Series: Doctrines of Christmas
THE INCARNATION
Matt 1:18-25 Isaiah 7:14, , John 1:1,14
A father put his four-year-old son to bed. Having finished prayers, stories, and all the little bedtime things, he kissed his son and turned the light off. His son started sobbing, "Don’t leave me. I’m scared and don’t want to stay here alone." The father tried to encourage the little boy by reminding him of God’s presence and reminding him that they had had devotions. The little boy said, "I want somebody with skin on." This is the great message of the Incarnation! Jesus came in flesh!
I. THE TEACHINGS OF THE INCARNATION
A. Teaches that Jesus was all God
God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ
Jesus has all of the attributes of God and is said to do things that only God can do:
• He never began to exist and never will cease to exist: John 1:1; 8:58.
• He Created All things (John 1:3)
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
- He Knows all Things
- He Has All Power
- He Has all Authority
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Authority over Life and Death
Authority over Sickness and Disease
Authority over Environment
Authority over Laws of Nature
Authority over Demons
• He Depends on nothing outside of Himself for life: Jn 1:4; 14:6; 8:58.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
B. Teaches That Jesus Was All Man
(Joh 1:14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(Php 2:5-8) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
(1Jn 4:3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Jesus is just as completely human as the rest of us.
• He has a human body: Luke 24:39.
• He has a human mind: Luke 2:40, 52.
• He has a human soul: Matthew 26:38.
II. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE INCARNATION
The Fact of the Incarnation Gives US Assurance That...
A. We Can Know God In A Personal Way
(I Jn 1:1 4) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (2) (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (3) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (4) And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
***There is a huge difference in “knowing about” someone and knowing someone
Greek mythology was filled with stories of gods becoming men, but never once did man have any relationship with the gods. They were foreign and untouchable.
(Our Daily Bread, May 5, 2006) Author Dorothy Sayers put it this way: “[God] can exact nothing from man that He has not exacted from Himself. He has Himself gone through the whole of human experience, from the trivial irritations of family life and the cramping restrictions of hard work and lack of money to the worst horrors of pain and humiliation, defeat, despair, and death. When He was a man, He played the man. He was born in poverty and died in disgrace and thought it well worthwhile.”
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the irrefutable proof that God will do anything to draw near to us.
B. God Understands Our Every Need (Heb 2:17-18)
Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 8 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted..
“I believe God entered time and space to make a nonverbal statement. He didn’t come to keep us from suffering; He came to suffer as we must suffer. He didn’t come just to keep us from being afraid; He came to be afraid as we are afraid. He didn’t come just to keep us from dying; He came to die as we must die. He didn’t come to keep us from being tempted; He came to be tempted as we are tempted. Stephen Brown,{If God Is In Charge}..., p. 26.
Years ago I found myself right in the middle of a big pity party. Man, was I feeling sorry for myself. I began to pray and complain to God telling Him that I was lonely, rejected, embarrassed, and forgotten…. Then in a way that only God can do, He reminded me that I felt nothing more than His Son did a hundred times more on Calvary. Wow! Did that change the way I looked at my Jesus.
C. We Have A Helper For Every Need (Heb 4:14-16)
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
D. We Have A Perfect Atonement For Our Sins
(Heb 7:25 28)Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
E. We Have A Model To Live Our Life
(Eph 5:1) Therefore, be followers of God as dear children, 2and walk in love as Christ also has loved us; and offering and a sacrifice to God...
(Phil 2:5) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
Conclusion
The land of Persia was once ruled by a wise and beloved Shah who cared greatly for his people and desired only what was best for them. One day he disguised himself as a poor man and went to visit the public baths. The water for the baths was heated by a furnace in the cellar, so the Shah made his way to the dark place to sit with the man who tended the fire. The two men shared the coarse food, and the Shah befriended him in his loneliness. Day after day the ruler went to visit the man. The worker became attached to this stranger because he "came where he was". One day the Shah revealed his true identity, and he expected the man to ask him for a gift. Instead, he looked long into his leader’s face and with love and wonder in his voice said, "You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this dark place, to eat my coarse food, and to care about what happens to me. On others you may bestow rich gifts, but to me you have given yourself!"
