The Incarnation of the Triune God

I want us to see the Christmas story from the viewpoint of the Holy Spirit of God as revealed to the apostle Paul, and I believe it gives us the real Christmas story Bethlehem is the issue shepherds and wise man. Joseph and Mary and mangers they don't appear in this respect. What is the reality of the incarnation.

Perhaps it includes shopping for loved ones were visiting family and friends were going to school plays, and baking those traditional Christmas treats. While those activities certainly have their place. How do you make sure they don't distract you from what matters most when it comes to your Christmas celebration. Consider that today on grace to you as John MacArthur continues his study titled simply the real meaning of Christmas and with a lesson. Now here's John, I invite you to take a bottle and turn to Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2, I want to take as the text of our Christmas message verses six through 11 Philippians 26 through 11.

Before we read the text and specifically present at the spirit of God has said to me just set our thoughts in context that Christmas we are confronted again.

I'm sure you're aware of it with the sometimes very difficult task of separating the reality of Christmas from the clutter that surrounds that reality. There's so much confusion that sometimes you feel like the, the real Christmas story is like a diamond lost in a haystack. It just seems impossible to find.

Christmas is really become a hopeless model of confusion, the humility and the poverty of the stable are somehow confused with the wealth and indulgence and selfishness of giftgiving the quietness of Bethlehem is mingled with the din of shopping malls and freeway traffic.

The soberness of the incarnation is somehow mixed with the drunkenness of the season blinking colored lights somehow have some connection to the star of Bethlehem the room in the in so obscure, so dirty was such meager fare somehow embraces the thought of a warm house of fireplace and opulent feasting cheap plastic toys for little kids with which to play out their follies are mixed with the true value of the gift given by Wiseman salesman somehow get mixed up with shepherds. Angels are confused with flying reindeer, one of which, even as a red nose. The pain of childbirth is mixed with the parties, the filth of the stable is confounded with the whiteness of fresh snow. And then there's Mary, Joseph, Perry Como, and Bing Crosby. And so adults the great reality of Christmas, which is the glory of the Lord being revealed is obscured by so much tinsel in activity and commercialism in I think it's true that Santa Claus really has become the focus of Christmas. For most people, and I've noted in the years that I've been ministering that more and more each year Santa Claus takes a dominant place now. As we face the reality of Christmas.

I want us to see the true story and this time, not from the perspective of Bethlehem or Joseph or Mary or shepherds or innkeepers or Wiseman or Herod or Old Testament prophets, but I want us to see the Christmas story from the viewpoint of the Holy Spirit of God as revealed to the apostle Paul, and I believe it gives us the real Christmas story. The scenery isn't there.

Bethlehem isn't the issue shepherds and wise men Joseph and Mary and mangers and oxen. They don't appear in this respect. But what is here is the reality of the incarnation. This is one of the greatest texts in all the Bible is perhaps the most profound statement of the Christmas story anywhere in the word of God. Paul Reese said the passage is oceanic for the fathoms are countless and the tides are measureless in it.

We enter the depths FB Meyer said it is almost unapproachable in its unexampled majesty. Believe me, it's a greater challenge than I can handle the deal with its fullness, but if I can just scratch it surface that should be infinitely satisfying for the time look with me. In verses six through 11, and in these verses we will see five steps in the Christmas story five features as God enters the world five great aspects to the incarnation. First of all number one the Lord Jesus Christ abandoned a sovereign position. He abandoned a sovereign position verse six. Let's begin. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men will stop right we find in the verse six particularly, and then just at the beginning of verse seven that the Lord when he came into the world abandoned a sovereign position. First of all, the Holy Spirit establishes that sovereign position.

Look at verse six. It begins with the relative pronoun who and that refers back to Christ Jesus in verse five. Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, Christ Jesus, then, is the theme of this passage, the Lord Jesus Christ know what is it say about the first phrase being in the form of God. Now listen to me. This is without question the heart and soul of the Christian faith. The affirmation of the deity of Jesus Christ is the cynical none of all that we believe that is why it is always under attack. Christ is in the form of God, is the deity of Jesus Christ.

