In his sermon 'The Word Became Flesh,' Jason Dohm explores the concept of the incarnation, focusing on Jesus Christ as the God-man. The sermon draws on John 1:14 and emphasizes that while the birth of Jesus is sacred, December 25th itself is not biblically mandated as a sacred day. Dohm aligns with Charles Spurgeon's view that Christmas is not inherently religious but can be a time for family and reflection on the incarnation. He examines Old Testament glimpses of the incarnation, highlighting passages like Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9, and Micah 5, which foreshadow the coming of a God-man. The sermon also discusses the New Testament record of Jesus' birth, emphasizing the genealogies in Matthew and Luke that establish Jesus' humanity and the angelic announcements that affirm his divinity. Dohm underscores the profound theological significance of the incarnation, which allows believers to be adopted as children of God through faith in Jesus. He concludes by urging believers to cling to Jesus as the only means of salvation.

The title of the sermon this morning is just drawn right out of John chapter 1 verse 14. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We're considering the God-man, Jesus Christ, this morning. I'm not sure we've ever done a Christmas message around Christmas. James is nodding no.

He's sort of our church historian, So if he says no, it's probably no. If we did do one, and I'm not remembering it, it's clear that we don't think it's important that we do it. We thought it was important that we do it. We would do it every Christmas. You certainly have warrant in Scripture for making much of Jesus and to consider the incarnation, but you have no warrant in Scripture for upending your church's schedule, not even the preaching schedule, to consider it around December 25th.

I think James and I are both kind of fall right in line with how Charles Spurgeon felt about this. Let me just quote him, Spurgeon said this, This is the season of the year when, whether we wish it or not, we are compelled to think of the birth of Christ. I hold it to be one of the greatest absurdities under heaven to think that there is any religion in keeping Christmas Day. There are no probabilities whatever that our Savior Jesus Christ was born on that day and the observance of it is purely Popish in origin. Doubtless those who are Catholics have a right to hallow it, but I do not see how consistent Protestants can account it in the least sacred." So that's really getting right at the issue.

Is this sacred? Is it good to consider the incarnation as a completely different question than is December 25th sacred? Spurgeon says, A consistent Protestant should never call it sacred. He continues, however, I wish that there were ten or a dozen Christmas days in the year. But there is work enough in the world and a little more rest would not hurt laboring people.

Christmas Day is really a boon to us, particularly as it enables us to assemble around the family hearth and meet our friends once more. Still, although we do not fall exactly in the track of other people, I see no harm in thinking of the incarnation and the birth of our Lord Jesus. I'm sure he would go further than say there's no harm in thinking of the incarnation. There is tremendous profit in remembering what happened not on December 25th, but on whenever Jesus was born. So, is it sacred?

No, December 25th is not sacred. But the birth of Jesus Christ is sacred and it's profitable and appropriate to turn our thoughts to The word becoming flesh and dwelling among us even though it might not be more appropriate or more profitable to do it now than it would be in May or September. So here we are and here we go. Let's ask the Lord to help us. God, nothing could be more profitable or more appropriate than to open up your book and to declare what Scripture declares.

You were not content to condemn all of mankind to destruction for our rebellion against you, but you sent your son Jesus, and your son Jesus was pleased to be sent into this world to take on the likeness of sinful flesh, be born under the law, to live a perfect life and then to die as a substitute for all those who would trust in His person and work. So Thank you for an opportunity to do that, to open up the scriptures and to say about your son what your book says about your son. I pray that you would bless it. In Jesus' name, Amen. I'd like to begin, you'll see there are three headings on the handout if you're taking notes that way.

The first is some glimpses of the incarnation in the Old Testament. So if you're taking notes on the handout by filling in blanks, glimpses fills in the blanks. Some glimpses of the incarnation in the Old Testament. Now I'll be passing over most of the prophecies about the Messiah, the promised Savior in the Old Testament. They're wonderful, We don't have time for that this morning.

We're really focused on the incarnation. That the Savior that God promised descent was not just a man, but that He was God who came and took on flesh and dwelt among us. So I want to take us to actually three Old Testament texts which gives us a glimpse. When I say a glimpse I mean you you can't fault Old Testament saints for not really having the reality of what's said sink in because before the coming of Jesus Christ there was no frame of reference for a God man at all. The closest you had was prophets and they were an infinite chasm away from God taking on flesh.

