The Word Became Flesh:
The Incarnation of Christ
Last week I introduced my sermon theme for the next three weeks – The Word Became Flesh. We discussed Christ’s pre-incarnate glory in the first lesson. This week we will talk about his incarnation and next week we will discuss the mission and purpose of the church as reflected by the incarnation.
Incarnation is a Latin derivative which means “in-flesh-ment.” John put it this way, “the Word became flesh.”
John 1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
John makes this declaration so matter-of-factly that it would be easy to read over it without considering its awesome implications. The eternal God, creator and sustainer of heaven and earth became a human being and “pitched his tent” among us. This is beyond comprehension! Paul describes this as a self-emptying of his divine nature.
Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
Paul describes seven demotions Jesus willingly accepted to bring about our salvation: he became “nothing,” a servant, he looked like a human, he became a human being, he humbled himself, he died, and he died a criminal’s death on the cross. Moving from a theological description, think about the eternal God being born as a helpless child to poor family living in an occupied and oppressed country. Think about the implications of becoming human: frailty, indignity, pain, and subjection to the consequences of sin – death and corruption. God did that for you. Why?
John 1:14-18 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
Jesus became a human being in order reveal the Father. All previous revelation had been indirect through events in history. In Jesus, God actually entered and became a part of our history. He became one of us to “show us the father.”
John 14:8-11 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “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. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.
I’ll say more in my lesson, Joey
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