Jesus The Great High Priest

JESUS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

(Hebrews 4:14-5:1-10)

Introduction: His name was Joseph Damien, a Belgian Catholic priest, he was sent in 1873 to minister to lepers in Hawaii. As soon as he arrived on Molokai, he began trying to build friendships with the residents of the leper colony, but they rejected him. He poured himself into this ministry, building a small chapel and holding worship services. But hardly anyone came.

            After 12 long years, he gave up. While standing on the pier about to board the ship that would take him back to Belgium, he looked down at his hands. The white spots he saw could mean only one thing. He had contracted leprosy. So instead of going home, he returned to his work in the leper colony.

            The news of the missionary's disease spread through the community; soon, hundreds of lepers had gathered outside his hut. They understood his pain and despair. The following Sunday, when Damien arrived at the chapel, the small building was filled to overflowing. That was the beginning of a long and fruitful ministry. What made the difference?

            Now the lepers knew that he understood their condition, and he became one among them by contracting their disease." [1] We have been on a quest to discover greater things. Today we will learn about a great high priest who identifies with our situation and understands our weaknesses. He experienced the pain and frustration of earthly existence to give us eternal life.

            Many Americans might not be familiar with the role of a priest unless you grew up a Catholic. Though I was born into a protestant family, growing up in a religious Hindu culture, I understand the power of Hindu priests in India. But I am delighted to talk about someone more magnificent than all the priests in the whole world. His name is Jesus the Great High Priest.

I. PRIESTS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

            We don't often hear the word priest in our daily conversations except among Catholics and Episcopalians. In the O.T. period, not so much in the N.T. priests played a significant role in the day to do affairs of people. Priests acted as God's ordained mediators to receive gifts/offerings of the people. They officiated over ceremonies and annual feasts.

            The first appearances of priests were in Genesis 14:18 when Abraham offered his tithes to Melchizedek king of Salem and Exodus 18:1 Jethro, (who was also the father-in-law of Moses) the priest of Midian, who offers a burnt offering and sacrifices to God.

            At first, men functioned as their own priests (Gen 4:3, Job 1:5), but later the patriarchal head of the family performed the task. In a sense, all Israelites were priests of the Lord. Exodus 19:6, "And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation."

            The same concept we see in the N.T. where the Apostle Peter affirms the priesthood of all believers, I Peter 2:5-9, "for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession." However, at Mount Sinai, God designated that the priesthood would be the tribe of Levi and the family of Aaron in particular.

            In a special ceremony, God sets apart Aaron and his sons to be priests. They were to represent the people of God whenever they entered into God's presence. They were to offer various offerings on behalf of people to God to seek his forgiveness of sins and His blessings.

            In the O.T., we also encounter corrupt priests who served false gods and those who served their self-interests instead of genuinely representing the needs of people before God. God often dealt with them severely.

            For example, Israeli's priest, Eli's two sons Hophni and Phinehas, earned a dubious title, "worthless men," through their corruption and adultery with the women who served at the tabernacle. God dealt with them by killing both of them. I Sam 2-3.

            The calling and anointing of a priest are not something one should take lightly. God holds them to a higher standard, and when they break the oath of their priestly office and indulge in unrighteous acts, they will face severe consequences, including being removed from that holy office. In Malachi's second chapter, we read about God's dealings with corrupt priests.

II. THE ROLE OF A HIGH PRIEST

            The high priest was the supreme religious leader of the Israelites. The office of the high priest was hereditary and was traced from Aaron, the brother of Moses, of the Levite tribe (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 18:7). The most important duty of the high priest was to conduct the service on the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the seventh month of every year.

            Only he was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place behind the veil to stand before God. After offering sacrifices for himself and the people, he then brought the blood into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled it on the mercy seat, God's "throne" (Leviticus 16:14-15). He did this to make atonement for himself and the people for all their sins committed during the year just ended (Exodus 30:10). This high priestly ministry is compared to Jesus, the Great High Priest.

III. JESUS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

            Vs. 14, "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe." Let me share how Jesus is more significant than the Aaronic high priests from the paper I wrote during my seminary time.