That is, the substantive affirmation of the Christian faith. Let's see what this phrase means the word being is very important. The word being denotes that which a person is in his very essence, that which a person is in his nature. In other words, that which is true of a person that cannot be altered, it cannot be changed that what someone possesses in alienable.

He and unchangeable. He that cannot be removed refers to the inmate change less unalterable character and nature of a person.

For example, men may look different but they're all men that's their nature. They all have the basic same elements of humanness. The functioning of breathing in the heart organ mind will thought, emotion, these are the elements of humanness. You can change his close you can do things to the physical form, but you never change the humanness that is the being of man and that is the meaning of this term and it says of Christ that he is in the being of God.

He is then unalterably and unchangeable.

He God in his essence is essential being infected.

John 858 Jesus said, before Abraham was, I am, and he used the I am because he lives as an eternally present God.

He is eternally in the I am mowed in the present mode is always and will always be the isn't was and will be, he is simply IN that is the basis of our faith in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word what was God.

Hebrews 1 is spoken in these last days by his son, who is the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person.

First Timothy 316. Great is the mystery of godliness. What is it that God was manifest in the flesh. That is the substance of our faith that Jesus Christ is God.

Colossians 115 he is the image of the invisible God. So the word being then has to do with his essential nature. Jesus Christ then has his being now market again in the form of God know what we mean by form, the English can't really help us with this Greek word wheat we have to go back and talk about the Greek term for a moment, is not form in the sense that we think of the material shape or a resemblance is completely different than that the word in the Greek is the word more. Faye and more faith has to do with a deep inner essential abiding nature of something is not the external. That is, the word schema schema means the outward. The passing the changing the fleeting, the external and by the way.

Look at verse eight schema is used in verse eight he was found in fashion as a man will talk about that in a moment, but fashion is the external the changing form is more Faye the unchanging the internal. For example, if you trace the use of the term more faith in its various forms, you will find that that is exactly where the emphasis lies there are places where they seem to be used in an overlapping sense, but the specific uses of more Faye in very important text of the New Testament lead us to conclude that it means the inner nature. For example, in Romans 829 whom he foreknew then he predestinated to be conformed to the image of his son and it's more Faye. It is a new nature and interchange. The inside of man is conformed to the image of his son talk about our nature. Second Corinthians 318 it says as we look on the glory of the Lord, we are transformed into his image. Again, it's more Faye we are changed on the inside and abiding change that affects our inner nature. Galatians 419 pulses model children I have birth pains until Christ be more Faye you knew until literally he be formed in you, he hasn't thought about trappings. He's not talking about externals, but that the image of Christ would be manifest in the inner nature of man.

In Philippians 310 uses it again. He says that I may gain Christ and become conformed unto his death. Joyce talking about a deep inner representation of the image of God. On the other hand, the word schema which we get scheme is something to do with the passing fleeting external. For example, for scripting 731 uses schema. This way the fashion of the world passes away. Second, credits 1114 Satan fashions himself as an angel of light isn't really what he puts on that façade. First Peter 114 says as a Christian, do not fashion yourselves according to your former lust.

In other words, you have a new nature. You are a new creation. Don't put on the garments of the old life you find both of these words brought together in Romans 12 to stop being fashioned. According to this world but be transformed in your inner man through the renewing of your mind, so one is deeply related to the internal and one is to the external and the one of the internal is used here is being in the more Faye of God that is being substantively and essentially in his deepest inner man and nature in the form of God, is God let anyone deny that that is the basic affirmation of the Christian faith. Consequently, look at the end of her six he did not think it was something to be grasped to be equal with God I wasn't me. Business. Satan was a created angel. Satan was created by God.

He was inferior to God. He was less than God, but Isaiah 14. He said I will I will I will I will I will five times in the substance of what he was saying was, I will be like, whom God, Satan thought it's something to be grasped that to be equal with God, he thought, something to see something to grasp at Jesus didn't want he was already equally good. There was nothing for him to seek was really rendered grasp. He is in contradistinction to St. second way to approach though the verb is used there means to clutch or to snatch or to grasp tightly and it can also be interpreted this way.