You had God with men, God inspiring men, but you did not have a God man or anything resembling that. There's nothing that really could resemble that before the coming of Jesus Christ. So these are just glimpses, And had we been Old Testament saints, we probably wouldn't understand it. But now, looking back through the lens of the New Testament, Jesus having come, we can see with great clarity that God did what he promised to do in the Old Testament. The first glimpse I'd like to bring you to is in Isaiah chapter 7.

So open to Isaiah chapter 7. It's Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14. And in that chapter Ahaz is the king of Judah. The kingdom has separated between the ten northern tribes, which are called Israel, and the two southern tribes called Judah, the capital being in Jerusalem. In Isaiah chapter 7, the king of Syria and the king of the ten northern tribes in Israel have joined together and are going to come against the southern kingdom, Judah.

And Ahaz, the king of the southern kingdom in Jerusalem, God sends Isaiah, the prophet, to him to comfort him and to tell him that Judah will actually triumph against their enemies. And God, through Isaiah, says, ask for a sign. God is willing And is desirous to give this king a sign that what he says about the defeat of these enemies will come to pass. And Ahaz says, I won't tempt God. Well, it is not tempting God to obey God when he tells you to ask for a sign.

And so God is angered that Ahaz won't ask for a sign, but then we read this in Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14. Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. God says you won't ask for a sign, I'm giving you a sign. Anyway, and it's a sign that won't happen, it'll happen over 500 years from the life of Ahaz. So Ahaz really won't get the good from the sign.

He wouldn't ask for a sign. God gives him a sign that will happen far in the future. Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel." That will be the sign. That will be the miracle that points to something greater.

That's what a sign is. A sign is a supernatural miracle with no natural explanation that points to something greater. What will be that? This miracle that points to something greater will be a woman who has no natural means of becoming pregnant. She'll be pregnant and she'll give birth.

It'll be unlike every other pregnancy that has ever happened with a natural explanation, this will be a supernatural pregnancy. And this son will be Emmanuel. This son of the naturally inexplicable pregnancy will be God with us. Now we're being brought into things that only make sense looking back through the New Testament lens and the God-man. You can only make sense of this with a God-man.

It is a pregnancy without a physical coming together of man and woman, and it is a son that will be called, that will be God with us. Listen to Matthew chapter 1 verse 20, the Second part of Matthew chapter 1 verse 20, Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, to Joseph 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. Her pregnancy is a pregnancy of the Holy Spirit. The conception is of the Holy Spirit. And then Matthew immediately quotes this from Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14 to say, this pregnancy is the fulfillment of what God said through Isaiah in Isaiah 7 through 14.

Or listen to Luke 1 verses 34 and 35. Then Mary said to the angel, how can this be? The angels just said, you're going to have a baby. And here's what Mary says, how can this be since I do not know a man? She had not come together with a man.

This was not a pregnancy that would come from that. 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. Not the Son of a man, but the Son of God. When we look at this miraculous sign of something greater, a pregnancy with no natural explanation of the pregnancy, we see that the incarnation is the missing puzzle piece.

You see that verse, you say there's a piece missing to the puzzle. The puzzle is put together, but there's nothing here. The incarnation is the missing puzzle piece. You need a God-man to fulfill what is in Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14. It only makes sense if there is a God who is man, if there is a man who is also God at one and the same time.

Glimpse number two is in Isaiah chapter 9. So close. In Isaiah, turn to Isaiah 9. I'll begin at the end of verse 1 and reading verse 2. Isaiah 9 the end of verse 1.

By way of the sea beyond the Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles. So we start with a location, Galilee. Verse 2. The people Galilee, verse 2. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shone." Now, we're New Testament saints, we have the benefit of the New Testament. We hear ringing in our ears John 8 verse something. John 8 verse 12, I am the light of the world. It's here. We have the missing puzzle piece here.

Again, look at verses 6 and 7. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward even forever the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Now how can the child who is to be born be called mighty God?

Unto you a child is born. How can you have a child named mighty God, everlasting Father? Now we're talking about the Son of God here, so we're looking down a deep well. The best sense I can make of that is that Jesus said, I am in the Father and the Father is in me. How can he have an everlasting kingdom?

The kings of the earth come and go. The kings of the earth live and die. This won't be a king like that. Isaiah 9 is actually quoted in Matthew 4 verses 15 and 16 about Jesus being from Nazareth and settling in Capernaum. The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light here in Galilee of the Gentiles.

So this is quoted as a fulfillment of what God promised in Isaiah chapter 9. A child is mighty God. Missing peace to the puzzle again, The God man. The third glimpse is in Micah chapter 5. You can turn there if you can find it fast enough.

