God Appeared in the Flesh

Text: I Timothy 3:14-16

 

I.         Before the first century ended, several varieties of false teachings arose.

            A.        One set has been referred to as the gnostics. The name derives from the Greek word for “knowledge.” - I Timothy 6:20-21

            B.        These were a diverse group, but they were tied by a belief that they had secret knowledge that ordinary people didn’t have

                        1.         In other words, it appealed to a person’s pride

            C.        They considered the God in the Old Testament to be an inferior god who made an evil creation.

                        1.         Thus, they see the physical world as flawed or evil

                        2.         Salvation is escaping this world

            D.        They see Jesus as a divine being, superior to the god of the Old Testament, who came to lead mankind to see the divine nature

                        1.         But to them, Jesus could not have come in the flesh, since the material world is evil

                        2.         He was a phantasm. He didn’t actually experience suffering or death

                        3.         The name for this belief is docetism

            E.        One early promoter of these false ideas was Marcion around A.D. 144

II.        The dual nature of Jesus has always caused debates

            A.        How can God take on human form and be both God and man?

            B.        Yes, Jesus fully represented God in bodily form - Colossians 2:9

            C.        He was born of virgin, as prophesied - Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23

            D.        John the Baptist was sent to testify that God (the Light) came into the world - John 1:1-11, 32-34

            E.        God also witnessed to Jesus being God in the flesh - John 5:31-37

            F.        Understanding that God came in the flesh is so important that to deny it was to deny Christ - I John 4:1-3

III.       The significance of God coming in the flesh

            A.        Jesus proved that temptation could be resisted

                        1.         He was tempted in all ways like we are - Hebrews 4:15

                        2.         This doesn’t mean he faced exactly the same temptations that I face

                        3.         I can’t be tempted to change rocks into bread. But temptations come in categories and Jesus faced each of them - I John 2:15-17

                        4.         But how can God be tempted? - James 1:13

                                    a.         God, as deity cannot be tempted

                                                (1)       He has no physical body, so the lusts of the flesh don’t exist

                                                (2)       He can make everything, so lusts of the eyes affect Him

                                                (3)       He is the supreme being, so pride of life has no foothold

                                    b.         But God took on flesh and so added the avenues that could be use to tempt - Philippians 2:5-8

                        5.         Yet, unlike us, he faced temptation without giving in - I Peter 2:21-22

                                    a.         He set for us an example

                                    b.         Jesus didn’t use his abilities as God to overcome. He cited God’s words to drive off Satan - Psalms 119:11

            B.        In suffering temptation, he is able to offer us aid - Hebrews 2:17-18

                        1.         He was acquainted with grief - Isaiah 53:3

                        2.         He became poor in order to help us - II Corinthians 8:9

                        3.         He is able mediate between us and God. (Notice “the man”) - I Timothy 2:5

                        4.         In this role, he functions as the High Priests did under the Old Law - Hebrews 4:15

            C.        He became our Savior when we could not - Isaiah 59:14-17

                        1.         He obeyed God to the point of death - Philippians 2:8

                        2.         And in dying, he reconciled all men to God - Ephesians 2:14-16

                        3.         This man offered one sacrifice - Hebrews 10:12

            D.        He is able to righteously judge us because he knows what we face - Acts 17:31

IV.      None of this could have happened without God choosing to experience the flesh

            A.        Understanding that Jesus really did live, suffered, and died is at the core of what Christianity is about

            B.        Will you accept this man, who is your Savior to be your Lord this day?