09 Jesus Style: Completely Human

Scripture 1 - If you remember we went through this verse last week but we are going to pull out two points that we didn’t talk about last week.

Philippians 2:5-8 In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing (no reputation) by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

1.     Who being in very nature God. Last week we touched briefly on how this scripture tells us that Jesus is God. No ifs ands or buts.

a.       Essentially states He was God and had power the power of God within Him. Can you guys remember some of the things we said he could do as God?

                                      i.            Raise the Dead

                                    ii.            Part the seas

                                  iii.            Walk on water

2.     Being made in human likeness

a.      Was this just in appearance? Was he God or was he human?

                                      i.            He was both

b.     So this scripture says Jesus was fully God and fully man. If he was fully man, then he was just like me, a man ( or woman) with the same experiences and temptations.

c.      If you were here when we discussed how Jesus lived a humble life, can you recall some of the human experiences that Christ had?

Scripture 2- Let's go back through some of the human experiences that Jesus had

·        Luke 2 :7-And she brought forth her first Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room at the inn for them.

o   He was born in less than ideal conditions.

·        Matthew 8:20 - Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head

o   He was poor and had no material possessions.

·        Matthew 1:19-20 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make he a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wire for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

o   Had to deal with teasing, bullying and discrimination of being a bastard and for what people thought about his parents.

·        Isaiah 53:2 - He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him

o   He looked very common and didn't stand out in any way, an "average Joe".

·        John 11:35 - Jesus wept.

o   He had emotions that he had to deal with.

·        Matthew 4:1- Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

o   He faced temptations, The devil tempted him just like he does to us.

Scripture 3-  An unknown author writing to the Hebrew Christians and all followers of Jesus.

Hebrews 4:15- For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet he did not sin.

1.     Who is the high priest he is referring to? Jesus Christ

2.     This scripture is very clear. Because of his human experiences Jesus Christ can sympathize with our weakness and he understands what it feels like to be tempted just like us.

a.      Jesus doesn't just feel BAD for us He feels WITH US! He understands exactly what we are going through so when we feel:

                                      i.            Loneliness or

                                    ii.            Sadness or depression

                                  iii.            Discrimination or bullying

                                  iv.            Or any other feeling you will experience he also feels those things with you.

Closing

Knowing that Jesus had the same experiences and temptations as me frees me to be honest about my own humanity. It allows me to not try and hide my humanity in the presence of friends and not try to put on a mask of spirituality if it's not there. It allows me to learn to be honest about myself, to be free to be forgiven for my human failures and to forgive others for theirs. If Jesus Christ was human then it is okay for me to be human too.

APPLY

1.     It is truly difficult to think of Jesus as human; it seems to violate something in our minds to reduce him to our level, but human he was and that is the twelfth item in our traits of Jesus. What are some normal "human" activities that you have never thought that Jesus would do? Do you suppose he ever needed to have his laundry done?

2.     Think of some of your own temptations. In what ways can you imagine Jesus being tempted by the same things?

3.     How can recognizing your own humanity help you to forgive others.