It's right after Jonah if that helps. Micah chapter 5, I'm going to read verse 2 and then verses 4 and 5. Micah chapter 5 verse 2 then verses 4 and 5. But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old from everlasting." Verse 4, and he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty, in the name of the Lord his God, and they shall abide for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth, and this one shall be peace." Again, we're New Testament saints and we're thinking of Jesus saying, I am the good shepherd. Here we have this king who will shepherd his people.

We think of Ephesians. He is our peace. He was broken down the middle wall of separation. And this one shall be peace, says Micah Chapter 5 verse 5. Now how can a human ruler come from Bethlehem and yet be from everlasting?

How is that possible? John the Baptist said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. John the Baptist is claiming that Jesus is greater than him because Jesus was before him. But that's not the birth order. The Gospels are so clear.

John the Baptist was born before Jesus. But Jesus was before John the Baptist because Jesus preceded his birth from eternity past. Jesus in John 8 58 said this, John 8 58, Jesus says most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. Abraham is something like 1500 years before Christ. Before Abraham was, I am.

Did the Jews misunderstand him? No, they perfectly understood him and they took up stones to kill him for blasphemy. Because they knew exactly what he was saying. They knew exactly what he was claiming. He was claiming to be the God man of Micah chapter 5.

One who would come from Bethlehem but who was from everlasting. Here's the major point of these glimpses in the Old Testament. The incarnation, the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, is not theology which originates in the New Testament. This is very important. Jesus didn't arise out of nowhere.

A God man, That thought didn't originate with the birth or even the public ministry of Jesus. It was the fulfillment. So that's the point of the glimpses in the Old Testament. Jesus isn't the beginning of a framework for the God man, it is the fulfillment of the framework that the Old Testament prophets give us. The missing piece to the puzzle, these things that are said that were not really understood by Old Testament saints but make perfect sense now that we have the frame of reference of God coming in the flesh and dwelling among us.

The second heading on the handout, the record of the incarnation in the New Testament. Record fills in the blank, if you're taking notes that way. The record of the incarnation in the New Testament. Record fills in the blank if you're taking notes that way. The record of the incarnation in the New Testament.

We have two speaking of the birth of Jesus. Matthew speaks of it at length, Luke speaks of it at greater length. I'd like to draw out two key features. There are lots of facts that we could spend time on, but I'm going to draw out two key features. One, there are extended genealogies in both Matthew 1 and Luke 3.

And that's very important. Lots of space given to genealogies. Think about all the things you'd like to know in the Bible that God gave zero space to. Well, when God gives a lot of space, you know He thinks it's important. He wants us to know it.

And a lot of space in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 is given to extended genealogies of Jesus. In Matthew, the genealogy starts with father Abraham and comes through David, through the captivity, to Jesus. Those are really the four great milestones in that genealogy. Starting back at Abraham, coming through King David, through the captivity in Babylon, and to Jesus. In Luke, it happens in reverse order chronologically, meaning it starts at the time of Jesus with Joseph.

It starts by saying Jesus was, as was supposed, those are the words from Luke 1, as was supposed the son of Joseph. Why does it say? He wasn't really the son of Joseph. He was the son of God. The highest overshadowed Mary and the pregnancy came from that.

But that genealogy starts with Joseph and works back through David, back through and beyond Abraham, back through and beyond Noah, all the way to Adam. The genealogy in Luke starts at the present day, Jesus' day, and works back through David, Abraham, Noah, all the way to Adam. What is the point of these extended genealogies? Why does God give the space to that, not the things you're curious about? It is to ground Jesus as a man with a thoroughly established family tree.

In the creeds, in the confessions, it's said that he was very man of very man. He didn't come from nowhere. He came like a family tree like you came from an extended family tree. His existence as a man is grounded and thoroughly established in a family tree. And a particular family tree that goes back through David, who is A foreshadowing of Christ, the greatest king that Israel ever had.

It is a foreshadowing of the great King of God's people, the Lord Jesus. The King of Kings. The Lord of Lords. So that was first, their extended genealogies, and that is to ground Jesus in a thoroughly established family tree as man. Two, the angelic messengers announcing what has happened.

You get that in Matthew, you get that in Luke, in abundance actually. An angelic messenger comes to Mary to explain to her what is happening in Luke chapter 1. In fact, he even saying that he must be named Jesus. An angelic messenger comes to explain what's happening to Joseph in Matthew chapter 1. Angelic messengers, a multitude of them, come to the shepherds when Jesus is born.

