12-21-14 Jesus Come in the Flesh

12/22     1 John 4:3  spirit acknowledging Christ in the flesh

…2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. (1 John 4:2,3)

Thoughts: That Jesus came in the flesh is what the Christian celebration of Christmas is all about.  Much like the Jews celebrate Passover as a way to remember their salvation each year, so Christians celebrate that God has come for our salvation.  There have been some who have said (Docetists) that Jesus did not really come down as a man- he just appeared to do this (some Muslim groups think this today).  On the other extreme are those who think Jesus did not come down at all- but just was an ordinary human that we have over ascribed as divine.  Two thousand years later, I believe we can see that Jesus was not just an ordinary man- but a man whose simple life changed the world for the better.  He was really born in a manger and walked our sod and breathed our air, drank our water.  But He taught as no one else taught and rose from the dead as no one else could.  Jesus has come down. He came in the flesh.  If we acknowledge this, we will begin to experience the true spirit of Christmas.

Prayer:  let me acknowledge you, Lord Jesus, as fully human and fully divine.  You have come down for me and suffered true suffering for me.  Let my heart well up with gratitude.

Application:  Let the love of Christ inside of you become visible to others today.  Look for an opportunity to identify yourself as a believer today.  Look for an opportunity to help someone in need- maybe put a dollar in the Salvation Army bucket.