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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE INCARNATION
(HEBREWS 2:14-18) CONGREGATIONAL SONG: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing POETIC READING: An Incarnation Poem (David Funkhouser) What good is the Christmas story If it’s void of God and His glory? What’s the worth of the words “peace on earth” If it’s not rooted in the truth of Christ’s birth? What benefit is it for us to discuss the joy of the season, Unless we fix our hearts and minds On the principle reason that Christ has atoned for us? See, Christmas is more than just a story of a baby born in a manger, More than a poor fiancé engaged to a humble virgin teenager. More than the magi; more than gold, frankincense, and myrrh; It’s more than a narrative of the nativity scene-- There was so much more that occurred. It’s the coming of the Messiah; The fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises; The prophecy of the Suffering Servant And all of His accomplishments; The second Person of the Trinity commissioned To abandon His position, And [become fashioned as a man] in full submission. The Word manifested in the flesh; The fullness of God expressed; The self-emptying Jesus poured out at the Father’s request. The image of the invisible God; The radiance of the Father’s fame; Holy, but retained His humanness to empathize with our pain. He would be unjustly crushed, chastised, cursed, and shamed, Mocked and adorned with a crown of thorns, Disgraced, but still faced the grave-- Why? To fulfill the Father’s will to come And die in the place of sinful men, And received the full fury of God’s judgment upon Himself instead. The most monumental mark for mankind, made in human history-- Wretched sinners being made righteous Only by the wounds of the risen king! The condescending of a Holy God made in the likeness of men, A child born to be the Savior That would save the world from their sins. The offspring of the virgin’s womb, the Christ, God’s own Son: Fully God, yet fully man—the only Theanthropic One. This is what we celebrate—“Christ, the new born King!” Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity. |
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BIBLE EXPOSITION (Pastor Keith)
“Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the Incarnate Deity.” We are very glad that you’ve joined us tonight, and we hope that this service is a tremendous encouragement to you and a motivating prod as we seek to start out well in this New Year. The theme and subject of this service is that great Christmas doctrine just referenced—the Incarnation. We’re going to use one passage in particular to help us organize and apply our thoughts, but we’ll also enjoy devotional readings, congregational singing, special music, prayer, and testimonies to drive home these important considerations. Please turn with me in your Bibles to Hebrews 2:14-18, where we will spend some significant time this evening.
Hebrews was written with two primary purposes in mind.
1. To demonstrate that Jesus is better than prophets (1:1-3), angels (1:4), Moses (3:1-3), Aaron (7:23-26), and the whole OT System (8:4-7; 10:1-7).
After Jesus ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit indwelt His church, that new body of believers began to rapidly grow in Jerusalem and beyond. However, with that growth also came a great persecution in that ungodly Roman Empire. Apparently many Jews, having once turned from the Law of Moses to Christ, began to reconsider their decision. So, the author demonstrates that the second purpose of his book is…
2. To encourage the readers to “press on” in following Him (3:1; 6:1; 10:23; 12:1ff).
- “Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus” (3:1)
- “Let us go on unto perfection” (6:1)
- “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (10:23)
It is not only first century Jews confronted by fierce persecution who struggle with those thoughts. We, too, can find ourselves in the same throes of doubt. Difficulties arise, suffering pursues us through life, and we feel the strain of constantly denying ourselves and taking up our cross…and perhaps we wonder, “Is it worth it all?” Perhaps we consider giving up, walking away, trying something else, returning to our former ways. Yes, even today the temptation can be to look past Christ to something else, to ignore the truth of God’s Word for something easier and more convenient. We all are tempted and some have succumbed to the temptation to replace Christ for some cheap earthly imitation. “So,” we ask like the first-century Jews, “Compared to our schemes, compared to our other crutches, compared to our past, is Christ better?”
