Join With All Nature - Christ Became Man
“Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin's womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity,
pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel.” (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing)
“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8)
A reason to praise and an act of humility. The feelings evoked by a favorite Christmastime carol seems to contrast with Paul and Timothy’s epistle to the church in Philippi. With a heart and mind toward the Gospel, we can see that Jesus coming to Earth as a person, as a man, is both of these things at the same time: somber humility and a cause for joy.
Despite the fact that I cannot think of any carols that talk about the cross, the Christmas story and the Easter story go hand in hand. When we sing about the wonderful gift of the baby Jesus, the gift He gives us is the salvation that comes from His willingness to die on the cross to defeat sin and death.
And yet, Jesus becoming a person is even more than a prelude to the cross. Jesus became a man to experience the pain, suffering, and even temptation of humanity. It is because Jesus lived with us, ate with us, and hurt with us that He is the perfect advocate for us to the Father. “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:14-15)
So why does it matter that Jesus advocates for us? It’s because He still stands next to the Father in a human body, mediating on our behalf. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5). Yes, that same Jesus who was born in a human body, lived in a human body, died in a human body, and was resurrected in that same human body is the one who mediates for us to the Father.
It is because of this man Christ Jesus that we can come to God and ask for help and receive grace. Returning to Hebrews, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
We can draw near to Jesus with confidence! Not with trepidation or worry that He might reject us, but with the faith and knowledge that He understands our suffering and weakness and wants to help us when we are in need.
So yes, let us praise Jesus for the moment He came to Earth to be with us. We can celebrate and praise Him for His humanity! After all, Paul and Timothy agree:
“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:8-11)
Songs to Listen to:
Activity to do:
Women ages 12 and up are invited to join us this Saturday at the Lookout Farm. It will be a great time to fellowship with others while foraging to create a homemade wreath.