In the sermon titled 'The Incarnation,' Jason Dohm explores the profound biblical theme of God the Son taking on human form. He emphasizes the importance of reading and understanding key scriptural accounts from Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2, which are pivotal in grasping the full narrative of Jesus' birth. Dohm discusses the Incarnation as a timeless part of God's plan, predating even the creation of the world, highlighting that it was not a reaction to human sin but an integral component of God's eternal purpose. The sermon underscores the significance of Jesus being both fully God and fully man, a cornerstone of Christian orthodoxy, and warns against theological errors that arise from misunderstanding this dual nature. Dohm illustrates how the Incarnation reveals God's heart of mercy and compassion, addressing human sinfulness and rebellion. He highlights the Incarnation's provision of a new familial head in Christ, reversing the rebellion initiated by Adam. The sermon also portrays Jesus as the ultimate example of humility and obedience, offering a model for Christian maturity. Furthermore, it emphasizes the Incarnation's role in enabling Jesus' atoning work on the cross, which is central to salvation. Lastly, Dohm addresses how the Incarnation eliminates any excuses for rejecting salvation, urging believers to embrace the profound mystery and grace of God made manifest in Jesus Christ.

So I want to give a very very brief introduction to long reading. I think the reading this morning, I think Josh timed it out at 18 minutes or something like that, so it's going to require our attention. You'll want to open your Bibles up to Luke 1 and 2, and also to Matthew 1 and 2. So Luke will be the majority of the text that is read, but there are a couple of things from Matthew 1 and 2 that are an integral part of the story that aren't included in the Luke account. So there will actually be sort of a sprinkling in of Matthew 1 and 2 into the larger reading in Luke 1 or 2.

We almost never break from our normal pattern of sequential exposition, but in kind of leading up to this Sunday before Christmas, I was just thinking back on how traditionally churches will read this every year and just the benefit to be had of the repetition of the story of Jesus being sent into time and space and thinking maybe we've been missing out some on that and relishing the opportunity to do it. So that's what we're doing today and I hope you find it beneficial. Luke 1 verses 1 through 38, Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. There was in the days of Herod the king of Judea a certain priest named Zacharias of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth.

And they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. So it was that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him standing on the right side of the altar of incense, and when Zacharias saw him he was troubled and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John, And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zechariah said to the angel, How shall I know this?

For I'm an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years. And the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time.' And the people waited for Zacharias and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out he could not speak to them and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.

After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and she hid herself five months saying, Thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when he looked on me to take away my reproach among people. Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in the angel said to her, rejoice highly favored one, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women. But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner of greeting this was.

Then the angel said to her, do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth the Son, and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.' Then Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I do not know a man?

And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the highest will overshadow you. Therefore also that holy one who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth, your relative has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren for with God nothing will be impossible then Mary said behold the maid servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word and the angel departed from her Matthew 1 verses 18 through 23 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows, after his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not wanting to make a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

And she will bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying, Behold the virgin shall be with child and bear a son and they shall call his name Immanuel which is translated God with us. Luke 1 verse 39 through to 38. Now Mary arose in those days and went to the hill country with haste to a city of Judah and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, for he has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant.

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For he who is miney has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the miney from their thrones, and exalted the lowly, he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers to Abraham and to his seed forever. And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her house. Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth the son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. So it was on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child, and they would have called him by the name of his father Zacharias.

His mother answered and said, No, he shall be called John. But they said to her, There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name. So they made signs to his father what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote saying His name is John. So they all marveled.

Immediately his mouth was open and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. Then fear came on all who dwelt around them, and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, What kind of child will this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him. Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation from us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the highest, For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God with which the day springed from on high has visited us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace." So the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel. And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Corrinius was governing Syria, so all went to be registered, every one to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds, living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them in the glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be the sign to you, you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. So it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told them. And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

As it is written in the law of the Lord, every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to what it said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him.

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Behold this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against, yes a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Now there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phineul, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. And this woman was a widow of about 84 years who did not depart from the temple but served God with fastings and prayer night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem." Matthew 2, 1 through 23. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?

For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet, But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah, For out of you shall come a ruler, who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search carefully for the young child, and when you have found him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship him also. When they heard the King, they departed, and behold, the star which they had seen in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshiped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to him, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. And when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then Wisslefield, what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.