            In the O.T., the sins of people were symbolically laid on a goat and sent out to bear their sins to a solitary land. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus, saying, look the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The high priest enters, once a year, offers a sacrificial lamb for himself and the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

            Christ as the great high priest entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. In the passage, we read the author explains the specific duties of a high priest. Hebrews 5:1-3, "Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins.

            And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs." Let me unpack this passage. The O.T. high priests were men chosen from among many other men. In contrast, Jesus was sent from God. Lived on the earth for a while and after completing the high priestly duty of atonement, he went back to heaven. 

            The high priest presents people's gifts to God and offers sacrifices for the sins of people to God. Jesus gave himself as a perfect and pleasing sacrifice to God on behalf of the sins of the whole world. The high priest gently deals with ignorant and wayward people. Jesus was compassionate and caring. He loved all people, including those who hated him.

            He restored the dignity of the minorities and gently instructed sinners to repent and sin no more. Another unique character that sets Jesus apart from the rest is that He was sinless. 1 John 3:5, "And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him."

            1 Peter 2:22, "He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone." 2 Corinthians 5:22, "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ." Our text also speaks of His sinlessness.

            Hebrews 4:15, "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin." Jesus, though He was God's learned obedience from the things he suffered. Jesus did not need to suffer to conquer or correct any disobedience. Instead, he humbled himself to learn. Why was then his suffering and obedience necessary?

            Christ's obedience was necessary so that he could fulfill all righteousness and leaving us an example to follow.  Take to heart that next time when you are going through any kind of suffering, remember the great high priest Jesus suffered much for you. Hebrews 12:3, "Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up."

            All these characteristics and many more qualify Jesus as a perfect High priest, a source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. God also designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. To know more about who Melchizedek is read chapters 7,8.

            In closing, how does having Jesus as our Great High Priest impacts our day to day lives? Knowing and trusting Jesus the Great High Priest gives us confidence. We can come into His presence boldly with all our struggles, and problems are assured that He understands our weaknesses. I want to encourage each one of you to make this a regular practice.

            Drawing near to the throne of grace helps us find mercy and grace to help in time of need. What an assuring and compelling invitation this is? Where do you go in your time of need? Do you go to Google for help? Or do you distract yourselves with constant social media? No!

            Go to a quiet room in your house and spend time with Jesus, the great High Priest. Talk with him about everything in your heart and everything that is bothering you and all your needs. Don't be in a rush, wait a little longer before the mercy seat of God to receive mercy and grace.

             In your suffering, when you cry out to Him for help, he will not turn you away empty-handed. He sympathizes with you because he identifies with you in your pain. During this COVID-19, there is so much pain, sorrow, and grief. Over 148,650 people in the USA have died in recent months. Can you imagine the grief and the searing loss of their loved ones who were left behind? Jesus, our great High priest who is alive in heaven and present here on the earth through His Holy Spirit, can heal all our diseases and forgive all our sins. Amen!

                       

           

           

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[1] [Adapted from Moments for Pastors by Robert Strand. New Leaf Press, 1994. Day 11.]

The Believers Rest

THE BELIEVERS REST

Introduction: There is a fable that tells of three apprentice devils who were coming to this earth to finish their apprenticeship. They were talking to Satan, the chief of the devils, about their plans to tempt and ruin men. The first said, "I will tell them that there is no God." Satan said, "That will not delude many, for they know that there is a God."

            The second said, "I will tell men that there is no hell." Satan answered, "You will deceive no one that way; men know even now that there is a hell for sin." The third said, "I will tell men that there is no hurry. "Go," said Satan, "and you will ruin men by the thousands." The most dangerous of all delusions is that there is plenty of time. Procrastination is Satan's sharpest and most useful tool."[1] Satan is still so effectively using this strategy, and many are falling for it.

            I still vividly remember the date, place, and time. It was the night of October 30, 1984, the first day of a three-day youth retreat in our church. After giving a fiery salvation message, the evangelist gave an invitation for young people to come forward to accept Jesus. He urged us, saying there might be no tomorrow, and today is the opportune time, and don't procrastinate.

