I know that by the time you are reading this Christmas will have passed. But some Christians do not stop celebrating Christmas until January 6, 2026, so I still have time to squeeze in a few more thoughts about Jesus’ incarnation!
So, during Advent I was reading a devotional by Charles Spurgeon about the incarnation of our Lord, and as is often the case, Spurgeon’s writing helped me to consider how glorious our Lord’s first advent was. And before I knew it, I was meditating on other aspects of Christ’s coming that were well beyond my full comprehension.
Such as:
• What was the reckoning that took place in the mind of Christ that He “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (Philippians 2:7 ESV).
• What exactly does it mean that Christ “emptied” Himself before coming to earth? (Philippians 2:7)?
• How is it that Jesus, who created all things and holds them together (Colossians 1:16-17 ESV) was “found in human form” (Philippians 2:8 ESV)?
• What exactly does it mean that all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell in Him (Colossians 1:19)?
Now, I have read some great theologians who have taken their best shot at explaining these things, but even their explanations leave me wanting because I am convinced that no one can truly understand these deep mysteries this side of heaven. And I just want more!
But having considered these things, I started thinking, “Well, for now, God has graciously and mercifully helped me to understand enough that I can praise Him from the bottom of my heart for my Savior’s incarnation.
And, that God has helped me to understand enough about how I am saved “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3:25), that I can praise Him from the bottom of my heart for my salvation.
And, that God has helped me to understand enough about His second coming that I can praise Him that Jesus, who was taken up from us into heaven, will come back to us in the same way (Acts 1:11).
So, this new year, let us all praise God that He has graciously and mercifully revealed enough to us about these great truths that we are saved and can rejoice over Him and them! For we do not need to know all things, we just need to know Him.
Happy New Year,
Pastor Rob