Let's seek the Lord in prayer.
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Father, what a
glorious day this has been.
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Thank You Father, for all of the
things that we take for granted.
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Thank You for the crisp
fresh air and the sunshine.
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Especially for the
sunshine of Your love
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that shines in our hearts.
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Father, we thank
You for Your Word.
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What would it be like in
this world without Your Word?
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We would be running
around in confusion not knowing
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where things are moving.
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But because we have Your
Word, we have a sure compass.
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We just ask, Father,
that as we open Your holy book
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that Your spirit will be
with us to guide our thoughts
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and to open our hearts.
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And we thank You,
Father, for hearing our prayer
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and for answering.
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Because we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus, amen.
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In our study today,
we are going to discuss
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the incarnation's seven secrets.
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But before we talk about
the incarnation, I need to cover
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one other point which
is extremely important,
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not only for what we're
going to talk about tonight,
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but for what we're going to
discuss later on in our seminar.
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And that is, what was Jesus
like before His incarnation?
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Now I can tell you for
absolute certain that Jesus,
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before He came to this
world, was God in every sense
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of the word.
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He is God by nature.
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He is not like God,
neither did He become God.
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He is God.
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And so I'd like to read several
verses as we begin that show
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the deity, the full deity,
and Godhood of Jesus Christ.
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Let's begin by reading
from the gospel of John
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chapter 1 and verse 1.
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And we're going to go through
these quickly because our
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main theme is not having to
do with the deity of Christ,
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but rather with His humanity.
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John chapter 1
verse 1, very well know.
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You probably can
repeat it from memory.
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Not a god, like you find in one
Bible, but "the Word was God."
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Now let's go to John
chapter 8 and verse 58.
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Here, Jesus makes a
revolutionary statement.
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He's speaking to the Jews and He
says something that is going to
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shake them up.
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John 8 verse 58.
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The very next verse says
that the Jews picked up stones
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to stone Jesus.
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Because according to them,
He was committing blasphemy
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because He was claiming
to be the "I AM" who appeared
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in the burning bush.
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He was claiming
to be Almighty God.
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Let's go now to John
chapter 17 and verse 3.
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John chapter 17 and verse 3.
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This verse makes it very
clear that Jesus existed before
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His incarnation.
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It says there, and this
is His high priestly prayer
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to His Father in the
garden of Gethsemane,
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He says...
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Did Jesus exist
before the world was? Yes.
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In fact, John chapter 1
verse 3 says that all things
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were made through Him.
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Which means that He
pre-existed all things.
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Now let's go to
Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23.
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Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23.
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And we're going
through these verses quickly
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because I just want
you to see that Jesus,
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before He became incarnate,
was fully and completely God.
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Matthew 1 verse 23.
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Here, the angel is
speaking and he says...
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In other words, one of
the names of Jesus, Emmanuel,
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means, "God with us."
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Now let's go to John
chapter 10 and verse 30.
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Here, Jesus makes
another revolutionary statement
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that shook up the Jews.
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It says there in John
chapter 10 and verse 30,
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very short...
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Now Jesus is not
saying that He and the Father
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are the same person.
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What He is saying is
that He and the Father
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are one in the
sense of perfect unity.
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They are one like a husband
and wife, when they get married,
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become one.
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Two persons in perfect unity.
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In other words, Jesus is saying,
"I and My Father are one.
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We are perfectly united
in attributes, in power,
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and in character."
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Now let's go to Philippians
chapter 2 and let's read
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verses 5 through 7.
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Philippians chapter 2
and verses 5 through 7.
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It says...
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That word "form"
is very important.
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It's the Greek word "morphe,"
which means, by nature.
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It means, in
substance He was God.
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In other words, it says,
"who being in the form of God,"
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or of the same
substance or essence of God.
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A better translation is, "did
not consider equality with God
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as something to be grasped."
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And then it says...
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So it's interesting that
the word "morphe" is used,
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which in Greek
indicates the very substance
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or essence of God.
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God is of the substance of God.
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Now let's notice also
John chapter 1 and verse 51.
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This is speaking about
the ladder that Jacob saw
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in his dream.
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John chapter 1 and verse 51.
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Now when you go back
to Genesis chapter 28,
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you find
something very interesting.
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You find that it says that
the ladder was firmly planted
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on the earth and the
top of the ladder reached
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to the highest heaven.
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Now the bottom of
the ladder represents
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the humanity of Christ.
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He is one with us.
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But the top of the
ladder represents the Godhood
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or the divinity of
Jesus Christ because He is
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one with the Father.
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In other words, Jesus
can bridge heaven and earth
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because He is God with
God and He is man with man.
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So the first thing
that I want us to notice
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is that Jesus,
according to the New Testament,
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is God in every
sense of the word.
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But the ladder shows
that Jesus is also man
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in every sense of the word.
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Now let's read several
verses that present Jesus Christ
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as fully being a
man, being human.
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Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4.
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You have these on
the list of texts.
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Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4.
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It says...
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Born from whom?
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Was Jesus born of a woman just
like we are born from a woman?
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Absolutely. He
was born of a woman.
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Galatians 3 verse 16
tells us that Jesus was of the
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seed of Abraham.
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He was a descendent of Abraham.
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And Abraham was a human being.
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Notice Galatians
chapter 3 and verse 16.
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In other words,
Christ is the seed of whom?
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He is the seed of Abraham.
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Abraham was a human being,
therefore, Jesus being His
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descent is also a human being.
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Now notice Revelation
chapter 22 and verse 16.
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This is a very interesting verse
referring both to the divinity
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and to the
humanity of Jesus Christ.
00:10:00.13\00:10:02.68
It says there in Revelation 22
verse 16, Jesus is speaking...
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Did you notice here
that Jesus is David's Father
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and He's also David's Son?
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Now the question is, how
can you be a person's father
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and be that person's son also?
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Because Jesus is
the Root of David.
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In other words,
David comes from Him.
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But He is also the
Offspring of David.
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In what sense is
Jesus the Root of David?
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In the sense that Jesus was the
Creator before He became a man.
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But He's an Offspring of
David because He became what?
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He became a man
and He was a descendent
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by the flesh from David.
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Now notice John
chapter 1 and verse 14.
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Another verse that speaks
about the humanity of Christ.
00:11:06.03\00:11:08.98
John chapter 1 and verse 14.
00:11:09.01\00:11:11.38
It says...
00:11:12.10\00:11:13.47
That word, "dwelt,"
could very well be translated,
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"tabernacled," or
"pitched His tent in our midst."
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Now tonight, we're going to
talk about the ministry of Jesus
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in the camp before He
went to the Court to die.
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We're going to talk about
the fact that Jesus came to
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live in our midst.
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He became one of us where
we are camped on this earth.
00:11:37.26\00:11:40.95
So it says...
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Notice 1 Timothy
chapter 3 and verse 16.
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There are so many of
these verses in Scripture
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that speak about
the humanity of Christ.
00:11:58.56\00:12:00.93
1 Timothy chapter 3
and verse 16 says...
00:12:01.13\00:12:04.12
So He's God, but He also
took upon Himself human nature.
00:12:15.61\00:12:21.51
Now let's notice
Luke 24 and verse 39.
00:12:22.14\00:12:25.94
Some people think that Jesus was
a man until His resurrection.
00:12:25.97\00:12:29.12
And then after His resurrection,
He left His manhood
00:12:29.15\00:12:31.79
and He just took
back His nature of God
00:12:31.82\00:12:34.83
and He went to heaven as God.
00:12:34.86\00:12:36.64
But notice that after
the resurrection of Jesus,
00:12:36.84\00:12:39.57
Jesus is still a full man.
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It says in Luke 24
verse 39, Jesus is speaking
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to His disciples...
00:12:46.75\00:12:48.12
Did Jesus have flesh and
bones after His resurrection?
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He most certainly did.
00:13:07.49\00:13:08.86
Now there's
another interesting passage
00:13:09.15\00:13:11.34
in John chapter 20
and verses 24 to 28.
