Most everyone knows the story of the incarnation, that of Jesus being born in flesh and walking amongst his creation. But just in case you forgot or you’ve never heard of it let me remind you of what it is and why it is significant. Way back in Genesis 3 we have the fall of man and God makes a promise in verse 15 that one would come to bruise the head and we would bruise his heel, this is called the protoevangelium. This promise sets in motion the rest of the Bible where the entire Old Testament is telling of God’s faithfulness and our looking for a savior. No savior would come though until we get to the Gospels several thousand years later. That savior being Jesus Christ, both God and man, took on flesh and proclaimed the Gospel.
So what does the incarnation have to do with mission? Well, everything! The fact that Jesus came and sought us when many of us were worshipping our own gods is mission summed up. God could have chosen many different routes for the salvation of his creatures but going all the way back to Genesis he says he will send someone and in the New Testament we meet the one who was sent, his son. He came and lived among us pointing people to himself for salvation.
When Jesus Christ returned to his father’s side, the ascension, he told us to go make disciples of all nations. How are we to do this? Well, as Christians we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, and wherever we go Christ goes with us as to be a Christian means to be a “little Christ.” But if Jesus came to us to share the good news then that means that we “little Christs” must go forth to our neighborhoods, cities, states, and the nations proclaiming this message of hope.
It boggles my mind to know that the God of the universe walked among his creation and humbled himself to the point of death on a cross defeating Satan and death. But not only did he, he still does as he is with every believer because of the helper he sent, the Holy Spirit. So let us go and show the love of Christ to all people by sharing the only good news there is, that Christ has come, Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ is coming again!
Thoughts Redeemed 