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OK, so we are of course in our Christmas series right now as we are getting ready to worship and express our gratitude for God sending his son to us. We are looking this year at the unexpected arrival of the Messiah in a manger. The gift of Christmas that came that dark night in Bethlehem. We’ve already reflected on some prophecies that were told about this Messiah that would come. Then last week we saw how this man named John was baptizing men and women for the forgiveness of their sin. He was preaching a message of repentance saying that people needed to get their hearts right before God. He was preparing the way for the Messiah that was coming and had in fact come to the people of Israel.

Now this morning, I want for you to consider the wonder and glory of the actual Christmas story. I know that you all consider this from time to time, and so I want for this morning to be one of those times where you just slow down and contemplate what took place on that evening so many years ago. Many times we place ourselves to far removed from this story that we don’t realize the glory of what took place. This morning I want you to consider the fact that God literally stepped down into humanity. The immortal becoming mortal. Coming here with the expressed purpose to die…This is such an incredible concept and it is frankly so hard for us to actually wrap our heads around.

There’s something really interesting that I really want to remind us all about this morning though. I want us to consider what Jesus encountered when he stepped into creation. To fully grasp that though, I want us to turn over to John chapter 1. John was written by John the beloved disciple. He is a man who followed Jesus for three years, and was distraught as he watched Jesus go through the crucifixion and overjoyed at the resurrection. John wrote this account of Jesus’ life specifically to lead readers to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and through this belief, to have life in his name. Here’s what John said in

John 1:1 (ESV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Now let’s move on to

John 1:14 (ESV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Right here we see that The Word became flesh to dwell among man. This is actually pretty important because this is Jesus’ mission right here. This is the Christmas story being told in John’s words right here. First John told us that from the beginning of time was the Word, and then that Word became flesh to dwell with us. I considered various ways to talk about this concept this morning. Everywhere from a story about a monk and an anthill, to an example from The Never-ending Story, but honestly no story I could think of held a candle to what took place at that amazing moment in time.

C.S. Lewis wrote a book called Mere Christianity, and in that book, he painted a beautiful picture for us, and I’d like to share that picture with you this morning as we think about our topic of God with us.

The Eternal Being who knows everything and who created the whole universe became not only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a fetus in a woman’s body. If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab. —C.S.Lewis

This incredible act of God stepping into His creation wasn’t a random event; it was the fulfillment of His divine plan to redeem humanity, and it reveals the profound truth of who Jesus is—fully God and fully man.

Let’s take a look at…

The Reality of the Incarnation

Luke 2:1–7 (ESV)

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

You may remember from last week that Luke’s detailed account provides historical legitimacy. As a historian, Luke wanted to ensure Theophilus—and anyone reading this letter—could verify the events surrounding Jesus. Although Luke didn’t walk with Jesus himself, he carefully investigated and spoke with those who did.

One of Luke’s key points is that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. For example, He had to come from David’s lineage to fulfill the promise of a ruler on David’s throne (2 Samuel 7:12-13). This is why Joseph, though a carpenter, had to register for the Roman census in Bethlehem, David’s town.

Not only that, but Luke emphasizes Mary’s virginity, aligning with Isaiah’s prophecy: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). And where was this birth to happen? Micah tells us: “From you, O Bethlehem, shall come one who is to be ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2).

Through Luke’s careful details, we see prophecy fulfilled. Jesus is fully man—born of Mary—and fully God, conceived by the Holy Spirit. As C.S. Lewis reminds us: “The Eternal Being who created the universe became not only a man but a baby, even a fetus in a woman’s body.”

Imagine the humility of Christ: the King of Kings taking on flesh, born not in a palace but laid in a feeding trough. Paul captures this in Philippians 2, describing Jesus as one who “emptied himself by taking the form of a servant.” Picture it: the God of the universe, lying in a feeding trough. What does that tell you about the lengths God will go to meet us where we are?

Why? Because even though humanity has repeatedly rejected God, He refuses to stop pursuing us. The Incarnation reminds us that God doesn’t wait for us to come to Him—He comes to us, meeting us exactly where we are.

This is the heart of Christmas: a God who never stops pursuing us, who humbly steps into our brokenness to bring hope. Have you noticed God still pursuing you? Just as He stepped into humanity through the birth of Jesus, He continues to step into our lives today. And like the shepherds in the fields that night, God invites us to respond to His pursuit with wonder, gratitude, and worship.

As a matter of fact…let’s take a look at….

