The Eternal Spirit Work in Incarnation — Willie Mullan

The Spirit’s Work in the Incarnation

You can see that we're looking at the Spirit's work in Incarnation this evening, the Spirit's work in Incarnation. And this word Incarnate, this word Incarnation, the Oxford Dictionary says it means the taking of a human body by a divine being, is what the Oxford Dictionary says.

But Incarnation means it's the taking of a human body by a divine person. And I'm sure that's good enough for the dictionary and in a certain sense that is all right. But you have to be very careful when you say it's the taking of a human body by a divine person, because remember the Holy Ghost has come to indwell us.

And you mustn't mix up habitation with Incarnation, because it's not the same thing you know. But I'm sure that if we were questioning who put this comment in the Oxford Dictionary they would go on to explain.

You can't ask a fellow to explain a million words just in a little phrase, you must be fair to it. But for our class here and for our edification, we've got to take the time to point out that habitation, that is the Holy Spirit, a divine person, God, the Holy Spirit, coming to indwell us, is quite a different thing.

Habitation is quite different from Incarnation. You know we've got to see this, that when this divine person took this human body, that there were not two personalities. That's the bit we've got to get very carefully over and through tonight without any doubts or clouds or fears or questions.

The Deity and Humanity of Jesus Christ

You see we still prove beyond any doubt that Jesus Christ was God. Oh I know that some of the modernists say that he never said he was God, I'm afraid that is not true. I'm afraid I can take any one of them on now and let you see that he did say he was God.

And we may do that before this is over. But we are going to find out that the Eternal Son, he was in the bosom of the Father, and when he's praying in John 17 and closes his eyes and lifts his hands, he says, Father, and it is the Son talking to the Father, he says, Father give me the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Because he had glory in the glory before the world began. And we're going to find him coming down from his glory. Ever-living thought. And we're going to find him taking upon him the form of a servant, but I don't want you to get this indwelling thing because incarnation is not habitation.

You see God the Son in incarnation became what he had never been before. He had never been man before. But in becoming what he had never been before, he didn't cease to be what he had always been. This he had not become.

No, he became what he had never been before. But he didn't cease to be what he had always been. And that brings us to the mighty fact that he was God, manifest in flesh. And I think this can be proved a thousand ways.

And it's not just the proving of that fact that we're after this evening because it's the Spirit's work in bringing this great personality to this earth. You know that when our Lord Jesus Christ went to see the woman at the well, and you know when he went to meet a sinner he was always there on time.

He was there before she was there anyway. And he was seated on the well when she came. And that morning if you examine it you will find that he came up the Samaritan hills and if I'm measuring it right he walked about 12 miles in this brilliant sunshine up these hills and I walked them many times and sat on the well and being weary with the journey.

And that would tell you that he was perfectly human. He was weary with the journey. And he sits down to talk to her and he's not wanting to win arguments with her. Because you know if you start to win the arguments you will never win the soul.

And that's where the half of you excited boys laugh out. You're always wanting to win the arguments. The soul's that. The soul's the outlier after. Because she said to him I found greater than our father Jacob.

He could have taken her off and left. He never bothered he said. He didn't want to win the arguments. He was wanting to win the soul and he went very carefully along you know. And then he said go call my husband.

She looked at him full in the face and said I have no husband. He said in this thou hast rightly said thou hast had no husband for thou hast had five. How does he know that now? He never was up there before.

Jews didn't go through Samaria. He says in that thou hast said rightly thou hast for he whom thou now hast is not thine husband. You're living with a man. He was God. When he stood at the grave of Lazarus.

And he could see the shipwreck that sin can do to our family. And the heartbreak it brings. He wept. Because he was perfectly human. And then he cried right away in a storm and said Lazarus come forth for he was God.

It's no mistakes the doctor. When he goes sailing across this Dallas strip of water Galilee. He's asleep in the hinder part of the boat. And if he's asleep he's man. Oh but when the boat fills with water and fishermen are at their wits end.

