INCARNATION | Light Illuminates Darkness

INCARNATION | Light Illuminates Darkness

John 1:4-5 (NLT) “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

John 1:14 “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

Ahmed al-Ahmed, (2025, Sydney Australia) 

Hugo Alfredo Tale-Ya, (2010, New York City)

Khaseen Morris, (2019, Long Island, New York)

Iryna Zarutska, (August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina), 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee

“The Bystander Effect”
Catherine “Kitty” Genovese, 28 Queens N.Y. 
She was stabbed multiple times outside her apartment building over the course of about 30 minutes. 38 witnesses heard or saw parts of the attack but none called the police or intervened until it was too late. Neighbours interviewed said; 
l didn’t want to “get involved” or assumed others had already called for help.

Exodus 3:7-8 “And the Lord said: ‘I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up…’”

God Became Human
1. He Came Down
2. He Got Involved
3. He Punched Through
No other faith or philosophy has a God who embraced human suffering and completely identified to the place of death.

1. He Came Down
Jesus entered our mess.
He didn’t subtract His deity, but He added our vulnerability. 
God could have sent legions of angels but instead He chose the manger, the street, the cross.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT) “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

Christmas Asks Personal Questions:
Am I staying safe upstairs?
Am I elevating my personal rights?
Am I radically generous?
Am I sharing my life?
Am I attending or engaging?

“It means not that we should live one life but a thousand lives binding ourselves to a thousand souls by the filaments of so loving a sympathy that their lives become ours.” B. B. Warfield (Imitating The Incarnation)

2. He Got Involved
Jesus suffered hunger. 
Jesus wept at gravesides. 
Jesus felt betrayal’s sting. 
Jesus endured beatings. 
Jesus suffered the weight of injustice. 
Jesus experienced the terror of pain. 
Jesus touched the victim on the street.

Hebrews 2:14, 4:15
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity… For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

I am not alone in my pain.
Someone does feel me.
Jesus suffered and was tried in every way that we are.

Jesus Of The Scars (Edward Shillito 1919)
"The other gods were strong, but thou was weak.
They rode, but thou did stumble to thy throne.
to our wounds only God's wounds can speak
and not a God has wounds but thou alone.

3. He Punched Through
Jesus punched a complete hole right through the heart of darkness. 
The veil tore. 
The grave broke open. 
Resurrection light is shining.

John 8:12 (NLT) “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'”

1 John 3:8 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

Christmas is a bold invitation to come down stairs!
The Incarnation is not just a story we celebrate at Christmas, it’s a mandate for how we live every day.

God is not a bystander.
You are not a bystander.

Isaiah 60:1-3 (Living Bible) “Arise, my people! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you. Darkness as black as night shall cover all the peoples of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine from you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see the glory of the Lord upon you.”