The Purpose of the Incarnation

Luke 2:8–14 (ESV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Jesus is announced for the first time with glorious songs from the heavens! We’re going to talk more about the shepherds on Christmas Eve, so you can look forward to that, but there are a couple of things you need to know this morning. An angel of the Lord appeared to these men, and they were astounded. These were regular men—many would have considered them poor, dirty, and uneducated. Yet, these are the ones the angels chose to announce Jesus’ birth to. Why? There must be a reason!

One reason is this: God’s good news is for everyone. These were ordinary men, just doing their jobs that night. Do you ever feel like that? Like you’re just trying to make it through the day, just trying to make it to Friday—and yet God chooses to use you for some reason? The Incarnation reminds us that God doesn’t reserve His message for the elite or the extraordinary. He meets us in the midst of our ordinary lives.

Here’s the deal: The Incarnation wasn’t just about God showing up on Earth for a visit. It was about God pursuing humanity, coming to us in a form we could understand. Just as C.S. Lewis wrote, ‘The Eternal Being who created the universe became a baby in a woman’s womb—this wasn’t just an act of humility, it was an invitation.’ God entered our world so we could enter His.

The shepherds’ response shows us the purpose of the Incarnation: to encounter God, respond in faith, and share His glory with others.

The purpose of the Incarnation is not just for us to marvel at the birth of a baby in Bethlehem, but to respond—just like the shepherds did—with wonder, faith, and worship. Through their response, we see the true purpose of the Incarnation: God coming near to us, so we might come near to Him.The shepherds’ response models the purpose of this Incarnation: to encounter God, respond in faith, and then share His glory with others.

This is why Jesus came to walk this Earth as a man. This is why Jesus chose to allow himself to be abused, when he didn’t have to. This is why Jesus chose humility…even the humility of the cross when he was innocent…So that we might have an opportunity to come near to him!

The Response to the Incarnation

Luke 2:15–20 (ESV)

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Now, we see how the shepherds respond? These men jumped up and went to go see what was going on without hesitation…I feel like we could all learn a little bit from that huh. They left immediately to see the baby, acting on the angel’s word without hesitation. Here’s the deal…True faith moves us to action, just as it did for the shepherds. When God moves you to do something, do you move into action, or do you try and explain it away…or maybe you try and rationalize how that wasn’t really God moving in your spirit…

Our response to the incarnation should be to move us to action. We look to the shepherds and we see how they moved immediately. They didn’t need to wait or convene a group or people to decide if in fact these angels were of God. God’s glory was clear and these men were moved by impact of his words. This same should hold true for you and I. When God speaks to us, when we experience His glory, do we hesitate or do we move into action?

The purpose of the Incarnation wasn’t just to create a moment in history—it was to create a response in each of us. It’s not enough to hear about Jesus; the question is, how have you responded? The shepherds responded with wonder and faith…You and I are called to do the same. The Incarnation invites us to act—not tomorrow, not after we figure it all out, but now. The question is, how will you respond now that you know?

They did more than obey the words of the Angels didn’t they. They had a story, a message for all of Israel, and what did they do with that message? After they worshiped…They shared what they’ve seen and glorify God for His work in their lives. Here’s the truth. Worship and testimony are natural responses to experiencing God’s presence. If you aren’t worshipping and telling others…Have you even experienced God’s presence in your life?

The shepherds’ encounter reminds us that God’s pursuit demands a response. Awe leads to faith, faith leads to action, and action leads to worship. How will you respond to God’s pursuing you today?

Conclusion

As we’ve seen today, the Incarnation—the Word becoming flesh—isn’t just a story to celebrate; it’s an invitation to respond. Jesus didn’t just come to be admired as a baby in a manger. He came to pursue you, to save you, and to draw you into a relationship with Him. The purpose of the Incarnation is for us to encounter God, respond in faith, and live lives transformed by His presence.

So, let me ask: how will you respond today? Maybe you’re here and you’ve never made the decision to follow Christ. You’ve heard about Jesus, but you’ve never truly given your life to Him. Today, you can. God came near to you through Jesus, and now He’s inviting you to come near to Him. The Bible says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). That can be your story today if you’ll place your faith in Him.

Or perhaps you’ve already given your life to Jesus, but you feel distant from Him. Maybe you need to renew your wonder, your gratitude, and your worship. God is still pursuing you, and He’s calling you back to Himself.

Here’s what I want to invite you to do: take out your phone right now. If you’re ready to make a decision for Christ—whether that’s trusting Him as your Savior for the first time, recommitting your life to Him, or simply asking for prayer—text our church at [1-888-309-0482]. Let us know how we can support you, and someone from our team will follow up with you this week.

This Christmas season, don’t let the story of the Incarnation pass you by. Respond to the Savior who stepped into your world, and let His presence change everything in your life.

Let’s pray.