Category Archives: Incarnation

John 1:18 – The invisible God revealed (sermon notes)

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Jn 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.’

The Prologue – a unique part of Scripture.  Here we are introduced to one who is called ‘the Word’, and whose true character is gradually unfolded.  We are taught that this Word is eternal, personal, divine, creative, life-giving, revealing, and (wonder of wonders!) incarnate.

This verse forms the conclusion and climax of the whole prologue. …

Why Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the Trinity

Walking With Giants Posted on by

‘Should you believe in the Trinity?’ asks this JW article.

‘IF PEOPLE were to read the Bible from cover to cover without any preconceived idea of a Trinity, would they arrive at such a concept on their own? Not at all.

‘What comes through very clearly to an impartial reader is that God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, separate and distinct from anyone else, and that Jesus, even in his prehuman existence, is also separate and distinct, a created being, subordinate to God.’

…

‘A more Christlike God’ – 6

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Summarising chapter 6 – Of Lions, Lambs and Donkeys.

1. Kenosis – Cruciform Power

God reveals himself, not as an eagle or a lion, but as a lamb.  We must think of God, not in terms of power, but in terms of humility.

According to Phil 2:7, Christ emptied himself (the word is ‘kenosis’).  This does not mean that Christ gives up his divine attributes, but rather that he assumes our human nature.  Moreover, in doing so, he reveals the true nature of God: loving and self-giving to the point of death.…

‘A more Christlike God’ – 5

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Chapter 5 – Word Made Flesh: The Christlike God

Jesus is the perfect representation of God; indeed, he is God incarnate (Jn 1:14).

In the Nicene Creed, the Church confesses:

‘We believe in one God, the Father almighty …and in one Lord, Jesus Christ. Light from Light, very God from very God …of one essence with the Father.’

This is consistent with Paul’s teaching in 1 Cor 8:6.

The NT writers insist that Jesus:

‘was and is the exact image of God’s essence, the precise imprint of God’s being (Col.

…

12 things God cannot do

Walking With Giants Posted on by

We often focus on what God can do.  But think for a moment of what he cannot do:

He cannot

  • learn
  • be surprised
  • change his mind
  • be seen
  • bear to look at evil
  • change
  • be lonely
  • suffer
  • die
  • be tempted
  • lie
  • disown himself.

But consider, too, that in the Incarnation God did what he cannot do:

  • God cannot learn, yet Jesus grew in wisdom and knowledge
  • God cannot be tempted, yet Jesus knew the fullness of temptation
  • God cannot suffer and die, and yet Jesus experienced suffering and death

God cannot sleep. …

The births of John and Jesus – similarities and differences

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Craig Evans, Joel Green and others have noticed a series of remarkable parallels between the births of John (the Baptist) and Jesus, as recorded in Luke 1.

  • In both cases, the conception was unexpected, Lk 1:7; 1:26f, and is announced by the angel Gabriel, Lk 1:11-19, 26-38.
  • Both future parents are ‘troubled’, Lk 1:12, 29, but are told not to be afraid, Lk 1:13, 30.
  • Both are promised a son, Lk 1:13, 31, and are given names for their unborn offspring, Lk 1:13, 31.
…

Twelve Ways of Christmas

Walking With Giants Posted on by

Most people, including the totally unchurched, will celebrate Christmas one way or another.  How can we connect them with the Christian meaning of this season?

Andrew Knight has some helpful suggestions.  I present them here in slightly abridged form

1. Host

‘The holidays offer a myriad of opportunities to have people over to your home. You can invite others over for family meals, dinner parties, work parties, dessert gatherings, neighborhood functions, or school holiday celebrations. Christmas affords you the opportunity to gather for anything, whether secret Santa, ugly Christmas sweaters, or a good Christmas movie.’…

The magi – Nabatean courtiers?

Walking With Giants Posted on by

In his book Mystery of the Magi, Dwight Longenecker develops a case for the Magi of Matthew 2 being courtiers from the kingdom of Nabatea.

Longenecker writes:

‘At the time of Jesus’ birth, the city of Petra was the thriving capital of the Nabatean kingdom, a major power in the Middle East. Covering most of the Sinai Peninsula and extending halfway along the eastern coast of the Red Sea, the Nabatean kingdom, at its height, spread across northern Arabia and present-day Jordan to Damascus in Syria.’

…

Why are Matthew’s and Luke’s birth narratives so different?

Walking With Giants Posted on by

The most celebrated critical commentary on the birth narratives is that of Raymond Brown – The Birth of the Messiah.

In discussing the birth narratives as history, Brown cites two sets of problems:

1. The problem of corroborating witnesses

Regarding the main body of the Gospel narratives, there is no shortage of witnesses whose reminiscences could be harvested.  And there was a tradition that had been passed down from this first witnesses.  See Acts 1:22; 1 Cor 15:3 etc.…

Lk 2:22-24, 36-38 – Anna’s story (sermon notes)

Walking With Giants Posted on by

(This is a slightly revised version of a short talk that was first drafted many years ago)

Text: Luke 2:22-24, 36-38

Some 80 years before a certain baby boy was cradled in a manger in Bethlehem, a little girl was born just a few miles away.  No doubt she was her parent’s pride and joy.  And no doubt she was strong, active and healthy.  Anyway, in due course, she grew up and fell in love with the man of her dreams. …