We run our website the way we wished the whole internet worked: we provide high quality original content with no ads. We are funded solely by your direct support. Please consider supporting this project.

The Incarnation as an Example of Cross-Cultural Love
Beautiful Faces of Palestine via Compfight
Christena Cleveland wrote an excellent piece about the radical cross-cultural nature of the incarnation. I’ve never thought of it quite this way before, but the incarnation is the most profound instance of entering into another culture in a selfless way. Moving outside of our “cultural comfort zone” to more deeply understand others who are different than we are is a true mark of disciples following the example of our Master. What would it look like to really make ourselves vulnerable to the worlds around us that are strange or unfamiliar? Let’s find out.
Here’s a snippet of Christena’s article:
If Jesus had wanted to stick to his cultural comfort zone, to be perfectly understood by those around him, to only spend time with those who spoke his language and shared his worldview, he never would have come to earth. By temporarily leaving the celestial community of the Trinity (the purest, most cohesive, most supreme cultural group ever) to embody humanity and commune with us, he inaugurated a world of cross-cultural relationships, proving that he can empathize well across cultures.
OK, “empathize well” is an understatement. Jesus’ cross-cultural empathy skills are perfect. Jesus doesn’t just try to relate. He relates. He doesn’t just try to forfeit his cultural preferences. He forfeits his cultural preferences. He doesn’t justtry to be aware of his privilege and power. He is aware of his privilege and power.
He is perfectly cross-cultural. He is perfectly incarnational.
Category: General
Tags: Christena Cleveland, Christmas, Empathy, Incarnation, Jesus, Kingdom Living, Vulnerability
Related Reading

The Cross in the Manger, Part 2
While some shepherds were tending their flock, an angel appeared to them announcing “good news that will cause great joy for all the people,” for it news about “a Savior…the Messiah, the Lord” (Lk 2:10-11). Most Jews of this time expected a Messiah who would save them by vanquishing their Roman oppressors and liberating Israel…

Did God Learn Something by Becoming Human? (podcast)
Greg talks about what to do with congregants who are engaging in illegal activity. Also, attention is given to the question of guns in church. Episode 579 http://traffic.libsyn.com/askgregboyd/Episode_0579.mp3

Christmas Music from Eustace the Dragon
Our friends Eustace the Dragon just released a second Christmas EP that we wanted to share with you. You can find the latest Christmas EP here, and you can find last year’s EP here. Merry Christmas friends! Here’s a track to give you a little taste of the music: Merry Christmas Now by Eustace the Dragon

Was Jesus Really Human Like the Rest of Us?
Did Jesus really live as a human like you and I do? Or did he walk around with special divine powers that we don’t have? In the previous post, I introduced the question: How was God both fully God and fully man? I explained the classical model of the Incarnation which views the incarnate Jesus…

What Jesus Revealed About Being Human
According to the creation story, when Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they essentially ceased being the wonderful, God-centered, God-dependent human beings the Creator intended them to be. They became less than fully human. Instead, they began using everything and everyone in the world as surrogate gods, trying to get from people, deeds, and things…

Sermon: The Salt and Light Revolution
What does it mean to be the salt and light? In Greg’s sermon last weekend, he explores how followers of Jesus can step out of the crowd in ways that bring these good things to the world around us. Visit the Woodland Hills website for this week’s sermon resources.