The Essentials of our Faith
Deal with the reason for these messages “The Essentials of our Faith”
· What we should hold to and believe
· Many do not because many don’t know
· For those who are aware, there comes a need for review and refreshing
· Started with Scripture and we must be solid there because the Word of God is preached and taught
· We are now camping at the doctrine of God using the key that Scripture has given us
o And that key is Jesus who, last week, we heard that He said; “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.”
· We spend good and valuable time and meditation on the latter parts of Jesus’ human life; the death, burial, and resurrection. I am being lead to swing around to the front asking in an essential way, what do you believe about the incarnation of the second person of the Holy Trinity. As we make this trip, listen to what God says;
Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
This is a passage of Scripture many of us have read and have even quoted from. God’s ways are not like our ways. Let’s look at illustrations of this in how the Scriptures presents the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Jesus coming all the way from heaven down to save a wretch like me. Or as the church of old would say; Jesus shed His robe of majesty and put on flesh and blood, this old statement is very close to the definition of ‘to incarnate’ (to embody in flesh)
Listen at this next passage from several versions.
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. (NKJV)
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (NASB)
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (ESV)
My first point is that all three versions say that Jesus did something to His status, reputation, and His standing. He emptied Himself, made Himself nothing and no reputation. The incarnation points to humiliation and not exaltation. And that is amazing in and of itself, that God the maker of the heavens and the earth, would so humble and empty Himself coming in the form of a servant and not at least a king or a person of great reputation. God ways are not like our ways. The text, itself, gives the application, but we are in survey mode learning and being reminded about our Jesus from the start and thus coming to a fuller awareness of the ending of His human life.
Now Scripture will not let us rest here but calls us to come closer.
Listen:
John 1:14
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. (NKJV)
· This is the incarnation stated in one verse.
· There are slight changes in the other two versions
· The ‘New American Standard Bible’ says; ‘we saw’ instead of ‘we beheld’ and ‘begotten from the Father’ instead of ‘begotten of the Father’.
· The ‘English Standard Version’ takes the word begotten out all together and states, ‘glory as of the only Son from the Father’
· Jesus is the unique Son of God
· Before moving on and getting closer, while we are at this point in our survey, take note of the statement ‘the Word became flesh’ the Incarnation of the Word.
· Make a note to yourself – Word?
· We need to move on but before we do observe verses 1 through 5 of this chapter
John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (the same Word mentioned in verse 14) 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
This is good and fertile preaching ground but the Scripture will not let us rest here either and still calls us to come closer, surveying this front end of Jesus’ human life. The next Scriptural passages are twins. They are not identical twins but fraternal. Listen at both from the New King James Version.
Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
Luke 1:26-38
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
We have surveyed four passages of Scripture that speaks of the incarnation of our Lord and Savior. As we set up camp here for at least the next Sunday, keep in mind the essential of the Scripture as the Word of God and it is profitable. My brothers and sisters, much prayer, study, and debate has been focused at this front end of Jesus’ human life. From, how can He be human and God at the same time, is he really the second person of the trinity, and the virgin being with child?
Our application and exhortation to you is many fold;
- Are you preparing yourselves for the summer activities of our fellowship, picnic and summer bible studies
- Are you preparing yourselves for the summer activities of your families, holidays, birthdays, and reunions
- Are you preparing yourselves for the questions from family and even yourself concerning the essential of our faith, especially as we engage evangelism and discipleship ministries
- Let me also take time to mention this my brothers and sisters, equipping is a two way street
- We who stand before you as pastors are ministers of the Word of God and prayer
- And yes the Holy Spirit does put matters concerning this fellowship on our hearts for us to exegete, pray about, preach and teach about
- But, we still need your help
- Your help in your praying for us
- But also your help in making requests of us
- We still need to hear your questions and your concerns
- But pray for patience for us and yourselves that we will suffer long for the things of God
- Speaking of patience and long suffering, allow me to close today with this passage from Galatians,
- Leaving you with good news
Galatians 4:4-7
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
And with this the church can say – AMEN!
LET US PRAY