The Reasons for Christ's Humanity #2

We needed a God-man to be our mediator, to bridge the gap in essence and guilt between us and God. Christ did that.

We needed a human sacrifice for sin that we weren't qualified to offer, that no one else was ever going to be qualified to offer. Christ stepped into the gap. We welcome you again to the Truth Pulpit with Don Green, founding pastor of Truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hi, I'm Bill Wright and we're concluding our series, The Most Blessed Birth. Don has part two of a message titled, The Reasons for Christ's Humanity.

Last time Don revealed the first two of four main reasons. Christ came to be our mediator and a human sacrifice needed because we are hopeless sinners by birth. Only one who is fully human can fulfill those qualifications. On today's program, our teacher will provide two more reasons, so have your Bible open as we join Pastor Don Green now in the Truth Pulpit. Hebrews chapter 2, beginning in verse 14. It says, Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, since they share in humanity, Christ Himself, He Himself, likewise also partook of the same. He shared in our humanity. God the Son took on human flesh with a goal toward death, it says, that through death He might render powerless, Him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, Christ did not become an angel, so He wasn't coming to redeem fallen angels, He came to redeem fallen men. And in the order of creation, that's amazing, and in verse 17 it says, Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Propitiation, that He might offer a sacrifice that would satisfy the wrath of God against your sins. And He took on human flesh in order to Himself be that sacrifice. The wonderful thing about Christ is He's the priest that offered the sacrifice, and He was the sacrifice Himself. He offered up Himself for your redemption, and He had to be a man to do that. And so we find that in Christ, why did He become a man?

What were the reasons for the humanity of Christ? We needed a God-man to be our mediator to bridge the gap in essence and guilt between us and God, Christ did that. We needed a human sacrifice for sin that we weren't qualified to offer, that no one else was ever going to be qualified to offer, Christ stepped into the gap. Christ as the only one with the essence and the qualifications to be able to do that, gladly stepped into the gap, gladly offered that sacrifice on the cross. Look at 1 Peter 3 verse 18, where this idea of sacrifice and mediation, although the words aren't used, is present in this signature text about our Lord Jesus. 1 Peter 3 verse 18, for Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, substitution in other words, so that He might bring us to God, mediation. He mediates, He substituted for us, He's the most wonderful one ever, there is no one better than Christ in our estimation, there was no one higher in our affections than this one who did that for us. Now, that's at the core of our redemption, now we come to Christ, now those of us that are in Christ we have this remaining period of time that life that the Lord gives us on earth and how are we then to live?

Where do we look to find our example? Well that brings us to the third aspect of the reasons for Christ's humanity, He came in part to be our pattern for life, to be our pattern for life. Point number three, because Jesus was a man, His life gives men who have been redeemed by Him an example to follow.

You are in 1 Peter, turn to chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2, we'll just barely touch on this, we'll briefly bounce on this here, but because Jesus was a man, His life gives you an example that you can follow. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 21, for you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. An example for you to follow in His steps, verse 22, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth, and while being reviled He did not revile in return, while suffering He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. Jesus, who was a man, responded to unjust mistreatment with patience and without retaliation.

He entrusted His situation to His Heavenly Father. And what Scripture is saying, in a simple principle whose application and ramifications go everywhere, says you look to Christ for your example. Do you find yourself frustrated in your immediate earthly circumstances? Do you find people that are mistreating you, perhaps even in the most intimate of your relationships? Do you find others disappointing you with their actions, with their words, with their lives?

I do. I won't illustrate it, it's not within my immediate household, but people disappoint me just like they disappoint you. And what are we to do with that when we encounter it and life becomes difficult as a result? First of all, you look to Christ for your example, you don't retaliate against those who personally wrong you, but here's the point that I want you to see above all else from this text and from this pattern. The pattern for Christ for you in those times of human disappointment that I know are so real and profound for some of you, and this is really, really immediate in the nature of life today for you. Look at the end of verse 23, as you feel afflicted, as you're waiting, as things aren't working out on your timetable, verse 23, what did Christ do that gives you the pattern for where you go, where you respond to those things today?

He kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously. Christ, in his earthly life, in the midst of his affliction, looked to his Father and entrusted himself to his Heavenly Father. Beloved, do you understand, do you see that that is your pattern as life is making you wait, as life is being difficult, as people are being difficult, as circumstances are robbing you of your joy? Don't you see, beloved, that the pattern of Christ as you look to that, as you look to those things, as you feel the weight of that affliction is to go to your Father and say, Father, you have loved me enough to send Christ. Father, you are in perfect control of every circumstance. Father, I know that you love me and I know that you intend good for me even though I don't feel it or see how it could work out that way right now. Father, rather than collapsing in regret or frustration or anger or retaliating or striking out against those that have put me in this position of infliction, Father, I'm just going to entrust myself to you. I know who you are. I know this is why Christ came. I see that this is what Christ did in his earthly life.