            The Holy Spirit convicted me of my need to get saved; without hesitation, I stepped forward in tears and surrendered my life to Jesus. Oh, what joy filled my heart at that moment. I was so glad I made the most critical decision in my life that evening.

            The next day the whole nation was under curfew; everything was shut down due to the assassination of our Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Tomorrow may never be ours; all we have is today. When we procrastinate, especially when making the most critical decisions, we may live to regret for the rest of our lives. The most important decision you could ever make in your life is to enter into God’s rest. I want to title this message: THE BELIEVERS REST Hebrews 4:1-13

A BIT OF BACKGROUND: Two times in Hebrews chapters three and four, there has been a mention of Psalm 95. Many Jewish people recited psalms in worship; at some point, Ps 95 became a significant element in synagogue prayers. Psalm 95 shows that Israel's wilderness generation rejected God's offer of rest in the promised land.

            We learned that the entire generation that had left Egypt had died in the wilderness. Now under the new leadership of Joshua, God's promise of rest, one way partially has been fulfilled with the entry of a whole new generation of Israelites into the promised land.

            In the promised land, God's offering of rest after Joshua's day suggests that the promise had never been completely fulfilled. (Joshua 1:14,15) What is this unfulfilled promise of rest all about? Who is going to bring forth this promised rest? Who are the beneficiaries of this promised rest going to be? Let me explore the three types of rests that are mentioned in our passage.

I THE PHYSICAL REST

            Hebrews 4:1-6, "God's promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news that God has prepared this rest has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God. So, God's rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God."

            These verses were talking about the physical freedom of rest that was promised to God’s people who were in bondage to slavery in Egypt.  The promise was that God would deliver them from their enemies and lead them to a land full of milk and honey where they can securely live.     Unfortunately, over 600,000 Israelites who had left Egypt could not make it to the promised land due to their unbelief and disobedience; only their children made it. This promised rest did not last forever. When that generation sinned against God, He exiled them for 70 years in Babylon. Saint Augustine writes in his Confessions, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You." Perhaps Augustine's most often quoted phrase, it captures something that resonates deep within the human heart, which is restlessness.

            No matter who you are, we all have that desire to be filled and fulfilled.  We tend to seek that fulfillment in various places such as entertainment, sinful pleasures, or idolizing education, wealth, and power. The truth of the matter is the more we try, the more restless we become.

            Restlessness in people is not new, Jesus saw it during his time, Matthew 9: 36, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." He made an offer of rest, Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Let’s look at the second type of rest.

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II.  THE ETERNAL REST

            The second kind was spiritual and eternal, referring to the salvation of humanity. It is a promise of God for all those who believe in Him. At salvation, all believers enter this rest, not by works but by His grace. Is this promise of rest an afterthought or God had it in his mind from the beginning? In Vs. 3, we read, "this rest has been made ready since he made the world.

            The preparations for this rest were laid in the garden of Eden right after the Fall. Remember, when God was cursing Satan for the devastation he caused? Genesis 3:15, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel."

            The seed of the woman was referring to Jesus. The conflict is a foreshadowing of how Jesus will bring forth salvation, the eternal rest. God wanted both kinds of rest for the generation that was delivered from Egypt. In our passage, the author highlights that the promise of both these rests is still applicable to all those who believe in God even today.

III. SIZE TODAY

            Vs. 7-8, “So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today, when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Now, if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come.”

            These verses show how three generations missed entering God’s promised rest. Moses’ generation never entered God’s rest. The promise was not fulfilled in Joshua’s time either. Only the generations of David (2 Sa 7:1,11) and Solomon (1Ch 22:9) came closer to enjoying God’s promised rest. Even in the author’s day, Jewish people, prayed for God to give them rest.

            In these verses, we read twice the word “today.” What did the author mean by today? The biblical authors often used the word, “Today” not necessarily referring to a twenty-four-hour period or a particular day in the future, but to convey a sense of urgency and a prime opportunity.           When it is neglected or delayed, the listeners will face dire consequences. Today we are presented with the opportunity to trust God. Only while we are alive do we have the choice to accept or refuse it. Some of you who are listening have responded and have entered God’s rest.

