Christmas: The Wonder of the Incarnation

Over the years Christmas has come to represent so many things, both positive and negative. Whether materialism, consumerism, capitalism, debt, family fights or hope, goodwill, charity, generosity, joy or the importance of family, none of these things nearly approach what Christmas really represents. Easily forgotten is the sin that separated us from God and the sacrifice that only Jesus could make. If there is one thing you don't want to miss this Christmas, it is the profound significance of the incarnation. 

Christmas is filled with messages, yet far too many manage to keep the focus on humanity rather than focusing on Jesus. We hear lists of what Christmas means to us, the values we think it represents, ways we can better ourselves because of it, but how often do we hear about the implications of the incarnation? If for a moment we think Christmas is an opportunity for personal gain or improvement, it is as if we have never heard the real story. The attitude towards Christmas as a message of faith in humanity, generosity and goodwill reflects the disconnect towards what really happened at Jesus' birth.

The real Christmas story, what the incarnation really represents, starts in Philippians 2:5,

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The incarnation is the most baffling and unreasonable event of history, a keystone of our faith. What kind of God is this that would give up his thrown to take on a form that he created, subjecting himself to our rules, our hatred, our sin, and suffering our consequences? What was it like in the moments before Jesus took on flesh? Imagine Jesus, uncreated God in all of his glory with all of his power, giving up his uncreated form to become human forever. I tell you this is the greatest injustice of history, that the uncreated, perfect God would take on our imperfection and overcome it to redeem the undeserving (you and me). Such a sacrifice can only be motivated by one thing: pure, selfless love.

Yet humanity's response to this impossibly unjust sacrifice is commercialized, diluted into self-help messages and symbolism. If we ponder the depth of the sacrifice that was the incarnation and the fact that even now Jesus stands before God in a human body for our sake, the only proper response we can form is completely reckless love, in kind. What other response can there be? The God who had everything left it all because everything wasn't enough without you and me! And He did this knowing that it was our sin that brought this upon him, but also knowing that only He could make a way for us to be together. God calls this the greatest example of the love of a bridegroom for his bride, a love we could never experience apart from Him.

So what is the message of Christmas? Christmas is not a message of faith in humanity, but rather of our state of iniquity. Christmas is not a message of generosity, but of our emptiness. Christmas is not a message of goodwill, but of injustice. Christmas is not a message of self-help, but of selflessness. Christmas is perfect love on display, the love of God for us.

His sacrifice provokes the deepest level of love in us, setting the example for our response. The only proper response we can have to the story of Christmas is wholehearted, selfless love for Jesus, our best attempt to love him as he loved us. His sacrifice motivates sacrificial love in us, and suddenly our lives come into perspective and our purpose is revealed: to love God and to be loved by God. Everything else in life flows from that place.

So this year, when you read Luke 2 or whatever version of the Christmas story is your tradition, think on these things. Let your heart feel what Jesus felt in the moments before he became flesh, the love that would bring him to the ultimate sacrifice, which he made for you and me. Then respond with all of your heart. Such is the message of Christmas.

Paul shares his response in Philippians 3:7-8:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

Obama's Compelling Pro-Life Speech (if only)

Here are just a few excerpts from a speech that President Obama gave on January 16th, 2013, a month after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.. Of course, gun control was the subject of this speech, but I couldn't help relating everything the President said to our nation's abortion conflict. Take a look for yourself, you can read the full transcript here.

"This is our first task as a society, keeping our children safe. This is how we will be judged."

"...if there’s even one life that can be saved, then we’ve got an obligation to try."

"We have to examine ourselves in our hearts, and ask yourselves what is important? This will not happen, unless the American people demand it. If parents and teachers, police officers, and pastors, if hunters and sportsman, if responsible gun owners, if Americans of every background stand up and say, enough. We’ve suffered too much pain, and care too much about our children to allow this to continue, then change will -- change will come."

"This is the land of the free, and it always will be. As Americans we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights that no man or government can take away from us. But we’ve also long recognized, as our founders recognized, that with rights come responsibilities. Along with our freedom to live our lives as we will comes an obligation to allow others to do the same."

"That most fundamental set of rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, fundamental rights that were denied to college students at Virginia Tech and high school students at Columbine and elementary school students in Newtown; and kids on street corners in Chicago on too frequent basis to tolerate [not to mention million's of unborn babies]; and all the families who never imagined they’d lose a loved one to a bullet, those rights are at stake. We’re responsible."

Amazingly, the altar of abortion seems to be crumbling in the wake of America's alleged "civil right's movement," gun control debates and the Kermit Gosnell case. While the ACLU rages, states are passing unprecedented pro-life legislation. Oh that America would wake from her delusions and stand for LIFE!

Our Only Hope For Real Freedom

As you no-doubt have heard, the United States Supreme Court is hearing cases related to California's voter-established ban on same-sex marriage as well as other cases related to the rights of gays and lesbians to marry. While it seems like everyone is focusing on either side's agenda, I think we sometimes get so caught up in the issue at hand that we miss the bigger picture.

No one on earth is without sin. Whether it be covetousness, the spirit of murder, adultery, or any other manifestation of our pride, everyone suffers from the effects of the fall of humanity in Genesis 3. Jesus came to earth to mend our broken relationship with God, yet without Jesus, our relationship with God remains unrestored. The real problem is not how marriage is being defined by our government, but an issue of bondage to sin and brokenness at a much deeper level in America. How can we stand for marriage while pornography ravages our own pulpits? We have a greater need.

We hear about how America is going to be judged for her sins of immorality and abortion, but I tell you the judgement is upon us and it is the removal of truth from our land. Throughout history God often judges nations not only through military conflict or natural disaster, but by removing their ability to discern right and wrong. You can read in Isaiah 59 about how truth was "slain in the streets," or in Malachi 3 where God removed the people's ability to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. We live in a such an hour of American history. 

Yet I am stirred by Peter's writings:

"For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. . . The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may PRAY. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." - 1 Peter 4:3-5,7-8

It is true that real justice, and the definition of marriage, comes only from the Lord. While we stand for truth, we must remember who we are standing against (Ephesians 6:12). Our stand for truth is a cry for mercy and an invitation into real freedom that can only be found in Jesus.