Bethlehem
This is a picture I took in Bethlehem where shepherds still keep watch over their flocks just as they did 2,000 years ago. Actually, this hillside was in downtown Bethlehem and not on some desolate hillside outside of town. But even in the midst of the modern-day surroundings I felt as if I had been transported through time and the Christmas story automatically came to mind.
THE FACT OF THE INCARNATION
We are coming to the time of year when Christians celebrate the advent of Jesus Christ, when the Son of God became flesh by taking on the human nature to dwell among us. The theological term is "hypostatic union" which teaches that,...In Jesus Christ, there are two natures; the human and the divine. Each one has its completeness and integrity, and are organically in indissolubly united but yet no third nature is formed. Jesus Christ is not half-man and half-God, but He is 100% man and 100% God at the same time and perpetually. In the incarnation the second person of the Holy Trinity took upon Himself the full nature of man and retained the full nature of God at the same time. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem He voluntarily and temporarily laid aside His glory, but not His divinity. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He left no gap in the Holy Trinity. He became what He was not (a man) but He never ceased to be what He was (God). There is no earthly analogy that can remotely illustrate this wonderful truth. No wonder that people without faith stumble at this doctrine.
In the incarnation, the virgin Mary conceived by a miracle of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 1:20) and gave birth to the Son of God. He who had no heavenly mother was born without an earthly father. This conception and birth was not only supernatural (there is nothing natural about God) it was also unique. (Before the skeptics rise up and say "Aha, gotcha on that one!" let me say I know that there have been virgin births observed in nature. It is called "parthenogenesis" but the offspring is always female).
REASONS FOR THE INCARNATION
1. To fulfill God's promises and prophecies and to show mercy to the Gentiles...Romans 15:8-12
2. To reveal God the Father to mankind,...Jn 1:18
To see Jesus is to see the Father,...Jn. 14:9
3. To become a faithful high priest,...Heb. 4:14,15.
By identifying with us in the human experience Christ can also faithfully represent us to the Father as our great high priest.
4. To put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself,...Heb. 9:26.
Jesus came into the world to redeem us from sin by His vicarious, substitutionary death on the cross, II Cor. 5:21
5. To destroy the works of the devil,...I Jn. 3:5,8.
Christ's death on the cross brought defeat to Satan, Jn. 12:31,32; and sealed his ultimate fate, Rev. 20:10.
For these reasons, and many more, we celebrate the birth of Christ. May every blessing of the Christ of Christmas be yours.
