Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

Jesus is God Incarnate

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How do you respond when someone walks in the door of your home? Your response will vary depending on who it is. If it’s your spouse or roommate, you might look up from your phone and ask how their day went. If it’s a grown child who’s returning home for the holidays, that moment will be much more significant and joyful. If it’s a stranger in a ski mask, the experience would be terrifying. 

We celebrate Christmas because of who Jesus is. The One whose arrival we celebrate is the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, the everlasting Lord veiled in human flesh, as we see in verse 2 of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”: 

“Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,

Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate Deity,

Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel.

Hark! the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King.’”

Take a moment to wonder at this truth: the One who was adored in heaven as the everlasting Lord took on flesh in the womb of a young virgin and was born in a stable. Babies are born every second of every day—but this baby was God incarnate. 

The incarnation of Jesus refers to God the Son taking on human flesh so that He was fully human and fully God. We see this truth expressed in John’s gospel: 

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Because Jesus was fully God and fully man, His birth was unlike any other birth in the history of the world. As the Nicene Creed states, Jesus was “begotten of the Father . . .begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father . . .” The One who took on flesh was God, and therefore He is worthy of our worship and praise. His birth in a stable—His coming to a world that desperately needed a Savior—gives us reason to sing, “Glory to the newborn King!” 

No matter what you face this week, celebrate Jesus Christ, the everlasting Lord who took on flesh and dwelt among us. 

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The Righteous King of Kings {No Matter What Monday}

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The election was still two weeks away, but the line snaked around the building as I stood with other voters, wearing masks and spaced six feet apart. While a pandemic raged around us, we showed up and waited as long as it took to cast our vote. Millions of Americans did the same, because we believe that, especially in times of difficulty, it matters who’s in charge.

When the Old Testament prophets spoke of the Messiah, they spoke of a king. This king would reign on the throne of David forever. But this king would be different from the line of kings that followed King David, many of whom were wicked, foolish leaders. Isaiah prophesied about this Messiah-King:

“Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:7)

“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.” (Isaiah 32:1)

The King of all creation humbled Himself to take on flesh, walk and talk with man, and suffer and die for His people. Christ’s life, death, and resurrection demonstrated His sovereignty over this world and His sound defeat of His enemies. Now Christ the King is exalted by the Father and seated in glory at the Father’s right hand (Ephesians 2:20-21, Philippians 2:8-9).

In Revelation 19:16, we find the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy:

“On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:16)

As we look at the chaos and challenges around us, we don’t have to wonder who’s ultimately in charge. Our good and faithful King, our Savior Jesus Christ, reigns now and forever.

This is one of the wonders of Christmas: the infant about whom we sing “Away in a Manger” is also the Savior about whom we sing, “Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.” As we celebrate, our hope is in righteous, just, eternal kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

No matter what you face this week, Jesus Christ reigns as the righteous King of kings and Lord of lords. Merry Christmas, friends!

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Death Swallowed up in Victory {No Matter What Monday}

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In the musical “Hamilton,” Alexander Hamilton speaks these haunting words in one of the songs:

“I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory

When’s it gonna get me?

In my sleep, seven feet ahead of me?

If I see it comin’, do I run or do I let it be?”

These words acknowledge the reality we all face in a world plagued by death. Some days it’s easier to ignore than others. But in this life we can never fully escape the threat of death and the sorrow it brings. Even in the joyful celebration of Christ’s birth, we know the baby in the manger grew up to be the Savior dying in agony on the cross.

God sent His Son from heaven, where there was no threat of death, to come to a world plagued by death. Jesus Christ humbled Himself to take on decaying human flesh and experience an excruciating, humiliating death. He removed the threat of death from His people by being their substitute and paying the penalty for their sin. He defeated death when He rose again from the grave. 

We see this truth about the Messiah’s victory over death in these words of the prophet Isaiah:

“He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:8)

Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15 that these words of Isaiah have been fulfilled in Christ. Paul looks forward to the day when Christ’s victory over death is fully consummated. Death will no longer have any power over us. Its threat will be fully vanquished. Death will be revealed as powerless in light of our Savior’s victory:

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’” (I Corinthians 15:54-55)

It may feel like the threat of death is all around us. But in Christ’s death, He took away “the reproach of his people” – our sin and guilt – and gave us the promise of eternal life. We now face death with a living hope, Jesus Christ, and know that one day, death will be defeated forever.

No matter what you face this week, Christ’s victory has swallowed up death forever.

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Responding to the Good News {First 5}

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Today I have the privilege of sharing over at First 5 as we continue our Advent study. I hope you’ll head to the First 5 website to read the entire teaching, or download the app to study along with us! Here’s a preview . . .

Today’s Reading: Luke 2:15-20

Luke 2:20 (ESV) “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”

If I told you about a delicious dessert I enjoyed at a new restaurant or a captivating piece of artwork at a nearby museum, would you be satisfied with simply hearing me describe it? Probably not! If you care anything about food or art, you’ll want to head to the restaurant or museum and experience it for yourself.

The shepherds were the same way. A chorus of angels lit up the night sky and brought the news that a Savior had been born in Bethlehem. (Luke 2:9-14) But the shepherds didn’t just take the angels’ word for it. They wanted to see it for themselves. After they responded in faith to the angels’ message, they shared the good news and worshipped God.

The shepherds responded in faith. (Luke 2:15-16)

I wonder how long the shepherds sat there in shock after the angels vanished back into heaven. This night of looking after sheep wasn’t turning out at all like they had planned. But in response to the angelic visit, the shepherds “went with haste” to Bethlehem (Luke 2:16). The sight of Mary, Joseph and the baby confirmed the good news: a Savior had been born in Bethlehem. (Luke 2:11)

The good news about Jesus demands a response. Have you responded in faith to the gospel message? When we run in faith to Jesus, we find that He is all that He promises to be.

You can read the rest of this teaching at the First 5 website or by downloading the app. I hope it will encourage you as we look forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior!

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