1. Through the Lens: theIncarnation 2 14 December 2011

2. Journal PromptThe mystery ofChrist, that He sunkHimself into ourflesh, is beyond allhumanunderstanding. Martin Luther 3. Share your perspective andyour art 4. In other wordsBut as flawed humans, we give only a vague hintof God. Our broken reflection of Gods image iseasily drowned out by our broken humanity.Then, two thousand years ago, God came in hisfullness. He came to all of us in Jesus. Theincarnation is not owned, trademarked, orcontrolled by any church. It belongs to everyhuman being. The incarnation is not somethingthat requires a distributor or middleman. It is agracious gift to every personeverywhere, religious or not. God gave himself tous in Jesus. Michael Spencer, Mere Churchianity: Finding 5. Billy GrahamMen and women, fettered andbound, were incapable of coming toGod, so God in love and mercycame down to earth to interact withhumans. Wonder of wonders! Godincarnate! God clothed in a humanbody in the person of Jesus Christ.The Scriptures unite in one voice todeclare this. 6. Jonathan Edwards How astonishing is it that a person: who is blessed forever and is infinitely and essentially happy should endurethe greatest sufferings that ever were endured on earth! who is the supreme Lord and Judge of the world should be arraigned andshould stand at the judgment seat of mortal worms and then becondemned. who is the living God and the fountain of life should be put to death. who created the world and gives life to all his creatures should be put todeath by his own creatures. of infinite majesty and glory, and so the object of the love, praises andadoration of angels, should be mocked and spit upon by the vilest of men. infinitely good and who is love itself should suffer the greatest cruelty. who is infinitely beloved of the Father should be put to inexpressibleanguish under his own Fathers wrath. who is the King of heaven, who has heaven for his throne and earth for hisfootstool, should be buried in the prison of the grave. How wonderful is this! And yet this is the way that Gods wisdom has fixedupon as the way of sinners salvation, as neither unsuitable nordishonourable to Christ.Jonathan Edwards, The Wisdom of God Displayed in the Way of Salvation, in 7. Bryant WrightThink about what Mary could have done. She couldhave run away. She could have had an abortion.And, like many unmarried pregnant women in thattime, Mary could have taken her own life. But howdid Mary respond? She chose a different path. Folks,if ever you want to see a clear profession of faith,look at the next words from her mouth. Mary said, "Iam willing to be a voluntary slave of the Lord. I amwilling to be a servant of God. May what the word ofGod has said, may it come true!" What a woman!What faith! Truly the greatest woman who ever lived,for nothing any woman has ever done or will do is 8. After AnnunciationThis is the irrationalseasonWhen love bloomsbright and wildHad Mary been filledwith reasonThered have been noroom for the child.The Ordering of Love,2005*The Weather of theHeart* 1978 9. O Jesus, thankyou for beingborn for us, Godin a baby,wonderfullyimpossible, buttrue.