to one starting at verse 26.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy,
God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,
a descendant of David.
The virgin's name was Mary.
The angel went to her and said,
"'Greetings, you who are highly favoured.
The Lord is with you.'"
Mary was greatly troubled at his words
and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
But the angel said to her,
"'Do not be afraid, Mary.
You have found favour with God.
You will conceive and give birth to a son
and you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David
and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever.
His kingdom will never end.'"
"'How will this be?'
Mary asked the angel.
"'Since I am a virgin.'"
The angel answered,
"'The Holy Spirit will come on you
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
Even Elizabeth, your relative,
is going to have a child in her own age
and she who was said to be unable to conceive
is in her sixth month.
For no word from God will ever fail.
"'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered.
"'May your word to me be fulfilled.'"
Then the angel left her.
Ralph.
Can I pray for you?
Sure.
Yeah.
Just going to pray and pray for Ralph
as he speaks this morning.
Let's pray.
Father, we thank you for your word,
for this historical account
that has been recorded for us.
It's truth.
But yet we don't want it just to be
history and mere ink on a page.
We want it to be words that travel deep
to the understanding of our mind
and changing our hearts
till we grasp afresh the wonder of who you are.
And we ask for your help to Ralph.
Fill him and us
with your spirit's power
for we need your help.
And we ask
that you will help us.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Thanks, Ralph.
Thank you, Johnny.
This month we celebrate
arguably the most earth-shattering event
in all of history.
Just over 2,000 years ago,
according to the scriptures,
Jesus, God the Son,
the second person of the Trinity,
became a man.
God
became
a man.
Let that sink in
for one moment.
I think it's as if you were out
for a midnight walk
on one of these dark December nights.
And as you're walking,
you decide to gaze up
up to the night sky,
into the darkness.
And you start to see
these weak little starlights.
And suddenly,
your eyes are blinded
by the sudden appearance
of a midday sun
in the middle of the night.
And you're just overwhelmed.
such is the cosmic upheaval
of Jesus Christ,
God the Son,
becoming
a man.
man.
We confess,
as Christians,
that Jesus
is truly God
and truly man.
we say that Jesus
is one person
in two natures.
Jesus
has,
always has,
and always will have,
his divine
nature.
Infinite
across time
and space,
holding power
without limit,
knowing
all things.
But this same
Jesus
took on
a human nature.
Jesus
took on
human
flesh,
fragile,
humble,
bound
and
limited
to a body
and a human
soul.
So our
Christmas
celebrations,
if they're to have
any meaning
beyond shopping
and decorations
and food
and family,
must
come back
to this
simple
truth.
God
became
man.
But how
can the
infinite
exist
together
in one
person
with the
finite?
how can
the
ruler
of the
whole
universe
squeeze
into
the
womb
and be
born
and then
placed
in a
manger
among
the
animals?
There's
no shame
this morning
to say
that
here
there is
ultimately
deep,
deep
mystery.
In
preparing for
this sermon,
I went
and sought
out some
questions
from people
and read
up a little
bit on
some of
the things
that confound
people about
this glorious
truth.
How can
Jesus be
nursing as a
baby at his
mother's breast
and also at the
same time keep
that whole
universe going?
thing?
You can't
honestly believe
the idea that
Jesus was a
God living
among us
at the same
time a man
and the same
time God.
That's crazy
how those two
things go
together.
A man maybe,
but also God
at the same
time?
No way.
I don't
know if you've
ever thought
about it,
when Jesus
was a young
boy helping
his father
Joseph in
carpentry,
would Jesus
have needed
to ask what
that tool
was or what
this tool
was or how
that worked?
Or because
Jesus was
God, would
he have known
the answer
already?
How was it
that Jesus
on the earth
could say that
there were
things like the
hour of his
return that he
did not know?
Surely, if he's
God, he knows
all things.
And finally,
why is it even
important to
ask these
questions?
Why should we
care?
Is it not
enough to just
trust that he
died for our
sins and
believe?
How is the
incarnation,
God taking on
flesh, relevant
to us?