Now when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying, Arise, take the young child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child's life are dead. Then he arose, took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in the dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee, and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene." Luke 2 verses 39 and 40. So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own city, Nazareth, and the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.

Amen. Him. Amen. Well obviously this morning we're considering the incarnation. God the Son leaving heaven and taking on the form of a servant and coming to earth to die to purchase a people.

This time of year the rest of the world, if they are thinking of more than Santa Claus, they are just really skimming over what this is about. And are easily satisfied with sentimental thoughts about a baby in a manger. But the incarnation, the doctrine of the incarnation, the biblical teaching of the incarnation is a miracle and a mystery. One of the great miracles of the Bible, and maybe the greatest mystery of the Bible. I spent a lot of time this week looking at John 1, not that I'll be talking much about John 1, but I was looking into it.

And when you read the first 18 verses of John 1, it's sort of like you're looking down into a well, and you just can't see a bottom to it. And you have the sense that if you drop down a really long rope you wouldn't hit the bottom. And you end up wondering where the bottom really is. And so we're on holy ground when we think about the incarnation. But we are also on dangerous ground when we think about the incarnation.

Because errors regarding Jesus Christ and who He really is have been some of the great errs of church history that have taken various groups of people out of orthodoxy. Errors there have ended up turning into errors at every other kind of places. They're typically either errors not receiving Jesus as fully God, or not receiving Jesus as fully man. It is essential that the Christ be both fully God and fully man. The great Confessions call him very God and very man.

Not a little God and a little man sort of mixed up, but very God and at the same time very man. Here's what J.C. Ryle says, It is just one of those great truths that are not meant to be curiously pried into, but to be reverently believed. He is right on the money. There are mysteries in the scripture that you get into big trouble if you curiously pry into them.

In other words, God has told us certain things about them, things of which we can be certain about them, but He hasn't told us as much as we would like to know. And I know that the incarnation is one of those teachings where we have very certain truths given to us in the Bible, but not nearly as much as we would like to know. So People have gotten themselves into big trouble curiously prying into it, meaning speculating in areas where God hasn't spoken. So the incarnation is sweet, it's a miracle, but it's a mystery. It is holy ground, but it's dangerous ground as well.

That's why if you look in our Baptist Confession of Faith 1689, you find in chapter 8 of Christ the Mediator, a whole article of 10 articles on the Incarnation. It's a big paragraph and every phrase is loaded with meaning. It's to keep us out of curiously prying into things that just God hasn't told us. And so It draws the lines very precisely and it hems us in so that we'll be protected from ending up denying that Jesus is either fully God or fully man. So our time is going to be spent considering seven things that are either truths about the Incarnation or implications that flow from the doctrine of the Incarnation.

And as we go to the consideration of these seven things, Let's pray. Our Father, we thank You for sending Jesus Christ. We know That all spiritual life is bound up in this great mystery. That Jesus Christ the Word would be sent from heaven and would take on the form of a servant and would live and die to purchase a people. So we rejoice in this truth because there is no way that we can be reconciled to you unless this had happened.

We pray that you would cause us to Savor these things and to grow in our love of you by thinking of what you did when you sent Jesus into the world and you were pleased to crush Him so that we might have life. We pray these things now in Jesus' name. Amen. Okay, here we go. Seven either truths or implications of the incarnation.

Number one, the eternity and objective of the plan. So if you're taking notes on the handout and you're filling in blanks, eternity, objective. The eternity and objective of the plan. When I use the term eternity, I'm using it as timelessness. The plan of God to send Jesus into the world is a timeless plan.

It predates even the making of the world. I am asking and answering the question, is the incarnation God reacting to Genesis 3? You know what is in Genesis 3? It is the fall. Mankind was made innocent without sin and without a bent towards sin.

But Genesis 3, all that changes and sin and corruption comes into the world and innocence is lost and now where we didn't have a bent toward sin and we walked in direct fellowship with God, now our natures are changed. So that we have an inclination, an ongoing persistent inclination towards sin from the earliest days of our lives. So the question is, is Jesus being sent, Jesus coming, God reacting to that? It's an important question to answer and The answer in the New Testament is a resounding no. Consider these two places.

Revelation 8, chapter 13. Jesus is called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Jesus is the Lamb who was slain. We know that. The sacrificial Lamb to take on Himself.

