November 3, 2017 (Friday)
Yesterday’s blog topic was, “Jesus is Divine.” Today the topic is “Jesus Is Divine and Human.” I choose three words today to describe the work of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior: Incarnation, Identification, and Involvement. I will discuss each of these as ideas brought forth by a simple sermon outline. Here goes:
INCARNATION (“enfleshment”)
God became man–born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified and resurrected. Jesus loves us, forgives us, enables us, enlightens us, gives us wisdom, judges us fairly. God became a man who reveals His glory, revealed in blinding light at the Transfiguration, revealed in His daily life as good, kind, forgiving and powerful. God became a man who made us his followers. He said, “As the Father has sent me, so send I you.”
IDENTIFICATION (Identifies with us)
Jesus is a real person–one of us. “Son of Man” was a favorite phrase of His that described His role in God’s plan. He was like us, but not a sinner (Heb 4:15 “one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin”). Yet He felt sin’s effects, on the cross, as our sins were laid upon Him. Jesus is our example in love and forgiveness for others. We marvel at his prayer, “Father forgive them,” as they drove nails into His hands.
INVOLVEMENT (participation, empathy)
Our plight became His. His mission was to die for us. Our mission is to get involved in meeting the needs of others. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so send I you.”
Jesus was God in human flesh, identified with our needs and involved in our problems. He wants us to become the incarnation of His love, to identify with those in need, and involved in their problems.