Maybe you found
something like
your question
in that list
or maybe not.
Maybe your
head hurts
already and
you're just
waiting for the
end of the
sermon so you
can get back
to planning
your Christmas.
But as we
gaze at the
manger and
we think about
the creator and
we wonder at
his coming,
we do so so
that we would
love him,
so that we
would worship
him,
so that we
would proclaim
him.
That's why we
are asking these
questions this
morning.
We look in
faith to
Jesus, the
God
man.
And if we
love him now
by faith,
then one day
we will enjoy
him forever in
heaven by
sight.
This morning I
want us to
know this
Jesus, this
Jesus, one
person in two
natures, fully
divine and
fully human.
I'm going to
turn to Luke
chapter 1
where we read
this morning.
Let's turn to
the scriptures
Luke chapter
1.
The angel
Gabriel came
to announce
to the virgin
girl Mary that
she would give
birth to a
son.
We see that
in verse 31.
Gabriel
speaking, you
will conceive
and give
birth to a
son and
you are to
call him
Jesus.
Notice
the details.
Mary will
conceive, that
is she will
become pregnant
and give
birth to
a son.
The son
will come
from Mary.
This baby
will be
conceived in
her body
and born
of her.
He will
be her
son and
she is to
give him
the name
Jesus, which
means he
saves or
God saves.
Verse 32,
like each
of us, Jesus
has a family
history.
He will be
great and
will be called
the son of
the most
high.
The Lord
God will
give him
the throne
of his
father or
his ancestor
David.
In this
case, Jesus'
family history
goes back
to King
David.
Later, we're
going to
come to
some of
the unusual
aspects of
Jesus'
conception,
especially
Mary's
virginity.
But for
now, I
want us to
notice this,
that Jesus
truly comes
from Mary.
He is
truly descended
from King
David.
Mary becomes
pregnant,
carries a
growing baby
within her,
and as we
know, gives
birth to a
son to
whom she
gives the
name Jesus.
If we look
on to the
next page
in chapter
2, and
again,
familiar
verses, the
story of the
birth of
Jesus, chapter
2, and
let's read
verse 6.
While they
were there,
that's Joseph
and Mary
in Bethlehem,
the time
came for
the baby
to be
born, and
she gave
birth to
her firstborn
son.
She wrapped
him in
cloths and
placed him
in a
manger,
because there
was no
guest room
available for
them.
You see,
these verses
recorded by
Luke are
telling us,
in many ways,
of a
normal birth,
a normal
birth of
a baby.
Luke, the
careful
historian, even
notes that
Jesus was
Mary's
firstborn
son.
You know
that Mary
would go on
to have
other children.
Jesus grew
up with
brothers and
sisters in
his family.
He would
have played
with them.
He would
have learned
from them.
As the
oldest brother,
he would
have cared
for them.
Verse 21,
chapter 2.
On the
eighth day,
when it
was time to
circumcise the
child, he
was named
Jesus, the
name the
angel had
given him
before he
was conceived.
On the
eighth day,
Jesus is
taken to
be
circumcised.
Christ.
We cannot
miss the
fact that
Jesus is
truly human.
A man
born in
the flesh.
He is
fully
human.
But I think
it's a good
point here to
maybe pause
for a second
and ask,
what does
it mean
when we
say that
Jesus is
fully
human?
Fully
human?
Truly
human?
Well,
and people
throughout the
church history
have tried to
figure this
out in
different ways
and some
have said
that, well,
maybe Jesus
only has a
human body
like ours.
But would
we say that
to be truly
human is
just to
have a
physical body,
to have
skin and
bones and
sinew and
guts?
Well, of
course not.
When we
say someone
is truly
human, it
means more
than just a
physical body.
Humans, we
have a
body and
a soul.
It's not
just dead
flesh that
makes us
human.
So whatever
is true to
say of
me as a
human must
also be
true of
Jesus as
a human.
Otherwise,
Jesus would
be less
than human.
You see,
Jesus did
not simply
appear to
be a man,
a divine
being that
kind of
comes into
a shell
of a
human body.
