The scandal of the incarnation started before Jesus was born, when his unmarried mother was pregnant. Then the God-become-baby was laid in a feeding trough in a fusty animal stall. The God whose power is unbounded became an infant bound in swaddling cloths. The God who makes the riches of his glory known to us, became a homeless child born in poverty. The God who is our refuge became a refugee.

The God who will be honored by the trees of the field clapping their hands took on flesh and worked with wood, getting splinters and calluses.

The God who could not be tempted became like us and experienced temptation in order to be the faithful high priest who prays for us in our temptation and forgives us when we fail. The God who needs nothing, took on flesh, endured hunger, and was tempted, like us, to eat when God called him not to.

The God who made water and turned it into wine became a man who thirsted, like you and me. The God who has the power of an indestructible life wept at death’s destructiveness. The God who is our Master washed the dusty feet of his squabbling disciples.

The Prince of Peace, who had known perfect harmony from eternity past, was violently attacked. The lawgiver was condemned. The Eternal Word stood silent before accusers. The God who bound the seas became a man bound before men. The free and sovereign God accepted captivity that we might be delivered from bondage. The Son who had known perfect and joyous fellowship with the Father and the Spirit became a man so he could be forsaken. The God in whose presence is fullness of joy became the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. On the cross, Christ became physically obscene that we might become eternally glorious. The God-become-flesh, who did not have to suffer and did not deserve to suffer, suffered exceedingly. God became so human that he needed courage. The God who stretched out the heavens became a man stretched out on a Cross. 

The God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” came to this dark world to make His light shine in our hearts and to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. The light of the world entered our darkness so he could take us to the place that is lit by His glory. He became like us so we could become like him.

“O come, let us adore him!”