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[3184.48 --> 3185.48] Because we're worried about judgment
[3185.48 --> 3186.48] When in fact
[3186.48 --> 3187.48] He's standing right beside you
[3187.48 --> 3188.48] With his arms open
[3188.48 --> 3189.48] Waiting to embrace you
[3190.48 --> 3195.48] The tragedy of this moment is
[3196.48 --> 3197.48] Is not that God has failed to show up
[3198.48 --> 3200.48] It's that he's shown up in humility
[3201.48 --> 3204.48] And humility is easy to overlook
[3205.48 --> 3208.48] To put it another way
[3209.48 --> 3211.48] Humility doesn't get clicks
[3211.48 --> 3216.48] God comes close enough to be touched
[3217.48 --> 3219.48] God comes close enough to be misunderstood
[3220.48 --> 3222.48] He comes close enough to be rejected
[3223.48 --> 3225.48] And that's why John doesn't simply say
[3226.48 --> 3227.48] That the word spoke to us
[3227.48 --> 3228.48] Or that the word ruled over us
[3229.48 --> 3230.48] But he says the word became flesh
[3231.48 --> 3233.48] And made his dwelling among us
[3234.48 --> 3235.48] The God that we long for
[3236.48 --> 3237.48] Doesn't stand at a distance
[3237.48 --> 3238.48] Waiting for us to improve
[3238.48 --> 3240.48] Waiting for us to come to him
[3241.48 --> 3242.48] He comes near
[3243.48 --> 3244.48] Lowly in heart
[3244.48 --> 3245.48] And gentle in spirit
[3245.48 --> 3246.48] To be with us
[3247.48 --> 3248.48] Christmas is not God giving
[3249.48 --> 3250.48] What we expected
[3251.48 --> 3253.48] It is God giving us himself
[3261.48 --> 3262.48] And so that's the thing
[3263.48 --> 3265.48] Alright, we can't understand Christmas
[3265.48 --> 3266.48] Unless we understand
[3266.48 --> 3267.48] Unless we understand
[3268.48 --> 3269.48] Who has come
[3270.48 --> 3272.48] The church throughout history
[3273.48 --> 3274.48] Has worked hard
[3275.48 --> 3276.48] To help us understand
[3277.48 --> 3278.48] Who has come
[3279.48 --> 3280.48] By pulling together different creeds
[3281.48 --> 3282.48] And confessions, different statements
[3283.48 --> 3286.48] And this past year, 2025
[3287.48 --> 3289.48] Was the 1700th anniversary
[3290.48 --> 3291.48] Of the Nicene Creed
[3291.48 --> 3292.48] Which comes to us
[3292.48 --> 3293.48] Which comes to us
[3293.48 --> 3295.48] From 325 A.D.
[3296.48 --> 3297.48] And I just want to put
[3297.48 --> 3298.48] A part of that on the screen
[3298.48 --> 3299.48] Behind us
[3299.48 --> 3300.48] Holding up
[3301.48 --> 3302.48] The Gospel of John
[3302.48 --> 3303.48] That we have read beside it
[3304.48 --> 3305.48] As we try to wrestle with
[3306.48 --> 3308.48] Who is that has come
[3309.48 --> 3312.48] Right, this is what John
[3313.48 --> 3315.48] And the church coming out of this text
[3316.48 --> 3317.48] Have taught us
[3318.48 --> 3319.48] Who has come at Christmas
[3319.48 --> 3320.48] First
[3321.48 --> 3324.48] That he is begotten of the Father
[3325.48 --> 3326.48] Before all ages
[3327.48 --> 3328.48] That is eternally begotten
[3329.48 --> 3330.48] Not created, right?
[3330.48 --> 3331.48] In the beginning was the Word
[3332.48 --> 3334.48] That he is of the same essence
[3335.48 --> 3336.48] As the Father
[3336.48 --> 3337.48] The Word was with God
[3338.48 --> 3339.48] And the Word was God
[3340.48 --> 3341.48] And that through him
[3342.48 --> 3343.48] All things were made
[3344.48 --> 3346.48] Through him all things were made
[3346.48 --> 3348.48] Without him nothing was made
[3349.48 --> 3350.48] That has been made
[3351.48 --> 3353.48] Right, this Jesus who comes
[3354.48 --> 3356.48] Is not God's representative
[3357.48 --> 3359.48] It's not some other lesser divine being
[3360.48 --> 3361.48] It's not some moral teacher
[3361.48 --> 3363.48] That people later chose to exalt
[3364.48 --> 3366.48] This being who has come to us
[3367.48 --> 3368.48] In the manger at Christmas
[3369.48 --> 3370.48] Is true God from true God
[3370.48 --> 3371.48] The eternal Son
[3372.48 --> 3373.48] The one through whom
[3373.48 --> 3374.48] And for whom
[3374.48 --> 3375.48] All things exist
[3376.48 --> 3379.48] Now stepping into his creation
[3380.48 --> 3382.48] Christmas isn't God just sending help
[3383.48 --> 3384.48] Christmas is God himself
[3385.48 --> 3387.48] Coming into the world
[3388.48 --> 3389.48] This is the miracle of Christmas
[3390.48 --> 3391.48] That he who is mighty
[3392.48 --> 3393.48] Has done a great thing
[3393.48 --> 3394.48] Has taken on flesh
[3394.48 --> 3395.48] And conquered death's sting
[3395.48 --> 3396.48] Shattered the darkness
[3397.48 --> 3398.48] And lifted our shame
[3400.48 --> 3401.48] And so all of our waiting
[3402.48 --> 3403.48] Obedience
[3403.48 --> 3404.48] All of our worship