Jesus
isn't acting
like a
puppeteer
that pulls
the strings
on a
wooden
doll.
No,
Jesus has
a full
humanity
like
ours,
yet
without
sin.
The book
of Hebrews
is so
helpful
in helping
us to
think about
Jesus.
Let's turn
to the
book of
Hebrews.
We could
read the
whole book
to understand
who Jesus
is, but
just some
verses
particularly
helpful.
Hebrews
chapter 2
and verse
17.
Hebrews
chapter 2
and verse
17 and
18.
Page
1202.
Hebrews
2
17.
For this
reason,
he,
and that
is Jesus,
had to
be made
like them,
that's us,
fully
human in
every way
in order
that he
might become
a merciful
and faithful
high priest
in service
to God,
and that
he might
make atonement
for the
sins of
the people,
because he
himself
suffered
when he
was tempted.
He is
able to
help those
who are
being tempted.
And just
over the
page,
chapter 4
and verse
15.
Chapter 4
and verse
15.
for we
do not
have a
high priest
who is
unable to
feel sympathy
for our
weaknesses,
but we
have one
who has
been tempted
in every
way,
just as
we are,
yet he
did not
sin.
Jesus
is fully
human,
like us
in every
way,
yet
without
sin.
Jesus
had to
grow.
Jesus
had to
grow.
Just like
us,
physically,
mentally,
spiritually,
Jesus
grew.
Jesus
had to
learn
things
in his
human
nature
and in
his
mental
capacities.
Just like
any child
grows
and learns
things.
And we
turn back
to Luke,
back to
chapter 2
of Luke.
That's
page
1027.
Sorry,
this is
verse 40,
next page,
1028,
if you're
using the
church
Bible.
Luke
chapter 2
and verse
40.
And the
child,
that is
Jesus,
grew and
became
strong.
He was
filled with
wisdom and
the grace
of God
was on
him.
And then
to the
end of
the chapter
in verse
51 and
52.
Then
Jesus,
he went
down to
Nazareth
with them,
that's his
parents,
and was
obedient to
them.
But his
mother treasured
all these
things in
her heart.
And Jesus
grew in
wisdom and
stature and
in favor with
God and
man.
Do you see
how Jesus is
described in
those verses?
Jesus, he
physically and
mentally and
spiritually in
his relationship
with God,
grew and
became strong.
He grew in
wisdom and
stature and
favor with
God and
man.
So even
though this
is one
person,
this is
Jesus Christ
who is
also God,
when he
acts through
his human
nature,
he doesn't
violate what
it means to
be human.
You see,
his human
nature isn't
mixed in
some way with
the divine
nature to
create some
sort of
special
superman.
man.
That's not
what we're
talking about.
Jesus had
to grow in
his human
nature, in
his relationship
with the
Father.
He isn't
reliant in
his human
nature and
acting through
his human
nature with
his eternal
relationship with
the Father as
God the
Son.
Jesus, the
man, had
to grow in
favor with
God.
And Jesus
had limits
in his
knowledge, in
his human
nature.
He had a
human mind,
not knowing
what carpentry
tool did
what, and
he had to
learn that.
Jesus had to
memorize
scripture.
He had to
learn his
memory verses,
if you like.
In his
human mind,
he did not
know the
time of
his return
to the
earth.
his human
mind doesn't
have exhaustive
knowledge.
Only the
divine mind
knows all
things.
So Jesus,
the one
person,
through his
human nature
and through
his will,
his human
will, had
to learn
obedience to
his heavenly
Father's will.
will.
So Jesus,
acting through
his human
nature, can
truly say,
yet not my
will be
done, but
your will
be done.
The human
will of the
Son is
truly obedient
to the
divine will
of God.
It is
true
obedience.
Jesus,
the man.
There is
much to
rejoice and
find comfort
in all of
this truth.
Rejoice
because in
Jesus we
see that sin
is not
needed to
be human.
In Jesus
we see what
it is to
live free
from sin
and perfect
obedience as
a human in
relation to
God.
Adam, the
first man,
was created
without sin.