And let me tell you if you're out on a boat and fishermen are at their wits end. It's a rough night. They know a thing or two about it. And then he stood up. And he talked to the winds and the waves. He said lie down.

And there was a great calm. And they gaze at him and they say what manner of man is this. Yeah that's it's all right. You see he was very God. And he was very man. In one personality. This is the mystery and the wonder of the incarnation.

The Miraculous Conception and Virgin Birth

You can see from our notes that we mean the meaning of incarnation. We mean that through the miraculous conception. And we've got to come to that tonight. The miraculous conception by the Spirit of God.

And through the humble submission of the Son of God. And through the virgin birth by Mary the servant of God. The eternal Son of God of peace on earth. And he came to earth. He came into this world you know the same thing.

What a wonderful person he was. There was never anybody like him before. He was truly man. But he was truly God in one personality. And he will keep that personality for all eternity. And a wee fellow here the other morning asked me when we go to heaven sir.

Who are we going to see? See God. What will he look like? Well you'll see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We'll get round to the thing properly this evening. You see there are objections against this.

Biologists object to this. You know. Biology is the science of living things. Biologists know about the life of plants. And the life of animals. And the life of men and women. The life of humans. And one of the great biologists the Queen said to me once.

I hope you're not going to go on talking about this virgin birth. I don't believe it. Because nobody ever came to this world. Only by a human father and mother. That writer. How did Adam get here? Through his father and mother.

You see that's the one exception to the rule. Is it not? How did Eve get here? My dear friends. I know that scientists know the job. But if you think that your smattering of science. Is going to allow you to leave out God.

I think the pity of you. I can do what your science can't do. Oh let's leave God out of this. With God this thing is not impossible. And the spirit of God was on the job. Now I said to him sir. The God that took a woman.

Out of a man. And God took Eve out of Adam. And the God that took a woman out of a man. Without the help of a man. Surely he can take a man out of a woman. Without the help of a man. Or are you tying his hands?

Yes. Well we get this sort of thing you know. It's like one of the geologists. He said to me you know we can bring you in rocks. And it will tie you up in a knot. We can get them 15 million years. I'm sure you can get them older than that if you look.

Smattering of science seems to be the whole answer. And I said to him that day. One of the great medical specialists was at his side. I said look supposing the three of us go down to Eden. And we're allowed to look in through the garden.

Just a hole in the hedge. There's a man in there. See him. He's a big man. He's got a beard. Look at the beard he has. Look at the breadth of his back. Going bald on the top. I said I'll not nudge him with my elbow.

He knows all about this. He's a medical guy. I said what are you doing? He says he's fixed it. He says he's not you know. He's just me. He's not such. Not a baby. He wasn't brought up on a bottle. God made him a man.

But their science would be all out. You look at me and you think I'm 22 and I'm a waitress. It won't do. Look we have some of the botanists from Queen's here tonight. Do you know if I took you down to Eden's garden and looked through the hedge.

And I said to you see the big oak tree in the corner. Have a look at the breadth of it. See the height of it. See the branches. What age is it? 200. It's not you know just planted. God didn't plant seeds down there you know.

God planted trees. And if God made the man as old as he wanted on the trees. Then he may well have made the rocks as old as he wanted. Oh don't come and talk in this place. It won't work. Your science is blessed and good and fair and honest.

Defending Scripture Against Modernism

We know about it. But we also know about our God. And we would like you to know about him too. Yes. It won't do you. Donald Super the other night just on the TV. I hope you didn't see it. But what he said was.

He said let's leave the book. Let's get away from the book. Now you Methodists should blush. Do you still own this character? My God what a character. If there's an apostate in the land it's this man.

I think we're far too soft about this. He stands up on the TV before millions. And he says leave the book. You shouldn't give back to the book at all. Leave it aside. Please don't read it. I would love to take them on.

