by Jerry Senn
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
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 9:6-7).
“An angel of the Lord came to him in a dream saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20b-22).
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).
“And an angel of the Lord appeared unto [shepherds} and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them ‘fear not, for behold we bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day … a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying … ‘Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among those
With whom he is pleased’”
(Luke 2:9-14).
“The incarnation that involved that amazing act whereby the omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient Son of God agreed to wrap around His eternal and invisible being flesh and blood and take upon Himself a human nature, thus becoming an earthly bridge between the sovereign God and sinful men. In a nutshell, the incarnation became the door through which deity would enter the house of humanity!” (The Message).