Sermon
When God Became Man
March 25-26, 2000
Pastor Donald Sheley

I'd like for you to take your Bibles and join with me in our study as we continue in John's gospel today, and if you're using the pew Bible it's page 713, if you'd like to turn there in the red pew Bible, page 713. And we're studying the gospel of John almost phrase by phrase, word by word, and we're at verse 14 chapter 1. If you're new with us today we're delighted that you're here, and so you're in the early moments of our study. We'll be here for possibly a year or two or three, whatever it takes. It doesn't really make any difference. It's God's Word, isn't it?

Verse 14 says, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, (that's John the Baptist) bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'" And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

As each of us began our Christian experience or as we have journeyed along in our maturing process, various verses of the Bible become very precious to us. When I was a little lad in Sunday school the verse that I learned 65 years ago was 'For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son', John 3:16. Some of you have in life's journey come across verses that have become very meaningful to you, the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. I like that verse 1 John 3:1-2, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! It goes on to say we know not what we shall be, but we know that when we shall see Him, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Each of us consider portions, that great portion in the last few verses of Romans 8, what can separate us from the love of God? Many verses we consider great, but I'd like for you to take your notes this morning and I've suggested in the very first sentence, and if you'd don't have notes just raise your hands because we're going to follow them quite closely today. Would you do that? If you'd don't have notes just raise your hand, and ushers quickly come and help me because we have a number of folks who need. Hold your hands up. Just keep them up folks. Ushers are you there? Are you awake? Or did you desert me? There we come. Just keep your hand up because we're going to follow the notes quite closely. Okay?

I've suggested that it might well be held that this verse, first 14, 'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten, full of grace and truth.' I have suggested that this could be, and considered by most theologians, to be the greatest verse in the New Testament. And we will most likely spend four or five Sundays simply on this one verse because what we have is the concept of God taking on human flesh and that is absolutely a staggering concept. And we're going to try to take with our limited arms of human intelligence and reach around or at least try to understand this great truth. So we'll just take it a bit at a time for here we have the infinite who becomes finite. Here we have the invisible who becomes tangible. We have the transcendent that becomes imminent. That which was far off drew nigh. That which was beyond the reach of human mind became that which could be beholden within the realm of human life. The subject, the incarnation. What's it mean? It's simply means that moment in human history when God came to this earth and took upon Himself the human form of Jesus Christ. Bethlehem was the commencement of the incarnation, God in human form.

Now I've suggested down at the bottom of the page, and I trust you'll read these, so staggeringly new was this conception of God in a human form that it was not surprising that there were some even in the church who could not believe it. Because John says that the Word became SARX. It's a Greek word. It's the word that Paul uses over and over again to describe what he called the flesh, the human nature (I'm on page 2 now) in all of its weakness, in all of its liability to sin. And the very thought of taking this word and applying it to God was something that their minds staggered at, and because they couldn't grasp it, there formed in the church a heresy. And go down in the middle of your page may be two-thirds down, that heresy was known as docetism. I've put there Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man.

Question. Why was Jesus' full humanity necessary? Or, why did God take upon Himself human form? Or, why was it necessary for God to become man? That's really at the heart of our Christian theology. For you see when John wrote his first epistle a heretical teaching was circulating in the church to the effect that Jesus was not a man. And this heresy became known as docetism. So serious was this denial of truth about Christ that John could say it was the doctrine of the antichrist. 1 John 4:2-3 says, "By this you know the Spirit of God: that every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not God. This is the spirit of antichrist." And thus the apostle John understood that to deny Jesus' true humanity was to deny something at the very heart of our Christian faith, and so that no one who denied that Jesus had come in the flesh was sent from God. So the docetics, those for the people who believed in this heresy, this is the time of John, held that Jesus in fact was only a phantom; that His human body was not a real body; that He could not really feel hunger or weariness, sorrow or pain; that He was in fact a disembodied spirit in the apparent form of a man. And as we look through the New Testament we see several reasons why Jesus had to be fully man, and to understand why what John says, the Word became flesh. He is reacting. I'm sure if we were sitting there and he's dictating this there is passion. He is saying, the Word did become flesh! You docetics you say that He's a phantom, that He's a disembodied spirit. No He's not! The Word, God Almighty, took upon Himself human form in the person of Jesus Christ. He is saying this to counteract the teachings of those heretics, and there's passion and those words. The Word became flesh.

I have suggested to you that every cult and every heresy when they began they always start with the person of Jesus Christ, and that's where they began to disembody, disfigure the whole biblical concept, make Jesus Christ something less than who He is, and at the heart of every heresy, every cult, is a wrong concept an unbiblical concept of Christ. That's true, and when somebody comes to you and wants to talk religion to you, you ask them the very first question, what is that you think of Jesus Christ? And they'll reveal either error or truth in their answer, because that is where heresy begins and that's where cults start. Tear Jesus down, make Him less than the Bible says He is, and then go to it from there.