            I want to appeal to you as the Apostle Paul did to those who were procrastinating during his time. II Cor 6:1-2, “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you.

            On the day of salvation, I helped you. “Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.in the end.” Dear friend, if you are listening to God’s voice, do not harden your heart. Are you restless today? Are you in need of assurance of salvation? What Joshua was failed to offer to people who left Egypt, Yeshua, who is also known as Jesus, can provide to all people. If you need eternal rest by faith, you need to repent and ask Jesus to come into your heart.

IV. THE BELIEVERS REST (9-11)

            Vs. 9-11, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” Let me summarize these three rests. The physical, eternal and believers rest

            The physical rest is to do with our physical day to day needs for provisions, security, etc. The eternal rest is the ultimate salvation of our souls. The believer's rest has to do with the promised life of rest that comes by entering and enjoying the presence of God regularly.

            The author equated that rest to the Sabbath rest, which was introduced by God in the garden of Eden, Genesis 2:2-3, “On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested (ceased) from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.”

            Sabbath rest, or the believer's rest, is God’s remedy for our restlessness. God set this as an example for all humanity to follow. One commentator noted, “God rested on the seventh day, not because he was weary, but because nothing formless or empty remained. His creative work was completed, and it was totally effective, absolutely perfect. It did not have to be repeated, repaired, or revised, and the Creator rested to commemorate it.”

            Similarly, we are encouraged to cease all our striving and only believe in the completed work of Christ in our lives. We need to recognize that we are not justified by our works but by His grace alone, we are saved and made holy. We are to make every effort to enter and remain in the rest that Christ offers to all of His believers. These days many things distract us from entering that rest. Let us be intentional and protective of that rest that God has promised to us. In closing, I want us to say together, thank you, Jesus, for saving me and giving me hope and future. Amen!

             

             

  

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[1] (William Barclay: The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 2 [Philadelphia: Westminster, 1975], p. 317. From a sermon by Matthew Kratz, The parable of the Faithful & Wise Servant, 7/17/2010)

The Danger of Unbelief

THE DANGER OF UNBELIEF

Introduction: On the corner of Park Row and Beekman Street in New York City, in the 1800s, where Horace Greeley's Statue (Founder of New York Tribune) now stands, stood a man offering $20 gold pieces for $1 bill each. All-day, he kept shouting about his gold pieces.          Thousands of people passed him, most paid no attention, and others either laughed or scowled at him. About 15 minutes before six o'clock, when he was about to quit, a woman timidly approached him and, after carefully investigating the gold piece, by biting it and testing its sound, she reluctantly paid the dollar and pocketed the golden double eagle.

            Ten minutes later, just as the man was about to go home, the woman reappeared accompanied by two friends, and between them, they purchased the rest of the man's stock, worth $160, for $8 in bills. The next and for several days, the street was crowded with the same woman in the lead waiting for the vender of gold coins, but he never appeared again.

            This story is known to be accurate, and Horace Greeley is responsible for the incident in demonstration of his theory that most poverty is because the general public refuses to believe even in the face of overwhelming evidence.[1] This is true for many people, including Christians, despite overwhelming evidence that God exists, and he rewards those who earnestly Him, yet refuse to believe in God. The result is that they continue to remain in spiritual poverty.

            Two weeks ago, while talking about Drifting Away, I said that was the first of the five warnings found in Hebrews. Today we will look at the second warning against unbelief. F.B. Meyer once said that "Unbelief puts our circumstances between us and God, but faith puts God between us and our circumstances." God has forewarned us that in the last days, many will scoff at God and deny his existence and power. Let us look at the danger of unbelief. Hebrew 3:12-19

            In our pastor's group, we often talk about and agonize over a forgotten aspect in our preaching and pastoring these days, which is to call sin by its name Sin and not calling it a weakness. It is not politically correct to call people sinners. At Hope Church, we have no trouble mentioning sin, explaining its consequences, and helping people to overcome sin.

