The Doctrine of the Incarnation

INTRODUCTION:

The belief that the historical person Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God made man, and that accordingly (to use the words of an ancient hymn), He is ‘God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds, and man of the substance of His mother, born in the world; perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting, equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood,’ is called the doctrine of the Incarnation.

The Incarnate Word. The Word that has always been, the word that declared light to shine, the word that spoke the universe into existence, became flesh! The Son of God was made what we are, made to be our full nature, body and soul; a complete man. He who is God became man. He did not cease to be God; but He took our human nature into union with His nature. This means that the Lord Jesus Christ is God and man, the God-man, our mediator! Augustine wrote, "The word was made flesh, not by changing what he was, but by taking what He was not."

I. JESUS CHRIST WAS A MAN

A. By His own claims.

In John 8:40, Christ refers to Himself as “...a man that hath told you the truth…”

In Matthew 8:20, Christ refers to Himself as “...the son of man…” This phrase was used repeatedly by Jesus to describe Himself and His ministry.

B. By other claims.

Pilate says, “behold the man” in John 19:5 - According to Pilate, he was just a man, however, we know Him as the Son of God!

It was wondered in Matthew 8:27, “...what manner of man is this?” - Just like Pilate, outward appearance would tell us Christ was a man, but no ordinary man can talk to the storm and in turn, it obey!

II. JESUS CHRIST SHARED IN THE GENERAL CONDITION OF HUMANITY

A. He assumed human nature.

Literally, according to John 1:14, the Word which has always been, took the form of flesh.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The God of this universe humbled Himself to become man, He took on the form of a servant. Philippians 2:7-8

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

B. He had human descent.

Romans 1:3 - He is of the seed of David, according to the flesh.

Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

Matthew 13:54-56 - We see the Bible referring to some of the earthly relatives of Jesus.

And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? [55] Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? [56] And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

C. He had a normal body which could be handled and touched.

1 John 1:1 - Christ was touched by the Apostles, He was seen with the physical eye, He was a real person that walked this earth!

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

Matthew 14:26 - The Disciples saw Christ with their physical eyes, walking across the water.

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

III. JESUS CHRIST PARTOOK OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE

A. He was born.

The Bible tells us in Galatians 4:4 that Christ was made of a woman. This is referring to His birth.

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

According to Luke 2:6-7, Christ had a delivery that was very much normal to mankind.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. [7] And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

B. He was hungry.

After a time of performing miracles,Matthew 21:18 says, He hungered.

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

Matthew 4:2 says, And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

C. He was tempted.

Hebrews 2:18 - Jesus was tempted to prove that He was Who He claimed to be. He Who suffered, being tempted, can now help us who are tempted!

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus was tempted as a man, but as God, He was without sin.

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

CONCLUSION:

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten before all the ages and of one substance with the Father, was made flesh through the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, making Him truly God and truly human, possessing two natures, which are not confused, changed, divided, or separated. Why was the incarnation of Christ necessary? Because only a perfect sacrifice could atone for the sins of mankind. If Jesus had not taken the form of a man, He would not have been able to lay His life down for the reparations that man, born in sin, owed for sin.

Isaiah 7:14 KJV

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Lift up your eyes and see the riches of the all-sufficient King seated on His throne in glory

See His scepter that stretches the expanse of unmeasured space

Hear Him who holds all things together declare, "all things are mine without exception"

See the curiosity of the cosmos as Christ condescends to His most cherished creatures

See the astonishment of angels as the Almighty advances towards Earth

See the humility of the pre-existent King born of a virgin birth

The Infinite becomes infant, the Maker becomes man

The Divine becomes despised, and the Christ is crucified

The Author of all creation cursed upon the tree that He Himself spoke into being

And the Lord of life was laid in the tomb, but the grave could not contain Him and so the Son of Man was raised to life

But why?

To draw near, to pierce our greatest fear

To shed satisfying blood on our behalf

To give back the life we were meant to have

To enjoy, to hear, to adore, to taste

And to look with peace upon our Savior's face

And to embrace Him with an undying faith

To interpose all His worthiness into us

And serve the most unworthy and undeserving

He is our God and we are mere men made by Him

We are not like Him, but He loves us and moves among us

The great Uncreated and the created, no longer separated

He is Immanuel, God with us