Evans, Our God is Awesome: God's Incarnation

One Solitary Life

He was born in an obscure village, the son
of a peasant woman.
He grew up in another village, where he
worked in a carpenter's shop until he was
thirty. Then for three years he became a
wandering preacher.

Wednesday 23 March 2011

He never wrote a book. He never held
an ofﬁce. He never had a family or
owned a house. He didn't go to college.
He never visited a big city. He never
travelled two hundred miles from the
place where he was born. He did none of
those things one usually associates with
greatness.
He had no credentials but himself.


He was only thirty-three when the tide
of public opinion turned against him.
His friends ran away. He was turned
over to his enemies and went through
a mockery of a trial. He was executed
by the state. While he was dying, his
executioners gambled for his clothing,
the only property he had on earth.
When he was dead he was laid in a
borrowed grave through the pity of a
friend.


Twenty centuries have come and gone,
and today he is the central ﬁgure of the
human race and the leader of
mankind's progress. All the armies that
ever marched, all the navies that ever
sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat,
all the kings that ever reigned, put
together, have not affected the life of
man on this earth as much as that
One Solitary Life.


The Incarnation
of God


Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the
Lord himself will give you a sign.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive
and bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel.
Matt 1:23 - they shall call his
name Immanuel" (which means,
God with us).
Theologically this is the
incarnation (from the Latin
for ﬂesh) or enﬂeshment of
God - God became a man!
This has to be one of the
greatest miracles ever.

Isaiah 9:6-7- Therefore the
7:14
For tohimself will is born, a sign.a
Lord us a child give you to us
son is given; andshall government
Behold, the virgin the conceive
shall bear a son, and shall call his
and be upon his shoulder, and his
name Immanuel.
name shall be called Wonderful
Matt 1:23 - they shall call his
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father,Immanuel" (which means,
name Prince of Peace.
God with us).
Of the increase of his government
and of peace there is the no
Theologically this will be
end,on the throne of DavidLatin
incarnation (from the and
overﬂesh) or enﬂeshment it
for his kingdom, to establish of
and to uphold it with justice and
God - God became a man!
with righteousness from the time
This has to be one of this
forth and miracles ever.
greatest forevermore.

1. The Incarnation reveals God’s
sovereignty

Every text dealing with the
incarnation is full of God’s
sovereignty.
Evans suggests this is shown
in the genealogy of Matt
1:1-17 - where God worked
countless miracles to ensure
the right lineage for Jesus,
showing he was of the line
of David.


1.a. Sovereignty and omnipotence
For prophecy to be fulﬁlled Mary
and Joseph had to be in the city of
David, Bethlehem. God used a
Roman census to achieve it.
When the temple was destroyed
in AD70 all records of genealogies
were lost - apart from Jesus’ which
were recorded by Matthew and
Luke.
Matt also shows Jesus is connected
through Solomon to king David.
God arranged the “match” of Mary
and Joseph

1.b. Sovereignty and Grace

David - adulterer and murderer
Solomon - 999 women too many
Rahab - prostitute and Gentile
Ruth - Gentile woman
(inheritance was reckoned
through the male line not
female)
Ham is traditionally thought to
be the father of Africans


2. The incarnation reveals God’s
holiness
Both Joseph and Mary were godly in
their lifestyle. Joseph obviously had
not had sex with Mary, hence his
response - he did not compromise.
Matt 1:18-19 - Now the birth of
Jesus Christ took place in this way. When
his mother Mary had been betrothed to
Joseph, before they came together she
was found to be with child from the Holy
Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a
just man and unwilling to put her to
shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

power
In Luke 1:6-7 - Zechariah...had
a wife Elizabeth. And they were
both righteous before God, walking
blamelessly in all the
commandments and statutes of
the Lord. But they had no child,
because Elizabeth was barren, and
both were advanced in years.
There were 20,000 priests - the
chances of being selected are
low unless God is moving


3.a. The visitation to Zechariah
power
both were advanced in years.


3.a. The visitation to Zechariah
power
God’s timing is amazing - they
had no child whilst they were
young. They had prayed - and
maybe even stopped praying by
now.
Nowwere advancedtime for their
both it was God’s in years.
child to be the forerunner of
the Christ


3.b. The conception of John
Zechariah questioned
the angel - and hence
questioned God, that is
he did not believe God’s
word.
The angel Gabriel did
not respond well and to
prove what he had said
he struck Zechariah
dumb.
The power of God is at
work.


3.c. The visitation to Mary
We see a greater show of God’s
power in Jesus having no human
father.
Luke 1:26-28
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel
was sent from God to a city of
Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin
betrothed to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David. And
the virgin’s name was Mary. And he
came to her and said, "Greetings, O
favored one, the Lord is with you!"


