"The Incarnation of Christ"
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Last week we began a short series on, “The Gift of Jesus.” My goal was for us to understand what Matthew chapter 1 verse 23 helps us to see that Jesus is Immanuel, which means that God is with us. There are many ways that we come to understand just how Christ is with us even today. Jesus is the Son of Man and yet He is also the Son of God, Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, the Eternal Father, Our Mighty God and the Prince of Peace. Knowing all of these things about Christ should give us hope throughout this Wonderful Season.
My goal today is to help explain to you what is the Incarnation of Christ. It is generally around this time of year where we hear this phrase most often used, “The Incarnation of Christ.” But, what exactly does this mean??? Although this word does not explicitly come up in Scripture, the church has used this term incarnation for many years. The Incarnation of Christ refers to the fact that Jesus was God and is God and yet He stepped out of heaven to become human for us. Christ became flesh for you and I. And so in this beautiful thing we call the Incarnation of Christ, the Spirit united heaven and earth.
Our minds cannot begin to understand what was in God’s becoming a man.(Why He did this?) I think that it will always remain difficult for you and I to fully comprehend why the God of this Universe would enter into a world He knew would reject him, mock him, torture him and kill him. And yet He still came.
The Gospel of Luke records the birth of Christ.
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Jesus was born into our world as a little baby boy. He cried, He needed the normal care and feeding one would give to any other child. Jesus was fully human with all the needs and cares and emotions that are common to every human.
And yet, Jesus was fully God. Jesus was all wise and all powerful. So, here is my question. How in the world can both of these things about Christ be true???
How can Jesus be fully man? (Humanity)
How can Jesus be fully God? (Divine)
Jesus as He came to earth never gave up His divinity. He never gave up being God, but He willingly laid aside the independent use of the privileges and powers that were His as God. Paul explains it this way.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus choose to follow His Father’s will and emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant. And through all this Jesus remained fully God.
The Problem that comes up here is that down through history there have been many people and even groups who debate who Jesus really is. There are many cults who say that Jesus is just one of many gods who was a created being, and was just a good man or a good prophet. What happens is that when someone takes this view they make Jesus less than God. So, what does God’s Word have to say about this? Turn with me to John chapter 1.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John helps us to see here that Jesus is God. You may say yeah but how do we know this for sure? Who is the Word here? Let’s keep reading because verse 14 removes any doubt!
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus came to this earth and lived among us. There is so much biblical evidence that really helps us to see that baby Jesus who was born in a manger was truly the Son of God or God incarnate. So, let me give you 3 quick points to help us as believers know this for sure.
1. First, Christ is Omniscient.
Omniscient means that God is all knowing. God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act.
24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
Nathanael was shocked to find out that Jesus knew all about him before they even met. The reason behind this was to help Nathanael know that Jesus was the Messiah. God has an infinite understanding and possesses all knowledge. He is all knowing.
2. Second, Christ is Omnipotent.
Omnipotent means that God is all-powerful. God is able to do all his holy will. Jesus’ works are convincing proof that He is God. He began His ministry with a simple act when he turned the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. (John 2:1-11) He also healed many people who were hopelessly sick throughout his earthly ministry. He gave sight to those who were blind. (Matthew 9:27-31) He opened the ears that had never heard before. (Mark 7:31-37) He created enough fish and bread to feed thousands of people. (Mark 6:48-52) Jesus raised the dead by simply commanding them to come out of the grave. (John 11:38-44)
-Jesus is the Creator of all things.
-Jesus upholds all things.
-Jesus controls our lives and directs our paths. He knows our problems and our needs. There is no problem too big for God. Why? Because He is all-powerful.
3. Third, Christ is Omnipresent.
This is the doctrine that God is all-present. God does not have size or spatial dimensions and is present at every point of space with his whole being, yet God acts differently in different places.
23 “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? 24 Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.
What we see here is that God is near. We cannot hide from God. We can be in God’s presence at all times. When we draw near to God through prayer He is near us and He hears us. The presence of God’s Spirit is in every believer all over the world.