He thought it not something to cling to. Not so much that he didn't have any snatch that, but that he had and he might lose it. So I clutched but Jesus didn't hang onto this thing, fearing he would lose why because he was essentially God and could never cease being God. So it wasn't something he had to snatch to get and it wasn't something he had to hang onto to keep you see is a classic statement affirming that Jesus is God is inner nature, so much so they didn't seek it, and so much so that he never feared he was is God. That is the great heart and soul of the Lord Jesus Christ. Within this verse seven, but he authorize said made himself of no reputation. The Greek says this he emptied himself cannot, over which we get the theological term that connotes us the self emptying. He emptied himself, the verb means to pour out everything until it's all gone. He poured out himself. He emptied himself. He divested himself.

He rendered up know what is he saying what I pointed out in the very first statement I made as you begin to move through the steps of the incarnation. First of all, the Lord Jesus Christ abandoned a sovereign position the sovereign position is affirmed in verse six and the abandoning of it is in verse seven, I noticed that I did not say he abandoned his deity. He did not give up his deity. He did not give up his divine attributes he abandoned the position he could never give those things up.

They were is essential being and if he ceased being God, he would be no one in God could not cease anyway for his eternal what then did he give up what did he pour out. What did he emptied out. Some people try to say emptied out his deity that's ludicrous because then he would cease to exist. That's who we live, he could never lose that some writers put I think this way. He stripped himself of his privilege. He gave up the insignias of his Majesty, and so forth. But let me put you very simply, I can tell you in the New Testament what he gave up because the New Testament tells us exactly what he gave.

First of all, give up his glory. He gave up the manifestation of his glory. He gave up the radiance of his eternal effulgence and brightness. The full manifestation of all of his attributes in glory. That's why, in John 17. Five. He says, and now father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with the before the world was give me back the glory which I once had, which means at that point he didn't have he revealed his glory in human flesh. He set aside the full expression of his glory. Secondly, give up his honor give up his honor. Isaiah 53 says he was despised is rejected. The New Testament tells us he was hated he was mocked he was spit on his beard was plucked he was defamed he was dishonored he was discredited.

He was accused he was murdered give up his honor. Clearly in the prophet Isaiah said in his despising and rejecting. There was no beauty, and in the dementia desiring certainly give up his riches. Second Corinthians 89 says it. He was rich for our sakes became what poor that we through his poverty might be made rich.

Fourthly, he gave up his favorable relation to the father. We did that only in a moment of time. When he died on the cross and said, my God, my God, why has thou forsaken, but he lived with the anxiety of coming to that point. Through all his life. He also gave up his independent exercise of authority. He said I will do only that which the father shows me my meat is to do the father's will. What the father says I will do what I see the father. I will do.

In other words, he gave up his independent exercise of divine authority. He gave up his very special relationship to God to give up his riches. He gave up his honor give up his glory. He emptied all of those things up. And yet he continued to be God it wasn't that he lost any of his divine attributes is that he chose not to use them that he gave up the prerogative or the privilege of using them. Was he still God. Yes, that's who he was.

It's a deep mystery people, by the way, and I can't fathom at all. John Milton wrote that glorious form that light insufferable. He laid aside and here with us to be forsook the courts of everlasting day and shows with us a dark some house of mortal clay. He was God, but he gave up all his privileges. What does that say volumes about his character is that say volumes about his love reporter was interviewing a successful job placement counselor who had put people in positions and they had succeeded so well. Yet such a high rate of success of the reporters and what's your secret how do you evaluate people.

How can you really find out what a person is like. He said this if you want to know what a person is like don't give him responsibilities give him privileges you give him responsibilities and most everyone will fulfill responsibilities if you intimidate them. Another pay them enough, but if you want to find out the real character of a person. Give him a privilege.

