The Word became flesh

Introduction

What is so amazing about Christmas?

If you asked the average person in Chesterfield I think the birth of Christ would be at the bottom of the list.

Lidl advert on the radio- Now that’s a Christmas you can believe in. You need these things for Christmas to be special.

Santa Clause is a much more riveting story than the birth of Christ for many in our culture.

The fact is the birth of Jesus is the most awe inspiring, jaw dropping event of history. Not because there were angels who announced his birth. Not because the wisemen came from the east bringing gifts. But because of who it was that was born and why it was that he came.

Perhaps you don’t think the Biblical account of Christmas is that interesting. Or perhaps you are a believer and you know why it is important but you have lost the wonder of it.

I think the antidote to these two problems is found in understanding what this verse means.

To do this I want us to ask 4 simple questions of this verse. Who, what, why, So what.

Doing this will help us to see why Christmas is amazing.

I. Who?

The Word

v.14 The only begotten of the Father- He is the eternal Son of God. He is of the same essence as the Father, he is as much God as the Father is God.

v.1 Eternal- In the beginning was the Word.

Always existed with the Father and the Spirit- the Word was with God.

God himself- The Word was God

Created everything Jn 1:3

He is the source of life for every living thing Jn 1:4 Proof he is God- in him we move and live and have our being.

The Word, is the Second person of the Trinity. He is the eternal Son of God. He is God of the same essence of the Father and the Holy Spirit. He has always existed, he created every thing that has been created. He is the one who gives life to every living thing.

II. What?

Became flesh and dwelt among us-

He became a human being.

He had always existed in eternity, but he entered space and time through the womb of the virgin Mary. He was conceived in her womb miraculously through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The angel Gabriel said this to Mary “And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Took a true human nature- He was a true human. If he didn’t have a true human nature he could not be our Saviour. Only as a man could he redeem men. Contra docetism.

Gregory of Nazianzus- For that which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is united to His Godhead is also saved. If only half Adam fell, then that which Christ assumes and saves may be half also; but if the whole of his nature fell, it must be united to the whole nature of Him that was begotten, and so be saved as a whole

The whole human nature fell in Adam so the whole human nature must be assumed and saved by Christ.

The word flesh tells us he took on all our infirmities except for sin.

He did not change in his divine nature, but he added to himself a true human nature. He remained as he had always been, and yet became something we was not before.

In the one Person there is the unity of the two natures.

Two ancient heresies to avoid as we understand this truth-

Nestorianism- Seperated the natures in such a way to create two persons. Divine Christ and human Christ.

Eutychianism- He mixed and confused the natures to create a new nature.

Two distinct natures united in the one person. He felt tired, yet the wind and sea obeyed him. He died on a cross, yet he conquered death and rose again. True God and True man.

Chalcedonian definition/ Symbol of Chalcedon 451 AD.

Dwelt among us or Tabernacled among us- this gives us the sense that his coming among us was temporary, for a purpose. But this does not mean he has put off his body- for all eternity the Word will have human nature united to his divine nature. His glorified human nature, is the blueprint and archetype of our future glorified bodies.

1 Tim 3:16- God was manifest in the flesh. Phil 2

Immanuel- God with us.

Let earth and heaven combine,

Angels and men agree,

To praise, in songs divine,

The incarnate Deity;

Our God contracted to a span,

Incomprehensibly made man

III. Why?

1 Tim 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief

We have ruined ourselves and God has come to our rescue.

But why was it necessary? Why did God have to come and why did he have to come as a man?

The justice of God and the love of God.

God’s justice demands sin be punished, God’s love desires sinners to be forgiven.

Only a man can die in the place of other men, God cannot die, yet only God can bear the penalty of sin and survive.

Francis Turretin-

“Man to suffer, God to overcome; man to receive the punishment we deserved, God to endure and drink it to the dregs; man to acquire salvation for us by dying, God to apply it to us by overcoming.... For Neither could God alone be subject to death, nor could man alone conquer it, man alone could die for men, God alone could vanquish death.”

In other words it was necessary for the Saviour to be God and man at the same time.

The Heidelberg catechism- 16th Century

Q. Can we make this payment ourselves?

A. Certainly not. Actually, we increase our debt every day.

Q. Can another creature—any at all—pay this debt for us?

A. No. To begin with, God will not punish any other creature for what a human is guilty of. Furthermore, no mere creature can bear the weight of God’s eternal wrath against sin and deliver others from it.

Q. What kind of mediator and deliverer should we look for then?

A. One who is a true and righteous human, yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also true God.

Q. Why must the mediator be a true and righteous human?

A. God’s justice demands that human nature, which has sinned, must pay for sin; but a sinful human could never pay for others.

Q. Why must the mediator also be true God?

A. So that the mediator, by the power of his divinity, might bear the weight of God’s wrath in his humanity and earn for us and restore to us righteousness and life.

Q. Then who is this mediator—true God and at the same time a true and righteous human?

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was given to us to completely deliver us and make us right with God.

IV. So what?

-Shepherds Luke 2 - “Come let us go now to Bethlehem and see…” Go to Jesus- Our first response to Christmas should be to come in repentance to Jesus. Have you repented and put your trust in Christ?

-Wise men Matthew 2 - who finding baby Jesus with his mother bowed down, worshipped and gave him expensive gives. We should also respond by worshipping him and give our lives as living sacrifices for him.

-Angels- proclaim his birth- We should respond by proclaiming what God has done- tell others

Simeon and Anna- Praised God for his faithfulness. Anna thanked the Lord and spoke of Jesus to all. Our response should be to praise God for his faithfulness, to trust him.

Conclusion

What is so amazing about Christmas?

Is it the Christmas feeling you get? Is it the time spent with family? Is it Christmas cake and mulled wine?

Surely our answer must be..

What is so amazing about Christmas?

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

Let us respond to this amazing truth as we ought.

With repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. With worship and by living our lives for his glory. Let us respond by telling others what God has done. Let us praise God for his faithfulness to us.