From Incarnation to Incarnational

Did we just celebrate the incarnation of Jesus?

Do we really know what the incarnation is all about?

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine excitedly mentioned the word the Apostle John used to speak of Christ's incarnation. In English it's usually translated "dwelt" but in Greek it's "tabernacled" (John 1:14). That is, as the glory of God was contained and present among the people of Israel in the wilderness, so the glory of God was contained and present among the people of the earth in the incarnation.

Paul, like wise speaks of the incarnation as gracious and glorious:

"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" (Phil 2:6-8)

And why does Paul tell us this? To exhort believer to: "make [him] truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had" (Phil 2:2-5).

Churches often speak of "incarnational ministry." And it references the incarnation:

• in- (entering);
  
• -carna- (flesh);
  
• -tional (state of being)

or, fleshing out in ourselves what Jesus did when He fleshed out what it was to have God among man. Paul calls us to have the same attitude that Jesus had. And it should be easier for us, because we aren't God: "thinking others as better than yourselves" -- imagine God thinking others as better than Himself! And yet, He gave everything, His throne, His omniscience, His omnipresence, His glory, for dirty diapers, hunger, sweat, tears and finally, death. Why? Out of love for us. To reunite our sinful selves with Him.

And so we are to give our everything to Him first, and in giving ourselves to Him, we follow Jesus' example, and give ourselves to others, our friends, our neighbors, those whom we share the street with, people in our city, people in need, and for me and some of you readers out there, the people of Turin.

Incarnation. The state of being entered into flesh.
Incarnational. The state of being like Christ.