Now Jesus
is born as
the new
Adam, again
without sin,
but where
Adam failed,
Jesus
succeeds.
And as a
result we
can truly
say there
is no one
more human
than Jesus
Christ.
He is free
from the
shackles of
sin and he
was the most
truly human
person that
ever lived
and ever
flourished.
Therefore,
brothers,
and sisters,
you and
I have
hope.
You and
I have
hope.
Jesus came
down and
lived as
a man
so that
we can
reach up
and live
with God.
All that
we truly
are in
our body
and our
soul
and our
will
and our
mind,
Jesus
has taken
on to
himself
and redeemed
for us.
Hallelujah.
When we
read the
scriptures
and meditate
on the
life of
Jesus,
we know
that his
actions on
earth were
truly done
as a
man.
It wasn't
some fakery
or illusion
or mask
wearing.
Jesus truly
took to
himself at
the incarnation
both a
body and
a soul
like ours.
He lived
a truly human
life for us
and in
our
place.
And again,
there are
many
applications
of these
truths.
Here's
one.
How do
you feel
when you
wake up
in the
morning
about
your
body?
For
many of
us at
a certain
point in
our lives,
it's a
battle.
It's a
battle.
The aches
and the
pains
and the
stiffness,
the
limitations
of not
being able
to get
out this
morning,
to be
with our
friends.
we'd
love to
babysit for
someone,
but we
just don't
have the
energy.
It may
even be
that our
minds feel
weak and
frail and
plagued by
doubts and
darkness at
times.
Well, the
incarnation brings
us hope and
the incarnation
seeds our
patience for
each and
every day
that is a
struggle.
Because Jesus
lives forever
in a human
body,
and with a
human mind
just like
ours,
forever
united to
a full
humanity.
He suffered
common
infirmities
like us.
He got
tired.
Jesus got
weary.
He knew
true sorrow.
He cried
out in
pain and
anguish.
When you
read the
Psalms,
they are
the words
of Jesus.
He knows
you and
he knows
your pain.
more than
that,
he has
gone through
pain and
he has
gone through
death for
you so
that you
may finally
enjoy a
body and
a soul that
is free from
sin and
free from
all of
life's
infirmities.
He suffered
in the body
for us
that we
may know
ultimate
relief and
freedom in
his sight
forever.
Jesus,
however,
was not
just a
man.
The
scriptures
reveal time
and again
that the
man,
Jesus Christ,
is also
God
himself.
Come
in the
flesh.
man.
Jesus,
is the
God
man.
His
humanity
was in
closest
possible
relationship
to his
divine
nature
as is
possible
without
mixing
the two
together.
Luke
chapter 1
again and
the announcement
to Mary
verse 34.
How will
this be?
Mary asked
the angel,
since I
am a
virgin.
How can
I conceive
a baby?
The angel
answered,
The Holy
Spirit will
come on
you,
and the
power of
the Most
High will
overshadow
you,
so the
Holy One
to be
born will
be called
the Son
of God.
Jesus
had a
normal human
birth,
but his
conception
was anything
but normal.
we speak
of the
virgin
birth,
but really
we should
talk about
the
virginal
conception.
That would
be more
accurate.
We see
that the
Holy One,
the Son
of God
that was
to be
born,
was conceived
from the
power of
the Father
and by
the work
of the
Holy Spirit.
And you
see the
triune
God
always works
as one,
Father,
Son,
and Spirit,
and it's
one action
of all
three persons
of God
in the
virginal
conception
finds its
ending on
Jesus.
And he
is the
one then
that takes
on a
humanity
to himself
and is
conceived
within the
womb of
Mary by
the power
of God
because
nothing
is impossible
with
God.
And Luke
paints an
intimate
portrait of
this once-in-time
conception
as God
works
silently
yet
powerfully
in the
womb of
Mary to
bring about
the miracle
of God
the Son
in the
flesh.
And there's
another
portrait that
I want to
turn to
and that's
from the
Gospel of
John and
we're moving
around a
little bit
this morning
in our
Bibles but
this is
such a
big theme
it covers
all of
scriptures
really.
