“FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART” December 18, 2018
Good morning everyone,
Good morning everyone,
This is truly an awesome time of year. We celebrate the Incarnation of God, “…the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth” (John 1:14, NKJV). Yet, there are those who completely cast Jesus’ deity aside calling Him an
immigrant and refugee. It must be remembered and understood that all things were made by Him, for Him,
through Him, and for His intentions (Psalm 33:6; John 1:3; Ephesians 3:8-10; Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus
suffered all He did for the sake of being able to understand and empathize with humanity, and not because
He was helplessly bullied, harassed, and brutally murdered.
Jesus was completely submissive to the Father’s will and confident of who He was. This is spoken
of in the upper room when Jesus was with His disciples the night He would be arrested, “And supper being
ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus,
knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going
to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself” (John 13:2-4, NKJV).
Jesus laid His life down and picked it up again. No one took His life from Him or had power over Him that was not granted to them by the Father. “…My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may
take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father” (John 10:17-18, NKJV). He professed
His power and control before Pilate during His trial, “…Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do
You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have
no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to
you has the greater sin” (John 19:10-11, NKJV).
Jesus humbled Himself and accepted the suffering of people as His own so we would have a Savior
who could understand and empathize with those He came to save. Paul points this fact out in his letter to the
Philippians, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not
consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became
obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8, NKJV). The writer of the letter
to the Hebrews was inspired to write, “…in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a
merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-
18, NKJV).
Please remember that even though Jesus came into the world as a helpless infant child, human in every
sense, He was still fully God. This Christmas remember Jesus is truly God Incarnate. Do not insult His deity
by stripping it away and making Jesus to be less than He actually is: Fully God and Fully Man.
Praying beyond the physical:
Father, thank You for sending Your Son into the world to reveal Yourself and provide forgiveness of my sins.
Jesus, thank You for coming into the world in power and demonstrating Your love for Your rebellious creation.
Spirit, thank You for residing in my heart as a guarantee that the Father and Son are true to Their promises.
Pastor Tom
