Jesus Came in the Usual Way (Advent 4, 2024)

So long as Jesus was fully God, but not also fully man, He couldn’t have paid for our sin in full because He lacked the relationship with mankind. Humanity was the one under the death sentence, not God!

Therefore, we see our Visitation Principle 4: Jesus came to man in the usual way, as a baby. But He never stopped being God.

That’s why the author of Hebrews writes,

Hebrews 1: 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father”? Or again, “I will be His Father, and He will be My Son”? 6 And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”

Uh-oh, are you saying Jesus “became” God’s Son? Nope, read it again. That’s not what it says. You are my Son. Today I have “become” your Father. First, it’s the crucial distinction between “identity” and “relationship.” But that’s not the important reason why Psalm 2:7 is quoted when it continues in verse 8 “Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”

When it says, “I will be His Father and He will be My Son”
that’s relationship and inheritance.

Jesus’ identity has always been co-equal with the Father in the 3-in-one Godhead—You are My Son. Present and active agency in Creation, working as “the angel of the Lord” in His pre-Incarnate role, His identity is—and has always been—God. That’s why the angels (also spiritual beings but created ones) worship Him…even at His birth…as a baby. Fully God, fully human.

However, Jesus’ relationship (to God and man) became nuanced on account of His obedience and humility. He received inheritance rights to the Kingdom, that’s what the “will be His Father…will be My Son” is all about. Inheritance didn’t change His identity, but conferring the Kingdom upon Jesus was an act only possible by the Father to His Son…because it’s a Kingdom and any inheritance passes from Father to Son in an Old Testament Psalm 2 context.

Questions for further thought:

Consider Philippians 2:6-11and notice the word “therefore.”

Jesus, 6 “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; 7 rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death– even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-11)

What about this one? Acts 5:30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead– whom you killed by hanging Him on a cross. 31 God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. (Acts 5:30-31)

Why is proper understanding in Christology critical? Why might it involve both Jesus’ identity (fully God all the time) and His relationships to God and man (in order for God to confer a Kingdom to Him)?

Prayer: We praise You, Lord Jesus, for Your obedience from Your birth to Your work on the Cross, shedding Your blood for our forgiveness. We honor You as Prince and Savior and exalt Your holy Name. We look forward to seeing Your Kingdom come! Amen.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

“From the Jews for the World” was the theme of last Advent’s devotional series. It is archived beginning December 3, 2023, and explored how Jesus’ Jewish heritage was necessary for the salvation of Gentiles, too.
“Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.