CHRISTMAS: THE SELF-HUMILIATION OF GOD

 Salvation begins with the self-humiliation of God.

Salvation does not begin with the Cross or the Resurrection.  The Cross is God’s ultimate act of redemption and atonement once and for all.  The Resurrection – Jesus, the first-fruit of the promised resurrection of the dead -- is the confirmation of the inauguration a new age of the Kingdom of God, of victory over sin and death, of life in the Spirit.  However, the Incarnation is the actual inauguration of that new era of the Kingdom of God.  And, it starts with God’s self-humiliation.

God's self-humiliation is this: The Creator of the cosmos condescends to offer a relationship with the lowly creatures of humanity.  In the beginning, God offered to “walk” and “talk” in the Garden of Eden with the Man and the Woman.  God offered Godself in relationship to Abraham as a way to create a people who would bless the world.  God offered Godself to the Hebrew slaves of Egypt to become God’s people.  Through multiple acts of merciful forgiveness and new starts, the Creator condescended to offer humanity a relationship with Life.  That is where salvation begins.

God's ultimate self-humiliation was to become Immanuel, “with-us-God,” in the flesh, in low esteem and lowly status, to live a life beneath other humans in order to lift them up toward that very salvation.  Christmas, the Incarnation, is when God’s rule and Kingdom was inaugurated in a new way, coming to us in utter weakness and humility.  Christmas is the ultimate Holy Day.

“Here am I, O God, of little power and of mean estate, yet lifting up heart and voice to Thee before whom all created things are as dust and a vapour. Thou art hidden behind the curtain of sense, incomprehensible power; yet here I speak with Thee familiarly as child to parent, as friend to friend. If I could not thus speak to Thee, then were I indeed without hope in the world….  But because Thou art my Father, I am not afraid. Because it is Thine own Spirit that stirs within my spirit's inmost room, I know that all is well.”*

Thank you, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

John Baillie, A Dairy of Private Prayer, Day 9, morning.

POSTSCRIPT TO 12/16/2023, ADVENT: PASCAL’S WAGER

In a private correspondence, I explained further about the issue behind Pascal’s “wager.”  Pascal’s starting point is the recognition that we cannot prove or disprove the existence of God.

The problem with scientific and deductive “proofs” is that the conclusion is always contained in at least one of the premises, which themselves are created by definition or by unprovable, inductive reasoning.  For example, one of my colleagues argues that there is no God, because there is no such thing as disembodied agency.  His logical syllogism goes like this:

• Premise 1: Scientifically and experientially, there is no such thing as disembodied volition or agency.
• Premise 2: God is defined as disembodied/non-material agency.
• Conclusion: Either "God" has no volition/agency (violating #2), or does not exist.

But the problem is in the premises.  Our knowledge of embodiment/matter/existence cannot be used to define the "being-ness" of God.  What if -- a condition that I think is biblical -- our existence lies within a greater or other being-ness of God?  Within human thinking and existence, we could not comprehend ("grasp together") such being-ness, since it is other than our own.  However, it might be possible for that other Being-ness to enter into our existence and reveal Itself to us.  That is the claim of those who have experienced the grace of God.

As John Baillie said, “Thou art hidden behind the curtain of sense, incomprehensible power; yet here I speak with Thee familiarly as child to parent, as friend to friend.*  That is the response of a human heart that has been touched by the Presence of God.

Thank you, Lord, that your touch reached my hardened heart.  Amen.

*A Dairy of Private Prayer, Day 9, morning.

ADVENT: PASCAL’S WAGER AND SEEKING GOD

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

"Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.   For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

In a “debate”* I once had with an atheistic philosopher, he brought up his disgust with “Pascal’s wager."^  My colleague summarized it as:

One can choose arbitrarily to believe in God, or one can choose not to believe in God.  If there is no God, one has nothing to lose by making the first choice.  However, if there is a God, one has all to lose by making the second choice.  Therefore, it is logical to make the first choice to try to avoid going to hell.

He saw Pascal’s wager as intellectual suicide.  (It would also be fake "belief.")  And, given his understanding, he would be right.

However, that was not Pascal’s line of thought.  Pascal thought about writing a letter “to incite to the search of God” (184).  He starts with the understand that frail human reason is incapable of deductively proving or disproving the existence of an inscrutable God.  So, he encourages people to realize that it is reasonable to seek God existentially:

"Endeavor, then, to convince yourself, not by increase of proofs of God….  Learn of those who have been bound like you, and who now stake all their possessions. These are people who know the way which you would follow, and who are cured of an ill of which you would be cured. Follow the way by which they began; by acting as if they believed, taking the holy water, having masses said, etc. (233)

Simply put: if a person aligns oneself to God’s will, starting to read Scripture, praying, obeying, etc., one encounters the reality of the Presence of God.  God rewards all who seek him (Heb 11:6b).  In Isaiah 65:1 God says, "I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; I appeared to those who did not look for me. I said, 'Here I am! Here I am!' to a nation that did not invoke my name” (Isa 65:1).

In Advent, we remind ourselves to be seekers of a God who humbles himself to make himself known.
In Advent, we remember that God condescended to become flesh, incarnate in Jesus, to make Himself known.  God humiliated himself to be rejected and crucified in order to make Himself known.
In Advent, we remember that no one is pure enough to approach the Holy God; but that the Holy God blesses those with His presence who humbly seek Him.

Lord, may I be a true seeker today and the next.  Amen.

*Students have sometimes asked me to debate an atheistic philosopher.  I always say that I will not debate “proofs” for the existence of God, but I will discuss what my worldview is, how I came to it, and why I support it.  "Proof" of God is experiential, not deductive.
^ Pascal was a 17th century mathematician and theologian.  The "wager" is found in Pascal's Pensees, to which I have cited section numbers.

