04 April 20, 2014, The Humanity Of Jesus

THE HUMANITY OF JESUSMark 14:32-16:8

Easter SundayApril 20, 2014

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCHJACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

USA

FBCJ April Memory Verse

Galatians 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

CLASS 2014 MEMORY VERSE

1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

What’s the number one thing?

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QUESTIONS FOR TODAY’S LESSON

1. How can Jesus be God and also man while on earth?

2. Why is the humanity of Jesus important?

3. Was Jesus capable of sinning while on earth?

4. What was the relationship of God and Jesus while he was on earth?

5. What was the proof that Jesus’ life and death were an acceptable sacrifice for our sins?

God’s Word

• Every detail fits and prophecy fulfilled

• Like a Puzzle – the more pieces you put together, the clearer the picture becomes

• Imagine the thrill of the apostles and early believers (Jewish) of discovering fulfilled prophecy

• Holy Spirit instructed and directed

Easter begins with Christmas!

Luke 2:8-11 NIV8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Angels announce the dual nature of Jesus (Human & GOD))

• “…a Savior has been born…”

– Natural birth

– Savior in human form

• “…he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

– He is God

– He is the Lord

Fully Human and Fully God

• This is confusing – the math does not work for human minds

• Not 50/50 or alternating – Gnosticism in 1 John5:6

• 100% Human and 100% God

• Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD– In perfect unity, without mixture, separation,

confusion or division

• Not even going to scratch the surface today!

Theological Term = Incarnation

God becoming human

• Latin term “incarnito” = taking on flesh.

• Term surfaced about 300 AD.

• Definition: Refers to God in one of the modes of His existence as Trinity, without any way ceasing to be God, has revealed Himself to humanity by becoming human.

Incarnation

John 1:14 NIV14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

• As the ‘God-man’, He mediates God to humans

• As the ‘man-God’, He represents Humans to God

The Deity of Jesus

• Present at creation

John 1:1-3 NIV1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

The Deity of Jesus

• Only “Begotten” Son – Unique; one and only

John 3:16 NIV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Isaiah 9:6a NIV6a For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

The Deity of Jesus

• Everything in His hands

John 3:35-36 NIV35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

Relationship of God and JesusWhile On Earth

• Subordinate (not inferior relationship)– Under the authority and leadership

• Jesus was equal in essence, but different in role and function

John 14:28 NIV28 ….for the Father is greater than I.

Matthew 24:36 NIV36 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Jesus as God’s Son on Earth

• Never lost His deity – Never stopped being God• He emptied himself of His prerogatives:

– His Glory and His privileges

Philippians 2:6 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!

“God things” Jesus did on earth

• Forgave sins – Matthew 9:6

• Raised the dead – John 11:43-44

• Healing – John 9:6-7

• Controlled nature: walk on water, calm storms, created food, water to wine

• Read minds

• Knew Future

• Potential to call down angels

“ALL AUTHORITY”

• “All authority” came after His Resurrection

Matthew 28:16-18 NIV16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Jesus as Fully Human

• Physical birth, growth and development

• Fatigue – John 4:6

• Sleep – Matthew 8:24

• Food (eat) & body functions– Matthew 4:2

• Emotions– Joy – John 15:11

– Sorrow (wept) – Matthew 26:37

– Loneliness & Abandonment – Matt 26:38; Mark 15:34

• Experienced death – Mark 15:37

JESUS AND TEMPTATION

Was Jesus capable of sinning?

Jesus and Temptation

Matthew 4:1-3 NIV1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, …


Hebrews 4:15 NIV15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin.


• We (humans) are born with a “sin nature” that was inherited from Adam (2 earthly parents)

• Sin nature = inward desire or inclination for sin

Romans 5:12 NIV12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned —


• Jesus was not born with a “sin nature”

– (1 earthly parent and 1 heavenly parent)

• Jesus had the nature of Adam before sinning

– Called the “Second or last Adam”

• Jesus had the: (1) CHOICE & (2) ABILITY to sin

THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS

• In order for us to be saved, Jesus had to succeed where Adam failed.

• Where Adam as a man broke God’s covenant, Jesus as a man had to keep God’s covenant if we were to be redeemed.

• Like Adam, Jesus was tempted to disbelieve God’s Word.

• Jesus never gave in to Satan’s lies.

RELATIONSHIPS

GOD

HOLY SPIRIT JESUS as

GOD & Man

Man

WHY IS THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST IMPORTANT?

1. To reveal God to us – Jesus is the revealed reality of God

John 1:18 NIV18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John 14:6-7 NIV6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”


2. Christ’s humanity fits Him to be our Redeemer-tempted but did not sin.

Hebrews 2:17-18 NIV17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.


3. Christ’s humanity enabled Him to die as our sacrifice.

Hebrews 2:9 NIV9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.


4. Christ’s humanity fits Him to be our High Priest and reconcile us to God.

Hebrews 2:17 NIV17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.


5. The sacrifice of human blood from a sinless human was required to cover the sins of all.

Hebrews 9:22 NIV22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Leviticus 17:11 NIV11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.


6. Christ’s humanity links Him with David and thus the throne of Israel.

Matthew 1:1 NIV1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: (Physically related through Mary)

Luke 1:32-33 NIV32 … The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Legally related through Joseph)


7. Christ’s humanity enables Him to fulfill scripture.

Isaiah 7:14 NIV14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel

• Prophecy about Jesus: 330 prophecies

- Over 100 fulfilled in His first coming

Mathematical AnalysisPrinciples of Probability

Reference: Peter Stoner in Science Speaks (Moody Press 1963)

Wanted to demonstrate that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability

Applied science of probability for 8 prophecies related to Jesus’ birth

Mathematical AnalysisPrinciples of Probability

• What is the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies?

• 1 in 10¹⁷

• 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000

How many is 10¹⁷?Silver Dollars Example

• Take 10¹⁷ Silver Dollars and lay them flat on the state of Texas

• They will cover the state 2 feet deep

• Now, mark one (1) one of these coins and stir the whole mass

• Blindfold a man, and tell him he can travel the state and pick up one (1) coin and it must be the marked coin.

How many is 10¹⁷?Silver Dollars Example

• What chance would the man have of picking up the marked coin?

• This is the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these 8 prophecies and have them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote them in their own wisdom.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

What is the proof that Jesus’ life and death were acceptable to God?

• Our Lord’s resurrection is His vindication!

• If Jesus had stayed dead, it would have proven that death had a rightful claim over Him.

• By defeating the power of death, Jesus rendered it powerless over His people.

VICTORY IN RESURRECTION

• Because Christ was raised from the dead, we will be also!

• At our resurrection (Jesus’ 2nd coming), our spirits will be reunited with perfected bodies, and we will forever experience the glorified state that the Lord intended for us from the very beginning!

HE IS RISEN!!!

Happy Easter!

Spiritual

04 April 20, 2014, The Humanity Of Jesus