John 1:14 (NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
It was very easy for those who knew Jesus, while he walked upon this earth, to know Him as a man. They came to marvel at His divinity, but understood the fullness of His humanity.
I think, in large part, this is lost on today’s church. Actually, let’s back up. I believe it was quickly lost on the church within a few generations.
In Jesus, there is a truly unique and incomprehensible peculiarity. He is equally man and God. In order to be the mediator between man and God, Jesus has to be both. He has God’s heart, mind, understanding and ability, but also possesses a man’s heart, mind, understanding and limitations.
It is remarkable to me that I have never thought about this in depth before. I’ve always viewed Jesus as, I’m sure most of you have, God. Plain and simple, He is God, worthy of our awe and reverence, which He is, but He’s man, also. When was the last time you thought about the man, Jesus Christ?
Stay with me. This epiphany blows me away and makes what God did through Jesus that much more exquisite. You see as God, Jesus could do anything and everything. As man, Jesus is limited by His humanity. As a man He has a human body, heart, mind and will. He feels as a man. He walked, talked, hungered, thirst, lived, bled, died, was resurrected and lives today in a human body, as a man. John Calvin stated, “Christ has put on our feelings, along with our flesh.”
He became man, proceeded perfectly, though limited by fleshly boundaries, so that He could save us perfectly and completely. As a man, this is an astounding endeavor. But He’s God? Yes, but He did this as a man! His will, His choice, as a man, was to see that His Father’s will was executed perfectly for us. How astoundingly incomprehensible is He, our Savior!
John 6:38 (NKJV) For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
In full pursuit of the greatest Trophy
