The Person of Jesus Christ Part 2 Lesson #6
Fundamentals of the Faith • Sermon • Submitted
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How can Jesus be both 100 percent man and 100 percent God at the same time?
How can Jesus be the Son of God and yet equal to God?
Introduction
Introduction
When discussing the person of Jesus Christ, people usually do not have a problem accepting Christ as being a man.
The issue they struggle with is Christ being equal to God, and in fact is God.
It is important in this lesson to understand what happened during the Kenosis (Philippians 2:1-8) and also to cover the essential deity of Christ.
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 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 emptied himself, by 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.
Kenosis:-Kenosis is that particular aspect of the incarnation in which the eternally divine Son of God, in an act of humility, fully assumes human nature without despoiling himself of his full divinity.
The scriptural basis for the doctrine of kenosis is found in Philippians 2:6–8, a passage which was likely part of an early hymn.
It speaks of Christ as the one “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself (Greek: ekenosen, the source of the English word “kenosis”), 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.”
Here, the emphasis is on the Lord assuming the “form of a servant,” explained as the “likeness of men” and “human form.”
These explanatory phrases then serve as the means by which the kenosis continues further down, finding its culmination in Christ taking upon himself the thing most disparate with his divine nature—namely, death.
Before launching into a discussion on the deity of Christ, as an introduction it is helpful to look at the titles and the I AMs of Christ. The titles and I AMs of Christ are very powerful and set the stage for the discussion on His essential deity.
1.) The Names and Titles of Christ.
1.) The Names and Titles of Christ.
The title Lord Jesus Christ:
Lord: title of Honor; we are subject to Him:
23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
Jesus: Greek word Joshua, meaning savior: Matthew 1:21
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Savior: Christ was God’s Lamb: John 1:29
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
Christ: means “Anointed one”; Messiah John 1:41: The official title of our Savior.
41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
2.) The I AMs of Christ
2.) The I AMs of Christ
▶ I am gentle and humble in heart—Matthew 11:29
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
▶ I am the Son of God—Matthew 27:43
43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
▶ I am with you always—Matthew 28:20
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
▶ I am the bread of life—John 6:35
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
▶ I am the light of the world—John 8:12
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
▶ I am not of this world—John 8:23
23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
▶ I am the door—John 10:9
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
▶ I am the good shepherd—John 11:25
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
▶ I am the resurrection and the life—John 11:25
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
▶ I am the way, the truth, and the life—John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
▶ I am the vine—John 15:5
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
▶ I am a king—John 18:37
37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
▶ I am the Alpha and the Omega/Almighty—Revelation 1:8; 21:6
6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
▶ I am the First and the Last, the living one, alive forever—Revelation 1:17–18
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
▶ I am He who searches the minds and hearts—Revelation 2:23
23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
▶ I am coming quickly—Revelation 3:11
11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
▶ I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star—Revelation 22:16
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
▶ I AM—John 8:58
John 8:58 (ESV)
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
The God who became man
The God who became man
As mentioned above the issue of Christ being a human being, “flesh and bone” as Luke 24:39 states, is normally accepted.
However it is important to know that Christs existence did not start at His human birth. Rather Christ existed in the form of God before His incarnation, and at His birth He took on humanity, becoming 100 percent God and 100 percent man.
1.) The Incarnation
1.) The Incarnation
Key things to remember about the incarnation:
Christ never ceased being deity: Colossians 2:9
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
Christ added humanity to His deity: His glory was veiled in flesh; the transfiguration was a display of Christ for a moment, unveiling His glory. Matthew 17:1-8
1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
Christ voluntarily set aside, or emptied Himself of the independent exercise of some of His divine attributes. Philippians 2:7
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Set aside His glory: John 17:5
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
Set aside His independent authority: Philippians 2:7
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Set aside the open display of His divine attributes: Matthew 24:36
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
Set aside His eternal riches: 2 Cor 8:9
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Set aside His face to face relationship with the Father: Matt 27:46
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
As a result of His self-emptying or self-humbling, Christ took on the form of a bondslave.
This explains passages that people have problems with that imply that Christ is not God, such as:
30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
Christ had to be a man to die in mans place: Matt 20:28
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Christ had to be God, to be the perfect sacrifice: Christs sinlessness cannot be explained apart from His deity.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.
The Man who is God
The Man who is God
1.) Statements declaring the deity of Christ
1.) Statements declaring the deity of Christ
Thomas’s testimony to Christs deity: John 20:28-29
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Christ as the only Sovereign, King of Kings:
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Christ claimed to be God: John 10:31-33
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
