The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-12-31
Sunday, January 8, 1887.

I Ito
In tho opening words of Johns
Gospel, the Messiah is described
as The Word. title which sets
forth "the function Of Christ to
reveal Coo" We are told of ms
urbacun existence; of his identi-
ty with God: of his sgency in
creation: Of his embodiment and
ordination of life: of his mission
s the Light of men. Yet the in-
mite Word became mcarnatG and
abcrnac!ed among rs. The union
Of deity and humanity in one
Person IT, perhaps the greatest
MYSTERY Of redemption and the
iighcst ret OF God. But the truth
Of it stands before us verified IN
his chapter by the ministry OF
Iohn the raptist. the testimony OF
John the Apostle, the enduement
If the Hoy Spnit, and the con-
,oys,on of his FIRST disciples.
TIE WCRD (Vers.s l-s)
The pc,.on Of I-carnation was
iivinc. CD Il. was God. That Is
,vprcsSly stated. 1t is repeated for
emphasis. Without it the entire
scheme of redemption would fall
% the Gtound. (2) He possessed
and exhibited the traits of deity.
Hc WIS God eternal, for he ante
dated creation. But he was God
manifest, for IS the divine Word
he embodied in himself not only
the thought of God but also the
express ION OF God. Moreover, he
was God associate, for he was
With Cod even in the beginning
as a distinct personality. At the
same timc he was God unified,
being ine,payably with God from
atcrnitvs dawn. (3) He perform
ID tn wo"Es which were possible
TO deity alone. lie was God Gre
ptivr roI al things were made
by him. lie was Cod sustaining,
for he il not Only the source of
life but also we are kept by his
urfailin" providence. Finally, he
vas God T2HrCmin%, for as the
light of mon he is the source and
gracious givCr of knowledge,
richtccuoaCss, and happiness hcrc
and hereafter. Steadily and mer-
ciFUlly tn, LIGHT shines in the
darkness though not appreciated
by some, yet wOndrously effective
in the salvation of others.
THE WORK CVcrses 6-l4D
The Purpose of the Incarnation
was mcrciGrl. 1t involved three
things: CD The first was rcvcla-
ton. That is the mission of light.
Nations may sit in darkness but
there i 10Y when the Light arises
upon them. To that Light the
g,cat fOrcuunncr bore faithful
testimony. Some Of his hearers
thought that he was the Messiah
but he was true to his mission.
Jesus alone was the true light
shining upon every person born
into the world. GU The second ell
cmcnt in the purpose is salvation.
Christ Is in the, world that he
made by his own power. Yet when
re came in the flesh his world did
not recognize him. Even though
he came to his own land and re-
vealed himself to his own people
they turned the deaf ear and the
cold shoulder and the icy heart.
And men are doing that to this
day. Yet many receive him with
penitCnce for their sins and faith
in his power and mercy. To them
he gave the privilege of becoming
his children. SO it was that they
were born not by lineal descent
or natural generation or human
wisdom and effort, but through
the grace and power of God. go
The divine purpose of the incar-
nation leads finally to association
with God. The flesh in which he
tabernacled was not sinful, but 1T
was susceptible TO temptation. The
incarnation. therefore, brought
Jesus into the most intimate touch
with men. He tabernacled among
men dwelling in. his body as a
shepherd lives in his tent. Never
theless the divine glory shone up
on him and round about him. The
Apostle John and others with him
beheld that glory as upon the
Mount of TRANSPORTATION and in
his resurrection body.
THE WITNESS (Verses 1879
The Proofs of the Incarnation
were convincing. % There was
the witness of John the BAPTIST:
The fearless forcrunner pointed
out Jesus as the Lamb of God
who taketh away the sin of the
world. He saw in Jesus one in
finitcly greater than himself and
the only begotten of God who
could save men from their sins.
GU There was the witness of the
Apostles and the early disciples.
They received grace abundant
and grace unccasing and grace
OVERLOOKING in its divine fulness
until with glad lips and Sacrificial
lives they testified to the fact of
the incarnation. (3) There was
the witness of Moses who trans
mitted from God to men the law
with its command to do right, its
conviction of wrongdoing and its
condemnation of sin forever. But
in the contrast between law and
love Christ embodied grace with
its pardon for sin and of growth
in character; and also he was full
of truth which men need in order
to live right here and be happy
hereafter. (4 Above all, there is
the witness of the Father. No
man hath seen God in his infinite
glory and majesty. But Jesus saw
L.. -. IL, ..,A.,.,nn,, &c l.,,..,I c.,