Underneath the frivolity and fun of this Christmas season, there’s something truly magnanimous. Feel free to revel in the generosity and sense of family that arise at this time, but please don’t wander too far from the awe of the incarnation.
It’s not always easy to comprehend, but over 2,000 years ago, an unblemished, holy God stepped down from the lofty realms of heaven and made His dwelling place among men and women. Jesus is, in every way, the Word incarnate (John 1:14).
Our long-standing biblically rooted faith is built upon the fact that the Son of God invaded human history and brought salvation into the lower reaches of the earth.
“So then, as the children share in flesh and blood, He likewise took part in these. … Therefore, in all things it was necessary for Him to be made like His brothers, so that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:14a, 17).
If Jesus never became flesh and blood, then humanity would be eternally encased in a frigid, inescapable darkness. Yet by His willingness to humble Himself and take on human form, the transformation of the world has already begun.
Although many luminous things capture our imaginations at Christmas, we must never forget the inexplicable wonder of the incarnation. For, in it, we find the basis of all our hopes and dreams. {eoa}
J.D. King, director of the World Revival Network and co-pastor at World Revival Church, is writing Regeneration: Healing in the History of Christianity. King is a sought-after speaker, writer and author.
