The Incarnation
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).
“And the Word became 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” (John 1:14).
Jesus Christ the Eternal Second Person of the Trinity took on Himself humanity. He didn’t possess humanity until the Virgin Birth… The Incarnation. His humanity was sinless!
“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3-4).
The Incarnation was prophesied by God.
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14-15).
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins…. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:… Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us” (Matt. 1:21-23).
The means of the Incarnation was the Virgin Birth. He was born of Mary… not of Mary and Joseph. The Virgin Birth is a sign of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.
Why did God send His only begotten Son in the likeness of sinful flesh?
1. Jesus came to reveal the Father to us (John 1:18). “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me” (John 14:11).
Christian, do you know about the Son? You say “yes, I was saved and baptized.” Do you truly know who He is? Have you seen the Father? The only way to see the Father is to know the Son through His salvation and the Scriptures.. Are you studying? If not, you do not yet know Him (John 14:7-11).
2. Jesus came to provide the Example for our daily live (1 Peter 2:21-22). “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:” Without the Incarnation we would not have that example.
3. God sent His only Son in sinful flesh to provide the effective Sacrifice for sin (Heb. 10:1-10). Without the Incarnation we would have no Savior. Sin required death as payment. The Savior must be human in order to die for sin. He must also be God. We have a Godman in Jesus our Lord. Bulls, goats nor man could ever take away sin!
4. God sent His Son to fulfill the Davidic Covenant (Luke 1:31-33).
5. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8-9). “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
6. Jesus came in the flesh to be able to be our Sympathetic High Priest (Heb. 4:14-16). We can go before the throne of God for mercy and grace.
7. Jesus is qualified to be the Judge because He came in the flesh (John 5:22, 27). The Incarnation reveals God to us, provides Salvation through faith, gives us a perfect Example, allows us to go before the Throne for mercy. He is the Judge and has our future in Heaven eternally secure.
Let us celebrate Him constantly!
Praise Him! He is our Great God! Amen.
It’s all about His Love! Have a “Jesus” Season!