WHAT God-incarnate Must Do For You: Are You Divinely Shepherded?
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
We have the why of the Son of God becoming human - friendship, draw us back into communion that He has with Father and the Holy Spirit - yes, even in his human nature King, but goal not just to reconcile us because of our sin, but overcome what our sin creates un-friend - you do that with God in your sin - Unfirend him, but even more of a problem God unfriends us, evil, sin separation. But somehting greater than our sin - God’s mercy and love - if you really know Jesus you know how much God loves send His Son , from heaven he came to seek you, even still todfay by Word and Spirit - if Jesus is in your life - there to Friends you with God and give you a new heart lives in friendship with God. That’s one of the big WHY’s of the incarnation.
Then last week, even in a service of baptism, we saw before our eyes, that our stories and little baby Sebastian- are on the same trajectory of the whole human race in Adam - our career with death and sin reigning pretty scary and we saw the how part of the incarnation from ROmans 5. Story of Jesus is that he re-does Adam the first’s tests, he takes Adam the first’s punishment, and taking our fallen human nature and all its consequenes into himself - because He is also fully God - he is able to write a different story - the Second Adam. New career, that because Christ has defeated sin death hell, now our career is one of life in HIs Spiirit, one with His irightouenss and now living not with condmenation, but iwth justiicatoion, with love, with His Spirit. Do you feel this like Neil Young Sings, - in first dam, in our human nature corrupted, weakened, - in the face of sin death, before holy God, - all we are are Helpless, helples, helpless - and so God sent not only your subsitute - but 8 lbs 6onz incanrate God - to do our lives over, and to share that perfect human life credited to us, ut also modeled, and by His SPiriit empower ed for us to live too. Iranaeus -recapitulated… Christ came because in Adam it was like serving ourselves, cut off from real rfriendship with God - got a headless humanity, but now in Christ - we’ve been re-headed, recapitulatied… That’s the how of the incarnation - that’s the set up that God from all eternity set up and we are to marlvel at - the how of the incarnation : Christ with our human nautre perfectly united to God’s nature.
Now this week I want you to understand the what of the incarnation! What does it mean to you that the Son of God became and remains human for you - what does that change, what was and is God actually doing drawing so close to you and I like that? You got to admit it was a surprise and almost a contradiction - the invisible God who is pure spirit, made flesh. When it happened people could envision God sending a human rescuer, a great king, a spiritual teacher, a holy priest to help them, but not God Himself coming to be that Rescuer. But looking back we can see God was giving hints all along that He wanted to dwell this closely with us, he wanted his nature and our nature so so close and in this God-man, Jesus Christ it would be accomplished. And he not only gave hints, he gave flat out prophesies that now loooking backk truly do explain the what of the incarnation. Let’s look at these hints, or what I’ll call anticipations of the inarnation as well as few of the prophesies of the what of the incarnation. The goal is that we might lookto the Son of God in his humanity to recieve what He cam ein this way for:
We have looked at the why of the incarnation - John 15 Jesus says - no longer servants, but friends. Idea of friend of the king, with the Messiah and then with God. We have also looked at the how, from and even with Sebastian’s baptism we saw that Chirst had to redo the human career that Adam and each one of us will fail in our sin. The Story of the Two Adams, the incarnation worked by the Son of God taking on our human nature, but our whole human career - and instead of sin, death, frustration, condemnation reigning - united to Christ in his life, his death, his resurrection, we rise with Him to a new career - where life, and acceptance, and grace reigns! But this morning, as we put a microscope, a spiritual x-ray machine over 8lbs 6z God-man - we want to ask not why or how, but the what. What would this Son of God in human flesh come to do? What is he now risen ascended, now reigning the kingdom that God always intend for humanity from heaven, sending His Word and Spirit, interceding in heaven for you and me. What does the Son of God incarnate, Jesus Christ come to do? And with this 3rd Sunday of Advent, we look back to see how the OT prophesies draw this out so we can recognize his work in the first coming and from heaven now, and ultimately when He returns.