00:13:11.37\00:13:14.58
There was a disciple
that wasn't present when Jesus
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appeared to the disciples
the evening of the resurrection.
00:13:18.08\00:13:21.01
That disciples name was Thomas.
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We know him as, doubting Thomas.
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And in a minute,
you're going to see why we
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call him, doubting Thomas.
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John chapter 20 and
verses 24 through 28.
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Thomas is now there
the Sunday after the Sunday
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of the resurrection.
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And let's pick up the
story there in verse 24.
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Was Jesus a real human
being after His resurrection?
00:14:39.48\00:14:43.08
He most certainly was.
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Now let's notice also Hebrews
chapter 2 and verses 14 and 15.
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Hebrews chapter 2
and verses 14 and 15.
00:14:50.80\00:14:55.27
This is so clear.
00:14:55.30\00:14:56.67
It says there...
00:14:57.62\00:14:58.99
The children is us.
00:15:01.87\00:15:03.24
So did Jesus come to this
earth and take flesh and blood,
00:15:24.12\00:15:28.61
according to Scripture?
00:15:28.64\00:15:30.01
He most certainly did.
00:15:30.04\00:15:31.41
He was a human being in
every sense of the word,
00:15:31.44\00:15:35.98
but He was also God.
00:15:36.01\00:15:38.32
He is called, the God-man.
00:15:38.35\00:15:41.15
He is God and He
is man in one person,
00:15:41.18\00:15:44.39
two natures in one person.
00:15:44.42\00:15:46.65
Please don't ask
me to explain that.
00:15:46.68\00:15:48.61
It's a mystery.
00:15:48.94\00:15:50.31
I can't explain how one
person could have two natures;
00:15:50.34\00:15:54.00
the nature of God
and the nature of man.
00:15:54.03\00:15:56.14
That's one of the mysteries
that I don't know even if God is
00:15:56.17\00:15:59.74
going to explain
to us in eternity.
00:15:59.77\00:16:02.18
But for now, we don't
need to know how it happened.
00:16:02.21\00:16:05.45
We need to know that it's
true, because the Bible says so.
00:16:05.48\00:16:09.05
Now we want to study a little
bit more why it was necessary
00:16:09.59\00:16:13.42
for Jesus to become a man.
00:16:13.45\00:16:14.94
Why was it necessary for
Him to come and camp with us?
00:16:15.31\00:16:19.11
See, the sanctuary had
the camp, it had the Court,
00:16:19.14\00:16:22.02
it had the Holy Place,
and the Most Holy Place.
00:16:22.05\00:16:24.45
Most Christians
start in the Court
00:16:24.48\00:16:26.37
with the death of Jesus Christ.
00:16:26.40\00:16:28.18
We're going to start in
the camp because that's where
00:16:28.39\00:16:30.63
needy sinners live.
00:16:30.66\00:16:32.03
Jesus, before he died, came
to live in our midst, didn't He?
00:16:32.39\00:16:35.70
He took flesh of our
flesh and bone of our bones
00:16:35.73\00:16:38.74
and blood of our blood.
00:16:38.77\00:16:40.14
He came to live with us for
over 30 years before He died.
00:16:40.17\00:16:44.30
So His life with us must
have extreme significance.
00:16:44.33\00:16:48.49
So we're going to start with
the life of Jesus in the camp.
00:16:48.52\00:16:52.20
The question is, why did
Jesus have to become one of us?
00:16:52.23\00:16:57.43
Why did He have to become a man?
00:16:57.46\00:16:59.26
I have at least seven reasons
that I want to share with you
00:17:00.16\00:17:03.35
as to why it was
absolutely indispensible that
00:17:03.38\00:17:07.03
Jesus came to the camp of
the sanctuary and lived with us
00:17:07.06\00:17:10.91
in our midst, take our flesh
and our blood and our bones.
00:17:10.94\00:17:14.37
Reason number one, so
that He could reveal what God
00:17:15.25\00:17:20.23
is really like.
00:17:20.46\00:17:22.05
You see, before sin
Adam and Eve had face to face
00:17:22.95\00:17:27.22
communion with God.
00:17:27.25\00:17:28.71
But when Adam and Eve sinned,
God had to conceal Himself
00:17:29.08\00:17:33.01
from Adam and Eve.
00:17:33.04\00:17:34.41
Because if He had
not concealed Himself,
00:17:34.51\00:17:36.77
Adam and Eve would have
been destroyed instantly
00:17:36.80\00:17:39.49
because God
cannot coexist with sin.
00:17:39.52\00:17:42.45
So God had to conceal Himself.
00:17:42.94\00:17:45.67
I want you to notice
Exodus chapter 33 and verse 20
00:17:47.09\00:17:50.29
where we're told clearly that
no one can see the face of God
00:17:50.32\00:17:54.41
and live in
their sinful condition.
00:17:54.44\00:17:56.72
It says there in
Exodus 33 and verse 20...
00:17:56.75\00:17:59.99
Here, God is speaking.
00:18:03.99\00:18:05.43
Notice also Deuteronomy
chapter 4 and verses 23 and 24.
00:18:11.06\00:18:16.05
God is spoken of as a
consuming fire against sin.
00:18:16.08\00:18:20.19
It says there...
00:18:20.58\00:18:21.95
In fact, we're told...
00:18:41.73\00:18:43.10
And this verse isn't
on your list, but you
00:18:43.13\00:18:45.37
might want to write it down.
00:18:45.40\00:18:46.77
1 Timothy chapter 6 and
verses 15 and 16 tells us that
00:18:46.80\00:18:50.56
God dwells in unapproachable
light whom no man has seen,
00:18:50.59\00:18:57.29
nor can see.
00:18:57.32\00:19:00.11
At least in
their sinful condition.
00:19:00.48\00:19:02.20
So God had a problem.
00:19:02.84\00:19:04.53
Because the Bible tells us
that Adam and Eve spoke with God
00:19:05.00\00:19:09.13
face to face.
00:19:09.16\00:19:10.53
But when man sinned,
God had to conceal Himself
00:19:10.56\00:19:14.08
because His glory would
have destroyed these sinners.
00:19:14.11\00:19:16.96
But the Bible tells us
that in order to be saved,
00:19:16.99\00:19:19.68
we must know Jesus
Christ and we must know God.
00:19:19.71\00:19:23.19
In fact, let's read that in
John chapter 17 and verse 3.
00:19:23.85\00:19:27.38
John chapter 17 and verse 3.
00:19:27.41\00:19:30.28
Here, Jesus is
speaking and He says...
00:19:31.18\00:19:33.69
Remember, He's
speaking to His Father.
00:19:38.86\00:19:40.84
Let me ask you, is it
indispensible to know God
00:19:46.71\00:19:50.00
in order to have eternal life,
in order to have salvation?
00:19:50.03\00:19:53.15
Absolutely.
00:19:53.18\00:19:54.55
But now we have a problem.
00:19:54.58\00:19:55.95
How could man know God if God
had to conceal Himself from man
00:19:56.30\00:20:02.97
because of man's sin?
00:20:03.00\00:20:05.44
Well the fact is that
God solved the problem
00:20:05.91\00:20:08.87
partially in the Old
Testament by revealing Himself
00:20:08.90\00:20:12.88
in words and in
pictures through the sanctuary.
00:20:12.91\00:20:16.39
He gave symbols, He
spoke to the prophets,
00:20:16.42\00:20:19.88
He gave visions, He gave
dreams, He spoke through the
00:20:19.91\00:20:23.44
Urim and the Thummim.
00:20:23.47\00:20:25.08
In other words, He gave
a partial and incomplete
00:20:25.11\00:20:29.05
description of who God is.
00:20:29.08\00:20:31.44
But it wasn't a
personal appearance of God.
00:20:31.88\00:20:34.85
It was words and
symbols about God.
