Incarnation. This word is an important one for every Christian to know and understand. The Incarnation is the mystery of what happened at Jesus’ birth, namely, that God, who is spirit, took on flesh and became human. The creator becomes part of creation. Deity joins humanity. Jesus is, as one author put it, “God in a bod.”
Luke 2 is our best record of the early year of Jesus’ life and shows him experiencing the religious rites a normal Jewish boy would experience. There’s something special in each of the encounters recorded here because this normal Jewish boy also is God and the fulfillment of the hope of God’s people. Yet as the scene unfolds we see a baby born in poverty to faithful loving parents who will seek to follow God’s will for their son.
Incarnation is important to how we were saved from sin and death. It is also important to how Jesus relates to us.
We recognize Jesus’ family’s poverty in a couple details here. One is the location of his birth – in a stable. Bethlehem was bursting because of the census Caesar Augustus had issued, but surely if they had greater means they could have gotten better accommodations. The second evidence is the offering Mary and Joseph presented for purification at the temple: “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Wealthy families would have offered a lamb.
Part of incarnation is humility, and we can certainly see that Jesus’ earthly beginning was humble. But, why? Why should God become human? Why should he do it in such a way so as to be born in a stable instead of a palace? Simply put, Jesus had to be human to bear our sins and die for us, yet he had to remain God so that he could be perfect so that his death would atone for our sins. But as to why he was born into poverty instead of riches; Jesus had come to bear our burdens, and poverty is a burden borne by much of our world. He came to bring God’s message to us. He is the salvation that was prepared in the presence of all people. In order to relate to all people, to communicate with us, and reach out to us Jesus came in a way we could understand.
As a fully human being (while being still fully God) Jesus experienced life growing up. Much of what he experienced was tougher and more difficult than what we experienced growing up, but a child in South Africa, Haiti, rural China, or distant Afghanistan might find life very similar to Jesus’. Walking, traveling with family, having very little, sleeping on straw, while holding on to their faith and religious traditions.
Jesus entered this world to be one of us – not just to be above us, nor just to be our savior. He is one of us now because he loves us so much that he wanted to be with us so completely that we’d be able to see that he understands what we experience, and he helps us bear it and leads us through it – from cradle to grave.
Father, thank you for giving your Son to be one of us. I lose sight sometimes of the fact that Jesus knows what it’s like to live in this world, and I miss out on the strength and comfort that He can give me. Help me to marvel at the mystery of Jesus’ incarnation, and help me to share His hope with others. Amen.
Luke 2 is our best record of the early year of Jesus’ life and shows him experiencing the religious rites a normal Jewish boy would experience. There’s something special in each of the encounters recorded here because this normal Jewish boy also is God and the fulfillment of the hope of God’s people. Yet as the scene unfolds we see a baby born in poverty to faithful loving parents who will seek to follow God’s will for their son.
Incarnation is important to how we were saved from sin and death. It is also important to how Jesus relates to us.
We recognize Jesus’ family’s poverty in a couple details here. One is the location of his birth – in a stable. Bethlehem was bursting because of the census Caesar Augustus had issued, but surely if they had greater means they could have gotten better accommodations. The second evidence is the offering Mary and Joseph presented for purification at the temple: “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Wealthy families would have offered a lamb.
Part of incarnation is humility, and we can certainly see that Jesus’ earthly beginning was humble. But, why? Why should God become human? Why should he do it in such a way so as to be born in a stable instead of a palace? Simply put, Jesus had to be human to bear our sins and die for us, yet he had to remain God so that he could be perfect so that his death would atone for our sins. But as to why he was born into poverty instead of riches; Jesus had come to bear our burdens, and poverty is a burden borne by much of our world. He came to bring God’s message to us. He is the salvation that was prepared in the presence of all people. In order to relate to all people, to communicate with us, and reach out to us Jesus came in a way we could understand.
As a fully human being (while being still fully God) Jesus experienced life growing up. Much of what he experienced was tougher and more difficult than what we experienced growing up, but a child in South Africa, Haiti, rural China, or distant Afghanistan might find life very similar to Jesus’. Walking, traveling with family, having very little, sleeping on straw, while holding on to their faith and religious traditions.
Jesus entered this world to be one of us – not just to be above us, nor just to be our savior. He is one of us now because he loves us so much that he wanted to be with us so completely that we’d be able to see that he understands what we experience, and he helps us bear it and leads us through it – from cradle to grave.
Father, thank you for giving your Son to be one of us. I lose sight sometimes of the fact that Jesus knows what it’s like to live in this world, and I miss out on the strength and comfort that He can give me. Help me to marvel at the mystery of Jesus’ incarnation, and help me to share His hope with others. Amen.
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