He trusted you during the time of his affliction. Father, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I trust you.

I submit to you. I accept this affliction. I accept this disappointment in this time that you've appointed for me.

And I am going to trust you that you will work this out in a way that pleases you and is good for me in your time. And in the meantime, Father, I want you to know I'm content that Christ loves me and gave himself up for my soul. I'm content to be reconciled to you. I'm grateful for that. And that's enough to satisfy the longing of my heart. Now, beloved, that's kind of convicting, isn't it? The joy of that, the rest in that, the peace of that, which is what our Lord deserves as our response, I realize that it's convicting to realize that that's not always the condition in which our heart operates. What I want you to see today is that this is where you move from your sense of disappointment or discouragement and you move in this direction. Christ entrusted himself to the Father during a time of earthly affliction.

God, that's what I want to do, too. I want you, by the power of your Spirit, to move me into the living reality of what Christ did before me. Right?

Right. Now, as you do that, beloved, as you do that, there's a final thought that is especially sweet. And it is one that I understand it is so easy to fall short of this. You could be with me, Christian, you could be with me in all that I've said in these first three points. I get the fact that Christ is my mediator, I get his substitute sacrifice, I get that in the meantime he's an example of trusting the Father during my time of affliction.

And I said these four are all a woven garment together that clothe you. But here's what I want you to see. Here's what I want you to remember as we contemplate the table in just a few moments.

Here's what I want you to think. Better yet, here's how God would have you think about his Son in the midst of those afflictions that you're trusting him for. What's your perspective on the way that Christ responds when you come to him like that? You come to him confessing your sin.

You come to him confessing that you've been dissatisfied with life. My own mind is convicting me as I say these things. I'm preaching to myself now, you're just listening in.

Except I am preaching to you. How are we to think that Christ receives us when we come like that and we come laying our guilty, untrusting souls before him and say, I want to move in the direction of trust. I know I've fallen short with what spirit, with what attitude does Christ receive his people when they come to him like that.

Don't trust your feelings on it because your feelings will tell you he's still mad, he's still angry, or at least they might. Here's the fourth point. Why did Christ come in human flesh? He came to be our sympathetic helper. He came to be our, and I emphasize the word today, our sympathetic helper. That he receives you in sympathy, in empathy, in kindness, in mercy.

With a sense of understanding and the desire to comfort you in the midst of it. Because Christ lived as a man, he can sympathize with your experiences of sorrow and frustration with the realities of life. Look at Hebrews chapter 2 again.

Hebrews chapter 2. And you know some texts are familiar for a reason, some texts you go back to again and again because they're just so central. Because they're so foundational.

Because they shape your world view in a way that flavors all of life. Those of you that have been under the weight of various kinds of affliction. Hear the word of God right here in chapter 2 verse 18. For since he himself was tempted in that which he has suffered. Christ was tempted, Christ suffered. What does that mean for you and me as we come to him trying to entrust ourselves in the midst of our weakness and affliction and sometimes failing often in the process? Well verse 18 means that he's able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

He has the ability to understand, he has the ability to sympathize because he has been a man too. He has lived in the midst of the contradiction of sinners against himself. He was on the receiving end of hostility, of rejection. He was on the receiving end of the dusty roads of Jerusalem. He was on the receiving end of the crown of thorns. He was on the receiving end of the spit. He was on the receiving end of the beating fists against him.

He was on the receiving end of the mocking. He knows better than us the fullness of what sin unleashes against those trying to live for God. And so he knows what it's like and in his humanity he felt the pain of that. He felt the betrayal of Judas prophesied in the Psalms beforehand. It was you, a man that I shared bread with that's betrayed me. Well those of you that have been betrayed, you have a sympathetic helper in Christ.

He knows what that betrayal is like. And so what that means is when you come to him, he receives you in kindness. He receives you in mercy. He receives you with a perspective that he himself has been there. He himself knows what that's like.

He knows that that's difficult and therefore he receives you as a sympathetic friend. What a friend we have in Jesus. All our griefs and sins to bear. Look at chapter 4 of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 4.

And so we picture ourselves in our frail fallen failing humanity. Failing as Christians coming to Christ weary from the load, weary of our own failure, weary of what the world inflicts upon us. And we come and we lay it out before our Christ.

And what is his response? Verse 15 of Hebrews chapter 4. We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but one who has been tempted in all things as we are yet without sin. Then the command, the exhortation.

