SUNDAYS WITH JOYCE

Necessity of Christ's Incarnation

Came as sacrifice to sin....Hebrews 10:8-14    Above, when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right side of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Came to become our High Priest....Hebrews 5:1,2     For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity

Came to destroy works of devil....1 John 3:8     he that hath commiteth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Came to fulfill Davidic Covenant ....Luke 1:31-33     And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end

Came to give an example of living....1 Peter 2:21-23     For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Came to reveal God....John 1:18     No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him

 

INCARNATION

When the Holy One stepped from endless order
into the chaos of our days, it was winter.
Weather blew everywhere. Time itself was dying.
The squirrel, with a tail soft as breath,
curled inside the maple trunk.

The cold stayed. Five-fingered leaves pressed the ground,
their stems perpendicular, thin wrists above each flame-tipped palm.
Cataclysm scanned the days; like any future, like our own.
The Holy One took face and voice,

beginning with an infant cry,
took food and sleep, nestled in arms not unlike yours.

He listened to the dropping rain, watched it bead the naked twigs,
saw it polish stones and faces, stood once under this lift of sky
and still, in a word, understands.

~Author Unknown~

 

My heart bursts with joy and wonder
At that magnificus event
When our Father, with sinners in mind
Decreed His Son be sent

Yet with no reluctance whatever
The Word said "Father, I'll go;
To become a man a humbling thing,
But no other way, We know."

Such in mind, our Savior
Blessed sinners such indeed
Though beautiful Babe in Bethlehem
At Calvary He must bleed

That's why I've a song in my heart

~Unknown~