Anticipation #1 How does God live in your Garden?
Now to understand that what of the incarnation their are two things we have to keep straight. Transcendence of God -
Now
To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?
Compeletely xalted and other - two circles of existence in this world, - in one there is God and in another there is all this created stuff, you me, - comepletely depened, litmited, finite. Romaans 1 tells us everyone has a sense of God’s transcendence, power, being,etenrity. In Isalm you have this in spades, in fact we could say many people only know of God’s transecdnce.
But God is pure spirit, he is personal. doesn’t live in anything material and fintie. Yet he is personal, and in HIs perosnal nature, it’s not like he wound up the creation, and let it go. Constantly intereacting with his creation, entering into, he is with it, and even in it, heis near, expecailly to everyone of His image pearers, - bear the mark of personal being,
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
We read in
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
And Paul says even the Roman poet’s without Christ without Scirpture know that I him we live and movee and have our being. That is immanence, and a religino like Hinduism feeling God’s presence like that, actually drops transcenendce out of the picture, end up with polytheism - God is not just with everything thing, but God is everything. Indepenednt existence of God presronal esxistence of God is lef tout.
BUt nd in the creation story adn the fall, we have this remarkable anticipation that we need to take God’s imanence much more seriously. God will be so close to us
And in the creation story adn the fall, we have this remarkable anticipation that God will be so close to us
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Now that’s not God’s Transcendence - do you know what that is - it’s his closeness - His Immanence. He walked with Adam and Eve, hint that cool is the same word for wind, Spirit, . But where does this happen - garden persian word for Paradise. DO you have a garden where you walk with the living God in his immanence. What is the word that describes taht closeness? presence :
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Hebrew more earthy language with fewer abstract ideas. Word for presence is face - Adama and Eve knew God in their garden face to face, and even after the fall - God in mercy and lvoe, goes after them came, called, covered them.
Now I actually iamgine that they saw God’s presence, face in spiritual seeing kind of way, don’t know how to expalin that don’t know if they saw anything physicallly at that point, like pree-incarnate Christ. But palpalbe presence, right besid them.
KEY TRUTH: When we accept that the Son of God came in our flesh, not only can we participate in His divine and eternal life, but we can start living up-close and personal with God! God Gave Hints of How Close He Wants to Live With You from the Beginning
Now first question this morning is do you want htat? Imagine that tomorrow morning as get ready - sleepy , imagine as sin at work or in home, AImgaine as sad time - just won’t to lick your wounds and curl up in the cornern and their is this presence of the HOly One - What does that makee us do - like Adam the first we go running off hiding in the bushes, rather do life alone than in His awesome, invasive presence. That’s because we don’t have a a garden like that, a little preserve in whole creation, a kingdom of peace, a paradise where God really dwells with us anymore. But there is the first anticipation that God will indeed dwell with you like that, the first anticipation of incarnation.
Anticipation #2 Here we see in the OT already taht God Hisemlf would appear to His people in a fallen world.
is the first time this is recorded. Yes God had spoken before, but look at how Abraham having obeyed God’s spelken word in leaveing Ur of the Chaldeas look what happenes when he by faith enters the promsied land: At Shechem’s oak of Moreh:
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
The living God appeared to Abraham and he in some way saw this manifestation of the invisible God. DOn’ t need to speculate what he saw, but notice again the purpsoe in this anticipation of the incarnation. Rightthen and there rescued from idolatry - we have Abrhaam doing what he will gain and agina - making an altar and calling on the the Name of the Lord. He has forgiveness by sacradice and he he the Name of God on him like - ancient empires of the time - name of Sargon, his protection, his provision, loyalty. That’t why God appeared - covenant of grace to draw into fellowhspii of worship and establish Abraham as His kingdom of grace in the land. And Abraham gets to see God and fellowship with Him. It happens again doesn’t it. God appears with two other angels, now we don’t have to guess what form, they looked likek ordinary men, but one was a manifestation of the LORD, and Abraham supped with him, and God revealed that LOt was about to be destoryed - and what was the purpose of God manifesting - Abraham intercedes, he prays, pleads, and draws out the mercy of God - so that not only Lot but any who in repentnance and trust would flee with him from destruction.