In Hebrews 2, the author of Hebrews uses the concept of the incarnation (the great theology of Christmastime) of Christ as proof that Christ is superior. The incarnation, literally meaning “in flesh,” is “the act wherein…God the Son took to Himself an additional nature, humanity, through the virgin birth” (Paul Enns). John 1:14 says of Jesus, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [pitched His tent] among us.” In fact, one of Jesus’ names is “Emmanuel” meaning “God with us.”
In Hebrews 2, verses 14 and 17 present this concept of the incarnation. Verse 14 says, "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise partook of the same things." The children—humanity in general, or more specifically believers (cf. vv. 10-13), have flesh and blood bodies. Christ also took upon Him a physical flesh and blood body. Verse 17 says, "Therefore He had to be made like his brothers in every respect." Again, the brethren or believers have physical bodies; Christ was made like them by assuming a physical nature.
Do you realize how significant the incarnation is? One writer puts it this way.
"Here’s why the doctrine of Christmas is unique. On one hand, you’ve got religions that say God is so immanent in all things that incarnation is normal. If you’re a Buddhist or Hindu, God is immanent in everything. On the other hand, religions like Islam and Judaism say God is so transcendent over all things that incarnation is impossible. But Christianity is unique. It doesn’t say incarnation is normal, but it doesn’t say it’s impossible. It says God is so immanent that it is possible, but He is so transcendent that the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus Christ is a history-altering, life-transforming, paradigm-shattering event."
Throughout the ages as God’s revelation to man progressed, God’s people longed for the day when the human/divine Messiah would be born. This was their long-awaited hope! And now, these 2,000 years later, we look back with joyful confidence that our Savior and Messiah, Jesus Christ, is superior, for He fulfilled incredible prophecy through the incarnation.
CONGREGATIONAL SONG WITH INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE — O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
INCARNATION ACCOMPLISHMENT 1 — THROUGH THE INCARNATION,
CHRIST PROVIDED FOR YOUR SALVATION (HEBREWS 2:14-15).
CHRIST PROVIDED FOR YOUR SALVATION (HEBREWS 2:14-15).
BIBLE EXPOSITION (Pastor Keith)
In Hebrews 2:14-18, the author specifically unpacks two accomplishments of Christ through His incarnation that validate His superiority and encourage our hearts. The first is found in verses 14-15.
1. Christ Saves You from Death.
The foe is named for us in verse 14, and he is none other than the “devil.” This verse also tells us that the devil exercises his power in the realm of death. Death was not original to God’s creation (Genesis 2:15-17); it was the result of sin (Romans 5:12). And because all have sinned (Romans 3:10, 23), the devil persists in keeping sinful men in bondage and fear of death. He does so by promoting sin and rebellion against God, by slandering God’s people and keeping God’s enemies blinded to their sinfulness, and by calling upon God for the death of His still sinful redeemed ones (paraphrase from Kent). Before salvation, sin was our crime, the devil was our accuser, and death was our punishment.
2. Christ Saves You by Death.
The devil has been the enemy of man since the Garden of Eden, and his subtle deception and outright assaults have not relented since then. The devil has even been so audacious as to tempt the very Son of God (Matthew 4). However, he is a defeated foe! How ironic that our foe (who loves and operates within death) was defeated by means of the death of Christ. Verses 14 and 15 tell us that “through death” Christ destroyed (or made inoperative) Satan’s “power over death” and provided deliverance for sinful mankind from the “fear of death” that can oppress for a “lifetime.” His resurrection proved that He had defeated death. No longer must death bring torment and bondage to men. Death has defeated death! This is the power of the cross!
SF ENSEMBLE — The Power of the Cross
CONGREGATIONAL SONG — Gloria Deo
OFFERTORY — In Christ Alone (Sarah Tepner)
In Hebrews 2:14-18, the author specifically unpacks two accomplishments of Christ through His incarnation that validate His superiority and encourage our hearts. The first is found in verses 14-15.
