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Back to Sermons Index Back to Home Page 17th December 2006 AMTHIS CHILD IS FULLY GOD! Pastor Linton SmithIn 1926 Dr James Allan wrote these well known words about Jesus:
All the armies that have ever marched Dr James Allan © 1926. 80 years on.. and I believe his words are still true. Today 2 billion people call themselves Christians – followers of Jesus Christ.For three weeks now we have been thinking about the question posed by an old song, Who is he in yonder stall At whose feet the shepherds fall?We have been looking at one of the most inspiring passages in the New Testament - Colossians 1:15-20.Here the Apostle Paul makes some amazing statements about Jesus. We have seen that this baby in the cattle stall had a hand in creating everything that exists, holds it all together, and would be the first to rise from the dead and be head of the church.And today we come to these words.. the most amazing statement of all.. In Colossian 1:19 the Apostle says of Jesus,God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him. The Good News Translation reads,The Son has in himself the full nature of God. This child.. this baby in the cattle stall.. has in himself all the fullness of God.. the full nature of God. He is fully God! About the same time as he wrote this letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote another letter to the Philippians.In Philippians 2:5-8 he writes [I read from the New Living Translation]..You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. He was equal with God the Father. He was fully God. But He did not cling to that equality. Instead He was born as a human being. And humbled Himself to live under the Father - to obey Him. I like the way Graham Kendrick puts it.. O what a mystery meekness and majesty.. God the invisible.. in frailty appears. With these two truths in mind, let’s look at a number of snapshots of Jesus..
In the Gospel of Luke we read.. Luke 2:7.. She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Look at the Babe in the manger.. and hear these words of Paul in.. Colossian 1:19.. God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.And these words in.. Colossians 2:9.. In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. Look at the Babe and marvel.. in some mysterious way He is fully God! Now hear these words.. Philippians 2:6,7.. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. Look again.. and we see.. In some amazing way.. some mysterious way.. He has surrendered His equality with the Father.. to begin life on earth as a baby!
When Jesus was twelve years old Mary and Joseph visited Jerusalem. They started for home.. assuming Jesus was among the group of people traveling with them. But when they stopped for the night.. Jesus was no where to be found. They hurried back to Jerusalem. Luke writes.. Luke 2:46,47.. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. Look at Him in the Temple.. a boy of 12.. holding his own with the learned teachers. He can do this because He is no ordinary child. He is fully God. Now look again. Mary and Joseph were astonished.. and told Him how anxious they had been. Then we read in.. Luke 2:49 [New King James Version].. And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Many translations read.. Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house? The Greek text simply says, Didn’t you know it was necessary for me to be in the things of my Father? Perhaps we should translate.. about my Father’s business in my Father’s house. Much later.. as a man in His early thirties.. He said.. John 6:38.. I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. Look at Him in the temple.. and we see Him holding His own with the teachers.. we see He is fully God.. Look again.. and we see Him about His Father’s business.. doing His will. He is fully God.. but He has humbled Himself to live as a human being.. and to obey God the Father.
Jesus performed many miracles. Possibly the greatest was the raising of Lazarus from the dead. He had been dead four days.. when Jesus went to the tomb. John writes.. John 11:43,44.. Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Look at Jesus in action here and we see One who is fully God.. at work. But look again.. and we see Him working not on His own.. but in unison with His Father.. with God the Father.. Before He commanded Lazarus to rise.. He prayed. John writes.. John 11:41.. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I am reminded of what Jesus says in.. John 5:19.. I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. Look at the miracle.. and we see Jesus who is fully God.. in action! Look again.. and we see Jesus.. who has surrendered His equality with God the Father.. and now acts in obedience to the Father.. in unison with the Father! Now we look at..
Jesus has been arrested.. and tried.. and condemned to be crucified. Luke.. Luke 23:33,34.. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Look at Him on the cross.. and we see Jesus who was fully God.. crucified.. bleeding.. in agony.. crucified. We see Him.. dying! But now.. look at Him the night before.. in an olive grove.. with his friends.. Here he prays. And how He prays! Matthew writes.. Matthew 26:39-46.. Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Three times.. If there is some other way.. do it some other way.. but.. Your will be done. Was this an easy surrender to the Father’s will. No way. Luke tells us He was in agony.. but He won the battle with Himself. See how He says.. Rise, let us go. On He goes.. to the cross.. as the Father has sent Him to go.. In Philippians 2:7,8 in the New Living Translation we read.. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Look at the man on the cross.. and we see Jesus who was fully God.. suffering and dying.. Look again.. and we see Jesus who became one of us.. struggling to obey God the Father.. but winning the struggle.. and dying on that cross! We began with the words of Dr James Allan..
All the armies that have ever marched And no wonder! Look at the baby in the manger.. the child in the temple.. the miracle worker.. the man on the cross.. and we see One who is fully God. Look again.. and we see One who has not clung to His equality with the Father.. but has surrendered it.. to become one of us.. and to live under God the Father.. to obey Him fully.. even to suffering and dying on the cross! What does this mean for us today? It means we can know what God is like. Jesus was fully God. He was the invisible God made visible. Look and see! It means we can now be reconciled to God. He came.. and lived.. and died on that cross.. to reach out to us.. to reconcile us to the Father. When we respond.. believe in Jesus.. receive Jesus into our lives as our Friend and Master.. God forgives all our rebellion.. and we discover inner peace.. new life.. inner strength.. hope.. and meaning! O what a mystery meekness and majesty Bow down and worship for this is your God. [Graham Kendrick]
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