There doesn't seem to be anybody around to take these fellows on. Well the TV sees to that. Because if you were going to be there to crack it hard you wouldn't get in. You see let's put our Lord Jesus beside this.

Super says get away from the book. And don't open it and don't read it and don't look at it. And here are two people going down the road to Emmaus. And they're downcast. The book uses the word sad. They walk and are sad.

They're depressed. When we were talking about depression we used this. Here they are. And they're defeated in life. They don't know what way to go now. They're disappointed with everything. I'll tell you when our Lord himself drew near.

He began at Moses. By this I hope I can listen in for a minute or two. He began at Moses. He didn't close the book. He opened the book. So these two. He begins at Moses. The prophets. Oh what a day it was.

They walked for hours. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets. He expounded. Oh, this is the word. He expounded on this old rebel reptile. They're shut. Oh my dear. No wonder some of us get really cross about this.

What sort of a character is this? Oh wonder a Methodist church went down. You claim this fellow as your president. And you cuddle him. And you think about him. He's a reptile from hell. Won't you think that I won't stand up for the Lord in this book?

I won't stand up very much indeed. We are not standing for that. I'm supposed to earnestly contend for the faith. I'll tell you this. When my Lord met the devil. In the wilderness. He didn't close the book.

He opened the book. It is written. It is written. It is written. Let the devil do as he likes. Don't tempt me now. I'll go on with this. If you tempt me. Yeah. The Pharisees when they came with their questions.

And they tried to corner them. How often he said. Have ye not read? He always went back to the book. Don't listen to that. You open the book. You don't close it. He opened the book. Yes. You know. The modernists.

They just can't take this. Wonderful. Miraculous. Conception in either. They question this. Someone has written now the myth. Of the incarnation. Well we'll see in a moment. Not started yet mind you. Just go and clammy tonight.

I had a pain before I came up here. In the back hall there. And I nearly got Albert to take the meeting. The more I bother this thing here. The more the pain is going away. God help this thing for the rest of the evening.

Gabriel Announces the Conception of Jesus

Yes. Let's see what the book says about this wonderful thing. But let's really start. We're at Luke's gospel. And we're at chapter 1. Gospel by Luke. Chapter 1. This is where the book really counts. Verse 26.

And in the sixth month. The angel Gabriel was sent from God. On to a city of Galilee. Now I want to take this slow for the young people. I want you to try to see God in heaven. You're looking round the angels.

There's one of them called Gabriel. He says come here you. Over here. And this angel Gabriel. He comes across and God says. Now I'll tell you what I'm doing. I'm sending you to a city of Galilee. You know your way to earth don't you?

Mind you the angels know the way. No bother with the planets or space or anything like that. And he can get the right spot. Very wonderful of our astronauts being able to. Almost land on the exact spot.

I think it's really wonderful. So I said to Gabriel. Now you're going to earth. And I want you to go to Galilee. You know where Galilee is. And I want you to go to the city of Nazareth. And I want you to go to a virgin.

Mind you that word is there alright. And it's there both in the Hebrew and in the Greek. And you can't change it. I know some of the translations have tried to change it. But you can't honestly change it.

Not dealing fair with the original word of God as you do. I want you to go to a virgin as far as to a man whose name was Joseph. Of the house of David. And the virgin's name was me. You know these angels go off like a flash.

Just down through space and past the planets right to mother earth. We fellow said to me once. Would Jupiter be on his right hand as he was coming into Galilee? And may the good Lord forgive me for what I think about people sometimes.

I won't tell you. But some mothers do have them. Now we've seen God talking to the angel and giving him his commission. Verse 28. And the angel came in unto her and said, Heal thou that art highly favored.

The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among them. That's why I'm quite free in calling her the blessed virgin Mary. I haven't any troubles about that. Roman Catholics in the meeting will be sort of pleased with me now.

They're not always pleased with me. And when I was preaching Mr. Paisley's church and pointed this out that the angel called her blessed. And she was a virgin and her name was Mary. So she must be the blessed virgin Mary.