Do you see it, not just a God who is near you in your paradise, but in the broken world, the land of Canaan that needs to be turned into the kingdom of God - God appears for us to fellowship with Him and so that we would be raised up as those who intercede?
But holden on for just one more anticipation in the Old Testament of the incarnation of the living God. These happen with Moses.
Anticipation #3
WHen and how did God appear to Moses? In Exodus ch 3 you have the burning bush - remarkabel miracle and the voice of God, holy ground. Defintely mantifestation s of God. The people at the tion, Mt. Sinai, see manifestation of God’s poweir and glroy, wind, smoke, thunder. But then do you remember what Moses do after they hear God’s word and enter into covenant, convfirming it with blood of sacrfice. Well they did,mwhat we do aroudn this table, they had ameal together, but imagine if Christ not only spiritually present, when we eat this here, imagine, that we’re not lifted up to heaven to commune with hiim, but imagine if Christ physically came down to this table and said - dine and banquet and commuion and be strengthened by my real bread from heaven! Well, that’s what anticipation is given here: .
Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.
LIke in Revelation you have that sign of the rainbow of God’s resplenent mercy , there is pavement and then there is feet, that’s an anthropomophism - God doens’t really have feet but this manifestiation uses the analgoy of the feet to truly communictate they didn see God in his fulnes but they caught a glimpse even if it were like looking up and just seeing the beginning of God’s glroy. And in mercy they weren’t consumed!
KEY TRUTH: When we accept that the Son of God came in our flesh, not only can we participate in His divine and eternal life, but we can start living up-close and personal with God!
But the great cliamx of this anticipation of incarnation come sto Moses a few days later when right after the Godlen Calf Incidient, Moses like Abraham knowing God who is near, and merciful, he interecedes and then he asks God a question. What is it. I want to see your what? GLORY! But God answers, unlike Adama and Eve lived with God face to face, Moses and Israel can’t yet know that privelege
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”
ANd so God says, you can see the back of my glory. God uses human language, I’ll shield you with my hand to protect you from being consumed by my glory, so yyou don’t see my full glroy - uses idea of human face, but you’ll see my back.
BUt here is the point, not that God has a literal hand, face, and back, but that even beyond using analogies, God desires to unveil his presence with HIs people in a special way. Listen to it:
And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold.
BUt here is the point, not that God has a literal hand, face, and back, but that even beyond using analogies, God desires to unveil his presence with HIs people in a special way. God shows Moses turly but not completly the presence of HIs glory. A full view of HIs presence full incarnation at this point would destory them, yet God wants to appear in HIs people’s lives, and it all speaks to the big event of the incratnion of His Son, where as puts it:
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
That was the wonder of the Tent of Meeting, and later the Tabernacle. And so with these anticipations - Adam, Abraham, Moses, you need to understatnd that the conmiong of the Son of God to earth taking on human nature is in line with that. Ti is God saying, I am holy and other, transdcnedant, but also a God who comes down into your life - I want to show you my glory - DO you want? It is the point of the incarnation, to know the God who drraws near!
But it is interesting that Israel after Moses doesn’t see God like that to often, kind of the climax of the OT appearances of God. Indeed as Isdrael so often fall from God they only as it were given to see ehis back, not his face.
Like the east wind I will scatter them before the enemy. I will show them my back, not my face, in the day of their calamity.”
But when Moses saw God gave Israel through that experience the Name of God, Covenant Name. . Need to underatsnd that all these appearance climaxing with this one with Moeses, pointing to the Son of God, comiong to you - and proclaiming and working this kind of stadfast love and faithfulness, forgiving inquity and transgression - so that you and I can not only see God’s back, so to speak, but truly see God face to face in Jesus Christ.