The punishment for sins. But in Revelation chapter 8 Verse 13, it is more than that. He is slain from the foundation of the world. In other words, it precedes sin coming into the world. Jesus was already the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world.

Or consider 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 20. In 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 20, Peter writes, He, Jesus Christ, indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in these last times for you. What Peter is teaching is that Jesus was manifest during this time in history. He was made evident. He was made so that he could be seen during this time in history.

But Peter precedes that by saying he was foreordained before the foundation of the world. In other words, God's plan was before he ever made any man, woman, child, beast, the earth, anything. He was foreordained. The plan was set and fixed and immovable before the earth was made. So Jesus coming in time and space is not a reaction of God to Genesis chapter 3 and the corruption that came into the world.

As if he didn't know of the problem beforehand and he had to adjust to history. No, no, no. God never adjusts to history. He directs history. This was in the mind of God before the world was made.

This was agreed among the Trinity before the world was made. This was told to mankind at many times and in many ways before Jesus ever came. It is all fulfilled and is coming. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1 verse 20. The book is 2 Corinthians 1 verse 20.

Paul writes, For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him amen. To the glory of God through us. So God made millennia of promises, thousands of years of promises. I think in the gospel accounts how many times it says This was done so that the prophecy might be fulfilled which said, and then you get the prophecy. So Paul comes and he points to those thousands of years of promises made by God, and he says that all those promises are yes in Jesus.

All those promises are Amen in Jesus. He came and fulfilled every one of those promises. And then He says this, to the glory of God through us. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises. To what end?

The glory of God. So the incarnation is not just about mankind and the desperate condition of mankind and the need for mankind to be saved. The incarnation is ultimately about the glory of God. The salvation of the people ends in glory to God in the highest and on on earth peace, goodwill towards men. Turn to Philippians chapter 2.

Turn to Philippians chapter 2. In Philippians chapter 2 verse 7, Paul begins speaking about the incarnation by saying that Jesus took on the form of a servant. We're going to get back to verse 7, but really right now what I want to read is Philippians 2 verses 9 through 11 where Paul writes, Therefore God also has highly exalted him, Jesus Christ, and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So here's the flow in Philippians chapter 2.

Jesus is sent. He takes on the form of the servant. And He lays down His life. And because of that, God has exalted Him above every other name. He's given Him the name that is above all name.

He's given Him the place of preeminent honor. And everyone will bow their knee and confess that that's true. That He deserves the place of preeminent honor. And this resounds to the glory of God the Father. So we get the objective of the incarnation, of Jesus taking on the form of a servant.

Here is the objective, to save the people for the exaltation of the Son and the exaltation of the Father. That is why the incarnation, to save the people, not period, but comma, to save the people for the exaltation of the son and the exaltation of the father the problem is if you say Jesus took on the form of a servant and laid down His life to save the people, period, you have a man-centered gospel. But that's not what the New Testament gives us. That's not what Paul gives us in Philippians 2. It's comma.

So that Jesus would be given the name above every name to the glory of the Father. This is about God glorifying Himself. So it is about mankind. It is about God understanding the desperate condition of mankind, and reaching in and saving sinners who have no hope without Him. But it doesn't stop there.

That is all so that He would receive honor and glory and praise and dominion forever and ever and ever. We will spend eternity worshiping God and giving Him glory for doing that. To stop short of the glory of God when thinking about the incarnation is to put forward a man-centered gospel. That's number one. The eternity and objective of the plan.

Now number two. The heart of God that it demonstrates. The incarnation demonstrates the heart of God. So if you're filling in blanks, it's heart. The heart of God that it demonstrates.

The incarnation demonstrates the heart of God. So if you're filling in blanks, it's heart. The heart of God that it demonstrates. We just read In Luke chapter 2 verse 14, the angels come before the shepherds and they say, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. The incarnation represents good will toward men.

Men who have richly deserved their condemnation. Men who have earned the wrath of God and are in a desperate condition, not as victims, but as perpetrators who stand guilty before God. And yet, God has not left us in that condition. He has a heart of compassion. And the incarnation demonstrates his heart of compassion that he hasn't left us in our state of rebellion.

