INCARNATION: SHARED IN OUR SUFFERING

JESUS CAME AS A HUMAN.

John 1:14 ESV

14 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.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;

the stars in the heavens looked down where He lay,

the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,

but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.

Hebrews 2:14–15 ESV

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

The ravages of sin, neglect, abuse, and a thousand addictions have left us all a shadow of what we were meant to be. Jesus is humanity in its truest form. His favorite title for himself was the Son of Man. Not of God—of man.

The more we can grasp his humanity, the more we will find him someone we can approach, know, love, trust, and adore.

PHYSICAL. HUMAN. JESUS GOT HUNGRY!

Luke 4:1–2 ESV

1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.

NOT JUST A ONE TIME THING!

Matthew 21:18 ESV

18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry.

NOT JUST HUNGRY BUT TIRED!

John 4:6 ESV

6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

HUMAN. REALLY, TRULY AND FULLY HUMAN. NOT JUST PHYSICAL BUT EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL. YOU’VE GOTTA LOVE THE COMPASSION OF JESUS!

Mark 1:40 ESV

40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”

EXPLAIN LEPROSY. LOOK AT THE LAW.

Leviticus 13:45–46 ESV

45 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ 46 He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.

IMAGINE THE LIFE OF A LEPER? WHAT DOES JESUS DO? MORE, HOW DOES JESUS FEEL?

Mark 1:41–42 ESV

41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

WHY TOUCH HIM?

Because this is the one thing the man needs. No one has touched him for a very long time. To be starved for human touch is far worse than to starve for bread.

HUMAN. THAT MEANS HE HAD TO DEAL WITH ALL OF HUMANITY - DEATH.

John 11:17–44 ESV

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

The root of the Greek word here means “to snort in anger,” like a warhorse. Peterson therefore translates it, “a deep anger welled up within him” (John 11:33 The Message). Yes, that’s better; of course it did. This is the Prince of Life, who came that we might have life—what do you suppose his personal attitude is toward death? And here, the death of a close friend?

John uses the word loud to describe it; he uses this very same word to describe the ferocity of a storm that nearly sank their boat. Apparently, Jesus’ command here reminded John of the intensity of a storm. Jesus doesn’t ask Lazarus to come out; he doesn’t suggest he do. He commands him to life with the rumble of thunder and the crack of lightning. Obediently, Lazarus comes hopping out like a mummy:

HUMAN. REALLY, TRULY, FULLY HUMAN!

WHY? BECAUSE WE ARE.

Hebrews 2:14–18 ESV

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 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. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.