A. Anticipations of How Close God Wants to Live with You
What you got to see in order to understand what Jesus came to do, is that God really can and wants to walk closely with you. Some people only know God’s transcendence - that is he is exalted and separated from creation - Islam really only knows God as absolute being, distant, many of our neighbours since the Enlightenment - believe in God still, but like a watch maker - does interact with us, can’t be personally known, doesn’t act in our lives, and maybe in the end some light but vague, and really we’re uneasy about that. Deism. I am sure you feel this God ABOVE us - but is that all you feel about God?
On the other hand, Eastern religions only know the immanence of God, that means his closeness, they feel that there is a spark of God in everything, God isn’t so much a Personal Being - in whose image we are made, and for whose fellowship we match; but God is everything and in everything - pantheism. Idea is that get spiritual you get into touch with the divine spirit of the universe. I am sure you feel this sometimes too God NEAR us. Like even Paul says the Athenians knew - in Him we live and move and have our being. Or Job - Your Spirit is what gives the breath of life directly to each of us.
But Genesis gives us a third idea, not just God above and and God near, but God WITH US. That’s the what which God’s incarnation will deliver in spades to those who receive Jesus, but it was there in the beginning in the garden, and even after sin entered, God graciously coming to be with us:
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Do you see it God’s desire to walk with us, in paradise. We lost that, but God wants to restore your life to be like.
Or look at the second anticipation of incarnation. This is in the life of Abram. For the first time we have the words the LORD APPEARED. Locally, in physical way that Abram could see, Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.”
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
And again when he gets into the Land of Paradise, in God appears and speaks to Abraham outside his tent. Then in by the oakks of Mamre by Schem - build san alatar to call on the name of the LORD. And rtemeber what happens, he sees God in physical manifestatino. But htis time we’re told what He looks like - three men, two angels manifest as men, but look the third is God appearing as a man, and he is the LORD. And God reveals HImself so that Lot and all who would listen to him could be saved, and Abraham pleads, intercedes.
Think of a third anticipation and the climax of the OT appearances of God in a physical form. God calls to Moses out of the burning bush. Where Sinai. Then God brings the whole nation back to the same palace, so they could worship and enter into covenant and be made a nation. But what happens as they enter into covenant? Look at
Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel.... they beheld God, and ate and drank.
Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.
Now consider this - they saw God but didn’t die. Shortly after this the golden calf incident happens and the climax of God’s appearances happens: Moses intercedes, for that grace, He wins it, and then Moses asks to see the glory of God, God says, can’t see the face of God but what happens?
And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
Now of course God doesn’t have hands, face, and a back, those are figures of speech, but Moses is protected by God from God’s holiness consuming him, sees there a rainbow like surface, throne and the feet of God. God desires to draw near to you and me, but he temporarily incarnates himself in some sort of physical form in the OT - to show its possible to be close to the transcendent God, but its so dangerous in his holiness and our sin.
The what of the incarnation is God is now showing Himself in the most unique way as His Son takes our human nature. But we need to see that this permanent incarnation of the Son of God taking human nature, isn’t just a neat trick done by God. We must see what God would accomplish through this incarnation. And for that not only have to see that God is a God that wants to appear to His people, but what he accomplishes through it. Prophesies like the Emmanuel prophesy of Isaiah - during the time of King Ahab, who wouldn’t ask God for a sign and God says:
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Beyond what could have happened in Ahaz’s time, description of the virgin birth and entrance of the Messiah into the world as God -with -us. Immanuel, but what must his incarnation accomplish? This morning just look at one prophesy from Ezekiel about what the incarnation of the Sn of God was to accomplish. As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, but also in this season of Advent recognize the Son of God in Heaven, with our human nature, our true king of the nations, he is coming again and we ought to expect him to do these things now from heaven, and also on His return!
B. Prophesy tells us what God will do in Christ when we live up-close and personal with Him because of the incarnation
Here you need to understand some context. God was looking at His OT church Israel, and like his church today it wasn’t perfect - salvation was not going to come to His people by you and I being superstar people, getting along really well, and being better than our neighbours. That was not the Hope of Israel, and if that’s our hope for the world today - God help our world. It is remarkable - how similar people are in every place, and as our catechism puts it - even though lives of true believers are really changed, even then steps towards living like paradise actually quite small compared to what paradise is going to be.
