Series Summary
The Incarnation – when God became human in the person of Jesus Christ – is the fullest example of God’s profound love and desire to redeem and restore humanity. Jesus is eternal, one with God the Father, and yet when he took on flesh, he became fully human, even while still being fully divine. In doing so, he bridged the gap that separated us from God. In the Incarnation, Jesus became one of us, entered into our suffering, shared in our experiences, and made a way for our salvation, through his life, death, and resurrection.
At Christmas, celebrating the Incarnation carries deep significance. It reminds us of the hope, peace, and joy that come with God's presence among mankind. This Christmas, we will look at how Jesus is eternal in nature, how he is both fully human and fully God, and what that means for us as Christians. And as we do so, we'll find more and more reasons to celebrate, not only his birth, but also the transformative power of God’s love shown most clearly in the cry of a baby.
It may be a profound mystery, but in Christ, the mystery has been revealed! In Jesus, we see God's plan, why it matters, and how we can live in response. So we invite you to join us this Christmas season, and marvel at the Incarnation and its call to respond in faith, worship, and imitation of Christ.
Sermon Summary
In Philippians 2, Paul presents the Incarnation of Christ as the ultimate example of humility and selflessness. He begins by urging believers to have the same mindset as Christ, who, though He was in the very nature God, did not cling to His divine status or privileges. Instead, Christ demonstrated a willingness to empty Himself, taking on the nature of a servant. His action serves as an example and a call for believers to pursue humility in every area of life.
This passage describes the depth of Christ’s humility. He took on flesh, entering into the frailty and limitations of our existence, despite being Creator of everything. As he identified with humanity, he set the example for us to follow, and showed us how to love sacrificially as he did.
The ultimate expression of Christ's humility, though, was his death upon the cross. In this, we see his submission to the Father's will, again setting an example for us to follow. Through His life, death, and example, Christ shows that his desire for us is to follow him in humble service and faithful devotion, both to God and to others.
That leaves just two questions: Are you following his example? And how are you practicing this specifically?
