Jesus Fully Human

Introduction: I am sorry I am not perfect

[SLIDE] Like Jesus Stock Slide (green slide?)

Some of you know me as Daniel Stidham Husband of Megan,

but before megan - there was this girl.

I was hanging out with her and one of her friends evening. She was working on homework, and I was putting the final touches on a motivational speech I was going to give to the 2nd worst performing high school in Houston.

I was hanging out with her one evening and I was preparing for a motivational speech I was going to give to the 2nd worst performing high school in Houston.

I met her at the same place i met megan - the after school program where I volunteered once a week mentoring students.

This high school was predominately African-American with less than 50% of its freshman class ever making it to senior year.

Now this girl I was dating was very politically and socially aware - she was what some might call WOKE. That’s a term for someone who is very culturally and socially aware. She was a sociology major at Rice University, and as an african american woman from a low-income area in virginia, she had strong feelings about me speaking at this school.

She said, “You aren’t gonna be able to connect with them.”

http://www.roncitlau.com/2019/06/another-example-of-the-rca-divide-god-as-mother/

She proceeded to strongly voice her doubts that I would have any chance to bridge the gap between the shades of our skin. Because she was what some might call WOKE, and I was not Woke.

I was sharing some statistics I had learned about the “graduation rate” and level of education

She told me, “

Her response was so strong - and though she had a lot of good points - I was really affected and discouraged by her response.

When i tried to explain to her how she could have responded, how I would have preferred to receive her feedback, how it was hard to hear her truth with the way she said it,

I began to show her that her doubts, though legitimate, were not the most helpful thing to tell someone that was about to give a speech the next day.

I detailed how I wish she would have explained the situation to me that would have considered my feelings, my life experience, and the pressure I was facing.

She then said something I’ll never forget:

[slide] “Well, I am sorry that I didn’t respond perfectly.” x2

This was her way of acknowledging that no one would have been able to respond the way i wanted unless they were perfect people.

Not sure if you’ve ever experienced this sort of response when in an argument but it was her way of acknowledging that she could have done better, but that my expectations were way too high, and that she really wasn’t sorry because there’s no way she could ever be perfect and she responded the way she needed to.

My expectations were way too high, and that she really wasn’t sorry because there’s no way she could ever be perfect and she responded the way she needed to.

TRANSITION: Often times when I meet people and talk spirituality, they say, “Well, I’m not perfect, but…”

[SLIDE] “Well, I’m not perfect...”

Whenever I meet people and ask them if they think they are good enough to be in God’s kingdom - they always say, “Well, I’m not perfect,” but…

This was her way of acknowledging that she could have done better, but that my expectations were way too high.

That little phrase - I’m not perfect - is our out. It’s how we justify the “little” vices in our lives. It’s how we respond when we know we could be better but the expectations are unreasonable.

That little phrase - I’m not perfect - is our out. It’s how we justify the “little” vices in our lives. It’s how we respond when we know we could be better but the expectations are unreasonable.

It’s how we give excuse for our lack of growth or progress. It’s how we make ourselves feel better for responding harshly, or indulging our addictions, or living fairly boring but stressed out lives.

It’s how we give excuse for our lack of growth or progress. It’s how we make ourselves feel better for responding harshly, or indulging our addictions, or living fairly boring but stressed out lives.

TRANSITION: Jesus lived a perfect life - and so I wonder, how many of us have taken the, “I’m not perfect” response and used that for why we can’t live like Jesus.

That little phrase - Nobody’s perfect - is our out. It’s how we make ourselves feel better for the mistakes we make.

[slide] Push Back on the 4 Chairs

The Push Back on Spader’s 4 Chairs

Dan Spader - the pastor who developed the 4 Chairs Discipleship Method got a lot of push back from people. People would come to him saying,

Jesus’ mission was not to get everyone to chair 2 and watch the world fall apart as we protect ourselves in Christian bubbles while everyone waits to get raptured.

Dan Spader - the pastor who developed the 4 Chairs Discipleship Method got a lot of push back from people he taught. He has trained over They would come to him saying,

“Dan - it’s great that Jesus lived in this way, but He was God - how am I supposed to labor and multiply the way Jesus did? It worked for Him but I am not the Son of God!”

Jesus’ mission was not to get everyone to chair 2 and watch the world fall apart as we protect ourselves in Christian bubbles while everyone waits to get raptured.

In other words - Jesus’ life is unattainable - it’s impossible to do what he did. For example - Jesus had 12 disciples over 3 years - since I am simply a human I am surely only able to disciple my 2 or 3 over my lifetime, and those slots are probably taken by my children, or family/nieces/nephews right? That’s even a stretch but I’ll do what I can.

Spader acknowledges - “I knew I was supposed to imitate Jesus, but deep inside I believed that Jesus did what He did because He was God” (pg 19).

Dan Spader said, “I knew I was supposed to imitate Jesus, but deep inside I believed that Jesus did what He did because He was God.”

Spader acknowledges - “I knew I was supposed to imitate Jesus, but deep inside I believed that Jesus did what He did because He was God” (pg 19).