But things were pretty bad in Ezekiel’s day, and the very people that were to be guiding directing, encouraging, caring for , God’s people were brutal. they were serving not God’s people but for their own benefit. And God prophesies in that mess - I am going to send you a what? A farmer? That's what we think of shepherds today… live on farm with green pastures. But listen that’s not the image at all: Shepherds in ANE lived unsettled and dangerous lives, kind of ambiguous mysterious figure, like a a cowboy of the Wild West. I’ve shown you the desert with little wadis were only once in awhile .. but all year, spicy herb shrubbery… graze, - shepherd super tough in the wilderness, yet super tender with his sheep.
There is a difference between tending sheep and cows you know. Ever heard of … abhored how slaughter house run, coralling them all wrong way, she understood that cows should be left to find own way, but can’t lead them, cows need to be driven. She came up with human way in keeping ith cows much more efficient.
But that's not how sheep work, you can’t drive sheep, be like herding cats. No sheep need to be led. LIsten to how God said, he would shepherd us in a very direct way:
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.
What will the Christ do when he finds you and me down here?
As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
He unites himself to the flock, he leaves the 99 to find the one gently lead those with young. Listen to the prophesy of what the Living God would do .
I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.
He will protect his sheep, sorts out the sheep from goats, wards off the big enemies of his sheep.
I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
Now maybe you nod your head, yes great the distant God in some vague spiritual way ..as we got o church and he stays up there in heaven m, gives us and this world and religions some nice religious or moral principles try to make a difference and help people. But if he shepherds like that … left with God far away, impersonal, and certainly not involved in your life and your problems, and ultimately your death!
But listen to the shocking news that comes right after God says, I am going to come and personally shepherd you in your life, because we both know you need this real and this strong shepherding! Because you are going to face death, you fave the problem s of broken church life, you face the problem of wolves in this world , of Satan in the spiritual destroying. Look at what comes next in the prophesy and hear the almost absurd but certainly shocking surprise? You’re saying, yes nice metaphor God is a spiritual far away shepherd… and then You hear the Word of God Thunder from heaven!
But listen to the shocking news that comes right after God says, I am going to come and personally shepherd you in your life, because we both know you need this real and this strong shepherding! Because you are going to face death, you fave the problem s of broken church life, you face the problem of wolves in this world , of Satan in the spiritual destroying. Look at what comes next in the prophesy and hear the almost absurd but certainly shocking surprise? You’re saying, yes nice metaphor God is a spiritual far away shepherd… and then You hear the Word of God Thunder from heaven!
And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.
And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.
And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.
Now before we unpack what this could mean, let it hit you like bombshell - like hello - God you just said your going to shepherd your people directly, and now you say, your servant David is going to?. He’s dead almost 500 years. Who do you mean, of Messiah anointed one, human king, prophet, priest who would lead your people Israel to golden age - yah need a human leader like that. Imagine in today’s political scene where no clear leader the difference that would make, and imagine if one like Messiah. But God I don’t get it, who is going to be my shepherd-king Messiah is it you from heaven in some spiritual way, or is it this David figure from earth? It must be that you will do it through a human David like figure. But the text to clear , I myself will shepherd them. There is total identification of God as shepherd with David as shepherd. And that is the what of the incarnation, that baby in the manger, 8lbs, 6onz baby Jesus, is God come in human form, as a servant-King to shepherd His people up close.
Remember the OT anticipations of God appearing and living close with His people, now the prophecies says this is what He is going to do when He actually comes not just in an appearance, but permanently comes to take our humanity and be our shepherd. What is the what of the incarnation here. The shepherd says, he will gather, and bring into a good land, The shepherd says:
I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.
DO understand Christ coming and gathering all people from all lands, from all time as he now ever lives as Saviour of the World, his point is to bring us to kingdom a community and a place, of ultimate safety.
