"INCARNATION"


Incarnation: the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form; derived from Latin (in=in, carnis=flesh) meaning “in the flesh!”

Incarnation: a fundamental theological teaching of orthodox Christianity; the belief that Jesus (the non-created second person of the Triune God) took on a human body and nature and became both man and God.

Incarnate: endowed with a human body; in human form; to give actual form to; make real

The Incarnation is one of the most fundamental, incredible, incomprehensible-yet-true realities of our Christian faith! It is loaded with meaning, and with implications for life, both now and into eternity. It is a concrete demonstration of a vast spiritual reality; of the amazing love of the God of the universe: that He actually reached out and willingly chose to become one of us--to become like us--embodying Himself as us, embracing all that being human means. The incarnation is a unique and deep link between God and humanity, for through it (in the person of Jesus) God conquered sin and evil, death and the devil, and has provided unfettered access for us to Himself for all eternity. The incarnation is a solid, three dimensional, historical sign of God’s grace made available generously to all who will embrace it and say “Yes!” to what God has accomplished for the entire universe.


The Incarnation is what we celebrate at Christmas, in the birth of our Lord Jesus.

But Incarnation is not just limited to who Jesus is and what He did long ago on our behalf. The Incarnation is a living, continuing reality today. Jesus is incarnated in His bride, the Church. Jesus is incarnated through us, in ways we can’t fully understand, as we are His hands and feet and mouth to people we meet in our everyday lives. As we “re-present” Jesus to our world, we somehow embody Him, His truth, His teachings, His Kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.” There’s a good deal of mystery here, in all of this--yet we claim it’s validity and truth! As Christians, we have a wondrous, solid, amazing connection to the God of the universe through His Son, our Savior, Jesus! And we participate in the Incarnation as we live out--as we “enflesh”--our relationship with Jesus. We can “give actual form to” and “make real” the God of the universe in the ways that we act, speak, and give shape to our lives every day.


On December 7th, we at Hilmar Covenant “incarnated” the birth of Jesus again to our community in “A Living Nativity.” Using Scripture, music, actors, animals, set pieces, costumes, and various effects, we “enfleshed” the reality of Emmanuel, “God with us,” as it may have looked when the Incarnation event happened in the land of Israel 2000 years ago. The production involved the church (the people who make up the body of Christ at Hilmar Covenent) and it re-presented the written word of Scripture through the very bodies of our congregation! We advertised the event this way: “What was it like the night that Jesus was born? Come and see! Witness the events of Christ’s birth firsthand in “A Living Nativity.” We tried as best we could to help people get fresh insight and meaning from the Christmas event by re-presenting, in as realistic a way as possible, the actual Incarnation for them.

Of course, there were limits to what we could “enflesh!” Camels were too expensive for the Wisemen to ride, so we settled for horses (thanks to the Bundgard family!). The donkey was not ridable, so Joseph and Mary had to walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem (but it doesn’t really say in the Bible that a donkey was involved anyhow!). The Star of Bethlehem was electric, not natural (but I bet ours was just as big!). The angels couldn’t actually fly in the air (but the effect we achieved with them coming over the hill toward the shepherds, and the choreography that they danced made it seem as though they were, indeed, moving in space!).


Perhaps if we who love and follow Jesus thought more seriously and consciously how the Incarnation is meant to impact our lives today, we would “embody” Jesus more effectively and continuosly. What effect, then, would our faith and our witness have on our world today? It’s interesting to ponder this, just as Mary pondered the meaning of all that she saw and experienced around the birth of her son, Jesus (Luke 2:19). Jesus Himself said that He wants to be in us (John 17:26). He also wants us to make Him known to everyone, in every nation, incarnating the reality of His love and salvation clearly, so people will “get it.” Let’s commit to realizing this more and more in the way we live our lives in 2009.


Ponder these words from the familiar Christmas carol:

“O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.”
(The Covenant Hymnal, # 154)