The Incarnation is the ground of our Hope

Lighting of the Advent Candle:

Today is the 1st Sunday after Thanksgiving and we are officially in the Christmas season! In the Church world, this is the season of Advent, a time to prepare our hearts. This is a season of reflection as we meditate on God’s gift to the world in the person of Jesus.

The first Sunday of Advent is marked by Hope. God’s people in the 1st century were hoping for an end of foreign rule, less corruption in their own religious leaders, and stability for families. In summary, they were hoping for better days, and they anticipated the arrival of those better days when Messiah arrived.

Two thousand years later God’s people are still hoping for better days. We, however, are waiting for Messiah’s second Advent to bring about this glorious reality. The shared hope of Messiah’s Kingdom unites believers through the Ages, and we take our place in the long line of the faithful when we observe and celebrate the gift of God through Jesus!

Read Psalm 22:14-23 and Light the Candle of Hope

Open

As part of the Universal Church in the 21st century we have never known of a world without Jesus. We live after the Incarnation - we live on this side of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, and we know the story. Because of our familiarity with the Christmas story we often to fail to realize just how scandalous the First Advent was.

Consider the lyrics of What a Strange Way to save the World, by 4Him as Joseph speaks:

“Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade Why Him with all the rulers in the world Why here inside this stable filled with hay Why her, she's just an ordinary girl Now I'm not one to second guess What angels have to say But this is such a strange way to save the world”

Transition: Why did God do it the way He did? Why did the Prince of Glory enter His own creation as a baby in a borrowed manger in a barn instead of in a palace? Today’s text gives insight into the reasons for the Incarnation. Let’s look at them together:

READ the TEXT: Hebrews 2:10-18

God deemed it Appropriate for Messiah to be perfected through Suffering (Hebrews 2:10)

Explanation: The main thought in verse 10 is the rightness or the appropriateness of God’s actions in the process of Jesus’ perfection. The text declares that “it became Him” to make Jesus perfect through suffering. This wording can cause unease if misunderstood, but it does NOT mean that Jesus was imperfect until He went to the Cross. It does not refer to moral capacity, but addresses the idea of completion. It means that Jesus achieved the plan of Salvation through suffering. In fact, the idea is that Jesus was the Trail Blazer, the originator or Pioneer of Salvation.

Argument: Prior to the 1st Advent of Messiah, a completed Salvation for people was NOT possible. Apart from Jesus, Salvation did not and does not exist. That is why the writer can state that it was right for the Father to bring about Salvation through the Suffering of Messiah.

Jesus stands in Solidarity with His brothers (Hebrews 2:11-13)

Explanation: The writer gives his audience another thought to marvel and reflect on: Jesus and those who have trusted in Him for salvation are of the same family. He quotes from Psalm 22 when he says, “I will declare your name unto My brothers in the midst of the congregation” (Psalm 22:22)

Illustrate: a senior in high school with a sister who is a freshman. Not only is he willing to acknowledge her in public, he is proud of her!

Argument: Those of us who are IN Christ are part of God’s family. The NT Church is a community of faith - we are united as family in our common faith in Christ! Commentator David Allen states it this way, “Not only are believers a ‘band of brothers,’ but they are also brothers of Christ.” (Hebrews, NAC, by David Allen, p. 216)

Romans 8:17 KJV 1900

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Application: What an encouraging truth on which to reflect: We are in God’s family and our elder brother is not ashamed of us! (never alone are the least of His Children!)

The Incarnation was necessary so that Jesus could make payment for sins as our substitute (Hebrews 2:14-17)

Explanation: The writer relates the necessity of Jesus becoming flesh. He says that since we are flesh and blood, Jesus had to take on flesh and blood as well (Phil 2:6-7). In the Incarnation Jesus becomes the God - Man; He does not lose any of His deity, but adds humanity to His nature. Jesus is truly God AND truly man. It is His unique nature that qualifies Him to serve as the propitiation for the sin debt of humanity.

Argument: The reality of the Incarnation is part of the writer’s argument for the superiority of Jesus over the angels. In verse 16 we are explicitly told that Jesus was not sent to help angels, but rather to the “seed of Abraham” which is understood as those who are children of the promise, not just those who are ethnic Jews by descent.

Conclusion:

Because the 2nd Person of the Trinity did enter His own creation and because He did go to the Cross, we have hope. This present world as it now exists is NOT our home. This present world cannot offer real hope of deliverance. Our hope is in the One who rules the world to come!

For those outside of Christ, this present world is all they have. Non-believers really are living their best life now! That life, however, will end, and then they fearfully face the inescapable judgment of God (Heb 9:27)

Christ has broken the fear of death for those who trust in Him. Jesus is the Great Deliverer and the One who enables us to face death without fear!