00:20:34.88\00:20:38.94
Because God cannot reveal
Himself in His divine nature,
00:20:39.48\00:20:43.81
Jesus Christ came to this earth
and He veiled His divine glory
00:20:44.55\00:20:50.15
under human flesh
so that we could see
00:20:50.18\00:20:54.69
what God is like without
the glory of God destroying us.
00:20:54.72\00:20:59.47
In other words, Jesus became
a man to veil His divine glory
00:20:59.50\00:21:03.31
so that He could
reveal the Father to us
00:21:03.34\00:21:05.87
and not destroy
us at the same time.
00:21:05.90\00:21:08.72
You say, "Where do we
find that in Scripture?"
00:21:09.14\00:21:11.29
Notice Hebrews
chapter 1 and verses 1 and 2.
00:21:11.50\00:21:15.21
Hebrews chapter 1
and verses 1 and 2.
00:21:15.24\00:21:18.72
There's a comparison
that is made here between
00:21:18.75\00:21:21.39
how God revealed
Himself in the Old Testament
00:21:21.42\00:21:24.02
and how He reveals
Himself when Jesus comes.
00:21:24.05\00:21:27.56
It says there in Hebrews
chapter 1 and verses 1 and 2,
00:21:27.59\00:21:30.92
"God, who at various
times and in various ways
00:21:30.95\00:21:35.31
spoke in time past to the
fathers by the prophets..."
00:21:35.34\00:21:40.56
So in the Old
Testament, He revealed Himself
00:21:53.04\00:21:55.63
through the prophets.
00:21:55.66\00:21:57.03
But in these last
days, He has revealed Himself
00:21:57.06\00:21:59.51
to us through whom?
00:21:59.54\00:22:01.03
Through His Son.
00:22:01.24\00:22:02.98
Notice John 1:14 once again
that we read a little while ago
00:22:03.51\00:22:07.90
about the humanity of Christ.
00:22:07.93\00:22:09.61
It says there...
00:22:09.64\00:22:11.01
And now notice
what Jesus revealed.
00:22:16.12\00:22:18.37
His glory was
veiled in human flesh,
00:22:23.73\00:22:25.40
but the glory was revealed.
00:22:25.43\00:22:26.92
You see, there's no one
in the universe who could
00:22:35.19\00:22:38.15
reveal the Father like
Jesus could reveal the Father.
00:22:38.18\00:22:40.71
But He had to
veil His divine glory
00:22:40.91\00:22:42.83
or He would have
destroyed us as sinners.
00:22:42.86\00:22:44.92
So He veils His glory
and He comes to reveal
00:22:44.95\00:22:47.91
what His Father is like.
00:22:47.94\00:22:49.79
In fact, notice John
chapter 1 and verse 18.
00:22:50.03\00:22:52.87
I love this verse.
It's a beautiful verse.
00:22:52.90\00:22:54.75
John chapter 1
and verse 18 says...
00:22:54.78\00:22:58.12
There's the
emphasis again. Now notice.
00:23:02.73\00:23:05.56
Let me ask you, what
picture do you get when you
00:23:14.97\00:23:17.44
talk about the bosom?
00:23:17.47\00:23:19.03
Closeness, intimacy.
00:23:20.03\00:23:23.51
In other words, He who was
in the bosom of His Father,
00:23:23.97\00:23:27.32
the closest of anyone
to the Father, has revealed
00:23:27.35\00:23:30.81
what the Father is like.
00:23:30.84\00:23:32.33
And He has revealed Him
in His humanity because He
00:23:32.36\00:23:35.97
veiled His divinity, because
it would have destroyed us.
00:23:36.00\00:23:38.52
That's the reason why, you
remember, Philip once asked,
00:23:39.34\00:23:42.52
He said to Jesus, "Could
You please show us the Father?"
00:23:42.55\00:23:46.07
Notice John chapter
14 and verses 8 and 9.
00:23:46.72\00:23:50.66
John chapter 14
and verses 8 and 9.
00:23:50.69\00:23:54.54
Like Father, like Son.
00:24:18.35\00:24:21.09
And so Jesus veils His
divine glory and He reveals
00:24:21.61\00:24:24.91
what God is like
without destroying sinners.
00:24:24.94\00:24:28.20
He had to assume
human flesh to reveal God,
00:24:28.23\00:24:31.29
and at the same
time not destroy sinners.
00:24:31.32\00:24:34.94
There's a second reason why
Jesus had to assume human flesh,
00:24:35.96\00:24:39.22
had to take human flesh.
00:24:39.25\00:24:40.93
And that is so that
Jesus could die for our sins.
00:24:41.13\00:24:44.81
You say, "Why would
He have to take humanity
00:24:45.45\00:24:47.39
in order to die for our sins?"
00:24:47.42\00:24:49.33
It's very simple.
00:24:49.77\00:24:51.14
1 Timothy chapter
6 verses 15 and 16.
00:24:51.20\00:24:54.46
We've read this before
but let's read it again.
00:24:54.89\00:24:57.13
1 Timothy chapter
6 verses 15 and 16,
00:24:57.16\00:25:00.03
speaking about God, says,
"...which He will manifest
00:25:00.41\00:25:03.62
in His own time, He who is
the blessed and only Potentate,
00:25:03.65\00:25:07.96
the King of kings
and Lord of lords..."
00:25:08.26\00:25:10.93
Who alone has what?
00:25:10.96\00:25:12.96
What does God have?
00:25:29.23\00:25:30.65
God has immortality.
00:25:30.68\00:25:33.69
Can God die?
00:25:34.40\00:25:35.82
That would be ridiculous
to say that God can die.
00:25:37.08\00:25:40.05
God is by nature immortal.
00:25:40.08\00:25:42.54
He is life
eternal within Himself.
00:25:42.57\00:25:45.56
God, as God, cannot die.
00:25:45.59\00:25:48.55
So why would Jesus
have to assume human nature?
00:25:49.55\00:25:53.86
He would have to assume
nature, a mortal human nature,
00:25:54.06\00:25:57.71
so that He could what?
00:25:57.74\00:25:59.34
So that He could
die for our sins.
00:25:59.56\00:26:02.34
Because if He had come merely
as God, He couldn't have died.
00:26:02.37\00:26:06.09
Because God is immortal.
00:26:06.47\00:26:08.07
God does not die.
00:26:08.10\00:26:10.47
Now the question is,
Did Jesus really die?
00:26:11.24\00:26:15.26
He most certainly did.
00:26:16.61\00:26:17.98
Notice Hebrews
chapter 2 and verse 9.
00:26:18.40\00:26:20.84
Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 9.
00:26:20.87\00:26:23.52
It says here...
00:26:23.55\00:26:24.92
Did Jesus really die?
00:26:40.95\00:26:42.44
Did His divinity or deity die?
00:26:42.94\00:26:45.36
No, His humanity died.
00:26:45.53\00:26:47.81
He had to become a man in
order to die for our sins.
00:26:47.84\00:26:51.31
If Jesus had not come as a man,
we would still be in our sins.
00:26:51.34\00:26:55.18
Notice John
chapter 19 and verse 30,
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.91
speaking about
the death of Christ.
00:26:57.94\00:26:59.47
He really died.
00:26:59.50\00:27:00.87
It says...
00:27:00.90\00:27:02.27
Did Jesus really die?
00:27:14.08\00:27:15.80
Of course He really died.
00:27:16.24\00:27:17.79
Did He die for His own
sins or did he die for our sins?
00:27:18.42\00:27:21.76
He died for our sins.
00:27:21.99\00:27:23.46
He assumed human
nature, mortal human nature,
00:27:23.49\00:27:27.56
so that He could die.
00:27:27.59\00:27:28.96
Because God, the
deity of God, does not die.
00:27:28.99\00:27:32.06
Ellen White, in the
book Selected Messages
00:27:32.54\00:27:35.01
volume 1 page 30, has
this very interesting remark.
00:27:35.04\00:27:37.98
She says, and
she's quoting Christ...
00:27:38.84\00:27:41.88
When Jesus came from the
tomb, He came with a life
00:27:59.58\00:28:02.41
that was within
Himself because He was God.
