Athanasius
— “The Ancient Voices of the Church”
Scripture:
John 1:14 — “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”
Ancient
Text: Athanasius (AD 328–335):
“He became what we are, that He might
make us what He is.”
Introduction:
The Defender of the Incarnation
Today we listen to Athanasius
— the great defender of the Nicene faith, the man who stood “against the world”
to proclaim that Jesus Christ is truly God.
Before he became the champion of
orthodoxy, Athanasius wrote a masterpiece: On the Incarnation. It
is one of the earliest, clearest, and most beautiful explanations of why the
Son of God became man.
Athanasius teaches us that the
Incarnation is not a theological idea — it is the heartbeat of salvation. He
shows us that Christ took on flesh to restore creation, renew humanity, conquer
death, and reveal the invisible God.
St. John says, “The Word became
flesh.” Athanasius says, “He became what we are, that He might make us what
He is.”
The ancient voice calls us to
adore the mystery of the Word made flesh.
I.
Athanasius Shows Us Why God Became Man
Athanasius begins with creation. He
teaches that the Word who made the world is the same Word who came to save it.
Humanity fell into corruption, darkness, and death — a ruin no human effort
could repair.
He writes that only the Creator could
recreate. Only the Life‑Giver could restore life. Only the Word could renew the
image of God in man.
He teaches that the Incarnation was
necessary because:
• humanity was decaying
• the image of God was fading
• death reigned
• sin enslaved
• creation groaned
So the Word took flesh to rescue His
handiwork.
Athanasius shows us that the
Incarnation is God’s answer to human ruin.
II.
Athanasius Shows Us the Beauty of the Word Made Flesh
Athanasius writes that the invisible
God became visible so humanity could know Him again.
He teaches:
• the Word became flesh to reveal the
Father
• the Word became flesh to restore the
image
• the Word became flesh to renew
creation
• the Word became flesh to heal
corruption
• the Word became flesh to bring life
out of death
He says the Word “condescended to our
sense‑bound intelligence,” becoming an object of sight so that through the seen
we might behold the unseen.
The church today must recover this
wonder: God walked among us.
III.
Athanasius Shows Us the Meaning of Christ’s Death
Athanasius teaches that Christ’s death
was not an accident — it was a divine necessity.
He writes that the Word took a body so
He could offer it in death as a sacrifice for all. Only the sinless One could
bear the debt of the sinful. Only the immortal One could destroy death by
dying.
He teaches:
• Christ died to pay what humanity
owed
• Christ died to break the power of
corruption
• Christ died to conquer death from
the inside
• Christ died to restore life to the
world
He says Christ’s death was “the debt
owed by all,” paid by the One who alone could pay it.
Athanasius shows us that the cross is
not defeat — it is victory.
IV.
Athanasius Shows Us the Triumph of the Resurrection
Athanasius writes that the
Resurrection is the inevitable result of the Incarnation.
He teaches:
• the Word who is Life could not
remain in death
• the Resurrection reverses the reign
of corruption
• death has lost its dominion
• life has become the new reality for
humanity
He says Christ “changed the relative
ascendancy of Death and Life,” making life triumphant and death defeated.
Athanasius shows us that the
Resurrection is not merely an event — it is the renewal of creation.
V.
Athanasius Shows Us the Glory of Salvation
Athanasius believed salvation is not
only forgiveness — it is transformation.
He teaches:
• Christ restores the image of
God
• Christ renews the mind
• Christ recreates the heart
• Christ heals the soul
• Christ makes us partakers of divine
life
He writes that the Word became man so
humanity might be lifted into the life of God.
This is the gospel Athanasius defended
with his life.
Conclusion:
Worship the Word Made Flesh
Church, Athanasius calls us to adore
the mystery of Christ:
He became what we are. He restored
what we lost. He conquered what we feared. He renewed what was broken. He
brought life where death reigned.
Let us worship the Word made flesh.
Let us proclaim His Incarnation. Let us rejoice in His Resurrection. Let us
live in His renewal.
The Word became flesh — and everything
changed.
Closing
Prayer
Lord Jesus, eternal Word made flesh,
We adore Your Incarnation, Your cross, and Your resurrection. Renew our hearts,
restore Your image within us, and fill us with Your life. Let Your glory shine
in us and Your salvation transform us — today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
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