Adventure - Day 6

“After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.”
Matthew 2:13-16 NLT
The way the story reads in the Scriptures, it’s as if Jesus’ life was in danger from the second He was born.  In reality, scholars believe that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were likely in Bethlehem for up to two years before the threat from Herod and the flight to Egypt.  So they would have had some time to nurse him, care for him, and introduce him to Joseph’s  relatives in Bethlehem.

But make no mistake, Mary and Joseph lived daily with the weight of how important Jesus was to them, and to the world.  Parents worry about their children anyway, it’s natural, but when your child is the Son of God who has come to rescue all of Creation, however, you better believe you live on heightened alert.

Jesus’ incarnation then was one of the most amazing miracles of all time.  20th century theologian, J.I. Packer, writes, “Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is this truth of the Incarnation.”

The word, “incarnation,” can be simply defined as a person who embodies, in the flesh, a deity, a spirit, or an abstract quality.  Sometimes we call it, “infleshment.” But though Jesus’ birth is The Incarnation of God taking on human flesh, incarnation still happens today as the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us.  We, His body, continue to represent His presence in the world today.

So this week we ask, what can we learn about the Adventure in Bethlehem that speaks to our incarnation of Christ and our call today?

For Joseph, Bethlehem was his ancestral home.  He likely had family there, and though some Christmas stories make you think that Joseph had door after door shut in his face because there was “no room,” that wouldn’t have been the case.  He would have been known, loved, and Eastern hospitality was serious busyness, you wouldn’t have turned a family member, especially one with a pregnant wife, away.

So what does the adventure of incarnation look like for us in our homes, in the places that, and with the people who, know us?  

Sometimes we think the call to follow Jesus only leads us into the world, the marketplace, to those who don’t believe.  But our first and most important witness is in our homes, to our families and those God has put in our lives.  Our call is to love them, as we go out and love others.

To do this we must start by accepting that Jesus was who He said He was, and giving our life to Him,  This is the beginning of an incredibly risky, and incredibly transformative, adventure.   The coming days, weeks, months, and years, can be some of the most challenging, and rewarding, times of your life as you continue to commit yourself to your love for the rest of your life.

Jesus couldn’t imagine living through eternity without each and every one of us, so he was willing to leave the comforts of heaven to embark on the riskiest adventure of all time.  His adventure would involve pain like few, if any, have ever known, separation from God, something He had never experienced,  and certainly, death.  And yet, he was willing to do it because He loved us so very much.

I guess the question we’re left with today is;  Did his risk pay off?  Will you and I agree to join Him in the great Adventure of discipleship where every moment matters and all we can do is hang on to Him for dear life?

1. What kind of a “witness” to the love and sacrifice of God to you feel you are in your home, among your friends?
2. Can you put Jesus’ commitment to you in your own words? Imagine him standing in front of you, what would he say to you about how he feels about you?
3. How do you “incarnate” Jesus into your heart, your world, on a daily basis?
4. What’s one thing you can do this holiday season to thank Jesus for choosing to come on the great Adventure of becoming human, to save us all?

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