00:28:02.44\00:28:05.52
But notice what
she continues saying.
00:28:05.55\00:28:07.27
So Jesus assumed mortal
human nature so that Jesus could
00:28:23.56\00:28:28.86
die for our sins.
00:28:28.89\00:28:30.26
And by the way, this is
the reason why the devil
00:28:30.29\00:28:31.89
tried to keep Jesus
from going to the cross.
00:28:31.92\00:28:34.24
You say, "What?
00:28:34.85\00:28:36.22
I thought the devil wanted Jesus
to go to the cross and die."
00:28:36.31\00:28:40.86
Oh, no he didn't.
00:28:40.89\00:28:42.26
The devil tried to keep
Jesus from going to the cross.
00:28:42.51\00:28:45.71
Let me give you
several examples.
00:28:46.29\00:28:47.98
On the mount of
temptation, the devil says,
00:28:48.53\00:28:50.41
"I'll give you all
the kingdoms of the world
00:28:50.44\00:28:51.83
if You just bow
down and worship me.
00:28:51.86\00:28:53.41
You don't have
to go to the cross."
00:28:53.44\00:28:54.81
Remember Peter when Jesus
said, "I must go to Jerusalem
00:28:55.78\00:28:58.43
and suffer and die and
resurrect the third day."
00:28:58.46\00:29:00.96
What did Peter say?
00:29:00.99\00:29:02.36
"Oh, that should
never happen to You."
00:29:02.39\00:29:04.31
And then Jesus said,
"Get thou behind Me, Satan."
00:29:04.34\00:29:06.76
He wasn't speaking to Peter,
He was speaking to the devil
00:29:07.39\00:29:09.56
who was trying to use Peter to
distract Jesus from the cross.
00:29:10.13\00:29:13.02
Even toward the end of His
life, some Greeks come to Jesus
00:29:13.05\00:29:16.03
and they say, "We
want You come and preach
00:29:16.06\00:29:17.86
the gospel in Greece."
00:29:17.89\00:29:19.26
And Jesus said, "It's not time
to preach the gospel in Greece."
00:29:19.29\00:29:21.71
He said, "It's time for the
Son of Man to be glorified."
00:29:21.74\00:29:25.06
Even when Judas betrayed Jesus.
00:29:25.75\00:29:27.98
See, some people think
that Judas betrayed Jesus
00:29:28.01\00:29:30.22
because He wanted Jesus killed.
00:29:30.25\00:29:31.62
No way.
00:29:31.65\00:29:33.02
The devil used Judas to
betray Christ because he was
00:29:33.05\00:29:36.91
hoping that Christ, when He was
arrested and He was mistreated,
00:29:36.94\00:29:40.75
He would take over the throne.
00:29:40.78\00:29:42.78
And you say,
"How do we know that?"
00:29:43.19\00:29:44.56
Because when his plan
backfired, he took the money
00:29:44.66\00:29:47.84
and he threw it, and he
went and committed suicide.
00:29:47.87\00:29:50.97
If he wanted Jesus to
die, he would have been happy.
00:29:51.00\00:29:53.70
But his plan backfired.
00:29:54.45\00:29:55.82
Even when Jesus was on the
cross of Calvary hanging there,
00:29:55.85\00:29:59.76
there were people at the
foot of the cross saying,
00:29:59.90\00:30:02.10
"If you're really
the Son of God..." What?
00:30:02.13\00:30:04.37
"Come down from the cross."
00:30:04.40\00:30:05.80
You say, "Well didn't the
devil want to kill Jesus?"
00:30:05.83\00:30:08.61
Yes, the devil
wanted to kill Jesus.
00:30:08.64\00:30:10.59
But the devil did not
want Jesus to give His life
00:30:10.62\00:30:13.90
voluntarily Himself.
00:30:13.93\00:30:15.65
The devil tried to kill Jesus
many times during His ministry.
00:30:16.57\00:30:19.82
But killing Jesus would
not be a sacrifice for sin.
00:30:19.85\00:30:24.19
Because the Bible says
that Jesus had to voluntarily
00:30:24.22\00:30:26.85
give His life, give
Himself, to save man.
00:30:26.88\00:30:30.07
It wasn't enough for the
devil simply to kill Him.
00:30:30.10\00:30:32.90
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:30:32.93\00:30:34.30
And so Jesus had to become
a man so that He could die
00:30:34.42\00:30:38.66
for our sins.
00:30:38.69\00:30:40.06
And by the way, His
death is once for all.
00:30:40.09\00:30:43.31
Jesus is not continually
being sacrificed, like is taught
00:30:44.72\00:30:49.02
in one church these
days who say, you know,
00:30:49.05\00:30:52.70
you repeat the sacrifice
of Jesus over and over again.
00:30:52.73\00:30:56.13
No way.
00:30:56.16\00:30:57.53
When Jesus died on the
cross, He died once and for all.
00:30:57.56\00:31:01.01
No more sacrifices of Christ.
00:31:01.04\00:31:03.20
It was unrepeatable.
00:31:03.23\00:31:05.33
And it was complete.
00:31:05.36\00:31:06.73
In fact, we're told in
Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 27,
00:31:07.25\00:31:10.21
speaking about Christ...
00:31:10.63\00:31:12.00
See, the devil
didn't take His life.
00:31:26.90\00:31:28.40
Jesus said, "I lay down My
life and I take it up again."
00:31:28.43\00:31:32.52
Let's go to the third reason
why Jesus had to become a man.
00:31:33.29\00:31:36.38
He had to become a man
so that we could know that
00:31:36.93\00:31:39.60
He sympathizes with us.
00:31:39.63\00:31:42.33
That He understands us.
00:31:42.74\00:31:45.41
Notice Hebrews
chapter 5 and verses 1 and 2.
00:31:45.59\00:31:48.58
Hebrews chapter
5 verses 1 and 2.
00:31:48.61\00:31:51.07
Here's the principle.
00:31:51.11\00:31:52.48
It says...
00:31:52.62\00:31:53.99
Taken from where?
00:31:58.42\00:31:59.79
From among men.
00:32:00.05\00:32:01.54
Let me ask you, does
Jesus really understand us?
00:32:25.64\00:32:29.00
Can He really
sympathize with us?
00:32:29.22\00:32:32.39
Can we know that He knows what
it's like to walk in our shoes?
00:32:32.42\00:32:36.77
Absolutely.
00:32:36.80\00:32:38.17
Notice Hebrews
chapter 2 and verse 11,
00:32:38.20\00:32:41.00
and then we'll read
verse 14 and verse 17.
00:32:41.03\00:32:43.95
Hebrews chapter 2
and verse 11 says...
00:32:43.98\00:32:47.33
This is Jesus and us.
00:32:51.46\00:32:53.10
Because we're all what?
00:32:56.37\00:32:57.89
We're all human beings.
00:32:58.36\00:33:00.02
And now notice what
it continues saying.
00:33:00.55\00:33:02.54
Jesus is not ashamed to
call us brethren because
00:33:06.79\00:33:09.17
we all are human beings.
00:33:09.20\00:33:10.57
We all come from one.
00:33:10.60\00:33:12.23
Verse 14...
00:33:12.53\00:33:13.90
The children is us.
00:33:16.00\00:33:17.37
Verse 17...
00:33:27.24\00:33:28.61
Why did He have to be made like
us, His brethren, a human being?
00:33:33.60\00:33:37.22
Here's the reason.
00:33:37.25\00:33:38.62
So Jesus had to become a
human being so that He could be
00:33:50.89\00:33:54.11
merciful, and He could
be faithful, and He could
00:33:54.14\00:33:57.33
represent us as one who
understands our situation.
00:33:57.36\00:34:03.35
Several years ago,
you might remember this,
00:34:05.66\00:34:09.41
these images came
across the television screen
00:34:09.61\00:34:12.84
of all of these people that were
dying of hunger in Ethiopia.
00:34:13.14\00:34:16.82
Skin and bones.
00:34:18.57\00:34:20.30
People covered with flies.
