Jesus Humbled Himself

Matthew 17:1-9

I want to start this morning by reading a familiar passage of Scripture, to give us an understanding of the True Christ. We are in the Christmas season and we will be discussing the birth of Jesus in the next few weeks. The essence of Christ, the reality of Jesus Christ is very important. Jesus tells us to “learn of Him”.......He also that knowing Him and the Father is eternal life: John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” ......Also, I believe if a believer can make these statements: Colossians 3:4 “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” & Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” ............They must know Jesus, in His rightful state, rightful nature!

To know about this one time miracle of His birth, we must know rightfully!

Philippians 2:5-11.......Paul is teaching to us about that Christians should be united and humble......Humility is shown in Christ’s coming to earth and walking as a man.

The key for us this morning is understanding what Christ has always been.....God the Son!

“Who being in the form of God.....equal with God” ........This makes it clear to us, that Jesus is God the Son!

“Being” (Hyparcho) means “existing as” this meaning that He has always been God the Son.

“Equal” with God.......meaning the “same as”.....Jesus said......John 10:30 “I and my Father are one.”

This understanding is not just a good thought, it is what should put legs to our faith!

Who is it that we believe and follow, is the motivation of our life!

God the Son, was willing to humble Himself as a man....teaches us humility.....if say we are Christ’s then His character would be seen in our life! Humility, Love!

He was willing, God was willing......because if God the Father is LOVE, so is God the Son and it is for love that Christ came and left His rightful place to experience none of what God should experience.....but He did it for us to be saved......1 Timothy 1:14–15 “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

“Don the robe of an earthly man and feel the pain of flesh and bone”......yes, Jesus truly humbled Himself........Jesus became sin for us, Jesus, Who knew no sin,so that we can be made righteous before God through Jesus!

God has bestowed on Jesus, the Name which is above every name

A Name that is exalted.......The God-Man...........

The entire intelligent universe is called to worship Jesus Christ as Lord....angels in Heaven, the redeemed in Heaven, the obedient believers on earth, the disobedient rebels, and even the demons and lost humanity in hell........

Everyone at some point will eventually agree, acknowledge....that Jesus is Lord to the Glory of the Father!

Highly exalted.........I believe this somewhat hard for us to grasp fully! Enough so that we are brought to the proper reverence of Jesus!

We worship Christ for things that happens in our life, we worship Christ in various ways and various times.....

I read this by Voddie Bauchman: “Our worship is not a response to how Jesus makes us feel. Our worship is a response to Jesus’ worth regardless of how we feel.”

Whether anything happens in our Jesus alone is worthy of our worship!

He will be, whether we recognize that now or not....He will be worshipped!

I said that was hard to grasp, because we read it, but do we know it, have we experienced this?

Matthew 17:1-9.........This is Christ in His true state and that was revealed to the disciples while He was on earth. It was just a momentary glimpse, but whether they understood it all then or not, it was glimpse for these completely earthly men to witness the revelation of the True Son of God.

Verse 2 tells the tale........Jesus was transfigured, He changed in appearance, so the disciples could behold His Glory....His rightful state as God the Son, as the Lord!

Jesus’ face shone like the sun, revealing His true Glory, His clothes were white....Mark 9:3 “And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.”

Nobody can make garments as white as what the disciples saw on Jesus!

What they saw was similar to what John saw in Revelation 1:13–17 “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:”

John saw the glory of Jesus, twice!

Moses and Elijah were there, some say representing the law and the prophets. Both of which prophesied of Christ and His death......Luke 9:30–31 “And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.”

Peter was so overwhelmed at the revealing of Christ’s Glory, he said let’s just stay here. He wanted to make 3 tabernacles (tents or booths) which was used to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles......

He was interrupted by God the Father......stating what He said at Jesus’ baptism.....Matthew 3:17 “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

God adds something....... “Hear ye Him!”........Listen to Jesus!

At the voice of God, fear struck the disciples and they fell and their faces were in the ground!

Jesus came to them in their fear and said be not afraid! There is something important in that moment.......we see the exalted Christ and then we see Him in human form.....

I see 2 things here, the rightful place of Jesus, and the mercy of the Godhead.....

Hebrews 2:10 “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

God made Jesus to be sin for us Jesus Who knew no sin.....God the Son was made perfect through His humiliation/suffering!

In the moment of them being on their faces, Jesus comes to them back into His humbled state as a human and says be not afraid.....That is what God has done through His Son!

What was separated by sin has now been made clean to be a son and daughter of Glory, through Christ Jesus!

Back in Revelation 1, when John saw Jesus in His rightful state, he fell as a dead man. No one can stand in the presence of God and Christ in their true forms and in our true form......we are defiled and they are not......and everything that is defiled will be destroyed at their presence, unless someone mediates or comes and cleanses (we cannot), the only One that could was Jesus!

Now we have access to the Godhead, through and only through Christ.......do not fall for the “good works” makes you able to be in their presence.......No.........It is only the work of Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God, The Lord do we have access to the Father and His Glory!

Mercy and Grace!

I read this by John MacArthur: “We should not be entertained by the sins for which Christ died!”

Peter, James, and John still did not understand it all, but they saw it.......it was undeniable to them and should be to us.....I believe it is that way for us at times.......our understanding is grounded so deeply in the earthly, that it is hard for us to put words to it, but these men saw it and they believed in Christ, just as He is, not what they made Him to be, but as He is and what He has done!

I heard a false teacher, say this about Jesus dying on the cross....... “"Do you think that the punishment for our sin was to die on a cross? If that were the case, the two thieves could have paid your price.”........what makes that statement false is that is just wasn’t any man, it was Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God!

Turn with me please to Revelation 4 & 5.........This a scene in Heaven that John was allowed to see.........The 24 elders just laid their crowns at the feet of God the Father......then in chapter 5 we read of this scroll......the way the scroll is spoken of here is like a title deed or ownership deed......

The strong angel asks “who is worthy to open the scroll and break the seals?” no one was found worthy, John wept greatly......

Here is what I want to say........stop weeping the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome......be not afraid!!!!!

A Lamb that was slain.....Hearing about lion, John turns and sees a lamb.......Exodus 12:3 “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:” Exodus 12:6 “And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”

God required that they bring the lamb into the house as a pet for 4 days and then kill it!

The lamb that John saw still had the visible scars from it’s death, but it is standing alive!

They fell down before the lamb and worshipped............That Lamb is Jesus Christ, He alone is worthy......because He has redeemed us to God, by His blood.....made us kings and priests (in the 1000 year reign of Christ)

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain........7 fold declaration

Power

Riches

Wisdom

Strength

Honor

Glory

Blessings

Worship Him that lives for ever and ever!!!!

This is what not just this season, but the entire lives of every one that has ever lived is about! Every moment in our lives.....Every moment......Think about that!!??? The reality of the Godhead revealed in Christ, while on this earth, and then slain for our sins, because there was no way for humanity to be redeemed............Everything about our lives is summed up in Jesus Christ, whether we believe or not!

Think of this......If someone has rejected the offering of Christ for their sins, dies, they will go to hell! What would haunt them the most, what would be the greatest torment in hell, the pain and agony will be great.....but the knowledge that Christ died for their sins, He took their eternal punishment so they could live in glory! That would be an everlasting haunting!

Now, to you that have believed in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, that should be an everlasting worship, an everlasting praise!! To me it makes this statement by Paul very revealing.....Colossians 3:3–4 “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

My life is hid with Christ......when Christ, oh by the way to the believer He is your life, we shall appear with Him in Glory!