Understand that this is more than just a general invitation to take or leave as you wish. This is the command of God for the comfort of your soul that we read here in verse 16. This exhortation says, Therefore, because Christ has been a man and has suffered, the reason for his humanity leads to this conclusion. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Are you tempted today? So was Christ. Are you suffering? So did Christ.

Are you in physical need? So was Christ. Are you slandered? So was Christ.

Have you been betrayed by friends? So was Christ. Is it a season of weeping in your life? There's been some serious loss in our congregation over the past year, a little over a year. Times of seasons of weeping.

Are you weeping? So did Christ. Charles Spurgeon found comfort in the humanity of Christ when he said this in his exposition of Psalm 88. And I've gone back to this text again and again and again in my own heart and in my own life, realizing that the prince of preachers found in the humanity of Christ that which comforted him in the midst of his affliction and depression. Spurgeon had the humility to say this about himself. He said this, and I quote, he said, He who now feebly expounds these words knows within himself more than he would care to tell of inward anguish.

This is Charles Spurgeon. I know more about inward anguish than I would care to say, he said, continuing the quote. He says it is an unspeakable consolation that our Lord Jesus knows this experience, having with the exception of the sin of it, felt it all in Gethsemane when he was exceeding sorrowful even unto death. End quote. You know. We don't say this tritely and we don't say this in a flippant casual manner. We say this as an earnest summary of the teaching of scripture.

That God would have you take and reflect and meditate on to be the strength and comfort and encouragement for you, even in the midst of the worst of your times. Jesus understands. Jesus cares.

Jesus will help. It's why he came. Now, why would God bother? Why would God bother? Why not use his celestial foot?

I speak in metaphor and hyperbole. Why not use his celestial foot and kick the earth like a soccer ball and kick it away for all of its manifest rebellion against him? Why bother? Because he's a God of love. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Why did Christ become a man? Well, he came to be our mediator, our substitute sacrifice. He came to offer his life as an example to us.

He came to be our sympathetic helper. But you probe just a little bit more and say, but why? Why? What's in it for him that he doesn't already have? Why that for sinners like you and me?

Why? Because it's his nature to love. It's his nature to sacrifice on behalf of his people. It's his nature to love and comfort those who are like sheep without a shepherd.

That's who he is. Those of you in the midst of great affliction in Christ, out of Christ, I invite you to come to this sympathetic one. Those of you not in Christ, I call upon you to repent of your sin and to receive this gracious Savior. There is no justification anywhere in the universe in the course of infinity for any sinner to spurn an offer like that. There is nothing lacking in Christ. There is no willingness lacking in Christ. He calls you to come and he will receive you and save you.

Why would you not do that? And struggling Christian, I would just remind you, you know these things. We've rehearsed them to realize that in Christ you have one. Just as he received you and you came to him in the first instance and cried out for mercy knowing you were a sinner, now you find yourself having stumbled again.

He hasn't changed. His loving, gracious disposition is just the same. You can come to him confessing your sin and know that he'll receive you well. What a wonderful Savior. Let's bow together in prayer as our young men come. Our Father, we thank you that in Christ you have given us the fullness of your blessings. This Christ is one of us and he is near. We thank you for the goodness of Christ toward us. We thank you that we can trust him for all things. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. To summarize, Christ came to be our mediator, a sacrifice in our place, a pattern for our lives, and a sympathetic Helper.

But above all, our Lord came for all those reasons because it's his very nature to love us and sacrifice on our behalf. And so we've wrapped up our series, The Most Blessed Birth, here on The Truth Pulpit. And with Christmas upon us, here once again is Don with his Christmas tidings. Well, thank you, Bill, for this opportunity to just address everyone in a little more personal way, perhaps. My friends, I know that the Christmas season has for a lot of us a lot of emotion.

There's a lot of, perhaps a little bit of artificial excitement to it. My prayer and my desire for you is that the true things, the real reasons behind the birth of Christ, would become a living reality in your heart. That you would understand that God, in love, sent his Son to be the Savior of sinners just like you. And that through simple faith in Christ, a repentance from sin and faith in Christ, you can receive a righteousness as a gift from God that satisfies what he requires, and you can live with him in heaven forever and ever, despite your sins. Christ is a perfect Savior for those who come to him by faith.

I ask you in love, my friend, do you know him like that? If so, rejoice. If not, let this Christmas be the occasion of your new birth. Thank you, Don. And friend, remember also to visit thetruthpulpit.com, where you can learn more about podcasts and free CDs of Don's teaching. I'm Bill Wright. Merry Christmas. We'll see you next time on The Truth Pulpit.