The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-24
THE Incarnation Of Jesus
(sermon Preached by Rev. Billy Sunday Sunday Afternoon
February 3d. 1919

- WA A~A y
told you I'd preach this afternoon
on els Jesus mere man. and my
text is the FIRST chapter of John. the
fourteenth verse. The Word was
made flesh and dwelt among U.S.
Jesus Christ Is n world Of thought,
there are various continents and
oceans which have never been wholly
traversed by any mind or minds. /
mean that in Jesus. there are variors
subjects which no mind has ever
fathomed, such as His Dsety and His
Humanity, and His incarnation and
personality. and His influence and
His plan for the salvation Of the
world, and although the greatest
minds OF all ages OF the worlds his
terry have all tried to master these,
they all confess that there are vast
regions of thought which stretch out
way beyond their horizon.
They all say that their experiences
are In degree like that Of Sir Isaac
Newton. who in an attempt to describe
his search after knowledge said he felt
like little boy walking by the sea-
pebbles, while the vast deep. unex-
plored and unknown rolled ct his
feet.
Since that has been the experience
OF great and wise men In all ages OF
the world, IL would be the height nf
, folly and presum ption for me to dis
cuss the subject. desire simply TO
call your attention briefly to one
phase OF the subject. namely. the In
carnation OF Jesus Christ
Webster defined Il as the act OF
taking on the human body or the act
OF clothing with flesh. want to
speak OF tho incarnation as a mystery.
n revelation, and a prophecy.
To be convinced that IL Is a mystery.
! you need 10 study the tee chtngs Of
the Bible about tte incarnation. TIE
Bible alw avs presents II in the simplest
/ OF language, makes the statement hut
never attempts an OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES :
The simplest and the fullest accounts
: are found in the Gospel OF John and
| in the Epistles OF Paul.
! In the Beginning.
I'm the beginning was the Word
Word was made flesh and dwelt among
U.S.
| Then they took up stones Tor to
stone Him. Jesus said, Many good
works have I Showed you from my
Father; for which of those works
do ye stone me? The Jews answer
ed Him, saying. For good work we
stone thee not: but for biasphemy.''
| How could lie make Himself God
! TX He wasn't Godf
! You try and make yourself God
and see how you'il come out, BE
cause that thou, being a man, r1akest
thyselt God"
| Now. who being in the form OF
God, thought It not robbery TO be
equal with God. But made himself
Of no reputation. and took upon Him
the form Of servant, and was made
| in the likeness OF men"
! But what simple words those are.
Who understands them? Nobody. TN
the beginning was the Word and the
Word was with God and the Word
| war made flesh" That means that
God became . man
Who knows all about Cod You
don't, don't nobody ever has. no.
body ever will. I may know some
| thing about God that you do not,
lothers may know some things about
God that neither 3ou mr. I know.
but there are things about God that
! Mother you nor I nor anybody
knows or over will know. There
fore God is a mystery. God or a
thing or an object or being is q
mystery. God or thing or an object
. or being Ia a mystery when there
Is about God or that thing or object
that which you do not understand.
When there IL a point beyond which
your knowledge can't 10, then that
thing or cb3eot becomes u mystery. I
don't care whether It is n watch. a
machine, religion. science. philosophy,
anything. or anybody II is mystery
when there In about that thing or be-
ing or object that which you can't
| understand.
Coz rsrrnmn n Mar
So God became 4 man. We will
all agree that f1esh means man. A
fellow says, 81 won't believe what
cannot understand" Then you are
a fool. n you only believe what
you can understand, you'n be dumb
founded to discover how little you
actually know.
We take most things bccause they
appear 70 he, and accept them on
that tenet or that basis In tho world.
You can't understand how tho food
you ate win asaimulate to your body
and make brain and molecuis N d
oorpusoies and tissue and cuticle and
hair. You don't need to understand
II, all ycu have to do II to cut Il up
and chew 1t and swallow II and then
30 underssa nding has nothing to
do with H. Now there aPs mysteries
~varywhsrs, don't know whore on
earth ! can 70 Or you and b free
from mystery. And Il Christiaa
has doubts, and unbslisvsr AaA more,
end II yeW wtil not bseems = Chris
tiaa. stmpY becanse Ssu cant ua.
9segeAA1 The Myuees1ee n goatg4oa
then - ne - yoV = G9eoa1eA VIZ
- - u1al1n - - - aAm2