Advent Day 14: The One and Only Son

- The incarnation: God became a Man in order to win man to Himself. God revealed Himself through the Son in human form. He became One of us to redeem all of us.
- By becoming human, Jesus Christ became 1. the perfect Teacher--we see how God thinks and thus how we should think (Philippians 2:5-11); 2. the perfect Example--He's our Role Model Whom we are to imitate...He shows us how to live and gives us the power to live that way (1 Peter 2:21); 3. the perfect Sacrifice--Jesus laid down His life as a sacrifice for all our sins; His death satisfied God's requirements for the removal of sin (Colossians 1:15-23).
- The Word incarnate is also the answer to Moses' prayer. "Then Moses said, 'Now show me Your glory." (Exodus 33:18)
- When Christ was born, He was completely human and completely divine (Colossians 2:9). Before Christ came, people could only know God partially. After He came, people could know God fully because He became visible and tangible in Christ. Christ is the perfect expression of God in human form.
- Jesus is the Embodiment of Grace and Truth! The nature and will of God are revealed in Jesus Christ. May we be like Christ...full of both grace and truth (not just one or the other)!
- "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) The entire Gospel is summed up in this verse! Here God demonstrates what true love is. When we love someone dearly, we are willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His one and only Son because He loves us so much. Jesus accepted our punishment, died in our place for our sins, and offered us the new life  (abundant life and eternal life). That's why Jesus came and made His dwelling among us. This is the Ultimate Love that saves and frees us for eternity!