Why Did God Have to Become Man?

 

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. Christmas Day is only a few days away. So, I begin today’s message from Matthew’s gospel. (Matthew 27:27-46) “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him and led Him away to crucify Him

. . . And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink. And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews” . . . . Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  Matthew 27:27-46

 

This text might seem an odd text during the Christmas season, but in truth, it is not out of place. God’s plan for Mankind’s redemption predates Christmas Day by eons of time. His plan extends backward into infinite eternity itself. Peter tells us in his first epistle: (1 Peter 1:20, ASV) “[Christ] was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake.” In Revelation 13:8 we read of the Lamb who was slain “from the foundation of the world.”

 

It's easy to get distracted by twinkling Christmas lights, colorful decorations, the carols, the food, the gifts. But Christmas Day was not the culmination of God’s plan and purpose for our redemption. Calvary’s cross, which overshadowed the Baby’s manger was that culmination.

 

On Christmas Day 2000 years ago the incarnate Son of God was born into our sin-shrouded world. Three decades later, on Good Friday, the incarnate Son of God clothed Himself with that shroud when He became sin for us. St Paul tells us: (2 Corinthians 5:21) “[The Father] made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

 

And it was on Resurrection Sunday when the incarnate Son of God tore that shroud to shreds; “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

 

From the first chapter in Genesis to the last chapter in Revelation, Scripture reveals God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: One God, but three distinct Persons, each co-existent, co-eternal, and co-equal. We call this the Holy Trinity. There never was a time when either the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Spirit did not exist.

 

The Incarnation of God the Son is the theological bedrock upon which true Christian faith rests. Remove that foundation through lies, spurious fabrications and deception – and Biblical Christianity crumbles to dust.

 

The word, ‘Incarnation,’ derives from the Latin meaning ‘to be in flesh,’ or, ‘to make flesh.’ It was in the incarnation that the Second Person of the Holy Trinity took on Himself human flesh. At His conception He became fully human, while remaining simultaneously fully God.

 

Such is one of the mysteries of Christian faith. And that word, ‘mystery’, should not cause us to stumble. Neither should that word give us reason to object. It is the unmistakable mark of human arrogance to think we should be able to understand the infinite mind, purpose, power, and authority of God.

 

Scripture tells us of the incarnation this way: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.; And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1,14)

 

Let’s be clear about this: God took on human flesh and lived as a man in first century Israel. He got hungry and thirsty. He got tired. He perspired. He needed to bathe or He’d smell badly. And – (and not wanting to be offensive) He needed to toilet Himself as everyone else needs to do. 

 

Fully God. Full Human.

 

Scripture emphasizes the point through St Paul’s latter to the Christians at Philippi: “Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)

 

So, why did God have to become flesh? That question is the crux of my message on this fourth Sunday of Advent during which we celebrate the birth of Jesus who is God-in-the-flesh, ‘Emmanuel’ – which means ‘God with us.’

 

There are certainly many reasons God became flesh, but for the sake of time I must limit discussion to only these four:

 

First (and not in any particular order): The incarnation shows us precisely who the Father is – not in some abstract way, but we know exactly who the Father is because the incarnate Son of God IS God.

When the apostle Philip asked Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? (John 14:8-10)

 

If we want to know if God loves us, we only need to look at Jesus, who is God-made-flesh, for our answer. It was He, after all, who told us the story of the Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine safely in the fold and diligently seeks for the one who’s gone astray. We only need to look at Calvary where God-incarnate outstretched His arms to beckon all who are lonely and hurting and weary and burdened and frightened. Because God became a man, we know the answer to the question – “Does God know what I’m going through?”

Because of the incarnation, WE CAN KNOW without a moment’s hesitation that God actually, physically, emotionally, psychologically knows what it’s like to be you and me – because as a flesh and blood man He experienced all ups and downs and sideways of life as you and I experience them – yet He remained without sin.

 

The incarnate God can entirely identify with us when we experience various and sometimes heart-rending struggles. He knows from personal and actual life EXPERIENCE what it’s like to feel abandoned or betrayed by friends and family. He knows from experience what it’s like to lose someone you love to death. He knows what it feels like to be tempted to sin. Yes! Almighty God personally knows what it is like to be human.

 

The second reason God had to become a man is this: Consider the staggering truth that the almighty CREATOR of the entire universe, galaxy after galaxy, humbled Himself to take on human flesh so He could DIE for our sins! God had to become a man so could become a propitiation for our sins – the big sins, the little sins, the purposeful sins and the unintended sins.

 

All of them.

 

I remind you of the definition of that fancy word, propitiation, It means to appease someone’s anger or wrath. In the Bible, the word applies to the sacrificial death of the incarnate Son of God who, by His substitutionary death for sinners, bore on Himself the Father’s wrath that was rightly meant for each of us.

 

Now think how that demonstrates for us in the most graphic detail not only God’s view of sin, but ALSO His incomprehensible love for the sinner – for you and me in this sanctuary.

