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Palm Sunday
Jesus is Man and God
April 5, 2009

TEXT:  (Philippians 2:5-11 NKJ)  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
 
Paul studied the Law and the Prophets under the greatest Bible teacher of his time--Gamaliel
 
(Acts 22:3 NKJ) "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.
 
Paul describes himself as a Hebrew of the Hebrews—he understood better than anyone who Jesus is—Jesus is the Christ—the Promised One—the Messiah—the Son of God—Our Redeemer—our Mediator—and he worked hard to help the Jews understand these truths—and to understand that no one can “earn” salvation by keeping the Law—listen as Paul speaks to these Jews later in his letter
 
(Philippians 3:3-6 NKJ) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
 
Paul writes in this letter to the Philippians—that Jesus the Christ was an example for our learning—teaching us to live with love for one another—true Christian love—Jesus could have been a prince—a king—a wealthy land owner—governor of some great principality—but instead He came to earth and went through His life in this world as a poor carpenters son—He never had a place to call home—born in Bethlehem—rushed off to Egypt to escape death at the hand of King Herod—returned to the city of Nazareth—and wandering about the land as a minister of God’s Word until He was arrested and killed
 
(Matthew 8:20 NKJ) And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
 
Jesus chose to assume a poor position in life—and He chose to allow Himself to be arrested—and He chose to enter and leave this world at the time that He entered and left—and everything Jesus did was out of love for man—now let’s consider some Scripture to support Paul’s lesson
 
Everything in the world belongs to God—yet Jesus entered with nothing—lived owning nothing—and left with nothing
 
(2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJ) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
 
Why would God send Jesus to suffer and die?—God the Father and God the Son want us to be comforted as to our hope and salvation—God created us to spend eternity with Him—but He despises sin and we are sinners—for us to be in His presence we will have to be rid of our sins—that is why God the Son came to offer Himself to pay the price for our sins
 
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NKJ) Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
 
And now the importance of this lesson for us today—Jesus had two natures—His human nature—being born of a woman—He was made man—but He was also God—born of a woman, yet conceived by the Holy Spirit—it is His nature as a man that Jesus lived His life perfectly in accordance with the Law—and it is as man and God that He offered Himself as the unblemished Lamb of God as the sacrifice required by God to pay for our sins—God the Father and God the Son are One—they are joined together by the common factor of love—God is love—and that love is the key to understanding who we are
 
Paul stated this for our understanding—who are we?—how are we to live our lives?—we are Christians who are loving each other all the way to heaven—we are joined together by the love of God—we are joined together by love—and God is love—listen as Paul explains
 
(Philippians 2:1-5 NKJ) Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
 
From these verses we get a clear picture of what Paul means by being like-minded with Christ—and with each other—Jesus came to serve and to love—and He loved in a way no one else could love—He came from heaven—because He is God—and God is love—Jesus is love because Jesus is the Son of God
 
(1 John 4:6-8 NKJ) We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
 
Jesus lived His life as an example for us to follow—now let’s consider some of the aspects of His life—and glean the lessons of His example—and we will find comfort and rest in return
 
(Matthew 11:29 NKJ) "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.
 
We learned a few minutes ago that God is love—and Paul teaches us that we are filled with the Holy spirit—therefore we are filled with God—and since God is love, we are filled with love
 
(Romans 8:9 NKJ) But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
 
Jesus is God!
 
(John 1:1 NKJ) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
 
(Colossians 1:15 NKJ) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
 
(Hebrews 1:1-3 NKJ) God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
 
(John 10:27-30 NKJ) "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 "I and My Father are one."
 
God provided the disciples with a glimpse of the Glory of God the Son when He was revealed at the transfiguration—Jesus is truly God
 
(Matthew 17:1-2 NKJ) Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
Jesus is Man!
 
(Hebrews 2:17-18 NKJ) Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Peter that Jesus is man
 
(Acts 2:22-24 NKJ) "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know-- 23 "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 "whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
 
The Application of the Lesson—How We Should Live!
 
Jesus instructed us to love one another—then He sent the Holy Spirit—God the Holy Spirit—to dwell within us
 
(John 14:16-17 NKJ) "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
 
(Matthew 22:36-40 NKJ) "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37  Jesus said to him, "`You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the first and great commandment. 39 "And the second is like it:`You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
 
Jesus not only wants us to love one another—but He also wants us to serve one another
 
(John 13:13-14 NKJ) "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
 
(Matthew 20:28 NKJ) "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
 
Jesus is God—Jesus was man—Jesus is our example—as we approach the end of our Lenten Season—we should keep in mind who Jesus is—and how we are to follow His example
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!