If Jesus doesn't reach into history, If God doesn't reach into history by sending Jesus Christ into time and space to live and die, we would live in rebellion forever. If God gave you a thousand lifetimes, you would never turn to Him in those thousand lifetimes. You would get more and more and more and more hardened against Him. The incarnation represents God's mercy in spite of our sin to do something about that condition. To understand the heart of God, we must understand the magnitude of the condescension.

In other words, is it a little thing or a big thing for Jesus to leave heaven and become like us. If you think it's a little thing, then you don't understand the heart of mercy. Then it's only a little mercy. If the gap between our existence and God existence is only a little, so that it's really not that big of a deal that Jesus would leave heaven to become like us, then the mercy is just a little mercy. And it's to miss the great mercy of God in the incarnation, which says that Jesus deserves to be exalted for all eternity if he never comes to earth.

And that is the magnitude of his condescension, of his condescending to become like us is so massive that it represents a massive amount of mercy towards mankind. You get exactly the same thing in John chapter 1 and Colossians chapter 1. John chapter 1 famously begins, in the beginning the word was with God. It proceeds to say, nothing has ever been made without Jesus making it. Everything that was created was created by Jesus.

That's John chapter 1. Colossians says the same thing. All things were made by Jesus. All things were made through Jesus. All things were made for Jesus.

So the universe exists for his pleasure. You go outside and you look at the sky on a starry night and you ask yourself why is all this here? The answer is, Jesus made it for himself. God by, through, for Jesus made this for his pleasure. So Jesus Christ, before coming to earth, was high and lifted up, but he had no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit had no pleasure in the death of the wicked. That's Ezekiel chapter 33 verse 11. And he was not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. That's 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 9. And so he laid aside all that in order to come.

The condescension is massive, and so the mercy represented in Jesus' coming is massive. That's number two. The heart of God that it demonstrates, and it's demonstrating a heart of mercy. Massive mercy. Number three.

The rebellion that it reverses. The rebellion that it reverses. Turn to Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5. In Romans chapter 5, Paul is advancing the argument that Adam is the first Adam, that he is a son of God, the first son of God, through whom corruption and death and rebellion comes, that Jesus is the second Adam through whom humility and obedience and life And forgiveness and reconciliation come.

So I'd like to read Romans chapter 5 verses 12 through 21. So it's Paul and it has a million phrases in it, so you have to follow along very carefully. But follow the logic, The line of logic that Paul is laying down in Romans chapter 5, beginning in verse 12 through 21. Romans chapter 5 verse 12, Paul writes, Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin. And thus death spread to all men because all sinned.

For until the Law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who was a type of him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned.

For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation. But the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man's offense death reigns through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as through one man's offense, judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation. Even so, through one man's righteous act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. When you are born, Adam is the head of your family. He brought sin and corruption and death and the wrath of God into the world.

You inherit it. Given a little into the world. And you inherit it. And given a little time, you'll deserve it all on your own. But Adam is your head.

And you're in a family of rebellion. Your whole race is plunged into unceasing rebellion against a holy God. But Christ has come to be another head. And he is a man. He is very man.

He is very God, but he is very man. He is fully man. And he comes to be another kind of head. Not one that brings disobedience and corruption and rebellion in the wrath of God, but all the opposite of that. So that you can be born with Adam as the head of your family, and you can join another family.

That isn't marked by ongoing rebellion, ongoing warfare, ongoing enmity against God. Christ can be your head. The rebellion that marks the human race doesn't have to be the signature characteristic of you anymore. That is the signature characteristic of the natural man. You can't get away from it.

What's the number one mark of the natural man? That they're at war with their creator. Every one. That doesn't have to be your signature mark anymore. You can change families.

You can have a new head. Not one of corruption and the wrath of God, but one of life and freedom from the bondage of sin. The incarnation represents the rebellion that it reverses in providing another head, another family head. Number four, the example that it provides, if you're taking notes on the handout and filling in blanks, example. The example that it provides, the incarnation shows us what we ought to be.

Back to Philippians chapter 2. We were just there, going back there for another section of Philippians chapter 2. In Philippians chapter 2 we learn this equation, Maturity equals Christlikeness. Very simply. You want to know what it means?

What it looks like to reach maturity, spiritual maturity. You can go to the Gospels and you can see how Jesus talks and lives and obeys. Maturity equals Christlikeness. Philippians chapter 2, this time I will be reading 5 through 8. Follow along.

