…Thinking About the Incarnation!

(This was meant to be my Christmas post but with one thing and another I didn’t get round to posting it!)

Recently I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the incarnation, for obvious reasons. I’d told a number of people that I was going to post my thoughts here – I’ve finally got round to it!

Over Christmas we’ve sung and listened to some fantastic truths, but it was one song in particular that struck a chord with me.
I was listening to the album ‘Christmas Child’ by Nia and the lyrics of the track ‘The Final Word’ stayed in my mind – especially the following lines.

He spoke the Incarnation and then so was born the Son.
His final word was Jesus, He needed no other one.
Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed and make a way Divine.
And so was born the baby who would die to make it mine.

As I said in a previous post, we can get lost in the ‘cuteness’ of the nativity play and forget the strife that surrounded the the birth of Christ. However, even if we acknowledge this, we can still fail to recognise the glory of God’s unfolding eternal purposes.
Like a sunbeam piercing through gathered storm clouds, the Light of the World burst into time and space, His coming heralding the dawn of hope for those living in despair, a light for those who dwell in darkness – (Isaiah 9:2)

Our hope isn’t found a baby’s birth, nor is it revealed in the good example of His life – it’s His death that gives hope!

The whole of scripture declares that the incarnation was for one purpose – so that God could die in our place!

I’m not suggesting that we aren’t to find any hope in Jesus’ birth, after all He’s called Emmanuel – God with us!
His birth revealed that God hadn’t given up on humanity, He still wished to make His dwelling place with man. However, we must then turn to the cross, where Jesus’ died the death we deserve,  opening the way for reconciliation with God. 
Likewise, we can look at Christ’s life as a source of hope because He is Emmanuel. He lived a perfect life, revealing how God intended for us to live, but what about when we don’t live like that, what then? Well, the writer to the Hebrews tells us that;

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
(Heb 2:17-18 ESV)

So I can look to Jesus as my example, but when I fall short of His perfect standard, (which I regularly do!), then I find that not only is he my perfect example, but when he died, he endured the anger of God that I deserve, becoming my perfect propitiation too!
More than that, He rose from the dead, demonstrating his victory over Satan, sin, death & hell, He ascended into heaven, where he intercedes for me, and He will return to finally establish his perfect reign!

This is God’s eternal plan, fully revealed in the child born in Bethlehem all those years ago!

Meditating on the incarnation inspires hope;
     God has came to us – He hasn’t given up on us!
     God has lived as a man – He knows our weakness!
     God has known suffering – He understands our pain!
     God has died – He has borne the punishment for our sin!
     God has risen again – He triumphed over our enemies!
     God will return – His kingdom will come!

Lets head into the New Year full of hope in Jesus – God with Us!!