ADVENT INCARNATION: WHAT DOES JESUS’ HUMANITY MEAN TODAY?

The role in which Jesus serves us today in his humanity is often overlooked.  Yes, our God became incarnate and emptied himself to become of servant and to die in humility.  But that is not the end significance of Jesus humanity.  I will circle around to this point.

I love the story of the father who brought demon-possessed son to Jesus’ disciples and they failed to heal him (Mark 9:14 – 29).  They then brought the boy and his father to Jesus, and the father said,

“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
“’If you can,’” said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
(Mk. 9:22-23 NIV)

The father made a request or prayer to Jesus, basically saying, "I am trusting!  Help my insufficient, or weak, trust!"  This father is modeling a prayer for us today, one that Jesus will answer – on the basis of his humanity, his vicarious humanity.  Here are four key texts from Hebrew with a focus on Jesus’ humanity.

(Hebrews 2:17-18) For this reason he (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(Hebrews 4:15-16) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

(Hebrews 5:7-10) During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

(Hebrews 7:23-26) Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.  Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  Such a high priest meets our need-- one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

First Point:  In his humanity, Jesus was and still is our high priest.  The priest represented the people before God.  The priest interceded for the people before God.  And, although Jesus offered a sacrifice once for all, these texts make clear that He was not a one-time priest; He continues in the role of high priest, interceding for us.  And does so on the basis of His humanity.  Jesus’ perfect human life makes him the perfect high priest and intercessor, because He was tempted in all ways human, but remained holy.

Background to second point:  Participation Theology
Over and over, the Bible teaches participation theology.  Not only do we participate in the life of Jesus, but that He participates in our lives.  Supporting texts:

·        John 14-15: unity with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, “Abide in me and I will abide in you….” (John 15:4)  “ I am the vine, you are the branches” (15:5)

·        Being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) and walking in the Spirit.

·        United with Jesus in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:5)

·        Raised with Christ and living in Christ (Col 3:1 – 4).

Second Point:  Jesus is with us to help us in our weakness of faith.  Jesus is there to believe in us, with us, for us, and through us.  He is “able to help those who are being tempted” “so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  So, too, brothers and sisters in Christ are there to believe for each other.  We one Body in Christ.  Therefore, when we are weak in faith, we can cry out to Jesus, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"  Jesus, who understands our humanity, is there to intercede for us.  And, our brothers and sisters in Christ, are also there to believe for us when we cannot.

Lord, Jesus, thank you that you became incarnate and became a high priest.  Thank you that in your humanity, you intercede still as my high priest.  Help me with my unbelief.  Amen.

IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US, ADVENT: THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

 One of my best reflections on Advent came from a second-grade child.  My wife and I teach a young children’s Sunday School class using the Godly Play curriculum.*  At the end of the year, we review the life of Jesus.  Setting out the first panel of the birth story, we asked children to go around the room and pick out an item from a lesson that they saw as connected to the birth story.  There was one young girl who was always spinning around in her twirly dress and who did not seem to pay close attention.  She went over to the OT section, picked up a model of the ark of the covenant/testimony, and set in next to the manger.  One of us politely asked, “Why did you bring the ark?  She said,

“The ark of the covenant let God’s people know that he was with them.  And, Jesus is called Immanuel, which means that he is God with us.”

Amen!  She understood -- profoundly.  The ark was apparently modeled after a footstool to a portable Egyptian king-throne and would have represented the invisible presence of God enthroned above it.  The Israelites carried the ark of the covenant with them in their wilderness wandering, and prior to the building of the Temple, to remind them that their God was present with them.

About the ark:

“I will meet with you there, and from above the atonement lid [the cover of the ark], from between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony” (Exod. 25:22).

About Jesus:

“The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’” (Matt. 1:23).

 I would like to take that girl’s association one step further by noting how the cover of the ark of the covenant, the “atonement lid” or “mercy seat,” functioned and how that term is used of Jesus as well.  In the Tent of Meeting and later in the Temple, the ark was kept in the back chamber, the Holy of Holies.  That chamber physically represented the closest point in “sacred space” in which one could come near God.  Only the High Priest, who mediated between the people and God, could enter there, and only on one day of the year, the Day of Atonement.  On the top cover of the ark, the “atonement lid,” were two gold cherubim symbolizing the heavenly realm.  The lid of the ark symbolically was the closest point of contact between the people and God.  It was on it that the sin offering of the blood of atonement was made.

About the lid:

“He [the High Priest] is to sprinkle it [the blood of the sin offering] on the atonement lid….  So he is to make atonement for the holy place from the impurities of the Israelites and from their transgressions with regard to all their sins (Lev. 16:15b – 16 a).

 About Jesus:

“… [for those] being declared righteous by his [God’s] grace through the deliverance in Christ Jesus, whom God dedicated as the atonement lid through faith in his blood [the atonement sin offering]” (Rom 3:24 – 25a).#

Back to the young girl.  She understood.  God has always wanted the people who entrust themselves to him to know that he is present with them.  He gave them the ark of the covenant.  But that was not enough.  He wanted to become closer.  So he “emptied himself and took expression as a slave” (Phil 2:6; see devotional of 11/24/23).

Lord, may the eyes of my heart see as clearly as this young girl.  Amen.

*I highly recommend this curriculum.  It invites children of all ages to "enter" the stories of the Bible and to relate to God at their level rather than asking them to recite platitudes that they do not understand.  See: https://www.godlyplayfoundation.org/
#Unfortunately, most English translations do not capture this connection to the Day of Atonement.  [If interested in a detailed translation and commentary on Rom 3:1-26, see "Part 2: An Illustration from Translating Paul (Romans 3:21–26)" in "Hope for the Future of New Testament Theology" (https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/11/975).]