Paul writes, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. In observing the life of Jesus we see two grand characteristics, humility and obedience. And we learn Christ-likeness in a hundred different ways. We learn maturity in a hundred different ways.

And we learn what it means like to really live a humble life. We learn what it means like to live an obedient life. I quoted this last week, but I'll quote it again here, John 13 verse 34. In John chapter 13 verse 34, Jesus says, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also loved one another. The Bible is full of the commandment in the Old Testament to love one another.

But because of how Jesus exemplified it in his humble, obedient, self-sacrificing love, it becomes a new commandment when Jesus speaks of it. Because He's not only said it, He's demonstrated it in the life that He lived and in going to the cross. So if you want to know what a mature Christian life looks like, you look to the Gospels. And you can also look to those who he's transformed through the power of the Gospel later on in the New Testament. But the ultimate example is the example of Jesus Christ.

We learn things that we don't get from just reading laws and looking at the life of Jesus Christ. It's one thing to say, you should be humble. It's another thing to say, look at Jesus who humbled himself like this. Look at Jesus who bore these humiliations in order to honor God. That's different.

That's better. We need that. Number four, the example that it provides. Number five, the sympathy that it gives to our mediator. If you're filling in blanks on the handout, sympathy.

The sympathy that it gives our mediator. Listen to Hebrews chapter 4 verses 15 and 16. In Hebrews chapter 4 verses 15 and 16 the author writes this, For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." The writer of Hebrews is pointing to Jesus and his life as a man being tempted in every way just as we are. The only difference is we sin, he never sinned.

But he knows the sharpness of temptation. He knows our weaknesses. And So it makes him sympathetic. As high priest, as one who is the go-between, between a righteous God and our sinful selves, He understands our weaknesses because he lived a life as a man and he felt the sharpness of temptations and he felt human weakness. And so the writer of Hebrews says, Let us therefore come boldly.

This gives us boldness in our relationship with God. This is what allows God to be our Father. And allows us to come with confidence before God because the go-between knows our weaknesses. In Isaiah chapter 53 verse 3, Jesus is called a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. That is what Hebrews is talking about.

Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." That is what Hebrews is talking about. Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our griefs. He knows our sorrows.

His sorrows are greater than our sorrows. His sorrows as a man. His griefs as a man are greater than our griefs. He knows our weaknesses. He was tempted in all ways yet without sin.

Here's what J.C. Ryle says, Our mediator can sympathize with us because he is very man, and yet at the same time he can deal with the Father for us on equal terms because he is very God. So he's sympathetic because he's lived the life of a man and yet he can mediate for us as an equal with God because he is God at the same time. He did not lay aside his nature as God to come, but he took on the additional nature of a man. That was number five, the sympathy that it gives our mediator.

This is such a precious truth. This should increase your boldness in approaching God, knowing that we have such a mediator who was man. He lived the life that you're living. He knows the griefs that you feel. He's been tempted as we're tempted.

It makes him sympathetic. Number six, the atoning work that it enables. Work that it enables. You have to understand the necessity of the two natures. In other words, Jesus had to be very God, and Jesus had to be very man.

To be a substitute, He had to be a man. You can't substitute a different kind. That won't work. That's not a substitute. To be a substitute, he had to be man.

To be blameless, to be undefiled, to be acceptable to God, he had to be God. It's not substituting one defiled thing for another. It is substituting a spotless, blameless, undefiled thing for a defiled thing. He had to be man to be a substitute. He had to be God to be acceptable.

All these things that he's an example, that he shows the heart of God to be merciful, that it was an eternal plan to bring glory to God, all these things are working up to the fact that he lived to die. That's why it won't do to come to Christmas and then just leave it as Jesus in a cradle, a baby in a cradle, sentimental thoughts about that, about nativity scenes. You have to keep the cross in view of the cradle to know what the incarnation was really about. Of all of his great works, of all of his miracles, of all of his perfect example, leading in humility and obedience, Jesus' substitutionary death was the greatest work. So yes, He healed the sick, yes, He made blind see, yes, He made death hear, yes, He raised the dead, Yes, He preached perfect sermons.

Yes, those are great words. But Jesus' substitutionary death was why he came. 1 Peter 3 verse 18. In 1 Peter 3 verse 18, Peter writes, For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit. That is the ultimate work of the incarnation.