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This mentality is how we stay in Chair 1 or Chair 2 for most of our lives.

It’s how we stay in Chair 1 or Chair 2 for most of our lives.

But Jesus’ mission was not to get everyone to chair 2 and watch the world fall apart as we protect ourselves in Christian bubbles while we wait to find out who gets raptured.

The last 50 years of Christianity, the mega church movement has been has been incredibly good at getting people to chair 2.

Story? We watched prince of Egypt - pick a moment - turning off a movie 20 minutes in after this and that person starts to get going.

A famous theologian said this:

[slide] "We worshipped Jesus instead of following him on his same path. We made Jesus into a mere religion instead of a journey toward union with God and everything else. This shift made us into a religion of “belonging and believing” instead of a religion of transformation."

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This mentality is how we stay in Chair 1 or Chair 2 for most of our lives.

Sorry I didn’t respond perfectly.

Transition: Our claim that Jesus is God is what makes us distinct from every other religion. It’s our cornerstone - it’s why we worship Jesus and don’t feel bad. How do we reconcile trying to do what Jesus did when Christian teaching has emphasized, so intensely, the necessity for Jesus to be God, while we are Very Very Human.

[SLIDE] The Two Natures of Christ (with 2 bullet points) (7 min)

This is resolved only by reconciling how Jesus was both [bullet point] God and [bullet point] Human.

We call these the Dual or Two natures of Christ. How did these two natures work out in His ministry here on earth that we have recorded in the New Testament?

Well First - I don’t want to assume you believe that Jesus was God - this is very point is what distinguishes Judaism and Islam from Christianity. This simple point is what differentiates Orthodox Christianity from Occults.

[SLIDE - Jesus is fully God - ]

The most explicit claim is in narrative form - from the words of Jesus in - “Very truly I tell you… before Abraham was born, I am!” this is the charge that put Jesus on the cross - his blasphemous claim to eternal existence.

[SLIDE - Jesus is fully Human - ]

English Standard Version Chapter 2

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

“He was fully human in every way.” He experienced life FULLY as a HUMAN.

[SLIDE] - “Who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus didn’t take his equality with God to be grasped, but he emptied himself. This word empty is significant.

[bullet point] έκένωσεν - to empty, destroy, render void, to divest oneself of position, to pour away; to cause to lose power

the text says that Jesus took on the “form of a servant” and took on “human form” - does this just mean that he looked like a human but was not fully human? When we hear form - in the english that stirs up different images -

[SLIDE - PICTURE OF MYSTIQUE] think of Mystique from - X-men - the shapeshifter - where she take the form of a cat - but they aren’t really a cat - they are hiding as a cat - deceiving our eyes.

IT’S NOT like this - Jesus didn’t shapeshift into a human but was really just God underneath - Jesus was both God and Human -

What we translate as Form in the greek is - μορφἠν - morphe - this term is used both of his form or nature as God and his form or nature as a Human.

SO HOW DID JESUS ADD HUMANITY TO HIS DEITY?

[slide] Theologian Bruce Ware would say, “[Jesus’] Deity was unexpressed, so his humanity could find full expression.”

[STORY] Imagine a just and Noble King who observes the plight of a beggar. He realized that to help them he had to be with them, and truly understand the fullest of their experience. So while still being King, he took off his royal garments and put on the clothes of a beggar. He lived on the streets, surviving only at the generosity of others, being mocked and spat on. He could have called upon his army to retaliate but he chose not too, for then he would not be fully experience life as a beggar. This king would refuse to exercise his rights as the king.

Given that Jesus is God - he could choose to humble himself - and empty himself of his rights as God.

Objections: You might say - BUT DIDN’T GOD DO MIRACLES - SURELY THAT PROVES HE IS GOD. DIDN’T JESUS READ MINDS - The only thing that these miracles are proof of is that Jesus received wisdom and insight from the Father through the Spirit through His perfect discernment.

[Slide] - “By myself I can do nothing” and that in everything “it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” (17 min)

Satan knew that Jesus' willingness to be fully human was part of his mission. Jesus’ emptying is, in a way, the way we are filled. But if Jesus refused this calling from the Father, then our hope could be undone. So when Jesus was tempted by Satan, what did Satan tempt him with? Satan tempted him saying, “Tell these stones to become bread.” In other words - use your divinity apart from the Father’s will. Satan tried to separate Jesus from His humanity and Satan tried to UNDO the unity of will between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Satan tried to force Jesus to use his God card. AND THIS WOULD BE THE SAME TEMPTATION THAT ADAM WOULD FALL TOO - Satan would tempt Adam and Eve to refuse their humanity and be like God - and they would fall to such temptation.

Satan knew that Jesus' willingness to be fully human was part of his mission. Jesus’ emptying is, in a way, the way we are filled. But if Jesus refused this calling from the Father, then our hope could be undone. So when Jesus was tempted by Satan, what did Satan tempt him with? Satan tempted him saying, “Tell these stones to become bread.” In other words - use your divinity apart from the Father’s will. Satan tried to separate Jesus from His humanity and Satan tried to UNDO the unity of will between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Satan tried to force Jesus to use his God card. AND THIS WOULD BE THE SAME TEMPTATION THAT ADAM WOULD FALL TOO - Satan would tempt Adam and Eve to refuse their humanity and be like God - and they would fall to such temptation.