1. Christ Saves You from Death.
The foe is named for us in verse 14, and he is none other than the “devil.” This verse also tells us that the devil exercises his power in the realm of death. Death was not original to God’s creation (Genesis 2:15-17); it was the result of sin (Romans 5:12). And because all have sinned (Romans 3:10, 23), the devil persists in keeping sinful men in bondage and fear of death. He does so by promoting sin and rebellion against God, by slandering God’s people and keeping God’s enemies blinded to their sinfulness, and by calling upon God for the death of His still sinful redeemed ones (paraphrase from Kent). Before salvation, sin was our crime, the devil was our accuser, and death was our punishment.
2. Christ Saves You by Death.
The devil has been the enemy of man since the Garden of Eden, and his subtle deception and outright assaults have not relented since then. The devil has even been so audacious as to tempt the very Son of God (Matthew 4). However, he is a defeated foe! How ironic that our foe (who loves and operates within death) was defeated by means of the death of Christ. Verses 14 and 15 tell us that “through death” Christ destroyed (or made inoperative) Satan’s “power over death” and provided deliverance for sinful mankind from the “fear of death” that can oppress for a “lifetime.” His resurrection proved that He had defeated death. No longer must death bring torment and bondage to men. Death has defeated death! This is the power of the cross!
SF ENSEMBLE — The Power of the Cross
CONGREGATIONAL SONG — Gloria Deo
OFFERTORY — In Christ Alone (Sarah Tepner)
INCARNATION ACCOMPLISHMENT 2 — THROUGH THE INCARNATION,
CHRIST PROVIDED FOR YOUR SERVICE (HEBREWS 2:17-18).
CHRIST PROVIDED FOR YOUR SERVICE (HEBREWS 2:17-18).
BIBLE EXPOSITION (Pastor Keith)
In verses 17-18, the writer of Hebrews suggests a second accomplishment of the incarnation that should inspire us to “look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith” and to follow Him afresh.
1. Christ Intercedes for You (v. 17).
Christ is our merciful and faithful High Priest—merciful because He knows our weaknesses and has faced our trials and temptations. Apart from sin, Christ experienced humanity in its fullest, including the pain of suffering, fighting temptation, and impending death. Therefore, His mercy is quick to respond to fellow men. Furthermore, in enduring through the suffering and pain He experienced, He proved Himself to be faithful. And He preserved unto the end. Now fully qualified in these two areas, He is uniquely suited to be our perfect High Priest. As our High Priest, Jesus makes reconciliation (or more accurately, propitiation) for the sins of the people. To do this, He thoroughly appeased God’s wrath (John 3:36) toward sin by living a perfect life, which we could not do but should have done, and then by paying for the sins that we commit by His own once-for-all death. That propitiatory sacrifice was credited to our account on the day you and I were saved.
The New Testament reminds us that Christ continues to serve the Christian in this High Priestly role. John 17 indicates that Christ prays for His own. Romans 8:34 echoes this truth, telling us that “[Christ] is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us [His saints].” And Hebrews 7:25 reminds us that Christ “ever liveth to make intercession for” those “that come unto God by Him.” Christ can be man’s “merciful and faithful High Priest,” faithfully and mercifully interceding for us before the Throne of Grace, because He has been where we are during His incarnation.
Morgan Herman will be coming now to read a Devotional Reading that will begin drive home the application of this point a little bit further.
DEVOTIONAL READING — The Intercession of Christ (Morgan Herman)
PRAYER — Thank God for Christ’s Intercession (Andrew Engle)
BIBLE EXPOSITION CONTINUED (Pastor Keith)
2. Christ Intervenes for You (v. 18).
Verse 18 tells us that Christ was tempted during His earthly stay. Matthew 4 and Luke 4 record the most familiar temptation account. But throughout His ministry, Christ was tempted to do things His own way—to respond wrongly, to reject the cross, to annihilate His enemies.