A person with real character and real selflessness and real leadership will use his privileges to help others and to build the organization a lesser man will use his privileges only to promote himself. Jesus at all the privileges of glory, and he had no obligation to us he was equal with God. Yet it says so much about his character but he chose to use his privileges to build the father's kingdom and to reach lost sinners, so like a king who takes off his robes of Majesty and puts on the garment of a bigger, the son of God abandoned a sovereign position second point he accepted a servants place he accepted a servants place back to verse seven he took upon him the form of a servant when he became a man he didn't become a king is a man or a great ruler, our great leader or great master. He became a servant.

The moment that he divested himself of his robes of Majesty, he dons a servants apron.

This is exactly as the Old Testament prophet said Isaiah 52 verse 13 said he would be a servant.

Hebrews 10 arm come to do thy will.

Father and notice again in verse seven that he wasn't just acting like a servant. It wasn't just pretending to be a servant. He wasn't just playing the part of the servant he really became a servant. Verse seven and being look at this in the form or having taken upon him the form and there's the word more faith he took on him the inner essential nature of a servant. He became a real servant. A true servant, a genuine serve. Luke 2227 I am in the midst of you as one who serves. He said Mark 1045. The Son of Man is come not to be served but to serve, and give his life a ransom. John 13.

The disciples that dirty feet and he put on a totality wash their feet and then he said the servant is not greater than his Lord Seaman service all the time and the ultimate act of service when he died on the cross to save sinners. He served his father. His father invited him to come into the world as a servant to work out the plan of redemption and he willingly became that servant will truly abandoned the sovereign position and accepted a servants place that's grace to you with John MacArthur thanks for tuning in today. John's current series is showing you from the New Testament and the old how you can find the real meaning of Christmas. John, the New Testament doesn't prescribe an observation of the birth of Christ as a holy day and over the years there been movements in the church, particularly in the Puritan era where Christians have objected to the observance of Christmas is a holiday and yet in our time. It's not that controversy will we talk about Christmas trees presents all the traditional trappings which really don't go to the real meaning of Christmas. And some people may wonder, is it wrong for Christians to have those traditions where your thoughts on that.

Well you know when you think about what is prescribed in the New Testament.

You basically have baptism and the Lord's table right you don't have any dates prescribed except the very obvious reality. The Christ rose the first day of the week and so the church has met since the resurrection.

Every first day of the week and that's where we meet on Sunday and not the Saturday Sabbath of the Old Testament. So yeah so the little gaillardia hasn't given us all kinds of holy days like Israel had been in its history. Having said that, it doesn't mean you don't want to acknowledge the arrival of the son of God into the world. We we should be acknowledging the birth of Christ, the virgin birth of Christ. The fact that God became human flesh is John 114 describes it should be acknowledging that all the time. Constantly why celebrate it at Christmas, in particular because you have an opportunity to capture the interest of the world in a way that you don't have in any other season of the year for the benefit of the church, the world still looks at the birth of Christ is a major event.

They don't understand the reality of it that you have secularized that they have certainly taken Christ out of it, but for us, who want to proclaim Christ.

He just gives us an opportunity to do that in a very special way.

So my answer to the no Christmas celebration folks is this will be celebrating Christmas every day will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ constantly grow to be declaring his arrival in the world is the New Testament, lays it out for us and when we have a special day when the world before secular reasons focuses on that event. We had a capture that is much as we can end and I think, to the glory of of our Lord. Thank you John and friend to help you take advantage of that greater openness to the gospel this time of year pick up a few copies of John's book God's gift of Christmas to give away. It explains why Christ came to earth to die in the place of sinners.

The profound truth behind the holiday we celebrate God's gift of Christmas is currently on sale for 25% off the regular price along with most everything we sell take advantage of our reduced prices when you contact us today. Call our toll-free number 855 grace or shop online@jidety.org during the sale God's gift of Christmas is available for nine dollars. You can also get our flagship resource. The MacArthur study Bible that the reduced price 25% off and shipping is still free again to pick up the MacArthur study Bible for God's gift of Christmas for nearly any resource at 25% off our regular price.

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This holiday season glorifying the Lord Jesus. Don't miss the next 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on racing in