The Incarnation Series

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..