00:34:21.32\00:34:23.75
You remember that?
00:34:24.88\00:34:26.25
The scene was grotesque.
00:34:26.52\00:34:28.54
Now let me tell you something.
00:34:28.74\00:34:30.11
I felt sorry for those people.
00:34:30.40\00:34:32.94
But did I really understand
what they were going through?
00:34:33.80\00:34:36.19
No.
00:34:37.08\00:34:38.45
I could intellectually
think, "Wow, that's terrible."
00:34:38.48\00:34:41.92
And I could sympathize
with them to a certain degree.
00:34:42.61\00:34:45.98
I could feel sorry for
them, but I couldn't really
00:34:46.01\00:34:48.33
understand them because I hadn't
been through their experience.
00:34:48.36\00:34:51.56
You see, Jesus could
have remained in heaven
00:34:53.24\00:34:55.08
and He could have seen
the suffering on this earth,
00:34:55.11\00:34:57.19
and the pain and the
sorrow, and He could have said,
00:34:57.22\00:34:59.91
"Oh, it's terrible
what they're going through."
00:34:59.94\00:35:02.43
He could have said to
His Father, "Oh, that grief
00:35:02.73\00:35:05.11
is horrendous, isn't it."
00:35:05.14\00:35:06.66
Would He really understand
what we're going through?
00:35:08.07\00:35:10.07
God would not understand.
00:35:10.76\00:35:12.35
And so Jesus said,
"I'm going to go down there
00:35:12.76\00:35:15.39
and I'm going to
become like one of them.
00:35:15.42\00:35:17.25
And I'm going to
walk in their shoes.
00:35:17.60\00:35:19.45
I'm going to share their grief,
I'm going to share their sorrow,
00:35:19.48\00:35:22.58
I'm going to
share their suffering.
00:35:22.61\00:35:24.21
So that they can know that
when I represent them in heaven,
00:35:24.92\00:35:28.34
I understand.
00:35:28.37\00:35:29.74
So that they can
know that I empathize
00:35:30.26\00:35:32.23
and I sympathize with them.
00:35:32.26\00:35:34.10
You know, it's really tragic...
00:35:35.11\00:35:36.50
And I'll mention
the name of the church.
00:35:36.84\00:35:38.51
...that the Roman
Catholic church feels like they
00:35:38.54\00:35:40.95
need the virgin
Mary to do that job.
00:35:40.98\00:35:44.20
Or they need the
saints to do that job.
00:35:44.90\00:35:46.77
See, in Roman Catholic theology,
even though they pay lip service
00:35:46.80\00:35:50.95
to the idea that
Jesus is God and man,
00:35:50.98\00:35:54.15
for them Jesus is
not fully man like us.
00:35:54.35\00:35:58.39
He has a different
kind of humanity than we do.
00:35:58.76\00:36:02.06
And therefore, Jesus does
not really fully understand us.
00:36:02.09\00:36:06.37
So you really need Mary
and the saints, who really
00:36:06.40\00:36:09.43
walked in our shoes, to
represent us before God.
00:36:09.46\00:36:12.84
That's impractical
Roman Catholic theology.
00:36:13.63\00:36:16.18
But Scripture tells us that
Jesus has walked in our shoes.
00:36:16.84\00:36:19.87
He can fully and completely
empathize and sympathize
00:36:19.99\00:36:23.99
with us because He was and He
is fully and completely human.
00:36:24.02\00:36:29.81
Now listen up.
00:36:31.02\00:36:32.62
Jesus is the supreme Pontiff.
00:36:33.20\00:36:36.01
There's someone on
earth who has claimed to be
00:36:38.28\00:36:40.02
the supreme pontiff.
00:36:40.05\00:36:41.42
Do you know what the
word "pontiff" means?
00:36:41.45\00:36:43.29
It comes from two
words, "pons" and "facere."
00:36:43.75\00:36:46.66
It means, bridge builder.
00:36:46.86\00:36:48.58
Jesus is the
supreme bridge builder.
00:36:49.39\00:36:52.34
The bridge builder between what?
00:36:52.71\00:36:54.85
Between heaven and earth.
00:36:55.11\00:36:57.38
He is the ladder that
connects heaven and earth
00:36:57.41\00:36:59.77
because He is God
and He is also man.
00:36:59.80\00:37:02.27
What human being could
ever claim to be the supreme
00:37:02.72\00:37:07.37
bridge builder when
he's only a man and not God.
00:37:07.40\00:37:11.70
Notice 1 Timothy
chapter 2 and verse 5.
00:37:13.42\00:37:16.58
We have only one Mediator.
00:37:16.61\00:37:18.48
It says here...
00:37:18.51\00:37:19.88
Now what part of
"one" don't you understand?
00:37:27.65\00:37:30.55
It's very clear.
00:37:31.56\00:37:32.93
Notice John
chapter 14 and verse 6.
00:37:33.09\00:37:35.59
John chapter 14 and verse 6.
00:37:35.62\00:37:37.51
Not through Mary, not through
the saints, but through whom?
00:37:48.75\00:37:52.11
Jesus.
00:37:52.14\00:37:53.51
Because He's one of
us. He understands us.
00:37:53.54\00:37:55.62
He empathizes with us,
He sympathizes with us.
00:37:55.65\00:37:59.38
He knows our situation.
00:37:59.41\00:38:01.18
We don't need any other
individuals who supposedly
00:38:01.21\00:38:03.87
are more human than Jesus was.
00:38:03.90\00:38:05.98
Jesus understands.
00:38:06.01\00:38:08.12
Notice Hebrews
chapter 7 verses 25 and 26.
00:38:09.08\00:38:12.79
You see, in order for
a priest to represent us,
00:38:13.40\00:38:16.02
not only does He have to be man,
but He has to be a perfect man.
00:38:16.05\00:38:20.10
And he also has to be God.
00:38:20.94\00:38:23.06
So that
disqualifies all human priests.
00:38:23.46\00:38:26.00
Because there's no human
priest, other than Jesus,
00:38:26.15\00:38:28.62
that has perfect humanity,
and there's no human priest
00:38:28.65\00:38:31.21
that is God.
00:38:31.24\00:38:32.61
Now notice Hebrews
chapter 7 and verses 25 and 26.
00:38:32.72\00:38:37.14
Through whom? Through Mary?
00:38:46.78\00:38:48.53
No. Through the saints?
00:38:49.03\00:38:50.82
No. Through Jesus.
00:38:50.85\00:38:53.03
Why can Jesus intercede
before the Father for us?
00:38:59.09\00:39:02.88
Because not only is He a
man, but He is a perfect man.
00:39:02.91\00:39:07.23
So that disqualifies every
priest that I've ever know.
00:39:08.73\00:39:11.66
Notice what it
continues saying in verse 26.
00:39:12.00\00:39:14.31
In order for Jesus to
represent us, He has to be God
00:39:27.99\00:39:31.67
and He has to be a
perfect sinless man.
00:39:31.70\00:39:35.29
That disqualifies any priesthood
on earth that claims to be able
00:39:35.32\00:39:40.05
to represent us
before the throne of God.
00:39:40.08\00:39:43.18
You see, Jesus as God
represents us before God.
00:39:43.21\00:39:47.19
And Jesus as man
represents God to us.
00:39:48.00\00:39:52.18
In other words, Jesus is
the supreme bridge builder.
00:39:52.38\00:39:56.76
He has all of the qualifications
to connect heaven and earth
00:39:56.79\00:40:00.59
which are not possessed
by any priest that I know of
00:40:00.62\00:40:04.98
on planet earth.
00:40:05.01\00:40:06.38
1 John chapter 2 and verse
1 also emphasizes that Jesus
00:40:06.58\00:40:10.89
can represent us
because He is righteous.
00:40:10.92\00:40:13.61
It says there in 1 John
chapter 2 and verse 1...
00:40:13.82\00:40:16.46
An advocate means what?
00:40:29.18\00:40:30.80
A defense attorney.
