Visitation to Add Humanity to His Divinity (Advent 2, 2024)

Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe.3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word.

Visitation Principle 2: Jesus Came to Be Born, but He Was Already God.

Jesus didn’t begin at His birth. His ministry didn’t even begin when He was 30. He’s always been God, creating the universe, and doing all the ministry God-things that God does because Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and exact representation of His being.

Where was He in the Old Testament, you might wonder? Many scholars think “the angel of the Lord” (note: a specific “the angel” reference in the Old Testament, ex. Genesis 22:11-18, Exodus 3:1-6) was the pre-Incarnate Christ. However, He revealed Himself to the world personally through His Incarnation. The Word became flesh from the moment Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit, and it happened in the course of time in order for Him to be revealed as Messiah. But He existed before time itself. His Incarnation lasts into eternity which reminds us of His exemplary act of sacrificial humility.

Why is this an important principle of Christ’s first Advent?

Well, there are Christian-ish religions out there that do not acknowledge Jesus as God (Jehovah’s Witnesses) and those which believe Jesus wasn’t born God but became God over time (Mormons). It doesn’t mean we don’t love the people, but please don’t be fooled by their Christian-ish literature or great choir.

The corrective message to them is as helpful today as it was to the Jewish believers for whom the Letter to the Hebrews was written. To anyone who feels like the Gospel was not final by Christ’s ascension; thinks it is always progressing as accommodation to modern culture; or to those feeling like they had left something special behind that was better that the Gospel alone, the corrective message we can all take to heart is that Jesus isn’t an add-on to the core of Law and Scripture. Jesus is the Core to which the Law pointed, and He is the One all Scripture proclaimed (Luke 24:27). He was born, incarnated from the moment of Mary’s conception as a virgin birth, but He was (and is) God the whole time.

Questions for further thought:

Why might people prefer the Law with its to-do lists and checkboxes?
Think about control and self-determination rather than an ongoing relationship with God through Christ Jesus.
Why might Christian-ish religions have a hard time believing that Jesus is and has always been God? How do they take advantage of people who are not well-educated in the Scriptures?
How does denying the eternal divinity of Christ strip the power out of the Cross and the work God did through Jesus there? Read Romans 5 for insight.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You that You did not negate the Law but, in Your grace, You fulfilled it perfectly that we might live by faith. We praise You for Your grace and lovingkindness. We thank You that Your mercies are new every morning and Your love never ends–something proven supremely on the Cross where You died. We love You and praise You. 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.