CHRIST
(Part II)
Incarnation (Human and Divine Nature)
1 Timothy 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
I. THE INCARNATION
Larry King Live aired a story about the one man in history Larry King wanted to interview and what questions he would ask him. King picked Jesus Christ, and said he wanted to ask,” are you indeed virgin born?” “The answer to that question,” said King, “what explains history for me.”
Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold; the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Micah 5:2
2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
II. JESUS FULLY GOD
Theandric Union/Hypostatic Union
1. Jesus Christ is truly God
2. He is also truly human
3. He is one person
4. There are two distinct natures, divine and human
Jesus did not “experience” God; he was God. He never at any given moment “became” God; He was God from the start.
Colossians 2:8-9
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
John 1:1-3, 14-17
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made… 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:13-20
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
John 20:26-28
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Romans 9:5
5 of whom are the fathers, and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Hebrews 1:7-8
God…2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”? 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him…8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
III. JESUS FULLY MAN
Genesis 3:15
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
1. He was born
Galatians 4:4
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.
2. He grew up
Luke 2:40
40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
In Luke 2:7 we are told that Jesus was born like all humans. He experienced thirst and hunger (Matthew 4:2; John 19:28). He grew tired and slept (Matthew 18:24; John 4:6). Jesus bled and suffered greatly throughout the crucifixion. He was so weak he could no longer carry his cross physically (Luke 23:26).
3. He died
John 19:33
33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
4. Kenosis Theory. When Jesus came as a man he laid down operating solely out of his divine nature. Jesus was never less than God what he lived on earth as though he was never more than a man. He lived as every other godly person, by praying, obeying, and waiting for the spirits leadership. He emptied himself of the right to take the initiative to use the fullness of God’s power.
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
IV. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INCARNATION
1. Showed us what God is like
John 14:7-9
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
John 1:18
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
2. Incarnation showed God’s pulsating Heart towards humanity
3. It shows us an example of the fullness of human life.
1 John 2:6
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
4. The Incarnation gave us a High Priest who understands
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest, who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
5. Incarnation provided a sacrifice adequate for all sin.
Hebrews 10:11-12
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.
6. Incarnation gave us possibility of experiencing divine life
2 Peter 1:2-4
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
7. Incarnation gave us an understanding of History, and it’s final outcome
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Answer Key: born; died; like; example; High Priest; sacrifice; final outcome
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