Christ
coming to
us.
John
chapter 1
and verse
14
and 18
because
John in
his
Gospel
he paints
for us
the same
scene but
from a
different
angle.
It's like
if Luke
was an
intimate
portrait
John is
like the
wide
landscape.
In
John
chapter 1
verse
14
the
word
that is
Jesus
eternally
the word
became
flesh
and made
his
dwelling
among us
we have
seen his
glory
the glory
of the
one and
only
son
who came
from the
father
full of
grace
and truth
and down
to verse
18
no one
has ever
seen
God
but the
one
and only
son
who is
himself
God
and in
the closest
relationship
with the
father
has made
him known
cosmic
scene
spanning
eternity
the
eternal
word
and John
sees the
eternal
word
in all
his
grand
scope
Jesus
becoming
flesh
and dwelling
amongst
all of
us
the one
and only
son
who is
both
God
and at
the same
time in
closest
relationship
with God
the father
comes
as the
light
of the
world
like that
blazing
noonday
sun
at
midnight
he
appears
to make
God
known
to a
fallen
humanity
that is
in
darkness
here
then
is
true
truth
when we
look at
the man
Jesus
we are
looking
at
God
himself
when we
read of
Mary
becoming
pregnant
with a
baby
we can
just a
few
verses
later
read
of her
cousin
Elizabeth
exclaiming
to Mary
that Mary
is the
mother of
her
Lord
she
recognizes
and senses
the divine
baby
in the
womb
this is
no
ordinary
baby
Jesus
is
God
from
God
light
from
light
true
God
from
true
God
begotten
not
made
one
being
with
the
father
in
the
face
of
Jesus
we
see
our
creator
in
the
flesh
this
divine
person
who
has
always
been
God
this
son
in
closest
relationship
to the
father
and
spirit
takes
to
himself
the
human
nature
body
and
soul
but
Jesus
does
not
give
up
his
divinity
in
any
way
Jesus
is
still
living
and
acting
through
his
divine
nature
one
person
he
can
act
through
his
human
nature
he
can
act
through
his
divine
nature
so
Jesus
through
the
divine
nature
is
still
upholding
the
universe
Jesus
is
still
ruling
still
sustaining
life
Jesus
is
one
person
and
he's
holding
the
life
of
Mary
in
his
divine
hands
as
she
carries
him
in
her
womb
and
nurses
him
at
her
breast
Jesus
is
nursed
and
feels
and
experiences
life
as
dependent
infant
through
his
human
nature
and
as
he
holds
the
universe
together
he
knows
all
things
and
he
sees
all
things
and
simultaneously
Jesus
is
creating
the
breast
milk
that's
sustaining
his
human
life
always
remember
it's
one
person
acting
through
two
natures
man
but
why
does
it
matter
that
Jesus
is
God
the
son
we
talked
about
it
mattering
that
Jesus
is
like
us
that
he's
fully
human
but
why
does
it
matter
that
he
is
divine
and
surely
like
most
people
say
we
can
look
to
Jesus
and
just
get
inspiration
as
a
good
man
even
a
sinless
man
does
he
need
to
be
this
one
person
who
is
both
God
and
man
yes
Jesus
does
for
when
Jesus
came
to
the
paralyzed
man
and
he
says
to
that
paralyzed
man
these
words
your
sins
are
forgiven
those
words
are
coming
from
the
person
of
Jesus
God
the
son
incarnate
this
is
the
eternal
word
John
says
in
the
flesh
and
because
he
is
Jesus
God
the
son
incarnate
he
has
authority
to
forgive
sins
because
he
is
God
when
he
calms
the
storm
it
is
Jesus
that
is
acting
through
his
human
voice
he
commands
be
still
but
it
is
with
God's
authority
and
divine
nature
that
he
can
make
the
wind
and
the
waves
obey
that
human
voice
the
disciples
are
right
to
be
afraid
who
is
this
man
who
is
this
man
he
is
one
Jesus
