Augustine's Sermon 189 is a beautiful Christmas Day meditation on Jesus' incarnation. As we contemplate Jesus' birth in this season, reflect on the wonderful mystery of the Word made flesh with the help of this excerpt from a modern translation of Sermon 189 by Edmond Hill. Merry Christmas!
Brannon Ellis, Executive Editor
The Lord Christ is for ever, without beginning with the Father. And yet ask what today is; it's a birthday. Whose? The Lord's. Has he really got a birthday? He has. The Word in the beginning, God with God, has a birthday? Yes, he has. Unless he had a human birth, we would never attain to the divine rebirth; he was born that we might be reborn. Let nobody hesitate to be reborn; Christ has been born; born, with no need of being reborn. The only ones in need of rebirth are those who have been condemned in their first birth.
And so let his mercy come to be in our hearts. His mother bore him in her womb; let us bear him in our hearts. The virgin was big with the incarnation of Christ; let our bosoms grow big with the faith of Christ. She gave birth to the Savior; let us give birth to praise. We mustn't be barren; our souls must be fruitful with God.
Whose Incarnation Is It, Anyway?
by Lionel Windsor
Windsor urges us to find the primary significance in the unique, unrepeatable work of the Son who took on our nature for us and our salvation. “Incarnation” isn’t something we can do ourselves—in ministry or in any other sense. But because Jesus is uniquely God incarnate, he does teach us how to live in light of his person and work on our behalf.
The birth of Christ from the Father was without mother; the birth of Christ from his mother was without father; each birth was wonderful. The first was eternal, the second took place in time. When was he born of the Father? What do you mean, when? You're asking about "when" there, there where you won't find any time? Don't ask about "when" there. Ask about it here; it's a good question, when was he born of his mother. When was he born of the Father is not a good question. He was born, and he has no time; he was born eternal, from the eternal, coeternal. Why be astonished? He's God. Take divinity into consideration, and any reason for astonishment disappears.
And when we say he was born of a virgin, it's a great thing, you're astonished. He's God, don't be astonished; let astonishment give way to thanksgiving and praise. Let faith be present; believe that it happened. If you don't believe, it still happened, but you remain unbelieving. He agreed to become man; what more do you want? Hasn't God humbled himself enough for you? The one who was God has become man. The inn was crowded and cramped, so he was wrapped in rags, laid in a manger; you heard it when the gospel was read. Who wouldn't be astonished? The one who filled the universe could find no room in a lodging-house; laid in a feeding trough, he became our food.
The Incarnate Christ
by John Warwick MontgomeryMontgomery forcefully argues that the incarnation of the eternal Son is not only the center of Christian faith seeking understanding; it’s the center of a deeply Christian defense of the faith. The incarnation, Montgomery says, is essential for apologetics.
Let the two animals approach the manger, the two peoples. The ox, you see, recognizes its owner, and the donkey its master's manger (Isa. 1:3). Be in attendance at the manger; don't be ashamed of being the Lord's donkey. You will be carrying Christ, you won't go astray, walking along the way; the way is sitting on you. Do you remember that young donkey that was brought to the Lord? Don't any of you feel ashamed—that's what we are. Let the Lord sit upon us, and take us wherever he wants. We're his mount, we're going to Jerusalem. With him seated on us we aren't weighed down, but lifted up; with him guiding us, we can't go wrong. We are going to him, we are going by him, we are not going off the rails.