He would suffer the just for the unjust. Meaning, the unjust deserved to suffer. If he's going to stand in our place, he's going to have to take the treatment that we deserve. So when we go to the crucifixion accounts, and when you see how Jesus was treated, just know this. The unjust deserve to be treated like that.

The unjust deserve to be spat upon. The unjust deserve to be mocked and ridiculed. The unjust deserve to be whipped. The unjust deserve to be nailed to a cross. The unjust deserve to be thrust through with the spear.

That's what it means that he suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust. To be our substitute, he had to take upon his shoulders the treatment reserved for the unjust. You see it in the crucifixion accounts. That's number six, the atoning work that it enables. No incarnation, no atoning work.

And the unjust get what the unjust deserve. Number seven, finally, the excuses that it demolishes. We almost never think about this. The incarnation demolishes a million excuses. Turn to Hebrews chapter two.

Turn to Hebrews chapter 2. Romans chapter 1 says that if you've been outside and seen God's handiwork, you're without excuse. That his eternal attributes are knowable just by looking at what he created. In Romans chapter 3, Paul builds on that argument and he says that on the day of judgment every mouth will be stopped and all mankind will be guilty before God. So it didn't take the incarnation to make man guilty before God.

It just takes a creation to make man guilty, and the law written on the heart. And that's true of anyone who's ever lived. They've seen the handiwork of God, and they have the law of God written on their hearts, and so all mankind is guilty, and our mouths will be stopped when we stand before the judge. And yet, we can think of a thousand excuses why it shouldn't be so. The incarnation demolishes those excuses.

Look at Hebrews chapter 2, I'll be reading verses 2 through 4. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will." The writer of Hebrews looks at the incarnation, the gospel, Jesus laying down his life for sinners. And that God hasn't left us in the desperate condition of being justly condemned before him, but he sent Jesus to make a way of reconciliation. And the only thing required on our part is to believe. The writer of Hebrews calls this so great a salvation, and he says, if you neglect that, How will you escape?

Here's what John Flavel says. We haven't studied Flavel much, at least not as a congregation. I think this is probably the first time I've ever quoted him, but he's a a great theologian of the mid and late 1600s. John Flavel says this, Did Christ stoop so low as to become a man to save us? Then those that perish under the gospel must need perish without apology.

What would you have Christ do more to save you? Lo, He has laid aside the robes of majesty and glory, put on your own garments of flesh, come down from His throne, and brought salvation home to your own doors. Surely the lower Christ stooped to save us, the lower we shall sink under wrath and neglect so great salvation. Oh, poor sinners, your damnation is just if you refuse grace brought home by Jesus Christ Himself to your very doors. What Flavill is saying is, God has put salvation on your doorstep in the incarnation.

Even without Jesus, you deserved it. You deserve condemnation. If the incarnation never happens and God doesn't make a way for reconciliation, God will still be just in His condemnation of rebels. Because He made you. And He deserves your undying loyalty as your Creator.

And yet, God hasn't left us that way. He has made a full and free way of reconciliation through the work of His Son. He left heaven and took on the form of a servant and suffered and died. And He has made the Gospels preach to the four corners of the earth. He has put salvation, He has brought it to your door.

How would you escape if you neglect so great a salvation? Here is the conclusion. Consider what God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Spirit have conspired to do for sinners. They've been conspiring together from before the foundations of the earth. They've been conspiring together for the welfare of mankind to send Jesus in the fullness of time to come and to take on the form of a servant and to lay down his life for sinners.

Savor it. Be humbled by it. Be made to love God by it. Be emboldened to approach God your Father by it. Be made holy by it.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Our Father, we marvel as we stand looking down into this well, not seeing the bottom. How can it be that Jesus would leave heaven to suffer? How can it be that He would remain fully God, but become fully man?

Very God and very man, all at the same time. How can it be that his deity would be veiled during times of his life so that he wouldn't see certain things or know certain things? God, all these things we would like to know, but we desire to be wiser than to pry into these things that you have withheld from us. But this much we know that Jesus came into the world to save sinners. We thank you that you have not left us in the condition of the natural man, without God and without hope in the world, but that you have sent your son to die so that sinners can be reconciled.

We thank you for sending Jesus. We pray in His name. Amen.