What Child is This: Pre-existent Glory

Crossroads Christian Fellowship Media Archive

When we see the familiar scene of baby Jesus in a manger, this sermon reminds us that there is profound mystery and glory about this baby...We are tempted to ask with the hymn writer: "What Child is This?"

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Isaiah 6:1-10 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”

4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 So I said:

“Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:

“Behold, this has touched your lips;
Your iniquity is taken away,
And your sin purged.”

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:

‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’

10 “Make the heart of this people dull,
And their ears heavy,
And shut their eyes;
Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And return and be healed.”

John 8:56-58 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

“…it conveys the idea of something that shines forth or emanates light, capturing the essence of glory and splendor.”

John 10:30 I and My Father are one.”

John 10:38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”

John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

“Without Him, electrons would not continue to circle nuclei, gravity would cease to work, the planets would not stay in their orbit…the universe owes its continuing coherence to Christ”

John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

John 17:24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

John 12:41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

• How is Christ's pre-existent glory seen in these headings:

  • He is Creator

  • He is God

  • He is Preserver

  • He is Majestic?

• What is the shocker...the "curve ball"?