Matthew 1:18-24
What does the incarnation of Jesus mean? Technically it is that God became a man but that answer is so theological that I think we miss the point and power sometimes. Why was Jesus born? Why did the Creator take the form of His creation? Why did the King of Glory become a child? Maybe just as important as the question why is to ask how I respond to His birth, how does it impact me and how do I even view it? We marvel at Jesus’ death and resurrection, as we should, but His birth, it seems as if we are not sure what to do with it. We have images of a baby in a manger, which are true, but I think we miss the eternal impact of His birth. The reality of trying to mix the remembrance of the most important moment in time with a cultural celebration is nearly impossible. At the moment Jesus was born eternity was revealed, the earth was changed, heaven came to earth and broke into song, Satan trembled and the Father announced and revealed His joy over us. The incarnation of Jesus is not for a day or a season, it is eternal, without Jesus’ birth we have no salvation, we have no Mediator, we have no Sacrifice, we have no High Priest who can sympathize with our weakness or intercede for our redemption. The incarnation was not the birth of a child it was the entrance of the King and it was the introduction of His kingdom. I pray that today we will look at the birth of Jesus and see it not with our eyes but with our spirits, that we would be awakened to the beauty and power of the incarnation and that we would announce with the angels, shepherds and magi that the King has come.