The opening piece is from “Union with Christ” – The New Finnish Interpretation of Luther.
In his early Christmas sermon Luther elucidates the core of his doctrine of participation in the properties of God…
“Just as the word of God became flesh, so it is certainly also necessary that the flesh may become word. In other words: God become man so that man may become God. Thus power becomes powerless so that weakness may become powerful. The Logos puts on our form and gestalt, our image and likeness, so that it may clothe us with its image, its gestalt, and its likeness. Thus wisdom becomes foolish so that foolishness may become wisdom, and so it is in all other things that are in God and in us, to the extent that in all these things he takes what is ours to himself in order to impart what is his to us.”
It is a strange participation. It is an upside down reality that some may say looks nothing like God. And yet, here…not somewhere else…God abides and we are pulled into a participation in the fullness of God’s Reign…some may even say God being. Don’t be afraid of such talk. This does not mean that we are trying to be more than ourselves, it means we are being called to be wholly ourselves…just as God, in Christ, was with us and is pour over our lives in our baptism – always inviting us to take part in this adventure so wonderfully drawn in the form of the babe in the manger.
Connection: “God with us” (Immanuel) is not like a banner we carry that gives us rights over and against others…a righteous poll to bash others over the head. “God with us” is the unfolding of the tender compassion of our God who humbly and yet boldly steps into the dilemma of this day. God is with us!
We cannot see you with us and yet we hear that you are indeed here…always…with us. Loving God, by your grace you shower over our lives the reality of your Reign and you promise that it is unfolding, even now. Come, Loving Lord, Come. Amen.
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