            As we begin our study, let me lay out these premises. The scripture tells us we all have sinned and need God's mercy. Any Sin is rebellion against God who created us and loved us so dearly. All sins stem from, as Dr. Bruce Thompson puts it, "two cardinal or foundational sins of Unbelief and Pride."[2] Let's look at how the sin of unbelief originated in the first place.

I. THE ROOT CAUSE OF UNBELIEF.

            How do we define unbelief? Unbelief is doubt or skepticism, especially in matters of religious faith. How does the Bible describe unbelief? The Bible uses many strong terms, including hardening, twisting, blindness, deafness, unnaturalness, lies, deception, folly, rebellion, and madness. The Apostle Paul explains how usually unbelief starts in the heart of a man.

            Romans 1:25, "They traded the truth about God for a lie." The slippery slope of unbelief is rooted in a three-letter word, "LIE." Where did it all begin? Remember, when God created Adam and Eve, he gave them all the freedom they could ever have. But with one clear command.            Genesis 2:16-17, "But the Lord God warned him, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die." One day Satan asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden."? What is happening here? A bad deal was taking place.

            Up until that time, I assume that the woman was familiar with only three voices. Adam's God's and her own voice. All of a sudden, the woman heard the unrecognizable voice of Satan.

            Had she run away from it; the world would have been a different place. But she was attracted to its deceptive appeal and began to exchange God's truth for the lie of Satan. She believed Satan's lie, Vs., 4-5, "You won't die!" God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil."

            Until then, all Eve knew was good, but now she can also know evil. The outcome of that knowledge has been devastating ever since. The root of unbelief is a small seed of doubt sown by the devil. When it is full-grown, it becomes a strong tree of unbelief. Whoever lives under its shadow faces devastating consequences. Unbelief always starts with a small doubt!

            When God says in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." We hear another voice speaking to us so convincingly that God's plan is not good, and He is a Joy killer.

            Then we doubt our loving God and his intentions and begin to take things into our own hands to our detriment. The devil also has plans for us, and they are for our destruction. Jesus, in his teachings, exposed the purpose of the devil, and how we need to run away from him

            John 10:10, "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." He also taught them to recognize the voice of the devil by using the analogy of sheep, John 10:5, "They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't know his voice." If the sheep can recognize the voice of their master, how about us?

            Jesus said my sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27.

Unfortunately, many Christians don't know how to discern the voice of God. Whose voice are you listening today, God's or the devils? It is not that difficult; with the help of the Holy Spirit and a little bit of practice, we can recognize His voice. I may talk about discerning God's voice at another time, for now, let's look at the danger of unbelief and how we can overcome unbelief.

II THE DANGER OF UNBELIEF (Lessons from Israel's History)

            Verses 7-11 depict the not so glorious history of Israel under the leadership of Moses. They cover three time periods: that of the Exodus, the Psalmist, and the writing of the Hebrews. The Psalmist warned the Israelites of his day against unbelief and disobedience. (Psalm 95:7-11). The author of Hebrews reminded his audience, and the same advice applies to us today.

            Can you imagine the vexation of God over the repeated unbelief of Israelites? For over forty years, miraculously, God provided food and water for them daily. Gave them meat when they grumbled. God gave them clothes and shoes to wear, and they did not wear off.

            He kept them from the heat of the day and the cold of the night. He protected them from their enemies' time and again what more one could do to a bunch of ungrateful and stubborn people. Despite all those miraculous provisions, the people of God hardened their hearts and did not believe in Him. Instead, they grumbled and followed their own ways prompted by the devil.

            Hebrews 3:7-11, "That is why the Holy Spirit says, today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So, I was angry with them, and I said, 'Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them. So, in my anger, I took an oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest."

            What a tragic consequence of their unbelief? Over 600,000 people who initially left Egypt died in the wilderness on their way to the promised land, a land of milk and honey. Only the children who were born to them in the desert, and Joshua and Caleb from the original bunch entered the promised land. You can read about how people rebelled against God in Numbers 14. You may be wondering why I should learn about these lessons? Well, if we don't learn from history, we are bound to repeat them.  Let us look at we can overcome unbelief.

