Christmas – God Became Flesh
12/24/06
What is the real meaning of
Christmas?
Heb. 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in
their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of
death—that is, the devil—15and free
those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s
descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like his
brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and
faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for
the sins of the people. 18Because
he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being
tempted.
14
(NLT) Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—Jesus
also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human
being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil,
who had the power of death. 15Only in this way could he deliver
those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Incarnate: God became human flesh.
The "preincarnate"
Christ
Jo.
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. 2He
was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without
him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was
life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light
shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
6There came a man who was sent from God;
his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning
that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the
light. 9The true light that gives light to every
man was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world
was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive
him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who
believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13children
born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but
born of God.
14The Word became flesh and made his
dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who
came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jos.
5:13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up
and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua
went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
14“Neither,” he replied, “but as
commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell
facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord
have for his servant?”
15The commander of the LORD’S army replied,
“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”
And Joshua did so.
Dan.
3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the
furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to
tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21So
these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound
and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot
that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego, 23and these three
men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his
feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied
up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, O king.”
25He said, “Look! I see four men walking
around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son
of the gods.”
1 Cor. 8:5 For even if there
are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many
“gods” and many “lords”), 6yet for
us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we
live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things
came and through whom we live.
Heb. 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the
prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom
he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
This should be a day of great
celebration!
What can we do to really
bless the heart of the Lord?
What can we give the Lord
this morning?
Ps. 35:18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.
Ps. 40:6 Sacrifice and
offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced;
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.
Ps.
50:14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
Ps.
54:6 I will
sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, O LORD,
for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from all my troubles,
and
my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.
Ps.
116:17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the LORD.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the LORD—
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD.
Heb. 13:15 Through Jesus,
therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of
lips that confess his name.