And I said to the big man, say amen to that. He's just behind me. And he said amen with such a thunder that he nearly took the short of my back. You should hear him saying amen when he says it. He knows the truth of this all right.

He hasn't any bother with this. Let me say to the Roman Catholics that the angel said blessed art thou among women. But the angel didn't say blessed art thou above women. Well don't change it now. Just let's keep it the way it is.

And so the angel came in unto her and said blessed art thou among women. Now how wonderfully the story is written. And when she saw him she was troubled let us say. Cast in her mind. What manner of salutation.

You know the thought that went through her mind. What have I done? What has the nation done? What's happening? What's going to happen? You know if you were in your bedroom tonight and a shining angel appeared.

I'll tell you it would frighten you. Scare you. She was frightened. Verse 30. And the angel said unto her fear not merely. Angel knew it all right. For thou hast found favour with God. And behold thou shalt conceive in my womb.

That's the bit we need to get the hold of. You know it's going to be a conception. And it's going to be a miraculous conception. I am talked about the miraculous birth sometimes I don't think so. I think the birth was just like yours.

He was born of a woman. Ah but the conception wasn't. It was a miraculous conception we shall see. I want you to get this bit because it's very important. Thou shalt conceive in my womb. And bring forth a son.

Bring forth a son. Now I want you to see that the angel knew the sex of the child before the child was conceived. And there's no gynecologist in the land who knows this. They're getting round to the place that after the baby's conceived and a lot of weeks have gone by.

They can almost tell the sex of the child. Not always but sometimes. But this angel is able to tell the sex of the child before the child was actually conceived at all. Thou shalt conceive in my womb.

And bring forth a son. And shall call his name Jesus. And he shall be great. And shall be called the son of the highest. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever.

And of his kingdom there shall be no end. The angel knew all about the Messiah. I want you to see Mary standing trembling listening. Then said Mary unto the angel how shall this be seeing I know not a man.

Now that's a very mighty statement. You see this young maiden up in Galilee. She looks at the angel she says how shall this be I know not a man. She was a virgin. God in high heaven said she was pure.

When he sent Gabriel he said go to Galilee to a virgin. But God ought to know and the woman has answered him. Then the angel said verse 35 the angel answered and said unto her. The Holy Ghost shall come upon me.

This is how this thing is going to take place. And the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of God. You know that's the mighty part of this incarnation.

It's the Holy Ghost coming upon this virgin. And this miraculous work that was done in her womb. Let's get the whole of that now. You see Weatherhead he said in one of his books and that can be easily opened and seen.

He said you know this woman was bluffing. She went to the home of Elizabeth and Zacharias the father of John the Baptist. He shut her in the temple and kept her there until he made her pregnant and that's where the child came from.

That's blasphemy of the deepest God. I hope you see what he's doing. I hope you see he's making Mary a bad woman. He's living in a back room with the priest until he makes her pregnant he's making Mary a bad woman.

I hope you see he's making Christ a bastard. Don't blush at the word. Just open your dictionary when you go home and get the word bastard is there. And you'll find when an illegitimate child is brought forth and they don't know the father's name.

Then the child is a bastard according to the English language. And when Weatherhead makes Mary a bad woman and Christ a bastard. And this book that I'm reading out of a liar. Then he licks the cross a false.

False work is nothing. If Jesus Christ was the sinful son of a sinful woman by a sinful man he can't be my savior. And we sit and listen this tribe do we? Oh God I wonder why we do. Are you stuck in some old place like this?

I hope not. I hope you want a lot of people to say these sort of things about the Savior. I hope you love him more than that. And if the Baptist said it I would be out tomorrow. I wouldn't wait ten seconds.

I should stand up for Jesus no matter what it costs. Yeah I think that this is perfectly clear isn't it? Let me just go on to show you how clear it is. Verse 36. And behold my cousin Elizabeth she also hath conceived a son in her old age.

