DECEMBER 18TH
Paul's Christmas Story
Philippians 2:5-11 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
One of the most familiar stories besides the actual Christmas story is Charles Dickens' masterpiece, A Christmas Carol. It's been made into a stage play, a West End musical, and at least nineteen different film versions, not counting the dozen or so spoofs and modern retellings of the story. Nineteen movie versions of the same story might seem a little redundant, but the story is so powerful and moving that you can get something new out of it almost every time you read or see it.
There are multiple versions or angles within the Biblical Christmas story as well. Matthew and Luke's accounts of the birth of Jesus are the most famous because they offer the greatest detail, making it easier to picture the events of the birth and the people involved. The apostle Paul gives an account of the birth of Jesus as well, though it's not immediately obvious this is what he's talking about. Paul never uses the word 'baby' and he never mentions Mary or Joseph, the stable, or the shepherds. At first glance, it looks nothing like the Christmas story we are so familiar with, but when we look closer at Paul's Christmas story, however, we see something familiar. Matthew and Luke's versions answer the who, what, when, and where of Christmas, but Paul's version answers the how and the why. Matthew and Luke don't use any fancy theological language when talking about the baby Jesus. They only describe the human baby born to Mary, and that's how they chose to talk about Him. Paul, on the other hand, starts his Christmas story by explaining perhaps the most mysterious and miraculous thing about Christmas: That at the same time the baby Jesus was fully human, He was also fully God. When Paul says Jesus 'was in the form of God' (Philippians 2:6) he uses language that refers to the Roman practice of using wax seals and signet rings. A signet ring was used to press a distinctive emblem or mark into hot wax to create an exact representation of the mark on the ring, and any letter or order bearing the seal had as much authority as the person wearing the ring. Paul tells us Jesus was the exact and perfect representation of God when He came to earth, not giving up any of His deity or authority. But at the same time, He was also a fully perfect human man. In the incarnation, Jesus took the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself, even unto death. (verses 7-8). Jesus was both the exact representation of man and God.
This truth, that Jesus was both fully God and fully human, is at the root of the how and why of Christmas. How could a human baby eventually become the perfect, sinless sacrifice for our sins? How could a human also be fully God throughout His earthly life? Why would Jesus take on the assignment of living as a human and take on suffering and death? The answer is that He was the only one who could. Only a Savior who was fully God could live a sinless life; only a fully human Savior could die. Jesus was the only one who could accomplish what needed to be done, and thank God He did it. On that holy Christmas night, a Savior was born who was everything we so desperately needed, and that is very great news!
There are multiple versions or angles within the Biblical Christmas story as well. Matthew and Luke's accounts of the birth of Jesus are the most famous because they offer the greatest detail, making it easier to picture the events of the birth and the people involved. The apostle Paul gives an account of the birth of Jesus as well, though it's not immediately obvious this is what he's talking about. Paul never uses the word 'baby' and he never mentions Mary or Joseph, the stable, or the shepherds. At first glance, it looks nothing like the Christmas story we are so familiar with, but when we look closer at Paul's Christmas story, however, we see something familiar. Matthew and Luke's versions answer the who, what, when, and where of Christmas, but Paul's version answers the how and the why. Matthew and Luke don't use any fancy theological language when talking about the baby Jesus. They only describe the human baby born to Mary, and that's how they chose to talk about Him. Paul, on the other hand, starts his Christmas story by explaining perhaps the most mysterious and miraculous thing about Christmas: That at the same time the baby Jesus was fully human, He was also fully God. When Paul says Jesus 'was in the form of God' (Philippians 2:6) he uses language that refers to the Roman practice of using wax seals and signet rings. A signet ring was used to press a distinctive emblem or mark into hot wax to create an exact representation of the mark on the ring, and any letter or order bearing the seal had as much authority as the person wearing the ring. Paul tells us Jesus was the exact and perfect representation of God when He came to earth, not giving up any of His deity or authority. But at the same time, He was also a fully perfect human man. In the incarnation, Jesus took the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself, even unto death. (verses 7-8). Jesus was both the exact representation of man and God.
This truth, that Jesus was both fully God and fully human, is at the root of the how and why of Christmas. How could a human baby eventually become the perfect, sinless sacrifice for our sins? How could a human also be fully God throughout His earthly life? Why would Jesus take on the assignment of living as a human and take on suffering and death? The answer is that He was the only one who could. Only a Savior who was fully God could live a sinless life; only a fully human Savior could die. Jesus was the only one who could accomplish what needed to be done, and thank God He did it. On that holy Christmas night, a Savior was born who was everything we so desperately needed, and that is very great news!