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JOHN 1:18

"THE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING: TO REVEAL THE FATHER"

Intro: The world is preparing for a holiday that it little understands   The merchants are
       praying for a tidy profit, the Post Office is gearing for an overload, lights are being
       strung, gift lists prepared, parties planned. What's it all about?  A child was born
       about  2,000 years ago. Obviously, He was no ordinary child, He was the Son of God. At
       the  end of His visit here He said "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father."  He
       came to  reveal the Father.

I. WHY WAS IT NECESSARY TO REVEAL THE FATHER?
        A. Because of man's foolish and confused concepts of God.
                1. Universally man conscious of God.
                        a. There is such abundant evidence of His existence that only a fool
                           would say "There is no God."
                        b. Nature everywhere testifies of Him.
                                1. "The heavens declare..."
                                2. Men have heard natures voice and believed.
                        c. Natures witness limited.
                                1. It tells me God is, but not what He is.
                                2. It does not tell me how to know Him.
                2. Thus man created his own concepts of God.
                        a. Most concepts created by magnifying oneself to immensity.
                        b. If I were God, If I ran the universe.
                                1. Whenever someone asks me "Why did God."
                                2. "Who hath know the mind of God . . ."
                                3. "My ways are not your ways . . ."
                3. If I were God, I would . . .
                        a. Play all day like monkeys.
                        b. live a relaxed life like a cow.
                        c. give warmth & light like the sun.
                        d. light the dark night like the moon.
                        e. stand strong against the storm like tree.
                        f. Greeks & Romans had other ideas for using their divine powers - 
                           Mythology.
                4. Man in his quest for God became confused & lost.
                        a. He imagined God as cruel and harsh.
                        b. He heard the message of judgment missed grace.
                                1. Judgment is self activating. It is the inevitable
                                   consequence of a certain course.
                                2. God has declared these consequences will result from a
                                   certain path.
                                3. We refuse to believe it, take the path, then seek to blame
                                   God for the consequence.

II. WHAT DID JESUS REVEAL GOD TO BE?
        A. Loving "For God so loved the world."
                1. His love transcends any human or earthly love.
                2. He wants man to experience His love.
                3. He wants us to love Him and one another.
        B. Forgiving - God wants to forgive man his trespasses.
                1. The woman at the well.
                2. The woman taken in act of adultery.
                3. The palsied man "thy sins be forgiven thee."
        C. Restoring "That whosoever believeth in Him."
                1. Man spiritually was dead in trespasses & sins.
                        a. God desires to bring Him life.
                        b. God desires to bring Him into fellowship with Him.
                        c. God desires to wash and cleanse.
                2. Man emotionally was short.
                        a. Worries, anxieties, fears, depressions.
                        b. He desired to give us peace, confidence.
                3. Physically man was broken.
                        a. He sought to restore to health & strength.

III. WAS HIS COMING IN VAIN?
        A. Not at all!  at least to the millions who have accepted His love, received His
           forgiveness and been restored by His grace.
        B. Unfortunately yes, to the millions who have rejected Him.
                1. Refused His concepts of God, reject His love.
                2. Why would man be so foolish?
                        a. They love darkness more than light.
                        b. They will not come to the light lest their evil deeds be reproved.