two
natures
working
together
in
perfect
harmony
and
when
Jesus
goes
to
the
cross
and
suffers
and
dies
it's
not
just
the
righteous
death
of a
sinful
man
sinless
man
it
is
Jesus
God
the
son
who
suffers
and
dies
in
our
place
his
infinite
worth
as
the
eternal
and
only
son
of
the
father
purchases
for
us
our
salvation
and
not
only
our
salvation
but
salvation
for
the
whole
world
all
who
would
come
to
him
in
repentance
can be
forgiven
for
their
sins
because
Jesus
is
God
the
son
eternally
he
can
pay
for
your
sins
by
his
death
on
the
cross
and
so
this
is
good
news
good
news
for
all
of
us
believer
unbeliever
skeptic
good
news
if
you
know
Jesus
you
know
God
Jesus
can
say
I
am
the
way
the
truth
and
the
life
no
one
comes
to
the
father
except
through
me
Jesus
in
the
flesh
can
say
before
Abraham
was
I
am
you
see
he's
not
just
a man
doing
his
best
in
the
world
he
is
Jesus
Christ
God
the
son
incarnate
we
see
in
his
miracles
we
see
in
his
forgiveness
of
sins
we
see
his
acceptance
of
worship
we
see
in
his
use
of
God's
names
and
titles
he
is
truly
God
this
is
good
news
our
bodies
and
minds
will
suffer
and
deteriorate
throughout
life
but we
know
because
Jesus
came
in
the
flesh
they
will
be
restored
but
because
Jesus
who
came
is
also
God
almighty
our
greatest
threat
the
ravages
of
death
the
ravages
of
guilt
and
the
punishment
for
our
sin
are
also
taken
care
of
you
know
we
think
our
greatest
struggle
is to
get
by
in
this
life
but
actually
our
greatest
struggle
is to
overcome
death
our
deep
questions
about
who
we
are
and
where
we
came
from
and
where
we
are
going
are
all
answered
in
Jesus
he
because
he
is
God
is
inexhaustible
he
knows
all
things
he
sees
all
things
has
power
over
all
things
what
worries
you
this
week
what
ails
you
this
week
come
to
Jesus
and lay
it at
his
feet
await
his
justice
he
is
the
universe
upholding
God
we
come
to the
incarnation
to know
Jesus
to love
Jesus
to worship
Jesus
and proclaim
Jesus
do you
know
that he
is both
God
and man
rejoice
the eternal
salvation of
your body
soul
and mind
are really
secured
because of
his
coming
in the
flesh
do you
love
Jesus
do you
love
Jesus
as you
meditate
on the
mystery
of the
God
man
do you
see
his
beauty
his
humility
his
servant
heart
for you
and do
you
respond
in love
and
obedience
to
him
if you
see him
as he
truly
is
you
will
love
him
do you
worship
Jesus
only
God
deserves
our
worship
and
Jesus
is
God
the
son
praise
him
set
your
heart
on
him
desire
him
in all
of your
life
do
you
proclaim
Jesus
do
you
speak
to
others
of his
unique
life
Christ
alone
Christ
alone
is
able
to
save
there
is no
other
God
there
is no
other
religion
there
is no
other
path
that can
help
you
there
is no
one
like
Jesus
the
God
man
he
is
unique
he
alone
is
able
to
save
share
him
and
proclaim
him
confidently
this
Christmas
with
friends
and
family
and
neighbors
we
have
a
great
message
to
proclaim
to
people
a
final
quote
as we
finish
from a
theologian
called
B.B.
Warfield
as he
contemplated
Jesus
the
God
man
we
must
not
we
must
know
him
not
as
a
humanized
God
or
a
deified
man
but
a
true
God
man
one
who
is
all
that
God
is
and
at
the
same
time
all
that
man
is
on
whose
mighty
arm
we
can
rest
and
to
whose
human
sympathy
we
can
appeal
we
cannot
afford
to
either
lose
the
God
in
the
man
or
the
man
in
the
God
our
hearts
cry out
for the
complete
God
man
whom
the
scriptures
offer
us
amen
let's
pray
to
the