Man became royal when Christ became human. Man was exalted when Christ was humiliated. Man may go up to God now that God has come down to man.
ADVENT WEEK THREE: REDEMPTION – DAY SEVEN
December 18, 2021
Isaiah 64:1; John 6:33, 38; 14:3; Philippians 2:6–7
Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892)
May We Be More Like Him Each Christmas
Ephesians 4:15; 1 John 3:2
May each Christmas, as it comes, find us more and more like Him, who as at this time became a little child for our sake—more simple-minded, more humble, more holy, more affectionate, more resigned, more happy, more full of God.
John Henry Newman (1801–1890)
Nativity
Matthew 2:1–15; Luke 2:1–7
Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb,
Now leaves his well beloved imprisonment,
There he hath made himself to his intent
Weak enough, now into our world to come;
But Oh, for thee, for him, hath the inn no room!
Yet lay him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Stars, and wise men will travel to prevent
The effects of Herod’s jealous general doom;
Seest thou, my soul, with thy faith’s eyes, how he
Which fills all place, yet none holds him, doth lie!
Was not his pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pitied by thee!
Kiss him, and with him into Egypt go,
With his kind mother, who partakes thy woe.
John Donne (1572–1631)
Not an Abstract God, but a God Who Became Human
John 1:14
We adore our God as an incarnate human Lord. All blessings come to us through Him. We do not adore an abstract or distant or unthinkable being, but one whom we invest with human attributes.
William Burt Pope (1822–1903)
On the One Hand Being, on the Other Becoming
John 1:1–5, 14–18; 1 John 4:9
God was manifested to man by birth. On the one hand Being, and eternally Being, of the Eternal Being, above cause and word, for there was no word before the Word; and on the other hand for our sakes also Becoming, that He who gives us our being might also give us our Well-being, or rather might restore us by His Incarnation, when we had by wickedness fallen from well-being. The name Theophany is given to it in reference to the Manifestation, and that of Birthday in respect of His Birth.
Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. 329–389)
One Physician of Flesh and Spirit
Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:31
There is one Physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first possible and then impossible—even Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ignatius of Antioch (died ca. 115)
Only Jesus’ Humility Releases Us from Our Chains
Philippians 2:6–7
We could not otherwise be released from the chains of eternal death but by Him becoming humble in our nature who remained almighty in His own.
Leo the Great (ca. 400–461)
Our Christmas Celebrations Reflect Its Origins
Matthew 2:1–12; Luke 2:7, 24
Why are we so kind to children at this time especially but because Christ was made a little child for us, and has consecrated the age, the habits, all the delightful little ways of infancy and early childhood, by exhibiting them all in His divine person? What are our gifts to each other and our twelfth-night entertainments but a memorial of the coming of the Magi with their threefold offerings of gold and frankincense and myrrh? Do we not consider the poor at this season especially, because Joseph and the Blessed Virgin were of such low estate? And all our festivity, what is it but the natural expression of our joy, even though we may have half forgotten the Fountain from which it flows?
John Burgon (1813–1888)
Our Divine Savior Really Took Human Nature
Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 2:52; Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 1:15
Our divine Savior really took human nature upon Him, in order to save sinners. He really became a man like ourselves in all things, sin only excepted. Like ourselves, he was born of a woman, though born in a miraculous manner. Like ourselves, He grew from infancy to boyhood, and from boyhood to man’s estate, both in wisdom and in stature. Like ourselves, he hungered, thirsted, ate, drank, slept, was wearied, felt pain, wept, rejoiced, marveled, was moved to anger and compassion. Having become flesh, and taken a body, He prayed, read the Scriptures, suffered being tempted, and submitted His human will to the will of God the Father. And finally, in the same body, He really suffered and shed His blood, really died, was really buried, really rose again, and really ascended up into heaven. And yet all this time He was God as well as man!
R. C. Ryle (1816–1900)
Our King Took On Our Poverty, Sickness, and Sorrow
John 1:14; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:6–7
Kings may, for various reasons, visit their subjects. But they do not think of taking upon themselves their poverty, their sickness, or their sorrow. They could not if they would, and they would not if they could. But our divine Lord, when He came here, took upon Himself our flesh.
Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892)[1]
[1] Ritzema, E. (Ed.). (2013). 300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas. Lexham Press.
God Does Not Want to Frighten People
The Bible never wants to make us fearful. God does not want people to be afraid—not even of the last judgment. Rather, he wants to let human beings know everything, so that they will know all about life and its meaning. He lets people know even today, so that they may already live their lives openly and in the light of the last judgment. He lets us know solely for one reason: so that we may find the way to Jesus Christ, so that we may turn away from our evil way and try to find him, Jesus Christ. God does not want to frighten people. He sends us the word of judgment only so that we will reach all the more passionately, all the more avidly, for the promise of grace, so that we will know that we cannot prevail before God on our own strength, that before him we would have to pass away, but that in spite of everything he does not want our death, but our life.… Christ judges, that is, grace is judge and forgiveness and love—whoever clings to it is already set free.
Repentance means turning away from one’s own work to the mercy of God. The whole Bible calls to us and cheers us: Turn back, turn back! Return—where to? To the everlasting grace of God, who does not leave us.… God will be merciful—so come, judgment day! Lord Jesus, make us ready. We rejoice. Amen.
Bonhoeffer’s sermon for Repentance
Sunday, November 19, 1933
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 4:17[1]
All That Can Be Seen of God Is in Christ
John 10:30; 14:9; Hebrews 10:20; 2 Peter 3:18; Jude 25
You have only to read the Gospels, and to look with willing eyes, and you shall behold in Christ all that can possibly be seen of God. It is veiled in human flesh, as it must be; for the glory of God is not to be seen by us absolutely. It is toned down to these dim eyes of ours; but the Godhead is there, the perfect Godhead in union with the perfect manhood of Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892)[2]
Free Your People from the Mouth of the Lion
Psalm 22:18, Daniel 6:22; Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23; Hebrews 11:33
God,
who is the source of mercy,
who for us descended into the womb of the Virgin,
was nailed to the Cross,
saw your garments divided,
rose victor from hell:
We ask you that you,
remembering this your life among us,
would free your people from the mouth of the lion,
as you did once deliver their fathers that hoped in you.
Ludolph the Carthusian (ca. 1295–1378)[3]
[1] Bonhoeffer, D. (2010). God is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas. (J. Riess, Ed., O. C. Dean Jr., Trans.) (First edition, pp. 46–47). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
[2] Ritzema, E. (Ed.). (2013). 300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas. Lexham Press.
[3] Ritzema, E. (Ed.). (2013). 300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas. Lexham Press.
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