But Jesus, our powerful hope, only ever responds to every temptation from Satan in a human way - Jesus wields the power of the Word of God , the Bible, against Satan - something that we all here have the power to do.

Transition: OKAY - SO JESUS LIVED FULLY HUMAN SO WHAT?

[Slide] Implications: We can live the life Jesus lived

[slide] All the resources that Jesus had available to Him are available to you and me.

Jesus wasn’t lying when he said, greater things you will do - because we would see in the birth of the Church the people would speak in tongues of all nations, their sweat towels would heal people - all by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.

We have these four major resources: The Spirit of God - guiding directing us and reminding us of the following: The Word of God - the Bible - the very words of life; Prayer with God; and the People of God.

The Word of God

The People of God

and Prayer

TRANSITION: Big Deal: Daniel - big whoop - i’ve had these resources for a long time and I am not experiencing the grandness of the life Jesus lived.

[SLIDE] That’s because God doesn’t give His power to do Your will.

We don’t experience all of the power and resource of God unless we are Chasing after, committed too, SOLD OUT, JUST CAN’T HELP IT, running after the will of God.

God won’t give his resource to build our kingdom - He gives his power to build His kindgom.

[Slide] we underestimate what God wants to do through us.

Closing Story: Public Speaking

Remember that girl who was WOKE? Who told me i would never connect with those students?

She underestimated what I could do at this school.

I went with very little expectation - I went to that school thinking very little might happen - I even doubted if I should go speak at all. The last thing they need is someone who doesn’t understand their struggles to act like they know how to live life.

But I went - the students tried to play music on the PA system over my speech. But I told these students about my life - I gave my speech. Most of the students had headphones in, some slept, and only woke up when I gave money away, and then went back to sleep.

[PICTURE OF ALLEN] Dejected and wondering if I should have even come, a young man approached me and said, “I connected with your story.” Allen Hadnot

I would then become his mentor - I would get to teach him about Jesus. I would be invited to meet his family. He would join the army and send me letters. Years later he would be one of several young men and women that would join me on a mission trip to Romania.

I spoke at dozens of schools - but I never forged a relationship like this one.

This isn’t because I AM AWESOME - It’s because God chose to WAKE ME UP - and never underestimate what He can do.

God wants to wake this church up - he wants to wake Oak Lawn up.

Let’s never underestimate what God might want to do through 200 people gathering here to live the life Jesus lived.

What is the one thing this church wants to be about?

One text that we think defines us and guides us - - “if you claim to abide in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

We aren’t trying to make this the hottest show in town.

If there’s one thing - it’s discipleship - we want to live the life that Jesus lived. We want to follow Jesus in way so that the whole world might know.

[SLIDE] If that’s intriguing to you, if you want this - let’s do it together - For he said, Greater things will we do, in His name.

EXTRA CONTENT

One text that we think defines us and guides us - - “if you claim to abide in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

We aren’t trying to make this the hottest show in town.

We don’t want to expand our building to fit 1,000 people.

We

We don’t want to

If there’s one thing - it’s discipleship - we want to live the life that Jesus lived. We want to follow Jesus in way so that the whole world might know.

If there’s one thing - it’s discipleship - we want to live the life that Jesus lived. We want to follow Jesus in way so that the

1.5 years ago, the Staff a Calvary Church decided that they wanted the next three years to be a journey of following after three aspects of the Jesus Life.

When we looked at the life of Jesus we observed three incredibly important realities:

First - his intimacy with the Father - Jesus was on another level of connection, dependence, love, and unity with the Father. There is no more intimate relationship we’ve ever seen than between Jesus Christ and His Father.

Jesus knew the Father, and it would be the Father who Jesus would cry out to when he was suffering the deepest pain on the cross.

You’re intimate with the person you’d cry out too

At Calvary Church, we know everything flows from our relationship with God

was unabashedly, unashamedly, dependent on the Father who had sent him.

2.

2. Second - Jesus lived with a purpose - Jesus came with a mission. He came proclaiming the coming and presence of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus’ intimacy with God moved him, compelled him, to bring manifest and

You can’t have mission without the intimacy of God.

You can’t have mission without the intimacy of God.

Give Intro to tri-part vision - 12 months in intimacy now 12 months in mission.

With the Hedgehog

I want you to have some kind of belief that it’s possible that you can do the things that Jesus did.

What’s the question or the So what?

Well sorry that I am not perfect.

FUMC -

Is it the pastoral staff that does what Jesus is doing?

I want you to have some kind of belief that it’s possible that you can do the things that Jesus did.

- jesus only acting what the Father does

- Jesus only speaking

Philip’s response:

It’s possible to be with Jesus for 3 years and still not understand.

All of Jesus’ ministry is the Father’s

It’s the Father who acts

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.