The Incarnation of God's Lamb

What does the world celebrate at Christmastime? Certainly not salvation from sin and judgment!

Rather, the world celebrates at Christmas a longing for a secular prince - one that can provide their every desire, without any cost or demands being laid upon them. A secular ruler who will fix up the mess the world is in without making demands for repentance or reformation from them. A king who will correct all the OTHER people, while affirming our own worthiness to all happiness and bliss. A bringer of "peace" like Rodney Kings' plaint, "can't we all just get along?"

Today's world is no different from the Jews of Jesus' day: they have no desire for a kingdom of righteousness, and they see no need for a redemption from their sin and the judgment they face. How well Christ once noted that the crowds followed Him because of the miraculous food He prepared. A man who can create riches from nothing is the world's sort of King!

The promises of Christ's coming by the Angels were that He would save His people from their sin; He would be the cause of peace between God and man, and an expression of good will toward sinners from a mighty, holy God.

The Lord Himself made it clear - He came to offer himself a bloody sacrifice to save His people. Hebrews twice states that He took to himself human flesh that He might die to save His people. A body was prepared Him to offer once for ever for the sins of His elect.

The Incarnation is all about the preparation of the body of God's Lamb for a sacrifice, the lamb promised to Abraham.

No wonder He was born in a stable and attended by shepherds! Such was altogether appropriate for the most important Lamb ever born!