<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <strong><span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Scripture:</span></strong> <strong><span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: black; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> John 1:1-5; 14-18</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <strong><span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> + The Incarnation</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Philippians 2:5-8</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> "...the supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us...lies not in the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter Sunday message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man - that the second person of the Godhead...took humanity without loss of deity, so that Jesus of Nazareth was as truly and fully divine as he was human. Here are two mysteries for the price of one - the plurality of persons within the unity of God, and the union of Godhead and manhood in the person of Jesus." JI Packer, Knowing God.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <strong><span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> + To Reveal the Father to us</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Hebrews 1:1</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <strong><span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> + To Reconcile us to the Father</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> 1 Timothy 2:3–5</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <strong><span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> + To Rescue us from our greatest enemies</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Hebrews 2:14–18</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <strong><span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> + To Relate to us in our weakness and suffering</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Hebrews 4:14–16</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> "All other men were lost sheep; he had come as the Good Shepherd to seek and to save them. All other men were sick with the disease of sin; he was the doctor who had come to heal them. All other men were plunged in the darkness of sin and ignorance; he was the light of the world. All other men were sinners; he was born to be their Savior and would shed his blood in death for the forgiveness of their sins. All other men were hungry; he was the bread of life. All other men were dead in trespasses and sins; he could be their life now and their resurrection hereafter." – John Stott, Basic Christianity.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> 1 John 1:1–4</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> 2 John 7</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Colossians 1:19</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 9.0pt 0in 9.0pt 0in;"> <span style= "font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Brandon Text Regular',sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Colossians 2:9</span></p>