God Became a Man at Christmas

The account of the first Christmas is filled with supernatural wonder. Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled (Is 7:14; 9:6; Mic 5:2; Mt 2:18, 23). A star appeared in the sky that brought Magi from the East (Mt 2:9). An angelic host filled the sky that brought local shepherds (Lk 2:13). A baby had been conceived in the womb of a virgin girl (Mt 1:20). A political decree forced a movement of people that brought the unborn Messiah to the city of David (Lk 2:2). The virgin girl gave birth…a Son (Lk 2:7).

The Son of God is fully God (Jn 1:1; 5:18; 10:30; Phil 2:6). He is the eternal Spirit of the second Person of the Trinity. He was conceived, in order to be born as the Son of Man, who is fully man. The Apostle John wrote, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14).”

God the Son entered the story…His story. The Author wrote Himself into the script. The Creator prepared a body for Himself (Heb 10:5). God became a man. He wept and slept. He was like us, yet without sin (Heb 4:15). God the Son was Jesus the man.

The God-man was one Person with two natures. One nature was divine. The other nature was human. In His human nature, He was tempted in every way that we are tempted to sin against God. He did not sin. He could not sin because of His divine nature being impeccable. Jesus was the perfect man because He was perfect God.

The angel Gabriel gave His name to His human parents…Jesus (Lk 1:26; 2:21) The purpose of the incarnation of the God-man was to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21). This would be accomplished by Jesus’ crucifixion, His death upon the cross (Rom 5:8).

God had come to be with us, Immanuel (Is 7:7, 14; 8:8; Mt 1:23), as the Messiah, the Christ (Dan 9:23–24; Mt 1:16; Jn 4:25). As the anointed One, His consecrated titles were prophet, priest, and king. As the Lord of all (Acts 10:36), He will also be the Judge of the living and the dead (2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5), at His second coming (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21).

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was enfleshed to be the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29), who served as a substitute sacrifice offered to God (Heb 7:27; 9:14), for the sins of all of His people, from all over the world (Heb 7:27; Rev 5:9). God is not just the God of the Jews (Rom 3:29), but He loves His own from the whole world (Jn 3:16).

Those who belong to Christ (1 Cor 3:23), His own, were given to Him by God His Father, before the foundation of the world (Jn 17:2, 6, 24; Rev 13:8; 17:8). God the Father would draw these chosen ones to His Son, in time (Jn 6:44, 65). Together, the Father and the Son, would send the Holy Spirit to God’s elect (Jn 14:26; 15:26), whom Christ redeemed with His precious blood of the covenant of grace (Mt 26:28; 1 Pet 1:19). He shed His blood for their forgiveness (Eph 1:7; Heb 9:22).

As the great high priest for His church (Heb 4:14; 9:11), the Israel of God (Gal 6:16), the substitute offering for atonement would be Himself. In this act, the love of God was revealed (Jn 15:13; 1 Jn 4:19). Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). He laid down His life for His sheep (Jn 10:11, 15). He gave Himself up to death for His church (Eph 5:25). He bore our sins in His body on the cross (1 Pet 2:24).

God became a man, in order to accomplish this redemption, reconciling us to God (2 Cor 5:18–20), as the consolation of Israel (Lk 2:25). As our Good Shepherd (Jn 10), He is also our Federal Head, the second Adam (Rom 5:12–21), who has right standing before God, as the one Mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5), the Judge of the whole earth (Gen 18:36).

There is a man on the throne of God in heaven (Rev 7:17). He is the God-man, raised from the dead because of His perfect life and death. After His resurrection from the dead, He ascended to His place of glory on high, having been enthroned (Ps 110:1). Today, He intercedes for His people (Rom 8:34).

The God-man at the center of the throne, at the right hand of majesty (Heb 1:3; 8:1), has all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18). He reigns over all, as the Lord of all (Acts 10:36). The God-man, glorified, is coming with fiery judgment to the earth, someday soon (2 Pet 3:10–12). The world will look upon Him whom they pierced (Zech 12:10), for every eye will see Him, as all people throughout history will be resurrected from the dead (Jn 5:28–29).

On that day, the glorified God-man will deliver His elect, redeemed, regenerated people to be caught up together with Him in the air (1 Thess 4:16–17). He will judge His enemies on that day, which will be the most terrifyingly unique day in all of history. The returning Messiah, despised and rejected by men (Is 53:3), will issue the ultimate, the final judgment, when He sits on His glorious throne (Mt 19:28; 25:31).

Judgment by the God-man is just, but so is the mercy of God. In His judgment, He has extended mercy to whom He wills (Rom 9:16). He did this by sending forth His only begotten Son (Jn 3:16), with a myriad of supernatural wonders. Not everyone believes the account of these matters (Jn 10:26; 2 Thess 3:2), but those God appointed to life do believe them (Acts 13:48). The reason they believe is because He has given them His Spirit (Rom 8:9), who has implanted His Word to give them life (Jn 6:63; Jas 1:21), sanctifying them in Christ (1 Cor 1:30), the Son of God, who became man.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

December 25, 2020