Jesus is Victorious (Week 3)

We’ve spoken about the person of Christ.

We’ve addressed His divinity and His humanity.

Why the hypostatic Union?

Review:

What is the hypostatic union?

Fully man and fully God.

Let’s flesh some of this out.

Why did Jesus become human?

1. He became like those He represented

Hebrews 2:14–17 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

2. It also shows the extent of our sins.

We were so bad that normal sacrifices would not suffice.

The value of human is costly.

We are created in the image of God.

This means the blood of bulls and goats cannot remove sin.

Hebrews 10:4 “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Even humans cannot take away sins.

Only God can remove sin.

Why does this matter?

Why is it so important for Jesus to be fully God?

Your sin is so great that only God could appease the wrath of God against sin.

Berkhof said, “He might bring a sacrifice of infinite value and render perfect obedience to the Law of God.”

Why does it matter that Jesus be fully man?

It was necessary for the Son of God to put on a human nature in order to save sinful human beings.

He needed to be like those He was rescuing.

Discussion questions

What happens if Jesus is only God?

What happens if Jesus is only man?

What happens if Jesus becomes less God?

The Mission of Jesus

Jesus had a mission

Matthew 1:21 ““She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””

In addition to forgiving sins, Jesus came to do all righteousness, to obey the Law.

Jesus came to do what Adam failed to do, which was to be righteous.

Matthew 3:15 “But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.”

We said this earlier in Matthew 4, but the Temptation of Jesus, the temptation was not a lesson on how to deal with temptation.

The temptation of Jesus was because you have failed, I have failed, we all have failed.

You see this throughout the Bible.

When did the mission start?

Ephesians 1:4 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love” - in eternity past.

This mission is Who God is:

Exodus 34:6 is a passage spoken by God Himself, “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;”

This is Who God is.

He is loving.

1 John 4:10“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Ephesians 1:4–5 “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,”

The mission is impossible for us to fulfill.

He would do the impossible.

He would be completely righteous.

The Rich Young Ruler is a great passage.

Luke 18:18–27

Here was a man who was good by most people’s standards.

He was kind.

He was obedient.

He walked away said, and Jesus said this in verse 25 (Luke 18:25) ““For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.””

Some think that there was a tunnel that camels would get on their knees and crawl under.

But it’s not that at all, this was impossible.

You can see that by the disciples’ response in verse 26, “Then who can be saved.”

It is impossible for man to be good enough.

We are guilty because of inherited sin.

We are guilty because of actual sin.

Jesus would do what is impossible for man to do.

He would be perfect.

He would receive our punishment.

We have a problem … we are not good enough.

Throughout the Bible God would give commands for perfect obedience.

You see passages that say, “Do this and live.”

Leviticus 18:5 “‘So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 27:26 “‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”

The biggest statement of this came from the end of Matthew 5:48 ““Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

You must be perfect.

And God has always demanded perfection.

It was 1 sin that kicked Adam and Eve out of the Garden.

The Law serves to show where you have sinned and how you have sinned.

Romans 7 explains this

Galatians says that it is a schoolmaster or a tutor meant to instruct us.

The solution is found in what is called the Active Obedience of Jesus.

He observed all the law.

He was the perfection that you failed to do.

I like to think that works are necessary for salvation, but the real question is Who’s works are necessary?

Jesus!

There is another phrase called the Passive Obedience of Jesus.

Instead of actively working, this is Him being obedient and receiving something.

Verses that describe this are:

Isaiah 53:6 “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.”

Romans 4:25 “He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”

1 Peter 2:24“and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

1 Peter 3:18“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;”

1 John 2:2“and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”

Passive obedience is seen in the endurance of Christ.

He enduring suffering.

He received the wrath of God.

He received eternal justice.

Jesus fulfilled the Active and Passive Obedience required of Him.

This was seen when He said His last words on the Cross

John 19:30 “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

Mission Accomplished.

This is our faith:

We trust in Jesus to died for us.

We trust in Jesus to have lived for us.

And now you have rest in Him.

This transforms how you read the Bible.

The Reformers used the terms Law & Gospel.

The Law is anything that you are told to do.

Anytime you read, “Do this and live” - Think Law.

Gospel is Good News.

It’s “This has been done for you.”

I want you to think of Jesus in these terms as well.

Law.

He did what was required.

Gospel.

It was credited to you.

Why do we need this?

We struggle with being good enough.

We are prone to works righteousness.

We are tempted to be like the rich young ruler, then walk away sad when we find out we aren’t good enough.

Sinclair Ferguson makes this point.

In Luke 15 with the Prodigal Son.

The son knows his father is kind and will receive him.

Luke 15:18–19 shows the draw towards works and earning salvation.

Luke 15:18–19“‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ’”

His first instinct is to work for what he’s received.

We need to remember what Jesus has accomplished.

He has done what was required.

Matthew 1:21 described the mission, ““She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””

Remember Jesus’ words on the cross, John 19:30 “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

What was finished?

The rest of the mission.

Jesus died, and was buried.

But He didn’t stay buried.

3 days later, He rose from the dead.

Why was the resurrection necessary?

It served as the proof of the penalty paid.

It’s like the receipt after making a purchase.

That receipt verifies that the penalty was paid.

What else does it show?

His resurrection paved the way for our resurrection.

He represented us in life and He represents us into eternal life.

Colossians 1:18 “He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

Now Christ is Exalted.

Philippians 2:9–11“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

What does it mean that He’s exalted?

His divine nature cannot change.

It has always been exalted.

His human nature, which was previously humiliated, is now also exalted.

Do you struggle with Assurance?

Are there ever moments where you wonder if you’re saved?

What is the solution?

We look to Christ.

We remember what was accomplished.

This assurance may come and go.

Some things may lessen our assurance.

Sin

Doubt

Fear

Looking within and basing your hope off of you will ruin your assurance.

I like to define faith as trust.

It’s trusting in what Christ has done.

Colossians 3:1 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

The Offices of Christ

Jesus has three offices that He holds

Prophet

Priest

King

In what is called the Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Francis Turretin said,

“As a Prophet, he teaches sinners and calls them to faith and repentance (Is. 61:1, 2; Mt. 9:13); as a Priest, he gives himself as a ransom (antilytron) for sins (1 Tim. 2:6; Is. 53:10; 1 Jn. 2:2) and prays for transgressors (Is. 53:12; Jn. 17); as a King, he governs his people and defends them against the Devil, the world and the flesh that they may not be snatched out of his hands (Jn. 10:28; Rom. 8:35, 38, 39).”

Question 31 of the Heidelberg Catechism says:

Historic Creeds and Confessions Question 31

Because he is ordained of God the Father, and anointed with the Holy Ghost, to be our chief Prophet and Teacher,b who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption; and to be our only High Priest,d who by the one sacrifice of his body, has redeemed us, and makes continual intercession with the Father for us;f and also to be our eternal King, who governs us by his word and Spirit, and who defends and preserves us in that salvation, he has purchased for us.

These offices are historically how the church has recognized Christ and His relationship to sinners.

He serves as our:

Prophet

Priest

King

What we see is that while there were humans who had these roles, they were types, or shadows of the real thing.

The true prophet, and the true priest and the true king is Christ.

Prophet