The incarnation of Christ is a foundational doctrine of Christianity, asserting that Jesus Christ, God's eternal Son, was both fully God and fully man. This truth is essential for salvation, as only a perfect Savior could redeem humanity. The sermon emphasizes that the one born in Bethlehem was God Himself, who came to save sinners, as stated by John and Paul. Believing in this divine nature of Christ is crucial for Christian faith and offers satisfaction and hope.
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They love a radio, friends, upon the hearts and in the minds of many believers. Today the Lord Jesus Christ may be upon their hearts and minds concerning his birth, and particularly the true meaning of it, though we confess that the majority of people may not have any serious thoughts concerning this. But for those who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ, There are many vital and precious truths concerning Christ which can build up and strengthen the soul. So today shall we begin a meditation carefully and prayerfully on the blessed theme of the incarnation of Christ.
Let us consider some important reasons for understanding this great doctrine. First of all, it is a basic foundation of Christianity. Satan has so often attacked this doctrine of Christ's incarnation and done so very effectively. He has led many people astray from this in order to undermine and attack the person of Christ. So we need to withstand Satan's errors and our protection can be found only in submission to the teaching of the Word of God. No special theological knowledge or attainment is required, for the simplest believer who loves the Lord Jesus Christ will instinctively shrink away from any false teaching that comes from Satan.
Second, let us give a simple summary of the doctrine and listen very carefully. The doctrine declares that the Lord Jesus Christ, God's eternal Son, in his humanity was the only perfect man who ever lived upon the earth. He was perfect in thought, he was perfect in word, and he was perfect indeed all the days of his life. Drink this in, my fellow believer, and my unbelieving listener, may you take it in. for the claim is important for you as well as for me.
There is no perfect Savior outside of Christ for any others. When Christ was upon the earth, His perfection was known to God, and He was the perfect object of God's satisfaction. Praise God, the Father said, This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. and God desires that we should agree and fellowship with him concerning that well-beloved Son in the flesh, and we too can find satisfaction in him. A third thing, we should listen to the Apostle John when he declared that Christ was God from all eternity, yet became flesh, and tabernacled or lived amongst us.
Listen to John's words inspired by the Holy Spirit in John chapter one and verse fourteen. And the word, a name and a title belonging to Christ, and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. If you will ever note the first verse in John's Gospel, you will find that Christ is called by that title, the Word, and you will find that He is equal with God.
And you will read that the Word was with God. And you find Him called God. John writing to say, and the Word was God. His eternal being, his co-equal character with God, and his eternal deity are thus set forth. Now in reading this divine truth, we simply but firmly believe that Christ, the Son of God, who was God from all eternity past, became flesh, human flesh, and lived amongst us. The Word of God declares it.
and the believer in the Lord Jesus accepts the truth of it. It was God the Son who became flesh, one who was very God. But listen to the words of the Apostle Paul as well as to John. When Paul, by the Spirit, wrote in Philippians chapter two, verses six and seven, within those two verses, Paul declares, that the one who was in the form of God took upon him the likeness of men. Philippians two, six and seven, note very carefully, though he was in the form of God, he took upon him the likeness of men.
Yes, the very one who became flesh. He himself was God. This truth we should lay hold of, But let me quote another scripture from Hebrews chapter one and verse three, where the writer to that Hebrew, in that Hebrew epistle states, that the Son of God is the brightness of God's glory and the express image or character of his substance. Yet in verse two, or chapter two, I should say, verses sixteen and seventeen, the writer to the Hebrews declares, He took upon him the seed of Abraham.
One basic, one important fact about the incarnation of Christ that we must believe is to know who it was who became flesh. One who was born of the Virgin Mary, cradled in the stable at Bethlehem. He was very God. First Timothy chapter three and verse sixteen tells us, God was manifest in the flesh. Was not Joseph, who was the husband of Mary, later, was he not told by the angel, concerning the birth of Christ, his name shall be called Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us.
Matthew one and verse twenty three. Oh, may I repeat this essential truth. The one, the babe that was born in the manger of Bethlehem, was none other than God the eternal Son made flesh to dwell amongst us here. He was God with us. My beloved is precious but basic truth. Satan denies, and he finds too many men who are willing to go along with the denial. But the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ must never deny this truth.
Who it was who was born at Bethlehem long ago. My fellow believer, May you and I stop and consider this very worshipfully as well as seriously, for it is a basic foundation upon which the Christian testimony stands. May I express the words that once quoted the testimony of that statesman of our country known as Daniel Webster, well known in the history of this land, who on one occasion was asked, Mr.
Wester, do you believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God? He answered very affirmatively, boldly saying, and this is his confession, knowing what a sinner that I am, and that I need a superhuman savior, I am compelled to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Oh, my beloved radio friend, as you may have your thoughts directed at this season of the year, to the incarnation of our beloved Savior and Lord, the incarnation of Christ.
Yes, even all of us, grant that you and I will know and believe who it was that was born in Bethlehem long ago. He was none other than God, the eternal Son, come to the earth, born in the flesh. And now you may ask why? A very good question for any man, woman, boy, and girl to ask. Tis one thing to emphasize who he was, but it is another thing to tell why he came.
May we close our message today by listening to the words of the Apostle Paul, who in First Timothy chapter one and verse fifteen declare these priceless words, Christ Jesus came into the world. to save sinners, of whom I am chief. First Timothy chapter one, verse fifteen. Note the person who came, Christ Jesus, that name of his messiahship and of his power to save, Jehovah Jesus.
Note what he did. He made a journey He came, and in having to come, he had to come from heaven. And he came from heaven into the world. Will you take that in? Here is the greatest missionary that ever the world has ever known. He came from a far distant planet. Nay, he came from the heart of God the Father above. in the holiest of all, in the presence of God. And he came to this world, not a very good place for anyone to come from a place from which he came.
But why did he come? He came to save sinners. May I ask my friend, has he saved you yet? So we would conclude our first message on the incarnation of Christ. by emphasizing who it was. It was God who became flesh and tabernacled amongst us. John chapter one and verse fourteen. My beloved friend, do you believe this? God grant that you do. Father, we pray thy blessing upon the revealed truth of thy beloved eternal Son coming into this world to save sinners in his own precious name on end.