into humanity.  The only way I can begin to process the reality of suffering…..the only way I can begin to appreciate the birth of Jesus….is knowing that God himself suffered in our humanity.  He became one of us….in all our frailty.  He met us where we are. 

Here are notes from today's message:

Sermon Notes from "God....Live and in Person" - Sunday, December 16

You can also listen to a audiocast of today's sermon.  Just open the file (below) in any mp3 player:

Audio Recording of Sermon