III OVERCOMING UNBELIEF (Vs. 12-19)

            When it comes to unbelief, we think it is not a big deal, just a weakness. But that was not how some early preachers viewed unbelief. For instance, Charles Spurgeon said, "Unbelief is the mother of vice; it is the parent of sin; and, therefore, I say it is a deadly evil--a master sin."[3]

            Unbelief may not be a big deal for us, but for God, it is a big deal. Why? Unbelief is a lack of trust in God, which is an insult to God and an assault on His nature. It robs our joy of living. In the book of Revelation, we read a list of those who won't make it to heaven.

            Rev 21:8, "But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." That is why the author warns us to guard our hearts against unbelief.          Vs. 12, "Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God." We need to fiercely protect our hearts against evil and unbelief because unbelief can turn us away from God.

            How can we overcome unbelief? First of all, we repent of the sin of unbelief. Once we repent, God will forgive us. Secondly, being in fellowship with one another could help us overcome our unbelief. Vs. 13, "You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” We need one another.

            In the new community of God, we are encouraged to warn one another not weekly but daily against the dangers of unbelief. The seasoned believers must come alongside the younger and struggling believers and help them in their journey of faith. This is even more so pertinent for our times today. If we fail to encourage one another, we start believing the lies about God, ourselves, and others. Let's pray and support one another in our journey of faith. Amen!

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[1] https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/poverty-because-of-unbelief-ralph-andrus-sermon-on-doubt-89081

[2] Bruce Thompson, Walls of My Heart, Page 183

[3] https://www.biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/0003.htm

Is Jesus Fully God Or Fully Man?

IS JESUS FULLY GOD OR FULLY HUMAN?

Introduction: During my Systematic Theology class, I was asked to write a paper on Who Jesus is? The professor intended to help M.Div. Students who would become pastors learn to explain Jesus adequately. I believe that question is not only meant for theologians and pastors but for all the followers of Christ. We must know and understand who Jesus is so that we can help clarify some of the misunderstandings surrounding the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ.

            These misunderstandings are not new; they even existed during the time of Jesus, where many people had a hard time understanding who He was! Jesus wanted to clarify the muddled understanding of his disciples, so He asked them, "Who do people say that the Son of Man Is?   Well, they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. He probed further by asking them a direct question. "But who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God."

            Upon that revelation that Jesus was and is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, the Church was built. After Christ's death and the resurrection between 350 to 450 AD, some heresies arose. Each of them forcing the churches and the followers of Christ to greater clarity in their answer to the question, who is Jesus Christ"?[1] Even to this day, these heresies continue.

            Therefore, the followers of Christ need to learn how to refute these and other heresies. Keeping that as our framework, this morning, let us explore this crucial question together, Is Jesus fully divine or human? By the end of our time, we will find out how this understanding will impact the way we relate to Jesus and one another in the body of Christ. And also, we will know how to handle and any trials and adversaries that life throws at us. Let me introduce to you, Jesus Christ, who is my Lord, Savior, my best friend, and also my BIG brother.

I IS JESUS FULLY GOD?

            There is no other name in the world that evokes passionate response or great eversion than the name of Jesus Christ. For some, it is a swear word; for others, it is just like any other name, but for many of His followers, it is the sweetest name and the name above all other names. Yet there are so many people in the world who cannot bear the thought of attaching divinity to Jesus Christ. Why such sharp contrast? Let me try to answer the question Is Jesus fully God?

            Here is what C.S Lewis, one of the greatest thinkers of the last century, said about Jesus in "Mere Christianity" You must make your choice: either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." On that note, let us look at some scriptural evidence on Jesus' Divinity.

A. Jesus and the Creation:

            Jesus Christ was never created. Yet he created everything. He had no beginning. He has always existed and always has been and will always be God. Loaded statements. Let me back it up with some scriptural evidence as to why I believe that Jesus is fully God.

