Sermon Notes

The Doctrine of The Incarnation

John 1:14–18

“14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made
him known.” John 1:14–18 (ESV)

“At the end of the day, the term itself it not essential, but the concept behind the term is infinitely precious — and worshipfully mind-stretching.
— David Mathis

“One and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ.
— Chalcedonian Definition, AD 451

“We don’t have to understand the fullness of this mystery, you just need to say biblical truths about it, and guard the mystery” - John Piper

“14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..” (John 1:14)

“and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…” (John 1:14)

“15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

1. God’s truth requires the incarnation
“14b full of grace and truth.”

2. God’s grace provides the incarnation
“14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

“16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

“The spring is inexhaustible, it is full of grace and truth from God, it never loses anything, no matter how much we draw, but remains an infinite fountain of all grace and truth; the more you draw from it, the more abundantly it gives of the water that springs into eternal life.” - Martin Luther

“Truth is upheld because the son is punished. And grace abounds because
we don’t get punished, he gets punished. That’s why he came. That’s why he had to have flesh, so blood and water could flow out and the lamb would be slain for our sin” - John Piper

3. Through the incarnation, we get to know God even more than
Moses did!

“17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”

“I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.” -The Nicene Creed, AD 325