Shepherds around Bethlehem in Luke chapter 2. We read this in Luke chapter 2 verses 13 and 14. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. So on one hand, Jesus' birth was incredibly humble. There was no room for his parents in normal lodgings.

He was born into a home where the father was a carpenter, not a great man. In Luke 2, 24, they offer a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons, as he's dedicated as a firstborn. What's the significance of that? If you have resources, you offer a lamb. It's an either or.

If you have sufficient resources for it, you offer a lamb when you're consecrating the firstborn. If you don't, you offer a pair of turtledoves or two pigeons. He was not born into a family of means. Hebrews 415 says this, says that Jesus is a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, not just the life experiences of the great of the earth, but with my weaknesses. He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

He wasn't born to be a great man as we conceive great men. His birth reflects that. So on the one hand, Jesus' birth was incredibly humble. On the other hand, Jesus' birth was unlike any other birth in human history. As being the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and New Testament angelic foretelling, A multitude of angels announced his birth to nearby shepherds.

And when Mary and Joseph came to the temple when he was eight days old, Simeon had been told that God's Messiah, He would see Him before His death, and He was given the ability to recognize this child as the fulfillment of that. And then, Anna, a prophetess, who had given herself to life in the temple, praying in the temple, recognizes that this is the salvation of Israel. And finally, in Matthew 2, wise men came from the east because they knew to follow a star who would bring them to a king to worship. And they came to worship him. And I barely even mentioned John the Baptist yet, a person who was also the subject of Old Testament prophecy.

John the Baptist was a prophet who was the subject of Old Testament prophecy. He was to be the forerunner of the Messiah, whose birth was also announced by an angel and whose birth was also miraculous. Friends, these two key features establish Jesus as the God-man of Old Testament prophecy. He comes through a well-established genealogical family tree. He is man.

But he comes in response to angelic foretelling and an angelic announcement by a multitude of angels. He is God. He is the God-man of these glimpses of the Old Testament. Finally, the meaning of the incarnation for the believer in Jesus. What does it mean that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us?

I'm going to take you to four texts. The first is John chapter 1. I'm glad Taylor read portions of it. It warms us up for it. I want to reread some portions and make some comments.

So John chapter 1. John chapter 1 verses 1 through 5. In the beginning was the Word. 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 nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of man, and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. In these first verses of the Gospel of John, we learn that Jesus is God and Jesus is the light of the world. Light in the New Testament is figurative for truth, perfect truth and purity, perfect purity.

1 John says that God is light, in him is no darkness at all. He is perfect truth and perfect purity. Jesus is that. Jesus is God. Look at verses 10 through 13.

He, Jesus, was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him. He came to his own and his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. In this section We're taught that the adoption of the believer which is the will of the Father right adoption happens by the will of the Father You don't choose to be adopted you are adopted Did the adoption of the believer which is the will of the Father, comes through Jesus, through believing in His name. There's no other way to be adopted.

Verses 14-18, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of him and cried out saying, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And of his fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Here in these verses we see that Jesus is God and man. Is He the Word? Yes.

And the Word was God. Is He man? Yes. He took on flesh. He became flesh and dwelt among us.

He is the God-man. And as such, Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God to man. No one has ever seen God, but Jesus declared him By both his words and his life, if you want to know God, you look at Jesus. He is the ultimate revelation of God to man. Second, Galatians chapter 4.

Turn to Galatians chapter 4. Paul goes right to the incarnation in this section. The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. And he begins by arguing that God did it at exactly the prescribed time. In the fullness of time.

Galatians chapter 4 verses 4 through 7, follow along as I read. Paul writes, But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father, therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. As the God man, Jesus was the one who could fulfill the law as a substitute. He came, He took on flesh, He was born under the law.

As God, He was the law giver. As Christ, He was under the law, submitted himself to the law, perfectly obeyed the law, doing what no man, who was only a man, could do. Do you understand that? There could be no other substitute for sinners, because A sinner can't die for a sinner. Only a blameless one can be an acceptable substitute to God.

So it had to be the God man who could come and live a perfectly cheerful, thankful, obedient life to his father and then offer himself up as a blameless substitute. He took on flesh and was born under the law to fulfill the law so that we could be adopted by this perfectly holy father. Perfectly righteous father cannot adopt you until you have been separated from your sin and rebellion. Well that's what the work of his son Jesus Christ has done. It has separated me from my sin and rebellion.

Because he was born under the law, he fulfilled the law, and then he offered himself up as a substitute. Hebrews 2, 14 and 15. Just listen to Hebrews 2 verses 14 and 15, Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same. Jesus Himself likewise, like me, shared in the same. Shared in flesh and blood.