What you need to know today is that there has never been another person like Jesus Christ. All of the New Testament helps us to see the deity of Christ, but there is one passage in particular that stands out among the rest which captures the essence of Christ’s divine nature. Turn with me to Colossians chapter 1. As we look at this main passage today I want you to know that these are the truths about Jesus that make Christmas truly wonderful. Let’s read verses 15-20.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
This is a short poem of praise that Paul writes to help us see who Christ is. Paul is expressing his conviction that Jesus is God. Like almost every other Jew Paul thought God to be invisible, but then everything changed for Paul on the Damascus Road. Paul encountered Jesus and his life was forever changed. Paul began to view Jesus and the visible image of the invisible God. Through Christ, the invisible God has now been made visible is how Paul puts it here in verse 15. God’s full likeness is revealed in Jesus. And Jesus is not just this ghostly figure or an outline of God. No way! Jesus is fully God. In fact look with me at chapter 2 and verse 9 of Colossians.
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
Nothing is lacking at all. No attribute is absent. Jesus is God in the fullest possible sense. Paul now goes on to tell us something else in verse 15. Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. Many people who have rejected the deity of Christ have used this verse and particular phrase. They assume that it means that Jesus was a created being. But the word translated “firstborn” here is the Greek word (prototokos), which describes Jesus’ rank and not His origin or beginning. The firstborn, the prototokos, in a Hebrew family was the heir, the ranking one who had all the rights of inheritance. We can look back to Isaac’s family and remember that even though Esau was born first, Jacob had the rights of the inheritance. In a royal family, the prototokos had the right to rule. So, Christ who existed before the creation, is the One who inherits all creation and has the right to rule over it. In fact, He is ruling and reigning even now.
As we come to verses 16-17 Paul gives us several important reasons for Jesus’ primacy over creation.
1. First, Jesus is the Creator. The false teachers that Paul was dealing with at the time saw Jesus as important, but they were convinced that Jesus was a created being as was part of the material universe. They also viewed all matter at evil and because of this considered Christ as neither good or God. Paul had to address this false Colossian heresy and proclaim that Jesus is God and He has created the universe. The creation of this universe gives wonderful testimony to the intelligence of its Creator.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
2. Second, Jesus has primacy over the creation because as verse 17 tells us He is before all things.
When the universe began Jesus already existed.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
Jesus told the Jews that before Abraham was born, “I AM” in John 8:58. He did not say I was. He is saying that He is Yahweh, the eternally existing God. Revelation chapter 22 describes Jesus as the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
3. A third reason for Jesus’ primacy over creation is that in Him all things hold together. We see this in verse 17.
Not only did Jesus create the universe, but He also sustains it. This means that Jesus maintains the universe and brings the delicate balance necessary to life’s existence. Without the Lord’s loving care this world will fall apart. So, Jesus literally holds all things together.
As we come to verse 18 Paul now gives us some wonderful truths about Christ’s relationship to the church.
-First of all Paul tells us that Christ is head of the church. The church is a living organism which is called the body because it is made up of many members and it is held together and led by Jesus. Within the body of Christ there are many gifts and ministries and so Christ directs the body as the members serve and support each other.
-Christ is also the source of the church. The church has it origins in Jesus. Jesus gave life to the church. His death and resurrection have provided us life.
-Christ is also the first-born from the dead. What in the world does this mean? This means that of all those who have been raised from the dead, or ever will be, Christ is the highest rank. As a result of Christ’s death and resurrection, Jesus has come to have first place in everything.
The point here that Paul is trying to make is that Jesus reigns supreme over the visible world, the unseen world, and the church. Paul sums up his argument when he gives us verse 19.
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
Paul lays out some wonderful truths about Christ here but he concludes all of this by giving us some wonderful hope today. Jesus did not stay in the manger. Eventually the Lord grew and He reconciled to himself all things. How did He do this? By His death on the cross where He gives us peace as we trust in Him.
Conclusion: Without Christ, this world will fall apart and has fallen further away from the Lord. We should never buy into the lie of deism which says that God made everything, wound it up like a clock and then left us and went away. No way! God is with us. Far from leaving us and His wonderful creation, He stepped down to this earth as a little infant and was became a man so that we may be forgiven a debt we could never pay. Thankfully, in God’s grace and mercy, God has chosen to accept the payment of His Son Jesus, to take care of our sin. The Lord Jesus, being both God and man, was able to pay our debt, and He has done this for all who believe in Him alone for salvation. Will you call upon the Lord today for salvation? Will you turn from your sin and trust in Christ?
(Pray and Lead into Communion)