00:40:30.83\00:40:32.61
Let me ask you, can
an unrighteous priest
00:40:39.95\00:40:41.90
represent us before God?
00:40:41.93\00:40:43.48
God would say,
zap, "You're a sinner.
00:40:43.79\00:40:48.15
You can't appear before Me."
00:40:48.48\00:40:50.03
The priest has to be what?
00:40:51.33\00:40:52.79
Righteous.
00:40:53.31\00:40:54.68
And when I come to Jesus...
00:40:54.73\00:40:56.17
And we're going to talk about
this in our next two lectures.
00:40:56.20\00:40:58.26
When I come to Jesus and I'm
repentant and I confess my sin,
00:40:58.29\00:41:01.67
I say, "Jesus, I'm
miserable. I'm lost.
00:41:01.70\00:41:04.16
Jesus, please take Your
righteousness, Your perfect
00:41:04.19\00:41:07.35
righteous life, and
put it to my account."
00:41:07.38\00:41:09.58
Jesus takes His righteous life
and He places it to my account.
00:41:09.61\00:41:13.17
And God looks upon me
as if I had never sinned.
00:41:13.47\00:41:16.21
A human priest cannot do that.
00:41:16.54\00:41:18.32
Fourth reason why
Jesus had to become a man.
00:41:20.57\00:41:22.50
Is the incarnation important?
00:41:22.60\00:41:24.49
Oh, it's a matter of
life and death, folks.
00:41:25.26\00:41:27.17
He had to come and
live in the camp before
00:41:27.47\00:41:29.32
He could die in the court.
00:41:29.35\00:41:30.72
Notice the fourth reason.
00:41:30.95\00:41:32.60
Jesus became a man so
that He could be tempted
00:41:32.90\00:41:35.88
and help those who are tempted.
00:41:35.91\00:41:37.84
Do you know the Bible
says that God can't be tempted?
00:41:39.00\00:41:41.27
Notice James
chapter 1 and verse 13.
00:41:42.26\00:41:45.65
James chapter 1 and verse 13.
00:41:45.68\00:41:48.95
It says...
00:41:49.16\00:41:50.53
Can God be tempted by evil?
00:42:03.00\00:42:04.77
Of course not.
00:42:04.80\00:42:06.17
So what would have happened
if Jesus had come as God?
00:42:06.20\00:42:08.46
Do you think the
devil can deceive God?
00:42:09.44\00:42:11.61
Listen, if Jesus
had come merely as God
00:42:13.29\00:42:15.64
and the devil had
tried to deceive Jesus,
00:42:15.67\00:42:17.77
Jesus would have
said, "You old devil.
00:42:17.80\00:42:19.62
I know it's you."
00:42:20.44\00:42:21.99
Because the omniscience of
Jesus would not have allowed Him
00:42:22.56\00:42:26.31
to be deceived.
00:42:26.34\00:42:28.54
That's why Jesus
had to come as a man.
00:42:28.93\00:42:31.56
To live as a man, to be tempted
as a man as we are tempted,
00:42:31.59\00:42:36.02
and yet overcome.
00:42:36.05\00:42:37.83
You see, if Jesus had gained
even one victory over Satan
00:42:37.86\00:42:41.99
by using His own divine power,
the devil would have said,
00:42:42.02\00:42:45.20
"No fair.
00:42:45.23\00:42:46.94
You expect human
beings to overcome temptation,
00:42:47.42\00:42:50.26
but their human beings.
00:42:50.29\00:42:51.66
You beat me as God.
00:42:51.69\00:42:53.12
That's no fair."
00:42:53.15\00:42:54.52
So Jesus came as a human
being and He did not gain
00:42:54.81\00:42:58.69
any victory over sin by
using His divine omnipotence
00:42:58.72\00:43:02.99
or His divine omniscience.
00:43:03.02\00:43:05.28
He gained the
victory as each one of us
00:43:05.31\00:43:07.91
can gain the victory as well.
00:43:07.94\00:43:10.08
He had no advantages over us.
00:43:10.11\00:43:12.03
Notice Hebrews chapter
4 and verses 14 through 16
00:43:12.99\00:43:16.85
where we find
this clearly revealed
00:43:16.88\00:43:18.72
that Jesus had to become a
man in order to be tempted.
00:43:18.75\00:43:21.43
Hebrews chapter 4
and verses 14 through 16.
00:43:21.46\00:43:25.11
It says there...
00:43:25.14\00:43:26.51
See, there's the idea
that He can sympathize with us.
00:43:39.05\00:43:41.76
Now notice what
it continues saying.
00:43:42.81\00:43:44.53
You see, we are like little
pebbles next to the sea side.
00:44:02.61\00:44:06.98
Have you ever seen the waves
come in with the little pebbles?
00:44:07.70\00:44:10.99
First they move out,
and then the waves come down
00:44:11.02\00:44:13.70
and the little
pebbles move down.
00:44:13.73\00:44:15.10
That's the way we
are before temptation.
00:44:15.13\00:44:17.20
We're moved to and fro.
00:44:17.23\00:44:18.67
But if you've been to
the Pacific Coast Highway...
00:44:19.25\00:44:21.14
I love to go to the
Pacific Coast Highway
00:44:21.17\00:44:22.97
and just stand there,
you know, from the heights
00:44:23.68\00:44:26.49
and see those waves
come crashing into those huge
00:44:26.52\00:44:31.10
boulders on the edge of the sea.
00:44:31.13\00:44:32.74
And the waves crash
against the boulders,
00:44:32.77\00:44:35.03
and the waves recede, and
the boulders are still there.
00:44:35.42\00:44:38.72
That's the way Jesus was.
00:44:39.11\00:44:40.72
We're like little
pebbles moved to and fro.
00:44:41.10\00:44:43.49
But Jesus faced all of
the waves of temptation.
00:44:43.52\00:44:46.83
And yet when the waves receded,
Jesus had been victorious.
00:44:47.58\00:44:52.67
That Bibles says that because
He was tempted in all things
00:44:53.74\00:44:56.84
such as we are,
He is able to what?
00:44:56.87\00:44:59.44
He is able to help
us when we are tempted.
00:44:59.64\00:45:02.36
And some people
say, "Well Pastor Bohr,
00:45:02.39\00:45:04.25
but Jesus never sinned.
00:45:04.28\00:45:06.03
How can He
understand us? We do sin."
00:45:06.06\00:45:08.53
Well, let me give
you an illustration.
00:45:09.44\00:45:11.15
If you were
sinking in quicksand...
00:45:12.03\00:45:14.38
...would you rather
have someone on solid ground
00:45:17.38\00:45:19.99
with a rope to throw to
you or would you rather have
00:45:20.02\00:45:22.38
somebody in the
quicksand sympathizing with you?
00:45:22.41\00:45:25.11
Imagine both of
you in the quicksand,
00:45:29.19\00:45:31.14
"Oh this is terrible,
isn't it." "Oh, we're sinking."
00:45:31.17\00:45:33.30
"Oh, we're going to die."
00:45:33.33\00:45:34.82
If Jesus had sinned, He would
be in the quicksand with us.
00:45:35.66\00:45:39.46
Praise the Lord
that He faced temptation,
00:45:39.86\00:45:42.21
every temptation plus
much more than we suffer,
00:45:42.24\00:45:45.88
and yet He remained firm.
00:45:45.91\00:45:48.71
He never sinned.
00:45:48.74\00:45:50.20
If He had sinned, He
could not be our Savior.
00:45:50.23\00:45:52.74
Notice Hebrews
chapter 2 and verse 18.
00:45:53.52\00:45:56.42
Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 18.
00:45:56.45\00:45:58.32
It says...
00:45:58.35\00:45:59.72
You see, Jesus is
the great pioneer.
00:46:07.75\00:46:10.73
Jesus has blazed
the road before us.
00:46:11.47\00:46:14.52
He knows all of the
devil's tricks because He has
00:46:14.55\00:46:17.45
already faced all
of the devil's tricks.
