The Blessings of the Incarnation

1 Peter 1:6–7 ESV

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This morning I want to take a few minutes and consider how the incarnation of Christ is the genesis of the the joy that the believer has in the gospel.

I would argue that the God becoming flesh, the God Child being born to us, the Son of God being sent from heaven is the beginning of the Christians joy and hope. Because of the supernatural conception of Jesus Christ the are certain blessings that believers of Christ ought to set our minds, our hearts, and our hope on.

The first blessing we see in , is because of the incarnation Christians,

Greatly rejoice in the gospel.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

6 In this you rejoice,

In this you rejoice.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

In this you rejoice,

In everything Adam just explained we rejoice, not just a little bit

· God cause you to be born again.

· God came as a baby in bodily form, for the sake of you and me.

· God lived as both fully man and fully God

· God crushed His Son so that we might have a Substitute and a Savior

· God raised Him up on the third day that we might have a living hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.

· God cause you to be born again.

God gave us a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God has provided an inheritance for you.

God is guarding you for a final salvation, sanctification, and glorification.

The Babe that was born in a manger is coming a second time but not as a child, but as a Warrior King!

In this you greatly rejoice!

The second blessing of the incarnation Christians must remember is, Christians are able to,

II. Grieve with the One acquainted with grief in view.

though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials.

When we consider our trials, we must never forget the trials of Jesus Christ. These trials began at the incarnation.

· They began with his conception, when Joseph had decided to divorce Mary quietly. But God brought them through it.

· They continued at His birth when there was no room in the inn, so the Son given to us was born in a barn.

· Jesus was tried as a toddler,

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”[1]

· Jesus was grieved when His friend Lazarus had died.

· Jesus faced trials, when He was denied by His disciples.

English Standard Version Chapter 53

3  He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

· Jesus faced the humiliating, excruciating trial of the crucifixion.

Because Jesus was acquainted with grief, as Christians we must look to Him as our sympathetic High Priest who understands and knows our grief.

The third blessing Peter provides for us that would be impossible without the incarnation is,

III. Genuine faith is much more precious than gold.

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire,

Genuine faith increases in value as we grow in Christ and trials increase.

Trials test our faith that we might

Genuine faith proves true to a watching world as we pass through trials and are conformed to the image of Christ.

Genuine faith will be rewarded at the return of Christ when gold and any other valuables of this world will melt like wax.

though it is tested by fire,

IV. Glory is going to be revealed.

may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ[1]

This is the capstone to verses 6 and 7.

Because of the incarnational truth John provides that,

the Word of God 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, we rejoice, remains steadfast, and set our hope on our Savior who will be seen again in all of His glory.

It is at that time the consummation of all of these gospel truths will be realized and make all things right.

When the babe that was born in a manger descends from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Because of the incarnation, we can encourage one another with these words. On this day we will be able to offer proper praise, honor, and glory to Jesus Christ and we will recieved praise, honor, and glory we see Him and are made as he is!

Closing

J. I. Packer writes,

Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs Incarnation: God Sent His Son, to Save Us

The doctrine of the Trinity declares that the man Jesus is truly divine; that of the Incarnation declares that the divine Jesus is truly human. Together they proclaim the full reality of the Savior whom the New Testament sets forth, the Son who came from the Father’s side at the Father’s will to become the sinner’s substitute on the cross

The Incarnate Son of God was given through a supernatural conception so that all who would believe in Him would might not perish but have eternal life. It is through the incarnation that God the Father provides the sinless sacrifice that would be the means of salvation for sinners like you and me.

God coming in flesh in the incarnation was His plan that reveals to us His great mercy which has caused us to be born again to a living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

[1] The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The suffering of the incarnate Son, provides us an example to follow in our suffering that we might rejoice in our suffering

The miraculous coming of our Savior at His birth gives us great hope and confidence that there is a day that He will come again if all of His glory and gather His bride.

Because of the great love God the Father has shown us in the incarnation, His manifestation in the flesh, and the crucifixion even though we do not now see him we love Him and believe in Him with a joy inexpressible and filled with glory!

If you do not have this joy, if you have not yet repented and believed in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and by His grace this morning He has shown you your need for salvation call out to Him this morning and plead for His mercy and you can be saved. As we close and prepare for worship I pray that His grace and peace be multiplied to you!