God Has Come Near
Gen.3:8// John 1:14

There are so many means of communications; people use all kinds of devices to communicate with others, radio, phone, letters, text, face to face communication.  Communication is a very important thing; a relationship would not thrive if there is not good communication.  Today you can communicate via skype, video chat with someone in a different continent.  But nothing replaces face to face communication, to actually see the person in front of you. (Army men and women, talking to their families on the computers, but there is nothing like when they get to come home and see their loved ones face to face.  This is priceless.  When God created humans, they enjoy a direct communication with God.  Human beings would talk with God face to face.  This was a very personal relationship that existed between God and his creation.  This relationship was perfect, the fellowship between God and man was perfect.  God created a garden for them to work it and God himself would come down and hang out with them.  (Genesis 3) One day God came down to walk with them and the humans for the first time felt guilty, dirty and unworthy to be in the presence of God; so they tried to hide from God.  Mankind had gone against God’s rule; they had listened to the deceiver doing what God had told them they must not do.  From that moment on, everything changed in the world of man.

The fellowship between man and God was cut, communication wasn’t the same.  Sin entered the world of man.  Sin is any action against God’s will.  Humans can no longer be in the presence of the Creator without experiencing fear.  Sin broke the communication between God and man.  It gave the world an expiration date.
Scriptures teaches us that sin separates us from a holy God. It makes us enemies of God and deserving his punishment.
Even though mankind ran away from God in the Garden of Eden, God right there took the initiative to fix what man had damaged.
God chose to reveal his plan of redemption.  He selected some individuals to let them know what he would do in the future.
God announced to the Satan that one would put an end to his schemes.  Gn.3:15
God spoke to Abraham about his plan, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, they heard God’s voice or saw signs of God; they saw angels.  Moses was the one who asked God once time to show him his face, but God didn’t let Moses see his face.  The connection that existed between Adam and God was never restored; people in the Old Testament didn’t walk or communicate with God the way Adam and Eve communicated before the fall.  God appointed prophets so that his people knew his plan.
The prophets were the mouth of God to his people; they revealed God’s plan.  This is what the LORD says….
Hebrews 1:1 Tells us that in the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways.

This was how God communicated with people after the fall of man.  Through one of the prophets God said that he would make a new covenant, a new agreement.  Jer.31:31-34
In this new covenant God said, people will get to know him in a more personal level.

God did the unthinkable.  He chose to come near again, this time not in a garden, but in a small town called Bethlehem.  God chose to come instead of sending someone. He decided to put on human flesh to come to our world, so that people once again get the chance to walk with God like the first humans did.  John 1:1-3, 14

The word became flesh, the logos became human and pitched his tent, or made his tabernacle among us.
God moved into our neighborhood, God came near us once again, he came as one of us.
People were given the chance to walk with God once again and see God.  He came near and his name is Jesus.  For about three years Jesus’s apostles walked and hanged out with him and believed that he was the Messiah, the Savior of the world.  They still were not quite sure about Jesus’ identity.
One of the disciples, Philip asked Jesus once, “Show us the Father and that would be enough for us.” John 14:8-9  Jesus said: Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.

Why did God move into our world?  Because he came to fix the problem created in the garden.  He came to do away with sin.  God came to bring us back to himself.  He came for you.

Jesus is God’s final communication with the world.  God is not sending any other message than the one sent though Jesus.  I love you this much that I will sacrifice myself for you so that you will have life with me forever.
Jesus reconnects us back to God.  He restores us to a right standing before God.
For a long time now, people have been running away from God on their way to destruction; perhaps you too have been running away from God.  The Good News is God came near for you; he came to rescue you from hell.  Stop running away from the one who can truly save you and give you life.  His name is Jesus.
God did his part, have you done yours?