Francis Chan: Jesus is Not Just a Baby

Sermon Summary

Main Message

This message encourages us to look beyond our limited understanding of God and His greatness. We often view Christmas as a time to remember Jesus, but we can easily belittle Him by only thinking of Him as a baby in a manger or a good teacher. The truth is that He is so much more than that. In Scripture, people who had a high view of God were still shocked when they saw His glory. Job and John are examples of this, where their understanding of God was greatly exceeded by the reality of seeing Him. We need to approach Christmas with a sense of awe and reverence for who God is.

Key Scripture References

• Job 42:5 - Job's reaction when he saw God, realizing that his previous understanding was not high enough. He fell to the dust and ashes in repentance.

• Revelation 1:17 - John's experience of seeing Jesus in His glorified state, where he fell at His feet as though dead due to the overwhelming awe of God's presence.

• Psalm 145:3 - God's greatness is beyond human comprehension. No one can fathom it.

• Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's ways and thoughts are not like ours, with His greatness being light-years beyond ours.

• Isaiah 6:1-5 - The description of the angels in heaven, covering their faces and feet in reverence for God's holiness.
• Matthew 11:25-30 - Jesus' statement about His relationship with God, emphasizing that no one knows the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

Main Message Continued

We need to approach Christmas with a sense of awe and reverence for who God is. He is beyond our comprehension, and when we see His glory, it will be overwhelming. We should not just view Jesus as a baby in a manger or a good teacher but instead see Him as the Mighty God who humbled Himself to come to Earth in human form.

Practical Application

This Christmas, let's not belittle God by only thinking of Him as a baby in a manger. Instead, let's approach Him with awe and reverence for who He is. Let's try to imagine what it would be like if the baby Jesus were on stage right now, taking the form of an infant. Would we just look at Him and say, "Oh, how cute"? Or would we fall on our knees in worship? As we sing "O Holy Night," let's remember that this is not just a normal Earthly night but a holy and divine moment where Heaven touches Earth.