Philippians 2:5-8:
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is
yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in
the form of God, did not count equality with
God a thing to be grasped, but emptied
himself, by taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men. And
being found in human form, he humbled
himself by becoming obedient to the point
of death, even death on a cross”
The Gift of the
Incarnation
What is the incarnation?
Why did God become man?
How should we respond to the
incarnation?
I. What is the Incarnation?
“incarnation”
=
embodiment, personification, or
epitome of someone or
something else
A. Jesus is Fully and Truly Human
Luke 2:7:“And [Mary] gave birth
to her first-born son; and she
wrapped Him in cloths, and laid
Him in a manger, because there
was no room for them in the
inn.” (NASB)
- He became tired (John 4:6).
- He became thirsty (John 4:7, 19:28).
- He was tempted to sin (Matthew 4:110, Hebrews 4:15).
- He wept (Hebrews 5:7, John 11:35).
- He suffered (Hebrews 2:18).
- He is “like his brothers in every respect”
(Hebrews 2:17).
B. Jesus is Fully and Truly God
1. While on earth, He claimed to be God
John 10:30-31:
“I and the
Father are One”
John 8:58-59: “Before Abraham
was born, I am”
Exodus 3:14:"I AM WHO I AM."
"Say this to the people of Israel,
'I AM has sent me to you.'"
John 15:24: “Whoever has seen
me has seen the Father”
2. While on earth,
Jesus did things only God could do
- He fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread
and two fish (Mark 6:35-44).
- He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11).
- He commanded the wind and the waves to be
still – and they obeyed (Mark 4:39).
- He raised the dead to life (John 11:43-44).
- He forgave sins (Mark 2:5-7).
3. Other New Testament writers tell us that
Jesus is God
Hebrews 1:3: “[The Son] is the
radiance of the glory of God and
the exact imprint of his nature,
and he upholds the universe by
the word of his power.”
- John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.”
- John 1:3: “All things were made through him,
and without him was not any thing made that
was made.”
John 1:14: “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.”
John 1:18: “No one has
ever seen God; the only
God, who is at the
Father's side, he has
made him known.”
II. Why the Incarnation?
Hebrews 2:14-17: “Since therefore the children share
in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the
same things, that through death he might destroy the
one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and
deliver all those who through fear of death were
subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels
that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
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.”
A. Jesus became a man to be
our representative.
Romans 5:18:
“One trespass led to
condemnation for all
men.”
Hebrews 2:14:“He himself
partook of [flesh and blood]”
Why?
“That through [His] death he
might destroy the one who has
the power of death, that is, the
devil.”
B. Jesus became
a man to be our
high priest.
C. Jesus became
man to be our
propitiation.
III. How Should We
Respond to the
Incarnation?
Mark 1:15: "The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at
hand; repent and believe in the
gospel."