Incarnation: The Bottom Line of Christian Belief

The Inspired Prophet foretold of Messiah's birth some three quarter's millennium before He arrived.  There recorded are these fantastic words:

"Behold a Virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and you will call His name Immanuel, meaning 'God with us'" (Isaiah 7.14). 

The coming of Messiah...The virgin birth of Christ...God with us, God becoming human.  C.S. Lewis writes in Miracles, a modern day classic, these words pertaining to the Incarnation:

The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation.  They say that God became Man.  Every other miracle prepares for this or exhibits this, or results from this...It was the central event in the history of the Earth--the very thing that the whole story has been about." (p.112).

Lewis refers to Bethlehem as the "Grand Miracle."  If Christianity fails here, Christianity fails altogether.  After all, why should it be so incredible if One born God should be able to change water into wine, heal a leper, calm a storm, feed a multitude, restore senses or even forgive sins, not to mention offer His life in death and raise it up again?

The grand event of Christian belief is God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.  "Good News for all people", the Angels assured the Shepherds.  "For unto you this day is born in the city of David, The Savior, yes Christ the Lord."

This week before Christmas, I trust our minds consumed with Bethlehem, where birthed the bottom line of Christian belief.   

With that, I am...

Peter

Comments

[Seth McBee]

Good post, I just did a sermon for our youth on "The Virgin Birth: It's Necessity and Benefits"

[peter]

Seth,

Thanks Seth. I am more moved at Christmastide than any other time in the Church year, I think. I trust your day well, my Brother. With that, I am...

Peter

[selahV]

PETER: I'm planting new roses in my yard next Spring. And will border my fences with the Rose of Sharon bushes. They are gorgeous and have no thorns. They bloom early and keep blooming. And one can depend on them in drought, just as we can The Most Beatiful Rose of All, Whom we celebrate today. God bless you, selahV

[Timotheos]

Good Evening Peter,

Thanks for the lovely reminder of the sublime beauty and mystery of the Lord of Glory robing Himself in "manflesh" (with apologies to Tolkien).

The older (and more decrepit) I grow, the more thankful I become for the incarnation and the more my heart aches to be clothed as He.

Have a blessed, incarnation- saturated Christmas, all.

Timotheos

[peter]

Timotheos,

Glad you stopped by. And thank you for the warm words. I wish to you, your family and your Church a most blessed Christmas weekend. With that, I am...

Peter

[selahV]

Timotheos: Amen. SelahV

[volfan07]

feliz navidad yall!

volfan007

[selahV]

volfan...to you too! I'm so happy I could pop! selahV

[Michael Westmoreland-White]

The heart of our faith is supposed to be Christ's passion and resurrection, but the incarnation is ALSO wonderful. Here God risked everything to share the human condition: "Very God of Very God--with a skull you could crush one-handed," as Frederick Buechner says to emphasize the vulnerability that the Infinite Artist chose in becoming part of the mosaic of creation, of human life.

Although the pagan consumerist orgy of "stuff-buying" tends to depress me (THIS is how we celebrate the birth of a poor child, whose family were soon to be refugees?), the Christmas story itself is amazing. Thanks for posting this, Peter.

[Pilgrimsarbour]

Hello Peter,

I just wanted to stop by and greet you. I have been e-mailing with Sam Bell lately and I saw your comments on one of his posts. In addition, Tiber Jumper is a long-time friend of mine. I too am interested in talking with brothers and sisters not of my own communion. Please stop by when you have time.

All God's Best,

Pilgrimsarbour