A Gift Worth Celebrating: The Incarnation
Have you ever wanted your pet to be able to talk to you? I know I have! It would make things so much simpler to communicate with them and find out what they are thinking, feeling, and where they may be hurting. Of course, you can learn a lot about your pet through training and time, but it's not the same as having a real conversation with another human being.
The birth of Jesus Christ in December is a celebration of our relationship with God. We are His creation, and He created us to be in relationship with Him. However, in our current state on this Earth, with our human flesh, we cannot be in His direct presence. This is evident throughout scripture, where people have had to see God through priests, burning bushes, historical acts, and miracles. God’s word tells us that if we were to look upon Him as we are today, we would surely die. This is why we needed Jesus.
The Bible states that Jesus was and is the incarnation of God. The word incarnation means “the act of being made flesh.” God became flesh to walk this earth among His creation. Like the earlier pet illustration, God presented Himself to us through His son Jesus Christ for us to know Him. To be our Savior, Jesus had to live under the same curse of sin that we do, yet He never sinned. He also would have to die by shedding His blood for our sin (Hebrews 9:22). God did an incredible work in sending His only begotten Son into the world and providing us with a salvation we do not deserve. Now that is a gift worth celebrating this Christmas! - Pastor James