God’s perspective on Christmas

The greatest event in the history of the world is the incarnation. God became man in the birth of Jesus. It is very important to separate the reality of Christmas from the clutter. There is so much confusion that sometimes the real Christmas story seems like a diamond lost in a haystack. For many people the true Christmas story has become a hopeless muddle of confusion. The humility and poverty of the stable are confused with wealth and indulgence. Blinking colored lights are somehow connected with the star of Bethlehem. Salesmen somehow get mixed up with shepherds. Angels are confused with flying reindeer and for many people Santa Claus is the dominant person.

Is it possible to discover the true meaning of Christmas? Our goal is to see the true story — not from the perspective of Bethlehem or Joseph or Mary or the shepherds or the Old Testament prophets — but from the viewpoint of the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:6-11 is perhaps the most profound statement of the Christmas story anywhere in the Word of God. Philippians 2:6-11 details five great aspects of the incarnation.

The first aspect is that Jesus left a sovereign position. Verse 6 reads, “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.” The “who” refers back to verse 5. Verse 5 says, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” The “who” refers to Christ Jesus. The heart and soul of the Christian faith is that Jesus is God.

Over and over again the Bible says Jesus is God. John 1:1 reads, “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.” Jesus in John 8:58 says, “Before Abraham was I am.” Verse 6 says that Jesus “…thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Satan is a created angel. Satan is inferior to God and less than God. Satan thought equality with God was something to seize or grasp. Jesus didn’t. Why? Jesus was already equal to God.

Jesus left a sovereign position. Verse 7 says, “…but emptied Himself…” What did Jesus empty out? Some people have tried to say that he emptied out his deity. That is ludicrous because then he would cease to exist. Instead, he stripped himself of his privileges. He gave up the insignias of majesty. What did Jesus give up? He gave up his glory (John 17:5). He gave up His honor. Isaiah 53 reads, “He was despised. He was rejected.” He was hated and mocked and spit upon. He gave up his riches (2 Corinthians 8:9). He was born in a stable. Like a king, Jesus took off the robes of majesty and put on the garments of a beggar.

The second aspect is that Jesus accepted a servant’s place. Verse 7 reads, “…he took upon himself the form of a servant…” Jesus didn’t come to this earth as a great ruler or a great leader or a great master from an earthly perspective. He donned the servant’s apron. We see Jesus in service all the time. The ultimate act of service was when he died upon a cross to save sinners. He served his heavenly father. He became the servant to work out the plan of redemption.

The third aspect is that Jesus approached a sinful people. He had to come to earth. He couldn’t win salvation from outer space. He had to become a human. He abandoned a sovereign position and accepted a servant’s place and that meant approaching a sinful people. Verse 7 says, “…and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man….” Jesus had brothers and sisters. He learned a trade and worked. At times he was hungry and thirsty and weary and sleepy. He suffered pain and even died.

The fourth aspect is that he adopted a selfless posture. Verse 8 reads, “….he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” How much did Jesus humble himself? He humbled himself to the point of death. It’s one thing to die. It is infinitely beyond that to die the death of the cross. The ancient writers used to say that to die on a cross was to die a thousand times before you take your last breath. The pain was excruciating and unimaginable. The organs suffocated as the body was suspended by four great wounds. The fiery pain pulsing through the body was very, very difficult. It was more than we can conceive.

It was a shameful death. It was reserved for the vilest and most wicked criminals. A person hung suspended in space naked before the gaping, mocking throng. The ultimate humiliation is that our sins were placed upon him. The Bible never emphasizes the physical pain of Jesus. It focuses upon the spiritual pain. He who knew no sin became sin for us.

What is the Christmas story? The Lord Jesus abandoned a sovereign position, accepted a servant’s place, approached a sinful people and adopted a selfless posture.

The fifth aspect is that Jesus ascended a supreme prince. What was God the father’s reaction to the incarnation? What should be our reaction? Verse 9 reads, “For this reason also, God highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name…..” God exalted him. God gave him a name above every name. Why? Verse 10 reads, “…so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow…” The name of Jesus is unequaled. He is the Savior, the Lord of the world and the universe.

Verse 10 is the big picture. Every knee will bow. Verse 11 comes down to the individual. “..and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” The demons and the damned, the redeemed, the holy angels — everyone will bow. All will confess sooner or later. The issue is when. If you wait until the judgment it will be too late. But if now you confess Jesus as Lord you will enter into his salvation and his kingdom.

Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you shall confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be…. (what?) saved.” This is the message of the gospel. Jesus is Lord. He is God. He died on the cross to purchase our salvation. God the father approved and exalted him. God calls to all the created universe, “Bow the knee and confess lordship of Jesus.” This is the message of Christmas.

Ethan Hansen is the pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake. His email is ethanchansen@gci.net.