            John 1:1-3, "In the beginning, was the Word (logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him, all things were made; without him, nothing was made that has been made." John begins with the words, "In the beginning," they strike a parallel with the words, "In the beginning God," in Genesis 1.

            If we read the creation narrative, we see Jesus Christ, the "word" one of the essential parts of the Triune God, was involved in creating the beautiful world we see. The Apostle Paul further highlights the creating and sustaining powers of Jesus Christ, the divine creator.

            Col 1:15-16, "15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together."

B. Jesus and Miracles.

            During his ministry on earth, Jesus performed several miracles, such as turning water into wine, healing the paralytic, a leper, a blind man, and a woman with the issue of blood. He cast out the evil spirits, walked on water multiplied a small portion of fish and bread to feed thousands of people. He comforted the broken-hearted. He calmed the fears. On a few occasions, he even raised the dead. By doing so, he exercised and demonstrated His divine power.

C. Jesus and Salvation

            Jesus did not come into this world to do miracles that would have branded Him a miracle worker. But he came to fulfill a divine mission, which was to seek and save the lost sinners by forgiving their sins. His authority to forgive sins is another indication that He was God as only God could forgive sins. In the second chapter of Mark, Jesus heals a paralytic man.

            Before he heals him, he says in verse 5, "Son, your sins are forgiven." In verses, 6-7some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Robert Stein notes, "Their reaction shows that they interpreted Jesus' comment "as the exercising of a divine prerogative, the power actually to forgive sins." [2] The same Jesus who healed the paralytic and adopted him into the family of God could heal your sickness and forgive your sins soo that too can become his child and enjoy the blessings of salvation. Let's answer the second part of our question.

II. IS JESUS FULLY MAN?

            Before we address this question, let me make this declaration. The Triune God, The Father the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all three are one God. They reign from eternity to eternity. With that in mind, I assert that at no time did Jesus ever cease to be God. However, several scriptures explain that at some point in time, Jesus incarnated by taking the form of a man.

            Consider these scriptures: John 1:14, "So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." Gal 4:4-5, "But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that he could adopt us as his very own children."

            Jesus becoming of a human at one point in history was not a forced thing but was his voluntary decision. Philippians 2:6-8, "Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross."

            While some saw Jesu's Divinity, many couldn't get past the fact that he was from Nazareth, and he was a carpenter's Son. Mark, 6:3 "Then they scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the Son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him."

            Jesus had a divine conception but a natural birth (Luke 1: 31, 2:7). As a child, he had to be evacuated, and his family became refugees in Egypt because there was a threat to his life (Matt 2:13). He needed to grow up in wisdom and strength. (Luke 2:40). Jesus experienced sorrow and grief (Mt 26:37). Just like us, he was tired, thirsty, hungry, and needed to sleep, etc.

III WHY DID JESUS BECOME MAN?

            As we read through our passage, we can find some reasons why Jesus needed to become a man. Vs. 5-8 The author asks why God would ever bother with humanity. Despite the superiority of angels, God had initially placed the administration of the earth into the hands of humanity. (Gen 1) However, due to the fall, man was incapable of fulfilling that divine duty.

            For that reason, for a little while, Jesus took on the form of a man. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death on the Cross. Jesus, though, he never sinned became Sin for us and paid the penalty of Sin through his death so that we might have eternal life.

            Jesus identified with us to a point he was not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters. Can you imagine what it is like to have Jesus as our BIG brother? Vs. 17-18 "Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers, and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested." Think of this for a moment;

            Jesus, in every aspect, was made like one of us. He was subjected to similar trials and even worse testing that any one of us could ever go through. It is comforting for me to know that my BIG brother Jesus understands my struggles. He is merciful, and like a high priest, He is interceding for me. After following both his divinity and humanity, I am convinced that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Another helpful way to say it is that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man.        In closing, I will read from Isaiah 53: 3-6, "He was despised and rejected a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed." Amen!

 

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[1] Bruce L. Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982), 112.

[2] Robert H. Stein, The Method and Message of Jesus’ teaching, (Philadelphia: West-minister, 1978), 114.