00:46:17.48\00:46:20.02
And He's able to reveal
all of those tricks to us.
00:46:20.22\00:46:24.00
He's able to say,
"Now when it comes to this,
00:46:24.20\00:46:26.54
remember to answer this way.
00:46:26.57\00:46:28.15
When it comes
to this temptation,
00:46:28.18\00:46:29.91
remember to face it that way."
00:46:29.94\00:46:31.66
He's been over the road.
00:46:31.69\00:46:33.49
He's blazed the trail for
us so that when we are tempted,
00:46:33.52\00:46:37.62
we can overcome as He overcame.
00:46:37.65\00:46:41.17
Reason number five why
Jesus had to become a man
00:46:43.55\00:46:47.36
and live in the camp with us.
00:46:47.39\00:46:49.01
Jesus became a man in
the likeness of sinful flesh,
00:46:49.96\00:46:55.82
the Bible says, so that through
the power of the Holy Spirit
00:46:55.85\00:46:59.90
Jesus could develop a
perfectly righteous human life
00:47:00.31\00:47:04.71
that He could impute to us
and that He could impart to us.
00:47:04.74\00:47:09.66
Now those are fancy theological
terms; impute and impart.
00:47:10.75\00:47:14.66
So let me just
explain what they mean.
00:47:15.33\00:47:17.68
Jesus lived a perfect life.
00:47:18.11\00:47:20.01
He lived the life
that we should live.
00:47:20.04\00:47:22.07
The life that the law requires.
00:47:23.85\00:47:25.40
The law say, "I
demand perfection.
00:47:25.43\00:47:27.57
If you don't give me
perfection, you die."
00:47:27.60\00:47:29.57
Jesus came and
lived that perfect life
00:47:30.38\00:47:33.09
that the law demands.
00:47:33.12\00:47:34.63
He lived it in my place.
00:47:35.23\00:47:36.94
So that when I come
to Jesus in repentance,
00:47:37.47\00:47:40.12
confessing my sin and
trusting in His merits,
00:47:40.15\00:47:43.39
Jesus takes the
perfect life that He lived
00:47:43.42\00:47:46.11
and He places it to my account.
00:47:46.14\00:47:48.15
And God looks upon me
as if I had never sinned.
00:47:48.18\00:47:50.89
Did Jesus have to
become a man in order to
00:47:51.53\00:47:54.03
credit His life to me?
00:47:54.06\00:47:55.83
Absolutely.
00:47:55.86\00:47:57.23
But Jesus not only came so that
He could impute His life to us,
00:47:57.26\00:48:01.18
He also came so that He could
impart His righteousness to us
00:48:01.21\00:48:05.09
so that we could
live a holy life.
00:48:05.12\00:48:07.62
The Holy Spirit that developed
His life has the pattern now,
00:48:08.24\00:48:12.64
because the Holy Spirit
developed the pattern life.
00:48:12.67\00:48:15.24
That same Holy Spirit now
is willing to mold our lives
00:48:15.27\00:48:19.75
in harmony with the
life of Jesus Christ.
00:48:19.78\00:48:22.64
You see, it's not enough
only for Jesus to live for us.
00:48:22.93\00:48:28.44
Jesus also wants to live in us.
00:48:28.47\00:48:31.77
The first is
imputed righteousness.
00:48:33.95\00:48:36.90
The second is called,
imparted righteousness.
00:48:36.93\00:48:41.41
Now let me
illustrate what I mean.
00:48:41.61\00:48:44.07
And some people have criticized
me for using this illustration,
00:48:47.15\00:48:51.06
but I'm going to use it anyway.
00:48:51.09\00:48:52.93
Because I think
it's a good illustration.
00:48:52.96\00:48:54.70
Did Jesus gain any victory
over temptation, over sin,
00:48:55.23\00:48:59.58
by using His divine nature?
00:48:59.61\00:49:01.44
Absolutely not.
00:49:01.81\00:49:03.47
Did Jesus tell us that we're
suppose to follow His example?
00:49:03.50\00:49:06.59
Yes.
00:49:07.08\00:49:08.45
Does He give us the
power to follow His example?
00:49:08.48\00:49:10.69
Absolutely.
00:49:10.72\00:49:12.09
Now listen up, let's
suppose that Superman existed.
00:49:12.12\00:49:15.82
Some people say, "Oh, I
don't like that illustration."
00:49:16.86\00:49:18.86
It's a good one.
00:49:18.89\00:49:20.28
Believe me, it's a good one.
00:49:20.31\00:49:21.68
Let's suppose
that Superman existed.
00:49:21.71\00:49:23.89
And Superman shows up
here in the middle aisle.
00:49:24.41\00:49:27.02
And he says to all of
us, he says, "Follow me."
00:49:27.55\00:49:31.88
Whoosh.
00:49:31.91\00:49:33.28
And he flies off into the air.
00:49:33.39\00:49:35.22
What would you say?
00:49:36.72\00:49:38.09
"See you later."
00:49:40.87\00:49:42.24
You know what I'd tell him?
00:49:44.77\00:49:46.14
"I can't fly.
00:49:46.63\00:49:48.09
You have powers
that I don't have."
00:49:48.61\00:49:50.33
Right?
00:49:51.42\00:49:52.79
So let me ask you this question.
00:49:53.59\00:49:55.21
Could Jesus ask us
to follow His example
00:49:56.24\00:49:58.85
if He used powers
to develop that example
00:49:59.94\00:50:02.77
that are not accessible to us?
00:50:02.80\00:50:04.71
Absolutely not.
00:50:05.35\00:50:06.72
The Bible repeatedly tells
us that Jesus gave us an example
00:50:07.10\00:50:10.56
that we're suppose to follow.
00:50:10.59\00:50:11.96
And God gives us the
power to follow His example.
00:50:11.99\00:50:14.39
It's not only looking
at the example and saying,
00:50:14.42\00:50:15.79
"Okay, I'll copy it." No.
00:50:15.82\00:50:17.19
The Holy Spirit
gives us the power
00:50:17.22\00:50:18.84
and lives the
life of Jesus in us.
00:50:18.87\00:50:21.62
Notice 1 John
chapter 2 and verse 6.
00:50:22.02\00:50:25.96
It says...
00:50:26.21\00:50:27.58
1 Peter chapter 2
and verse 21 says...
00:50:37.06\00:50:39.69
John 10 verse 27, Jesus says...
00:50:52.62\00:50:54.63
Now let's go quickly to reason
number six why Jesus had to
00:51:01.06\00:51:03.94
become a human being.
00:51:03.97\00:51:05.34
Is the humanity of
Jesus extremely important?
00:51:05.37\00:51:07.63
It's a matter of
life and death, folks.
00:51:08.21\00:51:09.96
Number six, Jesus
became a man so that He could
00:51:10.69\00:51:13.70
serve as a
sympathetic and impartial judge.
00:51:13.73\00:51:16.78
Notice John chapter 5
verse 22, and then we'll
00:51:18.46\00:51:21.11
jump down to verse 27.
00:51:21.14\00:51:22.97
John chapter 5 verse 22 says...
00:51:23.00\00:51:26.55
Why has the Father
committed the judgment to Jesus?
00:51:34.20\00:51:37.02
Verse 27 says...
00:51:37.05\00:51:38.42
Why can Jesus
judge? Because He is what?
00:51:48.33\00:51:50.98
The Son of man.
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.72
Are we all going to
have to stand before the
00:51:52.75\00:51:54.65
great judgment seat of Christ?
00:51:54.68\00:51:56.40
2 Corinthians chapter
5 and verse 10 says...
00:51:56.43\00:51:59.24
Now do you know what
the good news is for those
00:52:04.23\00:52:06.12
who have received Jesus
Christ; have repented of sin,
00:52:06.15\00:52:08.69
confessed their sin, and through
the power of the Holy Spirit
00:52:08.72\00:52:11.17
have gained the
victory over sin?
00:52:11.20\00:52:12.87
Do you know what
the good news is?
00:52:12.90\00:52:14.36
The Judge is also
our Defense Attorney.