Do you understand know the abundantly life - giving already before new heaven and new earth - DO you know His leading, what he came to lead a whole people a whole church to find:
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
Remember what God did with Adam and Eve in the garden, door open again, in Christ, for that kind of fellowship that being led day by day? How would the One who is God and who is also the Son of David, do this. Listen to him this morning:
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
That’s what Jesus was doing 2000 years ago and many heard his voice, that what is happening today and for the last 2000 years - given Spirit and His completed teaching - actually Hear His voice, why??Calling to you knowing you and your problems, strengths and your weakness by name - not only calls -but by His word he directs
Not just gathering Israel but you see it there at the end don’t you? Those far away from God’s church, Gentiles, people right now don’t know anything, and those who got religion but haven’t found salvation, Jesus goes to both kinds of people and what does he do he welds them together in peace in to one flock. Fulling the law for them, , he makes peace with God and with open and another look what says is the result:
by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
And understand as Ezekiel; prophesied and Jesus also proclaimed it was by thew shepherd atoning death in your place, Him offering a perfected, law keeping, human life to the Father and Him absorbing all the curse of our disobedience that this Shepherd King would do his greatest work in human nature for you.
hat you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.”
that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God.”
God himself would atone for us, and look at what Jesus said
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
He does it on his own accord out of love, has authority to lay it down,k and to take it up again. A friend of our - mother - son - troubled - violent broken death … do you think your death any less rotten and final , do we think our sin any less heinous than those we look down on - And God in mercy out love for this world, for sinners like you and me, says, I will send my son incarnate regain true friendship with me, He will re-do the human career as the Second Adam, and this week we see how - by providing you with all that the Good Shepherd of humanity needs. So it’s prophesied towards the end of
And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.”
And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.”
And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.”
CONCLUSION:
DO you get this? People are being driven like cows, driven along in life seeking this and that, but driven by the devil to destruction and death. And then comes the shepherd and he doesn’t drive you through life, and drive you into death. I’ve been on many a death bed, and the beautiful ones, you can see it they know that the Good Shepherd has lived the perfect life for them, restored fellowship - not in fear of judgment or what lies before the. They may be afraid of the dying itself, the pain the uncertainty of the middle of it, but not the end. And you know why? Because a shepherd doesn’t drive his sheep, he goes out in front of them, and leads them through and we follow. This human shepherd King who is God - tested in every way you are being tested in this life, this human shepherd king showing the way you are to fulfill your calling for God in this world with the people around you, this shepherd King laid down his life so he could pick it up again, and united to him know he will raise you too! This is the what of the incarnation - back then did all that in human nature for us, but from heaven leading by Spirit and word, and in face of Christ - we can live with God’s presence, God’s voice in our daily lives. But listen it is all incarnation for the future:
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Last week I introduced you to Ieranaeus - re-do human life. Now let me conclude introducing you to Anselm - Why the God-man, He shows how though we owe our duty God and never could pay it, though we owe HIm and hve to pay for our sins, the wonder of the incarnation is that fully God he fulfills the righteousness and pays for the sin - working satisfaction
- that’s waht the shpeherd did in human flesh for us … In the incarnation of God there is no lowering of the Deity; but the nature of man we believe to be exalted.
He is paying the life we owe to God perfectly for us, and he is dying for us, … and so in Him our humanity is exalted and broughtinto that friendship with God, fillfed with His life and peace and power and goodness.
But you and I will never get by being driven along, only by what sheep do with such a good Shpeherd provided by the lIving God for us even today - follow. As death came upon the human race by the disobedience of man, it was fitting that by man’s obedience life should be restored
Elliot Ritzema and Rebecca Brant, eds., 300 Quotations for Preachers from the Medieval Church, Pastorum Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013).
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Medieval Church The Way of Redemption Is Fitting
As death came upon the human race by the disobedience of man, it was fitting that by man’s obedience life should be restored
Elliot Ritzema and Rebecca Brant, eds., 300 Quotations for Preachers from the Medieval Church, Pastorum Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013).
and why to lift