Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 110 (part 4).

The text for this morning is Ephesisans 4:10 [P] [Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.]

For context I will read the verses before: [Ephesians 4:8–10 Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.” (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)]

The context is: ascension!

That is really all the message I want to bring this morning; so, you can now go to sleep for the next 40 minutes.

But before you do, let us just say this verse together to imprint it in your mind: [Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.]

Now, I said that that the context of Ephesians 4:10 is ascension, you know, going up!

The verse is talking about Jesus.

Now I want you to picture Edmund Hillary at the top of Mount Everest [P] – he cannot ascend!

He is at the top of the world!

It’s as high as you can go.

Here is Jesus!

He is God!

In heaven!

You cannot get any higher!

He cannot ascend; unless first He descended!

For Jesus to ascend, He first had to descend.

That is what Christmas is all about!

Christmas is all about God coming into this world as a baby, born in Bethlehem.

There was a book, and a separate TV series, that were both called: “The ascent of man”; today I want to talk about [P] “the descent of God”! Christmas is a couple of weeks away; I want to bring a Christmas message.

And, this year, I think I am particularly qualified to bring it.

You see, 6 months ago this little gift came into the world!

[P].

Wonderful blessing that he is, when he was born, he couldn’t do much!

Hannah said, “he hasn’t got much of a personality!”

I put that picture because Nathaniel is only about one hour old.

You have a baby; you realize just how helpless a new-born human is!

I mean, a new-born lamb is on its legs in a few minutes; we are six months down the track and are still carrying Nathaniel around!

When God created man, He created a fully grown adult male and female; He could have done the same with Jesus.

Here He was coming into the world as a man; now, that is some great descent, some huge come-down; but why not come into the world as an adult?

I mean, in terms of what Jesus did, it all happened in about 3 years of His adult life.

But Jesus came as a baby!

Here is God!

He is the Creator, [P] the life-giver, He gives all their life and existence, without Him was not anything made that has been made – yet he was dependent upon a peasant girl from the back-blocks of Galilee, probably just a teenager, to bring Him into existence!

He is The Provider and sustainer [P] – gives to all, all that they need; yet He was dependent upon Miriam to breast feed Him, provide Him with the nourishment that He needed to survive.

He is God, self-existent [P] – He doesn’t need anyone; but here He was utterly dependent, helpless – just a baby.

As God He is in supreme control [P] – here is the One who controls all things, yet He cannot even control His own bowels!

[P] I find it amazing!

Here is God, but He had to have His nappies changed!

What humbling is that!

He is Almighty [P] has all power, holds the stars in place, upholds the world – yet utterly as a baby He is weak, Miriam or Joseph had to lift Him up, carry Him.

As God, He is omniscient, [P] He knows everything – yet He had to learn everything; be taught to walk, talk, read.

John calls Him the Word [P] – the Word became flesh but this Word couldn’t communicate verbally.

I disagree with that beloved carol, “Away in a manger”: “the little Lord Jesus no crying He makes” – of course He cried!

That was the only way He could communicate – the Word was inarticulate!

God has dominion [P] – He is Lord over all; yet He submitted to fallible human parents.

They were just ordinary simple folk.

As parents we lack wisdom, make mistakes, make wrong choices or decisions but: [Luke 2:51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them.]

The One to whom every knee will bow was subject to the, sometimes unwise, decisions his parents made.

What a humbling!

What a descent Jesus made to be born as a baby in Bethlehem.

After the meeting, go and make Nathaniel smile – as you do think of God taking on that helpless form.

Cute maybe, but God over all taking on that helpless form?!! Now I am going to do an unusual thing, well for Paul: I am going to read a poem!

My excuse is, that it is a song.

It is by Phil Keagey, and it made an impression on me some years ago.

I think it captures this humbling, though its focus is on the crucifixion of Jesus, rather than the birth of Jesus: [P]

The Maker of the universe

As Man, for man was made a curse

The claims of Law which He had made

Unto the uttermost He paid

His holy fingers made the bough

Which grew the thorns that crowned His brow

The nails that pierced His hands were mined

In secret places He designed

He made the forest whence there sprung

The tree on which His body hung

He died upon a cross of wood

But made the hill on which it stood [P]

The sky that darkened o’er His head

By Him above the earth was spread

The sun that hid from Him its face

By His decree was poised in space

The spear which spilled His precious blood

Was tempered in the fires of God

The grave in which His form was laid

Was hewn in rocks which He had made

The throne on which He now appears

Was His from everlasting years

But a new glory crowns His brow

And every knee to Him shall bow

The Maker of the universe

It describes God, the Creator the Almighty, humbled to the uttermost; yet at the end speaks of His exaltation.

[P] [Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens.].

Another poem was written much earlier, on the same topic of the vast descent, the massive humbling in Jesus taking on human form and dying.

In verses we know well Paul described this great and vast descent, this massive humbling of God; followed by His exaltation: [Philippians 2:6–11 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

(Yes, a helpless baby) Being found in appearance as a man, (Paul is so staggered by the concept of God taking on human form, that he repeats it!)

He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

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.]

Jesus humbled Himself, emptied Himself – He descended.

But God highly exalted Him!

He who descended, ascended!

Hallelujah!

Glory to His Name! Paul talks about the purposes which: [Ephesians 1:20–21 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (not only raised but ascended) far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.]

Jesus ascended!

But He had the highest position.

For Him to ascend, He had first to descend.

Having descended, He then ascended.

We have three descriptions of this event: the first two are from Luke: After Jesus was raised from the dead He appeared to people over a period of 40 days then: [Luke 24:50–53 And He (that is Jesus) led them (that is His disciples) out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.