Incarnation

Advent - 11/29/09

Jesus never had a body before his incarnation
John 1:14 - and the word became flesh and dwelt among us
Paul talks about incarnational living - phil 2
v.1-4 - our incarnational living - generous love - looking for the best in one another - sympathy with each other - empathy (when you've also experienced the things the person is experiencing)- when something great happens to someone else, how do you respond?
-unity - same minded - doesn't mean that you all think or believe the same thing - Christians are not a bunch of clones
-no rivalry (unhealthy competition) -
-no conceit - being self-focused to the detriment of others- be humble- take care of your own needs, take care of others' needs - sometimes it will seem like your needs aren't going to be met due to meeting that need - Gal 5:14
v.5-7 - the foundation of our incarnational living is Jesus' incarnation - have the mind of Jesus! - the fruit of the mind of Christ is complete commitment to the mission of the Father
-equality with God was not something to be held onto - rather than like us, trying to improve ourselves, Jesus humbled himself! - "I won't hold onto all that I have, but I will give up!"
Why did he do this? we think everything should bow to us - we think God should do this too! but we are so radically different than God! yet God views us as valuable enough to bridge the gap between you and Him!
when you see that the world is broken, where do you lean? some people lean on themselves, some try to escape, some try to numb it, some give up and lose hope - this is why it's so important to be in community - you can't be isolated! you can avoid community with technology - embrace community!
He would not leave us - he took on flesh!
v.8 - jesus did not die so that we might live - he died so that we might die, and lives so that we might live! - we have to have a complete ctrl-alt-delete! Rom.5:6-9 - through the power of resurrection, we can have life! Rom 6:3-8
v.9- the incarnation brings hope, surrender, adoration, heart change - we are made into worshipers of Jesus Christ!

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