According to Hebrews 4:15, His temptations, like ours, were many and multi-faceted, “For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but [He] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus has been through it all. He knows trials and temptations, and He succeeded it them. And thus, knowing human weakness, He is best suited to help human weakness. He is able to intervene on our behalf and “succour them that are tempted.” The word “succour” means “to run to when called for.” Like a waiter, waiting in the shadows for us to call for his assistance, Jesus is ready to run to our aid when called for. Therefore, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Illustration: The following complaint was posted online in April of 2002 by a husband who had ordered flowers for his wife from an online florist. He wrote, “Dear [Customer Service], You are a liar! My flowers were not delivered on April 17 as indicated in your email. If you will check your own date you will see that it was delivered on April 19.…‘Your trusted guide to gifting’ slogan is utter nonsense. I ‘trusted’ you to deliver on my wife’s birthday the 17th. You did not! I ‘trusted’ you to maintain some control over order & delivery tracking process. You did not! I ‘trusted’ you to make it a surprise. You did not! I want my money back!.
All of us here can, to some degree, sympathize with the frustration expressed by that husband. We’ve all experienced that disappointment when someone we trusted failed to “deliver” for us. In contrast, though, there will never be a moment in life when a Christian can point at Christ and say, “I trusted you, and you failed me!” Christ serves us fully, completely, and superiorly.
Some are here this evening wearied with anxiety over the security of your soul—you wonder if you said the right words, did the right things; “Can Christ really forgive such-and-such?” you wonder, and you make daily attempts to propitiate your God. Perhaps you find yourself here this morning overwhelmed with guilt because of some sin with which you do daily battle and gain no victory. And because of your sin, you now find yourself doubting Christ’s forgiveness and working to earn God’s favor. Maybe—having just lost a loved one through a tough break-up or death, or having been recently diagnosed with some frightening disease, or having undergone an unfair situation at work—you’re in the valley and your heart is hurting. Perhaps you just recently accepted Christ as your Savior, but now the honeymoon period has worn off. “Is the struggle really worth it?” you ask.
Have you fallen down? Are you discouraged? Christian, don’t give up. Your superior and incarnate Christ has been there before; trust His service, and run to Him, even as He is waiting to run to you!
CONGREGATIONAL SONG — I Run to Christ
CONGREGATIONAL SONG — Wonderful, Merciful Savior
SF LADIES ENSEMBLE — Grace Unmeasured
In verses 17-18, the writer of Hebrews suggests a second accomplishment of the incarnation that should inspire us to “look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith” and to follow Him afresh.
1. Christ Intercedes for You (v. 17).
Christ is our merciful and faithful High Priest—merciful because He knows our weaknesses and has faced our trials and temptations. Apart from sin, Christ experienced humanity in its fullest, including the pain of suffering, fighting temptation, and impending death. Therefore, His mercy is quick to respond to fellow men. Furthermore, in enduring through the suffering and pain He experienced, He proved Himself to be faithful. And He preserved unto the end. Now fully qualified in these two areas, He is uniquely suited to be our perfect High Priest. As our High Priest, Jesus makes reconciliation (or more accurately, propitiation) for the sins of the people. To do this, He thoroughly appeased God’s wrath (John 3:36) toward sin by living a perfect life, which we could not do but should have done, and then by paying for the sins that we commit by His own once-for-all death. That propitiatory sacrifice was credited to our account on the day you and I were saved.
The New Testament reminds us that Christ continues to serve the Christian in this High Priestly role. John 17 indicates that Christ prays for His own. Romans 8:34 echoes this truth, telling us that “[Christ] is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us [His saints].” And Hebrews 7:25 reminds us that Christ “ever liveth to make intercession for” those “that come unto God by Him.” Christ can be man’s “merciful and faithful High Priest,” faithfully and mercifully interceding for us before the Throne of Grace, because He has been where we are during His incarnation.
Morgan Herman will be coming now to read a Devotional Reading that will begin drive home the application of this point a little bit further.