00:52:15.22\00:52:18.04
I love that.
00:52:20.70\00:52:22.07
Wouldn't you like to
have the judge on your side?
00:52:22.84\00:52:24.97
Yeah, see, Jesus has
been through our experience.
00:52:25.74\00:52:28.15
When we come to Him,
Jesus not only will close the
00:52:28.18\00:52:33.41
devil's mouth by saying,
"This individual, yes, sinned.
00:52:33.44\00:52:39.14
Absolutely. The record is there.
00:52:39.17\00:52:41.28
But he or she
received Me as Savior and Lord.
00:52:41.63\00:52:44.68
And therefore, I pronounce
the judgment, not guilty."
00:52:45.23\00:52:49.36
Because the Judge
is also the Advocate.
00:52:49.66\00:52:53.24
That's good news.
00:52:53.56\00:52:54.93
Let me ask you, could
Jesus serve as a judge
00:52:55.32\00:52:58.06
if He wasn't a human being?
00:52:58.67\00:53:00.32
Could He really
sympathize with us?
00:53:00.35\00:53:02.19
Could He really represent
us fairly and with sympathy
00:53:02.51\00:53:05.48
and with empathy?
00:53:05.51\00:53:06.88
Absolutely not.
00:53:06.91\00:53:08.28
I would be afraid to appear
before the judgment bar of God
00:53:08.31\00:53:11.70
not having someone to
represent me who belongs
00:53:12.10\00:53:15.75
here as a human being.
00:53:16.21\00:53:18.40
Now the second
reason why Jesus Christ
00:53:18.43\00:53:20.74
only can judge.
00:53:22.25\00:53:23.63
And that is, that in
the judgment, there will be
00:53:23.83\00:53:25.57
no excuses.
00:53:25.60\00:53:27.04
I want you to
imagine someone that says,
00:53:28.23\00:53:29.87
"Well, you know, it's easy for
You to sit there on Your throne
00:53:29.90\00:53:34.11
and condemn me for all of
these sins that I committed
00:53:34.14\00:53:37.09
that I didn't repent of.
00:53:37.12\00:53:38.49
But You don't really
understand what it was like
00:53:38.52\00:53:40.81
to go through depression
and to go through grief
00:53:40.84\00:53:43.21
and to have to take drugs."
00:53:43.24\00:53:45.49
You know what
Jesus is going to say?
00:53:46.31\00:53:47.73
He's going to say, "Excuse Me?
00:53:48.27\00:53:50.16
Have you ever been to Calvary?
00:53:51.31\00:53:52.81
Have you ever
been to Gethsemane?
00:53:53.94\00:53:55.58
Listen, I was tested with drugs.
00:53:55.61\00:53:57.95
When I was on the
cross, they offered me a drug
00:53:57.98\00:54:00.68
to calm My pain.
00:54:00.71\00:54:02.15
And I said, 'No.'
00:54:02.86\00:54:04.23
So what did you
say your excuse was?"
00:54:04.72\00:54:06.52
Only a human being who
has walked in our shoes
00:54:08.06\00:54:10.69
can be someone who
will accept no excuses
00:54:11.35\00:54:14.48
in the judgment
for hanging on to sin.
00:54:14.51\00:54:17.03
Let's go
quickly to number seven.
00:54:18.10\00:54:19.96
I didn't think we were going
to get through these seven.
00:54:20.35\00:54:22.82
This is the longest lecture
that I have in this series.
00:54:22.85\00:54:25.72
But we're doing alright.
00:54:25.75\00:54:27.12
We still have
three minutes to go.
00:54:27.15\00:54:28.89
Reason number seven why
Jesus had to become a man.
00:54:32.30\00:54:34.78
So that He could come
again in His second coming.
00:54:35.04\00:54:38.84
Let's read quickly
John 14 verses 1 through 3,
00:54:39.46\00:54:42.26
which has been
greatly misunderstood.
00:54:42.29\00:54:43.93
Jesus says...
00:54:44.38\00:54:45.75
You know, many
people say Jesus went to
00:54:52.31\00:54:54.05
heaven to build mansions.
00:54:54.08\00:54:55.45
No He didn't.
00:54:55.48\00:54:56.85
He said, "In My Father's
house ARE many mansions."
00:54:56.88\00:54:59.58
They were there when He said it.
00:55:00.04\00:55:01.42
Jesus does not need 2000
years to do heavenly contracting
00:55:02.39\00:55:05.74
when He created
the world in six days
00:55:06.49\00:55:08.98
and rested on the seventh day.
00:55:09.01\00:55:10.72
So He says...
00:55:11.41\00:55:12.78
We usually think that this means
that Jesus went to heaven to
00:55:21.62\00:55:24.77
build houses and to plant trees
and to prepare a place for us.
00:55:24.80\00:55:29.20
But do you know why
Jesus went back to heaven?
00:55:29.23\00:55:31.17
He went back to heaven to carry
on His intercessory ministry
00:55:31.20\00:55:34.79
in the Holy Place.
00:55:34.82\00:55:36.19
That's part of the
work of preparation
00:55:36.39\00:55:38.79
of us for heaven.
00:55:38.82\00:55:40.19
You see, by
living His life on earth,
00:55:41.01\00:55:43.00
and by dying His
death, He now makes provision
00:55:43.37\00:55:46.84
for me to come to Him
and say, "Jesus, I'm sorry.
00:55:46.87\00:55:50.03
I confess my sin. I
trust in Your merits.
00:55:50.06\00:55:53.27
Please take that life
that You lived and that death
00:55:53.30\00:55:55.71
that You died, and Lord,
please place it to my account."
00:55:55.74\00:55:58.50
And I'm accepted in the Beloved.
00:55:58.53\00:56:00.23
That's what Jesus does now.
00:56:00.26\00:56:01.66
We're going to talk about
this in our next two lectures.
00:56:01.69\00:56:03.98
You know, there's this
conception that at the cross,
00:56:04.87\00:56:06.60
Jesus forgave everyone's sins.
00:56:06.63\00:56:08.29
No, no.
00:56:08.32\00:56:09.69
Jesus did not forgive anyone's
sins at the cross of Calvary.
00:56:10.30\00:56:13.20
And you say, "Wow,
this is some kind of heresy
00:56:13.23\00:56:15.46
Pastor Bohr is talking about."
00:56:15.49\00:56:16.86
I'm going to
prove it from Scripture.
00:56:16.89\00:56:18.57
You see, sin is forgiven
when you come to Jesus in faith
00:56:19.03\00:56:22.58
and you claim what Jesus did
by His life and by His death.
00:56:22.61\00:56:25.86
And then He also has
another thing that He has to do
00:56:26.87\00:56:29.79
to prepare the place for us.
00:56:29.82\00:56:31.19
He has to perform
a work of judgment
00:56:31.22\00:56:32.81
to shut the devil's mouth.
00:56:32.84\00:56:34.26
And so now He
intercedes in heaven.
00:56:35.10\00:56:37.44
He applies His
life and His death.
00:56:38.04\00:56:40.21
And then we all will
stand before the judgment seat
00:56:40.24\00:56:43.31
of Christ, and Jesus
will be our Advocate.
00:56:43.34\00:56:45.62
And then when His work is
finished, He's prepared a place,
00:56:45.65\00:56:48.95
and He will come again.
00:56:49.23\00:56:50.65
And as it says
in John chapter 14,
00:56:51.11\00:56:53.74
it says in verse 3...
00:56:53.77\00:56:55.24
"And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again..."
00:56:55.27\00:57:00.12
And at the time, He will have
taken care of the guilt of sin,
00:57:05.84\00:57:09.66
He will have taken
care of the power of sin,
00:57:10.11\00:57:12.70
and He will have taken
care of the presence of sin.
00:57:12.73\00:57:18.53
So the humanity of
Christ is everything to us.
00:57:20.06\00:57:23.18
And we can thank Jesus that
He became flesh of our flesh.
00:57:23.21\00:57:28.54