3.c. The visitation to Mary
Luke 1:30-33 show of God’s
We see a greater
power in Jesus having no"Do not be
And the angel said to her, human
father. Mary, for you have found
afraid,
favor with God. And behold, you will
Luke 1:26-28
conceive in your womb and bear a
In the sixth monthcall his name
son, and you shall the angel Gabriel
was sent frombe great a citywill be
Jesus. He will God to and of
Galileethe Son of the Most High. And
called named Nazareth, to a virgin
betrothed to awill give to him the was
the Lord God man whose name
Joseph, of his father David, and he
throne of the house of David. And
the reign over thewas Mary.Jacobhe
will virgin’s name house of And
came toand of hissaid, "Greetings, will
forever, her and kingdom there O
favored one, the Lord is with you!"
be no end."

3.d. The conception of Jesus
Luke 1:35, Scripture makes it clear
how it will happen, and that God is his
father.
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and
the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the child to be
born will be called holy— the Son of God.
Jesus was fully God and fully man -
fathered by God, born as a human,
coming as a man to save humanity - he
would get hungry yet be able to feed
500 people with a few loaves - and he
could defeat death.

3.e. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth

Gabriel then gives more
news to Mary, Lk 1:36, 39
Even Elizabeth your relative is
going to have a child in her old
age...At that time Mary got
ready and hurried to a town in
the hill country of Judea,
And God in his grace gives
further conﬁrmation to
Mary, Luke 1: 41-43
Mary Elizabeth
Winstead - an actress

3.e. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s
greeting, then gives morein her
Gabriel the baby leaped
womb,to Mary, Lk 1:36,filled with
news and Elizabeth was 39
the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she
Even Elizabeth your are you among
exclaimed: “Blessed relative is
going to and blessed is the child you
women, have a child in her old
age...At that time Mary so favored,
will bear! But why am I got
ready and hurried to a Lord should
that the mother of my town in
the hill country of Judea,
come to me?
Andjumpsin his grace gives
JTB God in his mothers womb,
further confirmation to together
two women are brought
Mary, Luke Spirit and Elizabeth
by the Holy 1: 41-43 Mary Elizabeth
confirms the move of God to Mary Winstead - an actress

4. The incarnation reveals the
veracity of God
Veracity - conformity to facts:
accuracy: habitual truthfulness
God speaks truth, he does
not lie - Matthew is full of
fulﬁlled prophecy / events
1:22-23, 2:5-6, 2:15,
2:17
All of these things were
predicted hundreds of years
before the events took
place.

4. The incarnation reveals the
veracity of God
Micah conformity to
Veracity -5:2 But you, Ofacts:
Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are
accuracy: habitual truthfulness too
little to be among the clans of
God speaks truth, he does
Judah, from you shall come forth
not lie - Matthew is full of
for me oneprophecy beeventsin
who is to / ruler
fulfilled
Israel, whose coming forth is from
1:22-23, 2:5-6, days.
of old, from ancient 2:15,
2:17
Bethlehem was small and
All of these things were
insignificant - God is specific,
predicted hundreds ofthe other
showing his veracity - years
before the events took are
option, the ‘prophecies’
place. after the events.
written

5. Son of God, son of Man
Jesus gets these two titles
because of the incarnation.
Neither denies the truthfulness
of the other. Son of Man means
Jesus bears all the hallmarks of
humanity, fully human, without
the sin. Son of God does not
mean he is less than God - he
shows fully all the qualities of
God.
This is the hypostatic
union - the full nature of God
and of man in one person

6. The glory of the incarnation
All of God was in Christ,
appointed for salvation, all of
man was in Jesus,
representative = Jesus Christ.
Jesus is one of a kind - Jn 1:1
- In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God.
Word expresses thought -
Jesus is the perfect expression
of God yet distinct from him
and equal with him


6. The 6.a. Glorious incarnation
glory of the Lord
man was in Jesus,
representative = Jesus Christ.
and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God.
Word expresses thought -
Jesus is the perfect expression
and equal with him


6. The 6.a. Glorious incarnation
glory of the Lord
Verse 3 - in Jesus, were made
man was All things
through him, and withoutChrist.
representative = Jesus him
was not any thing made that was
made.
Verse 14 - And the Word and
and the Word was with God,
became ﬂesh and dwelt among
the Word was God.
us, and we have seen his glory,
Word expresses thought - the
glory as of the only Son from
Jesus isfull ofperfect expression
Father, the grace and truth.
and equal with him