From the beginning of creation, God set down the unchangeable rule that only blood can take away or atone for sin. That’s the whole point of the Levitical sacrificial system.

 

And that brings us to the next reason God had to become man. The incarnation makes the way for the holy and just God to forgive the sinner, while at the same time unleash His wrath against the sin.

 

Yes, God is love. Scripture assures us of that immutable truth from one end of the book to the other. But Scripture also warns us that God hates sin because sin destroys what God created in love. Therefore, it should make complete sense to anyone with eyes to see why God demonstrates His wrath on all who persist in their sin.

 

It was at the Cross, and specifically on His incarnate Son, where God’s love and His wrath came together. God’s wrath was fully satisfied by the death of the sinless God incarnate. At the same time, His love and mercy were fully offered to sinners who come to Him in faith and repentance.

 

Now please get this: ONLY the incarnate God, because of His humanity AND because of His holiness and sinlessness, only the incarnate God could be the sinner’s substitute. Only the incarnate God could satisfy the holy requirement of Judgment against our sin by receiving that wrath on Himself.

 

Did you ever wonder why the incarnate Son of God cried out on that cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1).

 

At that moment, and for the first time in eternity, the Father turned away from His Son, because at that moment, the incarnate Son of God BECAME our sin – as we read in that verse earlier from 2 Corinthians 5: “[The Father] made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf . . ..”

And when Jesus quoted from that 22^nd psalm, He drew the attention of the Jews on Golgotha’s hill – most of whom were very familiar with the Psalms – Jesus drew their attention to this particular Psalm to reveal His fulfillment of that prophecy right before their eyes.

 

Listen to these texts from Psalm 22: “All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him . . . . Be not far from Me, for trouble is near . . . I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” (Psalm 22,1,7-8, 11, 14-18)

 

Without Christ, men and women will die for their own sins. But the sinless Son of God did not need to bear the Father’s wrath for His own sins. He had none. That’s why we also read in the prophecy of Isaiah: “But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed. ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6)

 

Let me say it again: it is because of the incarnation of God in Christ, the penitent sinner not only receives God's complete, total, and irreducible forgiveness of his or her sins, but also receives God promise to FORGET those sins were ever committed.

 

Here is the prophecy of Jeremiah: “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord . . .  “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people . . . [and] I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

 

Because God the Son took on Himself the full wrath of the Father for ALL our sins, the penitent sinner has –present tense, ‘has’ – complete remission of our sins. Listen to what the Lord Jesus said at the Last Supper when He took the cup: “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:27-28)

 

I’ve shared this before and I do it again for emphasis: The Greek word translated ‘remission’ essentially means God obliterates the penitent’s sins. Not a shadow remains. God treats the confessed sin as if it was NEVER committed.

 

And God’s incomprehensible forgiveness extends even to those sins for which the humble are unaware. A quick look at the Day of Atonement sacrifices in Leviticus, and the apostle’s words in Hebrews 9:7, and elsewhere in Scripture demonstrates that glorious reality. Even for the sins of which the Christian is unaware, Christ’s blood washes them completely from their account.

 

That is why the idea of purgatory is so egregiously wrong. There cannot be judgment of any sort laid against the true Christian because all of his sins have been wiped clean by the blood of the incarnate Son of God.

 

A fourth reason God had to become a man – and the last we will consider today because of time – the fourth reason for the incarnation of Christ was to open the door of God's very throne room for everyone, anyone, who comes to Him by obedient faith in Christ’s substitutionary atonement for their sins.

 

When Jesus took His last breath on that cross, God tore the veil of the Temple – the huge curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the people. (See Mark 15:37-38) Only the High Priest could enter behind that curtain, and only that once a year.

 

But the death of the incarnate Son of God opened FOREVER the way to God’s throne. Everyone and anyone who holds obedient faith in Christ has immediate access to God. Clergy or laity, rich or poor, popular or unknown, scholar or illiterate, across races and nations and cultures – the death of the incarnate Son of God opened forever immediate access into God's very throne room.

 

That is why we read in the letter to the Hebrews: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

 

God took on human flesh so that all who follow Christ as their Lord can be certain that our Creator really DOES know from personal experience what it’s like to be ‘me.’

 

God took on human flesh so that you and I can have no doubt about the inevitable judgment of sin – any sin, big or small or in-between. God was incarnate in Christ so that He, as the righteous and utterly holy Judge could pour out His wrath against sin on the God-Man, whose sacrificial blood obliterates all traces of the penitent’s sins. God became man so that we could have direct access to His Holy throne.

 

These reasons, and more besides, are why God had to become a man. These reasons and more besides are why Christmas is an integral part of Christian faith. These reasons and more besides are why ‘we wish you a merry Christmas’ has infinitely deeper meaning than what our pagan culture thinks it means.

 

Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, is the reason for the season.