I have been enjoying/benefiting from a sermon series our new teaching pastor, Shawn Peterson, has been sharing with us. The series is titled “Anticipate the Miracle”. The second week of the series one of his points was that Mary humbly accepted what the angel told her. “The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. that she was going to have a baby who was holy – as the son of God.” – Luke 1:35 and 36
As I wrote that this point in my notes, my mind went two directions. By now you know that I love to look at the definitions of words and use those to see old truths in new ways. Mary was told that Jesus, her baby, would be the “holy” as the son of God – but the angel could have also said that Jesus would be the “wholly” the son of God.
The two words mean something totally different, but each of them have importance in the Christmas story.
Holy means dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred
Wholly means entirely; fully
Jesus was BOTH “Holy the Son of God” and “Wholly the Son of God”. This isn’t any earth-shattering revelation or even a new insight. It is simply another way of picturing our Lord and savior Jesus Christ coming as a babe in the flesh.
It increases my joy and anticipation of Christmas as I think upon the fact that the babe in the manger, with no crib for His bed – was dedicated and consecrated to God, sacred (set apart with an identity that could not be messed with) AND entirely, fully God also!
We, who have accepted Jesus as our savior, are holy and sacred to God too. That is our sacred identity. But, we are not wholly God – and never will be. He ALONE is GOD, God the trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is our heavenly Father and we are His children. Children of the God of ALL!
Anticipate the celebration this time of year brings for Jesus coming as an infant -and then anticipate the celebration that will be ours when He comes to earth again; this time not as a babe in a manger, but as the King of Glory!
Jesus: “Holy the Son of God” and “Wholly the Son of God”.
caringhansen 