Divine Introduction
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
Here are some further devotional thoughts based on the sermon.
1. The God Who Speaks
The sermon emphasizes that God is not a silent God. He speaks, and He desires to communicate with us. From the very beginning, God’s Word brought creation into being. God continues to speak through His creation, His Scriptures, His prophets, and ultimately through His Son, Jesus. Jesus is the full and final expression of God’s Word to humanity. Christmas marks the moment when the Word became flesh, and God’s ultimate message to humanity was delivered not in a distant or abstract way but in a person—Jesus Christ.
Devotional Thought:
When we are feeling distant from God or wondering why we don’t hear from Him, remember that He has already spoken. His voice rings loudest in Jesus, the Word made flesh. The Christmas season invites us to listen to Him, to encounter God not just as an idea but as a living, breathing Savior. Let your heart be open to His voice today.
2. God’s Revelation Through Jesus
The sermon contrasts the various ways God spoke in the Old Testament through prophets and different means, with the clarity and finality of His communication in Jesus. While the prophets communicated parts of God’s revelation, Jesus is the complete revelation of God. His life, death, and resurrection fulfill everything the prophets foretold.
Devotional Thought:
As we reflect on the nativity story, consider how God’s voice and presence came into our world in the form of a vulnerable baby. That baby is not just a figure of history but the key to understanding God’s full nature and plan for us. This Christmas, don’t just celebrate the birth of Jesus—acknowledge the depth of His purpose. Through Him, we come to know God fully.
3. A Personal Relationship with God
The writer of Hebrews describes how God communicated to the fathers through the prophets, but now He speaks directly to us through His Son. This signifies a personal relationship—no longer is God distant or abstract; He is close, speaking directly into our lives. Jesus came not just to bring a message but to invite us into communion with Him.
Devotional Thought:
God is not distant. He speaks to us, not through intermediaries or ancient texts alone but through His Son. This means that at Christmas, God invites us into a personal relationship. Just as the shepherds, the wise men, and even Mary and Joseph were invited to draw near to the Word made flesh, so too are we invited to draw near to God through Christ. In this season of Advent, think of how you can strengthen your personal relationship with Jesus—through prayer, worship, and a deepening awareness of His presence in your life.
4. God’s Word is Living and Active
In Hebrews 4:12, the Word of God is described as “living and active.” The Word does not just reside in ancient scrolls or in historical events—it is active, moving, and alive in our hearts today. Christmas is not just a celebration of a past event; it is a present reality that continues to speak to us, change us, and call us into action.
Devotional Thought:
The Word of God, personified in Jesus, is not static. As you reflect on the Christmas story, consider how Jesus continues to speak and move in your life today. His words are active, shaping who you are and how you live. Are you allowing His Word to guide you? Are you allowing His presence to transform your heart this Christmas?
5. No More Christmas Secrets
The sermon touches on the idea of “Christmas secrets,” drawing from the childhood memory of keeping Christmas wishes hidden. However, in Jesus, God has revealed His deepest secret—the mystery of salvation through the incarnation. The truth of Christmas is not to be kept in silence but to be proclaimed loudly, as the young child did at the event, sharing how a candy cane symbolized Jesus.
Devotional Thought:
The message of Christmas is a revelation of God’s love for the world, and it is not to be kept a secret. God has shown us His heart, and now we are called to share that with others. Just as the young child shared the meaning of the candy cane, we are invited to share the deeper meaning of Christmas—the arrival of Jesus as God’s ultimate Word to us. This Christmas, how can you share the love and truth of Christ with those around you?
6. The Fullness of God’s Word in Christ
Jesus, as the Word made flesh, is the ultimate revelation of God. He embodies grace and truth. The fullness of God’s Word is not only revealed in what Jesus taught but in who He is—the God who lived among us, who experienced our joys and sorrows, who died for our sins, and who rose again to offer us eternal life.
Devotional Thought:
Take a moment this Christmas season to reflect on the fullness of God’s Word revealed in Christ. Jesus is the Word not just spoken but lived. His life shows us what it means to love, to serve, to sacrifice, and to experience God’s grace. Consider how you can reflect the fullness of Christ’s Word in your own life, showing His love and truth to others in tangible ways.
In conclusion, Christmas invites us into a deeper understanding of the God who speaks to us. He speaks not just through ancient prophecies but through the person of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Let this season be a reminder that God is always speaking, and His message is one of love, grace, and invitation to a personal relationship. Let’s listen to His voice and share the good news of His arrival with the world.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Here are some discussion questions based on the sermon:
1. God is a Speaking God
How does the fact that God is a speaking God change your understanding of your relationship with Him?
What does it mean to you that God is not silent and that He wants to communicate with us?
2. The Role of Prophets in God's Communication
In the Old Testament, God spoke through prophets. How do you see God’s communication through the prophets as part of His larger plan of revealing Himself to us?
How does the way God communicated in the past through prophets compare to how He communicates through Jesus today?
3. The Full Revelation in Jesus
Hebrews tells us that in these last days, God has spoken through His Son. How does Jesus’ coming as the Word made flesh fulfill and surpass God’s previous ways of communication?
What does it mean that Jesus is the ultimate and final revelation of God? How does that impact your view of Christmas?
4. Hearing God’s Voice Today
The sermon challenges us to consider how God speaks today, especially through His Word and the gospel. Do you find it easy or difficult to hear God's voice in your life? Why?
How can we make space in our daily lives to actively listen to God’s voice through Jesus, both in Scripture and in prayer?
5. The Importance of Jesus as the Word
John 1:1-3 and Hebrews 1:2 describe Jesus as the Word through whom the universe was created. How does this deepen your understanding of the significance of Jesus, not just at Christmas, but in the grand narrative of God’s work in the world?
How can we respond to the fact that God’s ultimate Word has come to us in the form of a person, Jesus Christ?
6. Sharing God’s Word with Others
The sermon talks about “no more Christmas secrets” and the importance of sharing the message of Jesus. How can you share the truth of Christmas with those around you this season?
How can you take the symbolism of Christmas (e.g., the candy cane, the nativity) and turn it into an opportunity to share about Jesus with others?
7. God’s Word is Living and Active
Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God as "living and active." What does it mean for God's Word to be alive and active today in your life?
How have you experienced God’s Word as living and active in your own life? Can you share a specific instance?
8. Personal Reflection: Christmas as Divine Introduction
The sermon refers to Christmas as a "Divine Introduction" of Jesus, the Word made flesh. How do you personally encounter Jesus as the Word in this season of Advent?
How can you draw nearer to the living Word during this Christmas season, and how can that shape the way you live out the message of Christmas beyond December 25th?
9. God's Consistent Communication
The sermon highlights how God spoke in many ways throughout history, and now speaks directly to us through Jesus. How does this consistency in God’s communication bring you comfort and confidence in your relationship with Him?
When you feel distant from God, how can you remind yourself that He is a speaking God, and His Word is available to you?
10. The Mystery of Christmas
The sermon discusses how the birth of Jesus reveals the mystery of God’s salvation plan. How does this mystery unfold for you personally as you reflect on the birth of Jesus?
What aspects of the Christmas story (such as the humble birth, the angels’ announcement, or the visit of the magi) challenge or deepen your understanding of who Jesus is?
These questions can guide a thoughtful discussion, helping to reflect more deeply on how God has spoken through Jesus and how we can respond to His communication with us this Christmas season.