DEVOTIONAL READING — The Intercession of Christ (Morgan Herman)
PRAYER — Thank God for Christ’s Intercession (Andrew Engle)
BIBLE EXPOSITION CONTINUED (Pastor Keith)
2. Christ Intervenes for You (v. 18).
Verse 18 tells us that Christ was tempted during His earthly stay. Matthew 4 and Luke 4 record the most familiar temptation account. But throughout His ministry, Christ was tempted to do things His own way—to respond wrongly, to reject the cross, to annihilate His enemies.
According to Hebrews 4:15, His temptations, like ours, were many and multi-faceted, “For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but [He] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus has been through it all. He knows trials and temptations, and He succeeded it them. And thus, knowing human weakness, He is best suited to help human weakness. He is able to intervene on our behalf and “succour them that are tempted.” The word “succour” means “to run to when called for.” Like a waiter, waiting in the shadows for us to call for his assistance, Jesus is ready to run to our aid when called for. Therefore, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Illustration: The following complaint was posted online in April of 2002 by a husband who had ordered flowers for his wife from an online florist. He wrote, “Dear [Customer Service], You are a liar! My flowers were not delivered on April 17 as indicated in your email. If you will check your own date you will see that it was delivered on April 19.…‘Your trusted guide to gifting’ slogan is utter nonsense. I ‘trusted’ you to deliver on my wife’s birthday the 17th. You did not! I ‘trusted’ you to maintain some control over order & delivery tracking process. You did not! I ‘trusted’ you to make it a surprise. You did not! I want my money back!.
All of us here can, to some degree, sympathize with the frustration expressed by that husband. We’ve all experienced that disappointment when someone we trusted failed to “deliver” for us. In contrast, though, there will never be a moment in life when a Christian can point at Christ and say, “I trusted you, and you failed me!” Christ serves us fully, completely, and superiorly.
Some are here this evening wearied with anxiety over the security of your soul—you wonder if you said the right words, did the right things; “Can Christ really forgive such-and-such?” you wonder, and you make daily attempts to propitiate your God. Perhaps you find yourself here this morning overwhelmed with guilt because of some sin with which you do daily battle and gain no victory. And because of your sin, you now find yourself doubting Christ’s forgiveness and working to earn God’s favor. Maybe—having just lost a loved one through a tough break-up or death, or having been recently diagnosed with some frightening disease, or having undergone an unfair situation at work—you’re in the valley and your heart is hurting. Perhaps you just recently accepted Christ as your Savior, but now the honeymoon period has worn off. “Is the struggle really worth it?” you ask.
Have you fallen down? Are you discouraged? Christian, don’t give up. Your superior and incarnate Christ has been there before; trust His service, and run to Him, even as He is waiting to run to you!
CONGREGATIONAL SONG — I Run to Christ
CONGREGATIONAL SONG — Wonderful, Merciful Savior
SF LADIES ENSEMBLE — Grace Unmeasured
BIBLE EXPOSITION (Pastor Keith)
Previously, we passed over verse 16, but not because it is unimportant. The verse is a bit confusing as we read it, but it is simply bringing Christ’s work into sharp focus, reminding us that the accomplishments of His incarnation were not for angels who might seem to be more likely candidates. No, Christ’s work was for you. His incarnation was ordained on your behalf. His achievements were done with you in mind. Christ became incarnate so that He might save you! Christ became incarnate so that by interceding and intervening, He might serve you! What a merciful God!
SF CHOIR WITH FLUTE (Dawn Lewis) — Merciful God
Previously, we passed over verse 16, but not because it is unimportant. The verse is a bit confusing as we read it, but it is simply bringing Christ’s work into sharp focus, reminding us that the accomplishments of His incarnation were not for angels who might seem to be more likely candidates. No, Christ’s work was for you. His incarnation was ordained on your behalf. His achievements were done with you in mind. Christ became incarnate so that He might save you! Christ became incarnate so that by interceding and intervening, He might serve you! What a merciful God!
SF CHOIR WITH FLUTE (Dawn Lewis) — Merciful God
