The Christmas Story

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This is a message that speaks about the incarnation of Jesus and emphasizes his deity and his humanity.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

If anyone would ask you if you know the Christmas story, you would more than likely respond by quoting the details of Luke 2 and Matthew 1 and 2.

And you would be correct, for that is the account of the Christmas story. However, as interesting and incredible as it seems to be, it is only part of the story. There is a completely separate aspect of the story that is even more incredible. It is more theological in nature and certainly more difficult to comprehend.

The Scriptures from Philippians and St. John that were read for us earlier in the service stress for us this other aspect that I am referring to.

Both of these references speak about the existence of Christ before He was born into this world and they introduce us to a bit more of the mystery that is wrapped up in the birth of the Messiah.

For a little while this morning I want to explore some of the truths that are presented by the Apostle John and the Apostle Paul regarding the true identity of Jesus and His coming to earth.

The nature and identity of Jesus is a theological topic that has been debated for centuries. Various errors regarding the true identity of Christ have been introduced down through the years and they have been opposed by the defenders of the faith.

It might be stated as simply as possible, that all such errors have come about as a result of emphasizing one aspect of His nature to the exclusion or diminishing of the other aspect of his nature.

There are three truths about Christ that I would like for us to think about today.

I. Jesus is clearly divine

II. Jesus is clearly human

III. Salvation is achieved

Let us consider what it means to say that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man.

I. Jesus is clearly divine.

That means He was and is God.

The Bible uses the term “Son of God” very frequently, but what does that mean? Does the “Son of God” have the same divine substance and essence as God the Father?

For many people who follow unorthodox beliefs (Jehovah’s Witness; Mormons; etc.), they believe that Jesus was the “son of God,” but that does not mean he was divine. They do not believe He was equal with God or possessed the same essence as the Father.

According to John 5:18, the Jews considered the term “Son of God” to mean equality with God.

John 5:18 (NKJV) ¹⁸  Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

“being in the form of God” – existing in the “essential attributes as shown in the form. In his pre-incarnate state Christ possessed the attributes of God and so appeared to those in heaven who saw him. Here is a clear statement by Paul of the deity of Christ.” (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament)

Some writers emphasized that this word, “form” (morphe) expresses the pre-incarnate appearances of Christ when He exhibited the characteristics and qualities of deity.

e.g. - (Adam Clarke's Commentary) By the form of God we are rather to understand that visible, glorious light in which the Deity is said to dwell, and by which he manifested himself to the patriarchs of old… and which in Scripture is called The Similitude, Numbers 12:8; The Face, Psalm 31:16: The Presence, Exodus 33:15; and The Shape of God, John 5:37. This interpretation is supported by the term μορφη, form, here used, which signifies a person's external shape or appearance, and not his nature or essence.… Farther this interpretation agrees with the fact: the form of God, that is, his visible glory, and the attendance of angels, as above described, the Son of God enjoyed with his Father before the world was, John 17:5; and on that as on other accounts he is the brightness of the Father's glory, Hebrews 1:3. Of this he divested himself when he became flesh….

The word form in Greek can denote merely outward appearance, "but it may refer to the kind of form that fully expresses the being that underlies it." (Wesleyan Bible Commentary)

“equal with God” – His equality with God is something that the Jews understood as one of His claims when He was on earth. See John 5:18 (above); 10:33.

“robbery” – lit. something to be grasped on to or held onto.

The question is whether grasped denotes something Christ did not possess and declined to seize upon, or something He did possess and declined to hold on to. The drift of the passage, both what has preceded and what follows, seems clearly to support the latter. What this adds up to is that Jesus did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited or used to His own advantage. (Wesleyan Bible Commentary – Galatians, Philippians, Colossians)

John 1:1 – The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

New World Trans. – “… Word was a god.”

This translation ignores the context – creation of all that exists, which should be compared to Gen. 1.

Also compare Matthew 1:22-23 (NKJV) ²²  So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "[the] God with us."

Other passages that promote this same truth include:

Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Colossians 2:9 (NKJV)
⁹  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

So, Paul is setting forth the proposition that Jesus the Christ was truly divine in nature and in form.

This means that before His “entrance” to earth, He not only enjoyed all the splendor and glories of heaven with the Father, but He would have also received praise and worship of the angels, who “sang at creation.”

Job 38:7 (KJV)
⁷  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Psalm 148:2 (NKJV)
²  Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts!

II. Jesus is clearly human.

But, that is only half of the story. He is also clearly human.

“made himself of no reputation” – literally means He “emptied Himself.” That is, He gave up or surrendered His “form” of God to take on the “form” of man.

i.e. “divesting of His self-interests, but not of His deity.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty)

It seems to portray the idea that He gave up His privileges in portraying the “form of God” in order to display the “form of a servant.”

It is impossible to comprehend the exchange He made so that He could identify with our humanity.

The concept of being a “servant” or “slave” is highlighted even more when we think of Him doing such things as washing the disciples’ feet, etc.

What humiliation! What condescension!

The song writer exclaims: (starting with verse 2)

What condescension, Bringing us redemption;

That in the dead of night, Not one faint hope in sight,

God, gracious tender, Laid aside His splendor,

Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul.

Without reluctance, Flesh and blood His substance,

He took the form of man, Revealed the hidden plan.

O glorious mystery, Sacrifice of Calv’ry,

And now I know Thou art the great “I Am.”

(chorus) O how I love Him! How I adore Him!

My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!

The great Creator Became my Savior,

And all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.

III. Salvation is achieved.

You’ve heard me say it before, and you’ll undoubtedly hear me say it again…

His deity and His humanity are both necessary to achieve our redemption.

All the Levitical laws in the OT regarding the perfection required in the animal sacrifices point to the reality that redemption must be achieved by a sacrifice that was perfect, without blemish, without sin.

His deity was required in order to make Him the perfect Lamb of God.

His humanity was necessary to make Him legally acceptable to redeem us. He is described as the “second Adam” as we noted last Sunday in our sermon on Romans 5.

One of the main points in the book of Ruth is the story of redemption, where the law required a near relative, “kinsman redeemer” to pay the price of redemption, which Boaz gladly did.

As a man, He represents the human race in accepting our punishment and propitiation (one who turns away the wrath of God.)

 Conclusion:

Oh, what love God has demonstrated for us!

We are going to sing a closing song:

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

It’s a wonderful story. It’s a story of love. It’s a story of great humility and condescension. It’s a story of God becoming man.