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The Word became Flesh

 

JESUS birth of

On a plaque marking Abraham Lincoln's birthplace near Hodgenville Kentucky is recorded this scrap of conversation: "Any news down 't the village Ezry?" "Well Squire McLain's gone t' Washington t' see Madison swore in and ol' Spellman tells me this Bonaparte fella has captured most o' Spain. What's new out here neighbor?" "Nuthin' nuthin' a'tall 'cept fer a new baby born t' Tom Lincoln's. Nothin' ever happens out here." Some events whether birthdays in Hodgenville (or Bethlehem) or spiritual rebirth in a person's life may not create much earthly splash but those of lasting importance will eventually get the notice they deserve.── Source Unknown.

 

INCARNATION

Long ago there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying "I am your king!" The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor but he didn't. Instead he said "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!"

God is willing to make most any accommodation to have fellowship with us. Even becoming human. ── Brett Blair Sermon Illustrations 1999.

 

INCARNATION

Lying at your feet is your dog. Imagine for the moment that your dog and every dog is in deep distress. Some of us love dogs very much. If it would help all the dogs in the world to become like men would you be willing to become a dog? Would you put down your human nature leave your loved ones your job hobbies your art and literature and music and choose instead of the intimate communion with your beloved the poor substitute of looking into the beloved's face and wagging your tail unable to smile or speak? Christ by becoming man limited the thing which to Him was the most precious thing in the world; his unhampered unhindered communion with the Father.── C.S. Lewis.

 

JESUS
(see also CHRIST)

He began His ministry by being hungry yet He is the Bread of Life.
Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty yet He is the Living Water.
Jesus was weary yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute yet He is the King.
Jesus was accused of having a demon yet He cast out demons.
Jesus wept yet He wipes away our tears.
Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver yet He redeemed the world.
Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter yet He is the Good Shepherd.
Jesus died yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.

── Gregory of Nazianzus A.D. 381.

 

JESUS
I would propose that the subject of the ministry of this house as long as this platform shall stand and as long as this house shall be frequented by worshipers shall be the person of Jesus Christ. I am never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist; I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist; but if I am asked what is my creed I reply "It is Jesus Christ." My venerated predecessor Dr. Gill has left a [theological heritage] admirable and excellent in its way. But the [legacy] to which I would pin and bind myself forever God helping me ...is Jesus Christ who is the arm and substance of the gospel who is in Himself all theology the incarnation of every precious truth.── C.H. Spurgeon first words in the pulpit of the Metropolitan Tabernacle London.

 

INCARNATION

The mystery of the humanity of Christ that He sunk Himself into our flesh is beyond all human understanding. ── Martin Luther Table Talk.

 

INCARNATION Devotional & Commentary

If our greatest need had been information God would have sent us an educator.
If your greatest need had been technology God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need had been pleasure God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness so God sent us a Savior.

── Source Unknown.

 

INCARNATION

Purposes of the incarnation:
- To do the Father's will (Jn 6:38)
- To bear witness to the truth (Jn 18:37)
- To bring light to the darkness (Jn 12:46)
- To bring true judgment (Jn 9:39)
- To bring  abundant life (Jn 10:10).

── Source Unknown.

 

INCARNATION Poetry

Mary Had The Little Lamb

Mary had the little Lamb who lived before His birth;
Self-existent Son of God from Heaven He came to Earth.
Micah 5:2

Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall --
Virgin-born Son of God to save man from the Fall.
Isaiah 7:14

Mary had the little Lamb obedient Son of God;
Everywhere the Father led His feet were sure to trod.
John 6:38

Mary had the little Lamb crucified on the tree
The rejected Son of God He died to set men free.
1 Peter 1:18

Mary had the little Lamb -- men placed Him in the grave
Thinking they were done with Him; to death He was no slave!
Matthew 28:6

Mary had the little Lamb ascended now is He;
All work on Earth is ended our Advocate to be.
Hebrews 4:14-16

Mary had the little Lame -- mystery to behold!
From the Lamb of Calvary a Lion will unfold.
Revelation 5: 5 6

When the Day Star comes again of this be very sure:
It won't be Lamb-like silence but with the Lion's roar.
Psalm 2:12
Revelation 19:11-16

── Marv & Marbeth Rosenthal - Copies of this poem may be used without written permission from the authors.

 

ANGER OF JESUS

Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and saw a man with a crippled hand. He knew that the Pharisees were watching to see what he would do and he felt angry that they were only out to put him in the wrong. They did not care a scrap for the handicapped man nor did they want to see the power and love of God brought to bear on him.

There were other instances where Jesus showed anger or sternness. He "sternly charged" the leper whom he had healed not to tell anyone about it (Mark 1:43) because he foresaw the problems of being pursued by a huge crowd of thoughtless people who were interested only in seeing miracles and not in his teaching. But the leper disobeyed and so made things very hard for Jesus.

Jesus showed anger again when the disciples tried to send away the mothers and their children (Mark 10:13-16). He was indignant and distressed at the way the disciples were thwarting his loving purposes and giving the impression that he did not have time for ordinary people.

He showed anger once more when he drove "out those who sold and those who bought in the temple" (Mark 11:15-17). God's house of prayer was being made into a den of thieves and God was not being glorified -- hence Jesus' angry words and deeds. Commenting on this Warfield wrote: "A man who cannot be angry cannot be merciful." The person who cannot be angry at things which thwart God's purposes and God's love toward people is living too far away from his fellow men ever to feel anything positive towards them.

Finally at Lazarus' grave Jesus showed not just sympathy and deep distress for the mourners (John 11:33-35) but also a sense of angry outrage at the monstrosity of death in God's world. This is the meaning of "deeply moved" in John 11:38. ── James Packer Your Father Loves You Harold Shaw Publishers 1986.

 

CHRIST THE NEEDY ONE.

Does He who made all things need anything? No in one sense as we read in Acts 17: 24 25; but He became a needy One as we shall see.

Christ was a needy Man when on earth.

. He had no home in which to be born (Luke 2:7).

. No place to lay His head (Matt.8:20).

. No money to pay the tax (Matt.17:27)

. No comforter in Gethsemane agony (Matt.26:40).

. No friend to plead for Him when He was falsely accused (Mark 14:50).

. No God to befriend Him when suffering for sin (Matt.27:46).

. No grave of His own in which to be buried (Matt.27:60).

Christ became a needy Man that He might meet our need. “ Though He was rich yet for your sakes He became poor that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Cor.8:9).

He was poor that we might have all spiritual blessing (Eph.1:3).

He had no comforter that we might have the Comforter (John 14:16).

He had no friend that we might have an abiding Friend (Proverbs 17:17)

He was made sin that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor.5:21).

── F.E. MarshFive Hundred Bible Readings