6.b. God in Flesh
John 1:18 - No one has ever seen God; the
only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has
made him known.
Jesus came to earth so that men could
understand God, to know and love him in
terms we might grasp.
God the Father has never been human -
he has never experienced the things you
do, he is omni everything - but Jesus did,
he was poor, had needs, was tired etc.
Jesus makes sense of God to us, and sense
of us to God - he fully understands and
fully experiences both sides. 1Tim 2:5

6.c. The slave-man
Philippians 2 explains how Jesus
became God and man - v. 5-8
5 Have this mind among yourselves,
which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who,
though he was inthe form of God, did
not count equality with God a thing to
be grasped, 7but made himself
nothing, taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men.
8And being found in human form, he
humbled himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death, even
death on a cross.

6.c. The slave-man
So much; pre-existence of Jesus,
Philippians 2 explains how Jesus
emptying does not mean he ceased
became God and man - v. 5-8
to be God; deity in human ﬂesh.
5 Have this mind among yourselves,
Bondisservant Christ Jesus, 6 who,
which yours in = doulos - slave
man, the lowest in the Roman did
though he was inthe form of God,
empire, Jesus did with just becometo
not count equality not God a thing
human but 7but madeslave. So low
be grasped, became a himself
that everyone thecovered a servant,
nothing, taking is form of in his
grace.born in the likeness of men.
being
8And on a cross = as a criminal he
Died being found in human form,
humbled himself fully God - only
Jesus had to be by becoming
obedient to the and fullydeath,-even
God can save, point of man only
deathcan a cross.
man on die

7. Lessons from the incarnation
How do we respond to the God-man? Matthew 2:1-2
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days
of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to
Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of
the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come
to worship him."
The magi were astronomers watching the skies -
knowing Numbers 24:17 - a star shall come out of
Jacob, - they travelled 18 months to see Jesus, they paid a
massive price to worship Jesus - the religious community
didn’t even know he had been on their doorstep for a
year and half.
What price do you pay to worship?

7. Lessons from the incarnation
7.a. Worship
How do we respond to the God-man? Matthew 2:1-2
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days
of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to
Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of
the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come
to worship him."
The magi were astronomers watching the skies -
knowing Numbers 24:17 - a star shall come out of
Jacob, - they travelled 18 months to see Jesus, they paid a
massive price to worship Jesus - the religious community
didn’t even know he had been on their doorstep for a
year and half.
What price do you pay to worship?

7.b. God’s will
“God if you can arrange history like
this I can trust you to arrange my
life and lead me where you want me
to go”
God used an ungodly king and
ungodly preachers to lead
worshippers to Jesus.
Trust God in the general and he
will then lead you in speciﬁcs -
the wise men followed a star
(general) and God took care of
the details in his time.

7.b. God’s will
“God if you can arrange history like
this I can trust you to arrange my
life and lead me where you want me
If you want God to lead
to go”
you:used an ungodly king and
God
ungodly preachers to lead
Are you already
worshippers to Jesus.
Trust God in the generalGod
doing what and he
will then told in speciﬁcs -
has men followed a star
lead you you to?
the wise
(general) and God took care of
the details in his time.

7.c. God’s sufficiency
Gold = money
Frankincense = expensive
spice
Myrrh = embalming fluid, Jesus
was born to die (just like the
strips which swathed his body as
a baby)
These gifts would also have
helped as this very poor family
fled to Egypt.
The wise men went home
another way - sent by God - thus
protecting Jesus

7.d. God’s judgement
Matt 2:16-18 Then Herod, when he
saw that he had been tricked by the
wise men, became furious, and he sent
and killed all the male children in
Bethlehem and in all that region who
were two years old or under, according
to the time that he had ascertained
from the wise men. Then was fulﬁlled
what was spoken by the prophet
Jeremiah:
"A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping
and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping
for her children; she refused to be
comforted, because they are no more."

Rachel (buried near Bethlehem)
was considered the mother of
Israel “give me children lest I die”,
she took a long time to have
children and in Jer. 32 they are
dying or being taken into captivity -
judgement. This is further fulﬁlled in
Jesus’ day as the people reject God
and ignore the incarnate Christ.
Heb 10:26
The incarnation is not
simply God with us - but
God demanding our
response, our allegiance

Responding to the incarnation
1. How costly is your
worship? (mental, spiritual,
physical cost)
2. Are you being obedient to
what God has already said
to do?
3. Do you see God’s
sufﬁciency in your life? Are
you trying to run ahead of
God, or lagging behind?
4. Is Jesus really your Lord
and Saviour?


Evans, Our God is Awesome: God's Incarnation

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