And this is the sixth month with her who was called by. There wasn't miraculous conception with her of the same order you know. For with God on the job nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said behold the hand made of the Lord.

Get unto me according to thy will. And I think that was a mighty thing. This wee girl stood up and said alright. If you want to take me and if you want to take my body. And if you want to use me to bring the Messiah.

The Lord Jesus will not understand it in the present world. And people are saying things about me and they're still saying them. She says I'm ready. And you're going to be the Lord's servant you don't worry about what the folks say.

I don't need to serve the Lord up here. I leave the rest with him. If I start to please men I will be no use. And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country. With haste into the city of Judah and entered into the house of Zechariah.

And saluted Elizabeth and it came to pass. That when Elizabeth had the salutation of Mary. The dead leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. We were at this one night. She was filled with the Holy Ghost.

Now she's speaking filled with the Holy Ghost. And she speak out with a loud voice and said. Blessed art thou among women. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Don't tell me that she left with an old priest in her back room.

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb. This woman's talking in the fullness of her spirit. Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord. She come to me. I'll tell you this Elizabeth believed it. You know you could almost see this if Elizabeth started to question her.

She had run away from home. She's away in the hill country now. She's in this woman's house. She says I'm pregnant and going to have a baby. But I didn't do anything wrong. It's the Lord I'm going to be the mother of the Messiah.

And at that moment Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Ghost. And no. Why should the mother of my Lord come. She doesn't question it. Must be. Or be in hell. Or deserves to be in hell. A pit of hell. I don't think there's a chance for so far.

I think he's up off the deepest dive. I think you can see this. Can't you? You see what she says in verse 4. For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears. The babe leaped in my womb.

Let's get that wee bit in. For joy. I also said to me. They talk about the babe leaping. It was true. A babe moves in a woman's womb. I said that's right you know. But this one didn't just move. She said well what's different.

I said you know read me. The babe leaped for joy. Because John the Baptist was also filled with the Holy Ghost. From his mother's womb. That's two of them. Let's go on. Let's go to Matthew chapter 1 for a moment.

Gospel chapter 1. Verse 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wife. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph. Before they came together. You see it's different a little bit in this whole.

We call a couple here sometimes engaged. And they're engaged and they're hoping to get married sometime. It's called espousal there in Israel. And sometimes when they're espoused. They're actually called husband and wife.

Before they're actually mother. You'll find that that will bamboozle you a little bit. If you don't know that. But it says here. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph. Before they came together.

Which actually means before they got married. She was found with child of the Holy Ghost. That's what the Bible says anyway. I want you to get that little bit in your mind. She was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

And Joseph couldn't take this in very easily. Then Joseph her husband being a just man. And not willing to make a public example. Was minded to put her away privately. You know it would be hard for a young fellow.

If he's engaged. And the girl comes along and she says. You know. I'm going to have a baby. But I haven't been with anybody. Let's play this thing out in the open now. You'd know the doubts wouldn't you?

But a difficult one you see. He knows she's a good girl and all the rest of it. But what's gone wrong? So he's. He's going to put her away privately anyway. He just can't go on with this sort of thing.

Verse 20. But while he thought on these things. Behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying. Joseph. Our son of David. Fear not to take on to thee Mary thy wife. For that which is conceived in her.

Is of the Holy Ghost. Now I can tell you that that absolutely completely satisfied Joseph. Of course it doesn't satisfy the modern. Old people ever. They can't believe that God can do things like this.

But it satisfied Joseph. Many a time God has drew near to a young couple and said fear not. Fear not to take that woman on to thee. Yes. And he said this to Joseph. She shall bring forth a son. And thou shall call his name Jesus.

You'll do the naming. But he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. Because the Lord the Holy Ghost. Spoke through the prophet in these gone by.

