In the second message of our series, A Song for the Ages, we get a glimpse at the humanity of Jesus and the nature of his sacrifice. Here are some notes from the message. And the sermon is available below.
If you missed the first message, you can find it here: “A Song with Heart”.
A few weeks ago, Will Smith went on his apology tour. He made the rounds trying to mend fences and clear up perceptions that resulted from the slapping of Chris Rock on national TV. One of his comments revealed what many of us think about humanity. He said, one of the things he was working on was “forgiving himself for being human.” We use being human as a pejorative.
Jesus came as a human and many people think that means he shared that flawed part of us. He was broken, but he wasn’t flawed. He came to be the first of a new humanity.
Jesus is all that is human.
Philippians 2:7 reads “7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”
Jesus took on a second nature and became the Son of Man:
Son of Man was a term that meant, a man, or human. In Ezekiel, he is called “Son of Man” by God. In Daniel, the coming King is called, a Son of Man. Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man more than any other way.
- He lived in the place of man in creation.
- He lived in place and time, accepting the limits of physical, mortal life.
- He lived the human path; the way of physical life, death and resurrection.
His humanity was different from ours. He didn’t share the nature Paul spoke of in Romans 7. v.21-23 “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the member of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.”
The Nicene Creed reminds us why Jesus was different: “For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human.”
Jesus lived the life we’re called to live.
Phil. 2:8 reads, “8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”
We see Willingness… He emptied himself, and humbled himself. He depended on the Father to glorify him.
And we see that he Emptied himself… he set aside his place, his glory, and his privileges.
And we see Humility as he lived out the humility we were called to live.
God did not create us for independence, self-determination, or even self-fulfillment. He created us to fulfill his perfect will in the creation he made. He made us for worship. He made us for fellowship. He made us for obedience.
Jesus’ humanity prepared him for ongoing ministry.
- Mediator.
1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men – the testimony given at the proper time.”
- High Priest.
Hebrews 4:14 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest… Jesus the Son of God…
Hebrews 5:9-10 “he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
- Intercessor.
1 John 2:1 “if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”
This is his forever sacrifice.
The song of sacrifice reminds us, Jesus is still the Son of Man.
Stephen saw him: Acts 7:56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
John saw him. Rev. 1:13 “and among the lampstands was someone ‘like the son of man,’ dressed in a robe…
Rev. 14:14 “I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one ‘like a son of man’ with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand…”
He, as the eternal Son of Man, he is the head of a new humanity – those that have been made new through faith in Him.
Hear the song of sacrifice – the tune that reminds us, Jesus didn’t just die for us. Jesus joined humanity as perfect humanity, redeeming us for God and his purposes.
Jesus showed us the way we were destined to live.
Jesus is the beginning of the new humanity – redeemed and remade – for God’s glory.