That through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetimes subject to bondage. Because those who needed a substitute were flesh and blood, Jesus took on flesh and blood. He himself likewise shared in the same, so that he through his death might destroy the devil in death. It might destroy our greatest enemies. The third place I'd like to go is Philippians chapter 2.

Philippians chapter 2, very familiar territory, verses 5-11. Philippians 2, 5-11, listen to what 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. I actually prefer the ESV's translation here. Did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped.

They're both fine translations. I think the ESV gets at what Paul has communicated. Did not consider it robbery to be equal with God or did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. In being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God has also highly exalted him 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, that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father." This is the essence of the incarnation.

This is the core of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. The eternal Son of God did not cling to the glory that was rightfully His by nature. Do you understand that? From eternity past, the glory of God in heaven was rightfully His by nature, but He didn't cling to it. He came to earth.

And He gave Himself up to suffer the most shameful, humiliating, agonizing death of the cross to take the place of sinners. He gave up the glory of heaven as God, which was rightfully His, in order to die the most shameful, humiliating, agonizing death to take the place of sinners. He gave up the glory of heaven as God which was rightfully His in order to die the most shameful, humiliating, agonizing death to take the place of sinners. This is right at the heart of the Gospel. This is what the angel said in Matthew 1, 21.

She will bring forth the Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, this word that means Savior, for he will save his people from their sins." Jesus was born to die. On Thursday, Robert was preaching at the nursing home, and he was encouraging, actually there were a lot of residents who were there, I was so thankful, There were a lot of residents hearing this and he was encouraging them to be thankful for the birth of the baby but not to stop at the birth of the baby and to be sentimental about the birth of a baby in the world, but to think about why that baby came. That baby came to die. That baby came on a mission to save sinners through his own death. And this is to Jesus' great honor because he accepted and fulfilled this mission.

He has been given the name above every name and that is to the glory of the Father. So the incarnation is not man centered. The gospel is not man centered. It benefits man. Nothing in history will ever benefit you more than incarnation concluding in Jesus dying on the cross and rising again.

But it wasn't fundamentally about us. It was about the name of Jesus receiving higher honor than any other name to the glory of the Father. Fourth, this final place that we'll go is Colossians 1 and 2. Just a couple of verses in each. There's so much in Colossians 1.

But I'm just going to touch on it because many of these points have been made. Colossians 1, look at the first part of verse 15. Colossians 1.15, Paul writes, He is the image of the invisible God. No one had ever seen God. He is Spirit and not seeable, but the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

He is the image of the invisible God. Look at verse 19, For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell." When you see Jesus in the Gospels, you are seeing all the fullness of God in bodily form. Look at chapter 2 verses 9 and 10. Just driving the same point home. Colossians 2, 9 and 10.

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. The Godman. And you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. The incarnation means you don't need anything else. You are complete in the God man if you have entrusted yourself to the person and work of the God man.

There is no other way for sinners to be saved. Your sins cling to you unless His work is applied to you. Please understand that. Your sins cling to you today. Every sin that you've ever sinned, even the sin of not trusting in Him, clings to you.

If you've not entrusted yourself to the God man, There is no other name by which we must be saved. Applications. Cling to Jesus. There's no one else to cling to. If you've never clung to him before, if you've been waiting for something or not wanting to, I plead with you to lay down your arms and to throw yourself upon Him for His mercy.

You'll find Him merciful. He doesn't turn away anyone who comes to Him with genuine faith. If you're in the faith, cling to Him. Cling to Him. Cling to Him.

Cling to Him. Walk near to Him. He died to bring us into union with Him, but He died also to purchase with His blood the privilege of knowing communion with him. Cling to him by faith. Spray.

Got to study these things is to know why the writers of the Creeds and Confessions are clearly struggling for words, and wanting to be so careful not to say one more thing that is clearly established in your word, or one less. And the difficulties associated with that, because it is so entrenched a mystery of how of how the Word could become flesh and dwell among us, being very God, a very God, and at one and the same time, very man, a very man. We would never talk that way any other time. But we can see why they used such phrases to try to get at this mystery. Thank you Lord Jesus for not clinging to the eternal Glory as God that was rightfully yours by nature.

But setting it aside to come and live a perfectly undefiled life in this world, in this world, dying the most shameful, humiliating, agonizing death to take the place of sinners. Our peace is here. This great truth. Thank you for becoming flesh and dwelling among us. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.