Behold our virgin. Shall be with child. And shall bring forth a son. And they shall call his name Emmanuel. Which simply means God with us. There are no problems in it. The Holy Ghost was talking the way back yonder wasn't it.

And he was saying through the prophet Isaiah. A virgin shall be with child and bring forth a son. And thou shall call his name Emmanuel. Which simply means he will be God with us. Now that's the mighty thing isn't it.

Christ Made Under the Law and Redeeming His People

That God the Son. Made himself of no reputation. Came down. Let's go to Galatians chapter 4 just for a moment. Galatians 4 and verse 4. But when the fullness of the time was come. Because God had to wait for the exact moment.

You know he was working things out properly. But when the fullness of the time was come. God sent forth his son. I didn't want to take that wee bit up just now. God sent forth his son. But that's a very important wee bit.

Now I want you to get this bit. Made of. A woman. Now I said to an old professor once. What do you think it means? He says I know you are going to talk about this miraculous conception. That the way down in the womb of Mary.

He was made. Made of a woman by the power of the Holy Ghost. He says well you see. You see I can't see this. I can't see this thing. There's nobody could see into the womb. There's nobody knew. And you just can't accept that.

Do you think he was made more than the angels at one time? Was he? Yes he was made more than the angels. Did you see that? But you never seen that either. And on the cross. And his flesh is battered. And his hair is mattered round his face.

And his bones are sticking through the skin. And he was made. Stand. Said something you know what? You just look at the cross you can't see it. It doesn't mean anything to you does it? And he rose again from the dead.

My spiritual self and I know. It takes faith. You see these modernists haven't got faith. That's the trouble. You see in this very book here. I can tell you this. Do you see we are at Galatians 4. If you just flip your eye back to Galatians 3.

See verse 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. They made a curse. Oh when you think. What he was made. Once when I went to preach at Queens I gave me the subject just the day before.

And it was written on the piece of paper. Was the maker made. And I said this is what I have got. The next. To preach on was the maker made. I said yes of course he was. Oh you should see all the evangelicals then.

And he had died in the 6th. His whole mind is off the rails. Of course the maker was made. You see without him was not anything made that was made. He was the maker. All things were made by him. You really can't say that the maker was made in the true sense of words.

But you can't say that the maker was willing to become made. And he was willing to become made. He was made. Then he was made. Of a woman. This I accept. That the Holy Ghost. Took the womb. Of a Virgin Mary.

And this miraculous conception took place. And he who was in the form of God. And thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Now had taken upon him the form of a slave. And God was manifest. In flesh.

And that is incarnation. When we say miraculous conception. If you want to just know every little detail of it. My dear friend it wouldn't be a miracle. We have to accept miracles. I accept that the Holy Ghost came upon her.

I accept that she was with child of the Holy Ghost. I accept that the Spirit of God did a thing in the womb of Mary. That I need to take in by faith. But the little details is not known to me. But I believe it is true.

My dear friends. You know when Isaiah. I just quote this to you. When Isaiah. Was moved to Plymouth. Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor.

The Mighty God. The Father of Eternity. The Prince of Peace. He just like stood at the door one day. And knocked the door and said. You Mr. Mohan that's right. You think Jesus Christ was God. I know Jesus Christ was God.

And there's so many angles you can start from. And I just took the Bible from the Lord's arm. And opened it with this verse. Unto us a child is born. He's a child. Jesus Christ. Unto us a son is given.

Jesus Christ. The government shall be upon his shoulder. Yes he'll take the nations of the world. And the kingdoms of this world. And make them the kingdoms of God. The child's name shall be called Wonderful Counselor.

So he's doing the next bit. The child is the Mighty God. Then they're stuck now. Aren't prepared now. Not prepared to say that he's the Father of Eternity either. Not even prepared to say he's the Everlasting Father.

Because they get the fatherhood mixed up with the sonship. They don't know where they are. We have no troubles about it. You know in 1 John chapter 4. This mighty phrase is there. Listen to it. It's easier when you listen to it.