Jesus’ Connection to Man

-Introduction - Misunderstandings About Jesus’ Nature & Identity

-Unfortunately, there has been a considerable amount of confusion regarding the identity

  and nature of Jesus.

-There are those who fail to realize that Jesus is Deity - eternal - part of the Godhead.
     -John 1:1-4, 14

     -This makes it clear that, when the events of Genesis 1 unfolded, Jesus was there.

            -Gen 1 - “God” is from a plural Hebrew word.  Hence, the plural prounouns

                            of Gen 1:26.

             -Col 1:16

-There are those who have viewed Jesus as always having been in submission/subjection

  to the Father.

     -Phil 2:5-8 - “thought it not robbery to be equal to God” (vs 6, KJV); “did not count

 equality with God a thing to be grasped” (ESV) - The idea here is not that Jesus did

 not have equality with God and chose not to strive (reach) for it.  Instead, it means

 that, even though He had that equality, He willingly chose not to cling on to it.

-In other words, He willingly subjected Himself to the will of the Father.

-Doing so, He placed Himself into a submissive role as the Son of God when He
  took upon Himself the form of man.

      -Col 2:9 - Jesus was a member of the Godhead in “bodily” form.  He was both God

                      and man - a fact that boggles our minds, yet a fact nonetheless.

-God’s Plan and Jesus’ Authority

-Although Jesus willingly submitted Himself to the will of the Father, the Father gave

  Jesus authority within His plan.

-Matt 28:18-20; Eph 1:20-23

-1 Cor 15:27 - This verse points out the authority of Jesus over all, with the exception

of the Father.

-Yet, with these things in mind, I want you to notice that Jesus subjection to the Father

  extended/extends beyond His time spent here on Earth - 1 Cor 15:28.

      -Here, we find an interesting - and I think very significant - piece of information.

-Jesus’ Continued Connection to Mankind

-Last week, in our consideration of Rom 8:30, we talked about the glorification that

  God’s faithful have to look forward to.

      -2 Cor 4:17

      -1 John 3:1-2 - What an amazing thought! - “we shall be like him”

             -Yet, consider this then:  He shall be like us!

-Col 2:9 - Notice the word “dwells.”  In the Greek, it is a present tense verb - continued

     action.

-Acts 9:20 - “...he is the Son of God” - present tense

-1 Cor 15:44-49 - Paul points out that there is a natural (physical) body and a spiritual

                             body.  Verse 49 - “...we shall also bear the image of the heavenly”

     -Jesus is in a glorified body.  Yet, He still has a bodily form - an ongoing connection

       to mankind.

     -Heb 2:9 - made a little lower than the angels - perfect passive - completed action,

                      acted upon

            -Jesus took upon Himself the form of man.  He has not cast that aside and will

  not.

-Summary and Invitation

-When Jesus submitted Himself to the Father and took upon Himself the form of man, He

  was not entering into a temporary submission - but an everlasting one.

-I can’t help but think about how amazing it will be to look upon Jesus in the kingdom of

  Heaven!

     -Just think, by His very appearance, we will be forever reminded of what Jesus did

       for you and me.

-It is simply amazing - mind-boggling - to think about seeing Jesus and thinking -

  “Look how much He gave up for me.  Look at how much He changed for me.”

-We need to seriously contemplate these things now in this life.

-Then, we need to ask ourselves these questions, “How much am I willing to give up

  for Jesus?  How much am I willing to change for Him?”

-Let’s never forget how much Jesus did for you and me.  Let’s never forget how terribly

  He suffered for you and me upon the cross of Calvary.  Let’s better realize the

  everlasting effects of Jesus’ willingness to come to this earth and die for our sins.

     -Eph 3:19, John 21:15

-Do you realize that Jesus loves you?  Do you love Him?  If so, obey the Gospel of

  Christ:  believe (John 3:16, 8:24), confess (Matt 10:32, Rom 10:9-10), repent (Luke

  13:3,5; Acts 17:30), be baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16)

-If you’ve obeyed the Gospel but haven’t been faithful.  Allow the love of Christ to

  motivate you to return:  confess your shortcomings, repent of them and pray for God’s

  forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).