I’m guessing that I don’t really need to establish the fact that Christmas season brings an elevated level of stress to all of us. With all the family and friend gatherings, decorations, shopping, budgets, gift-giving, schedules, and perhaps difficult family dynamics, there’s enough stress to go around for everyone. In fact, I just read that 89% of U.S. adults experience stress during the holidays, and 41% say their stress levels are higher than other times of the year (American Psychological Association Survey).

The following article, Augustine’s Christmas Sermons, was written December 11, 2023 by John Stonestreet and Glenn Sunshine from the Breakpoint Ministry of the Colson Center. It highlights some of the many paradoxes of the incarnation that early church father Augustine proclaimed:

From the earliest days of the Church, Christian theologians have marveled at the paradoxes found in the incarnation. Among the earliest expressions of this marveling comes from St. Augustine, the most influential theologian in Western Christianity. 

All too often it seems the Christmas season is a blur. It comes and goes so quickly, doesn’t it?

It’s not the American way, but let’s slow down, be still, take time to reflect, and let it really sink in—the real meaning and message of Christmas. We heard it once again on Sunday:

Jesus emptied Himself.He took on human flesh.He became a servant. He humbled himself.He obeyed to the point of death on a cross.

Dear Church Family, I believe I speak for all the staff and elders when I pray that during this Christmas season and at all times God would enable you to treasure His incarnate and risen Son above all else.Have you ever asked yourself what would be different if Jesus had never been born? If Jesus had not come in the fullness of time and been born of a woman and fulfilled the law, there would be no Bethlehem and this staff photo would not be possible.If Jesus had not been born

Who [Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! || Philippians 2:6–8

Kenosis is a Greek word meaning “emptiness” or “to empty.” It is the word that theologians use to describe verse 7 when Jesus “makes himself nothing” or “empties himself” by taking on the nature of a slave/servant. Jesus maintains His deity, but somehow empties Himself? Because of this, people continue to ask questions like “what did Jesus know,” “what did he learn,” and “could Jesus walk on water as a boy?” These questions might be fun to debate, but they miss the point of the kenosis.