Implications of the Incarnation

As we approach the Christmas season, we typically reflect on the baby Jesus lying in a manger, surrounded by worshipping angels, marveling shepherds and adoring parents. But let’s back up a step in this Advent process and reflect on what took place before the manger scene.

John 1:1-3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” The second Person of the triune God, eternally existent, Creator of the universe, took on human flesh and voluntarily subjected himself to the limitations of humanity. We call this the Incarnation, from the Latin for “in the flesh.”

When we sing a line from one of our traditional Christmas carols that says, “Mild he lays his glory by,” do we realize how significant those words are? Solely because of grace, the Son of God experienced pain, hunger, tiredness and temptation. For more than 30 years, this holy God rubbed shoulders with unholy, sinful people. “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” (Philippians 2:5-7).

Sent as He was sent

What are the implications for us when we consider Christ’s incarnation? Is Christmas just a great story to celebrate every year, or does Jesus also give us a model that God expects his people to follow?

Paul told us to have the same mind as Christ (Philippians 2:5) and Jesus told his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21b). The “as the Father has sent” and the “even so” indicate that we are being sent in the same manner as the Father sent the Son. But God, who is spirit, taking on flesh is a unique event. We are already flesh, so in what way are we sent in the same way Jesus was sent?

“Spokane has many thousands of refugees and immigrants from other cultures who need help... but more importantly, need to hear the Gospel.” Garry Morgan

Jesus was sent into the world. “And the Word 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” (John 1:14). Repeatedly, Jesus told his disciples to go “into the world” (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-47). We are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) representing Him in this world.

Jesus was sent with a message, the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The message we have been sent with is the Gospel – the Good News that we can be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

Jesus was sent to serve, and he sends us to do the same. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).

Waive rights in order to cross barriers

Our recent sermons from 1 Corinthians 8 and 9 add significantly to our understanding of what it means to be sent in the same way that Jesus was sent. When we consider the rights that Jesus gave up in his incarnation, how can we possibly demand our rights to act a certain way or be treated a certain way when those rights obscure our gospel communication and hinder our disciple-making?

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (preached by Ian Rush on October 8) are key verses illustrating what it means to “live incarnationally.” This passage is part of the biblical foundation for missionaries to learn the languages and adapt (within biblical limits) to the cultures of the people groups among whom they are making disciples.

Even within our own language and culture, Christians have developed an “in-house” dialect that, while meaningful to us, we need to remember is incomprehensible to those outside the Church. Have you ever asked someone who has had no exposure to the Bible whether they’ve been “washed in the blood?” (For a humorous take on this dialect, watch this “Christianese” video.)

If a neighbor is vegetarian, would you be willing to prepare a meatless meal in order to invite them over for dinner? And hopefully it doesn’t even need to be said that if your neighbor is Jewish or Muslim, you wouldn’t serve pork.

Jesus spent a lot of time with the poor, lepers and other societal outcasts. Are we willing to follow him across ethnic, social and economic barriers in order to make disciples?

Be stretched for the Gospel

Further across the cultural divide, Spokane has many thousands of refugees and immigrants from other cultures who need help adjusting to life here, but more importantly, need to hear the Gospel. We have the opportunity to make disciples of other nations (i.e. people groups) without ever getting on an airplane. Getting involved with people from another culture will stretch you outside your comfort zone (for example, eating a food you’ve never had before – with four of you sharing the same plate), but that is not even close to the stretch the Son of God made in becoming human and living on earth.

The cross of Jesus is an offense (1 Corinthians 1:23), and it’s one we do not have the authority to change or remove (nor would we want to), but it should be the only offense. Too often we create, either inadvertently or deliberately, human barriers or offenses that are not part of the biblical message.

As we reflect on Christ’s birth this Christmas, let’s remember the meaning of the incarnation and its implications for us as Jesus’ followers. Jesus was sent into the world as a servant, and he tells his followers that he is sending them in the same way he was sent.

Garry R. Morgan

Garry Morgan, a member at Faith Bible Church, is a former missionary and retired missions professor. He is also author of Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day.

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