Now I speak to you today with passion because I have a heavy heart and I'll tell you why. You know that we have a Christian school here that has nearly 1000 children, recognized as one of the finest in the county. But every day those children are taught Bible and they have their chapel services. We sink the Word of God as deeply as we can into their hearts. Now I have a little lad that's been with me for nine years I think, and this week the mother calls and says we are taking our child out of your school because your teaching heresy, you're teaching him differently then what we teach in our church and in our home. And the next question is, well what is it you're teaching him? And the answer, and you who know me know that I'm exceedingly cautious in using names, but this is so dear to me I must tell you everything. We asked the question, what is the little boy being taught? And the answer was he's being taught the doctrines of Mormonism.

So Friday the little lad leaves the school and I'm thinking what is that little lad being taught. So I went to my encyclopedia of knowledge where someone has gone, Dr. Ankerberg and Weldon, has gone through and picked out of the religions of the world, right out of their books, phrases that they say that define them in their religious beliefs. And so I turned and its says, what do Mormons teach about Jesus Christ? Number one, that He was a created being and that He was the blood brother of Satan. Now you see folks we're not taught that, but when you get into their books, when you get into these cults and into these heresies and you start finding what it says, that little boy is being taught that Jesus Christ is the brother of Lucifer. Secondly, that He earned His salvation. They say that Jesus earned His salvation by dying on a cross. Thirdly, that He's just a common and of minor importance in the larger cosmology of the universe. Jesus? Minor? Common? No sir! He's the divine Son of God, the Savior of the world, and never make Him a common being.

They go on to teach that Jesus Christ was conceived by a physical act, a sex act, between Adam and Mary. And they tell their people that Jesus was a married polygamist. Two of His wives were Mary and Martha, and who knows how many more, and He bore many, many children. And we're teaching heresy? And I could get just as passionate as John was when he wrote those words, the Word became flesh! You docetics you're wrong. You're teaching heresy. You're teaching the teachings of antichrist. Such teaching as I've just read for you is blasphemy and it's total error. That's what gives us the background for our passage today, the Word became flesh. John is saying you who try to teach this heresy of Docetism, I'm telling you that God Almighty came to this world in the person of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ was none other than the Son of God, God Almighty.

Now, you say well Pastor, why is that so important? I'm saying it's the key issue, one of the key issues, one of the foundation stones of our Christian faith. I'm with you on page 2, and I'm suggesting that when we look through the Bible (I'm down at the bottom of the page) the New Testament, we see several reasons why Jesus had to be fully man if he was going to be the Messiah and our Savior. The Bible gives us many, but I've selected seven. Seven reasons why John felt it imperative to write-down for all the Word, God, became flesh.

Number one, He did this to be our representative in obedience. Jesus was our representative and He obeyed for us where Adam had failed and disobeyed. We see this in the parallels between Jesus' temptation in the garden and the time of testing for Adam and Eve in their garden, the Garden of Eden. It's also clearly reflected in Paul's discussion of the parallels between Adam and Christ, in Adam disobedience, in Christ obedience. Page 3, Romans 5:18-19. Paul says, "Then as one man's trespass lead to condemnation for all men, so one man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men. For as by one man's disobedience (that's Adam's) many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience (that's Christ) many will be made righteous." So He becomes the one who represents true obedience.

Number two, the Word became flesh to be the substitute sacrifice for our sins. If Jesus had not been a man, we say that Jesus Christ, perfect God, perfect man. He is the God-man, perfect God-man. If Jesus had not been a man, He could not have died in our place and paid the penalty that was due to us. Hebrews 2:14-17 says, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood (that's us, flesh and blood), He (speaking of Christ) also Himself likewise took part of the same. That's the same thing John says, the Word became flesh. The writer to Hebrews goes on to say that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took upon Him the seed of Abraham. That's to say He took upon Him human form. He didn't become an angel. He became a man. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto us, like His brethren. In other words if He's going to be our Savior to save us from our human sin, He takes on humanity to do that. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of His people. Now Jesus had to become a man not an angel because God was concerned with saving men not with saving angels, but to do this He had to be made like us in every way so that He might become the propitiation, that is for us the sacrifice as the acceptable substitute for our sin. If you take Jesus and make Him anything less than the Scriptures teach, you've wiped out this whole idea of a Savior for a sinful world.

Thirdly, the Word became flesh to be made the one mediator between God and man. Because we were alienated from God by sin, we needed someone to come between God and ourselves and bring us back to Him. And we needed a mediator who could represent us to God and who could represent God to us. There's only one person who ever fulfilled that requirement. And Paul tells Timothy, "There's one God, and there's one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" It's very clear. Do away with Jesus and you don't have the eternal advocate standing at the judgment bar on that eternal day. There's no attorney for you. For Jesus is that great attorney that's our advocate. He's going to take our position and take our sentence. He died for us. He's already paid the penalty, but if Jesus isn't who He is, when you stand on that eternal day before God, there's nobody to plead your case. That's sad.

Number four, the Word became flesh to fulfill God's original purpose for man to rule over creation. God put mankind on the earth to subdue it and rule over it as God's representatives. But man did not fulfill that purpose, he instead fell into sin. And the author of Hebrews realizes that God intended everything to be in subjection to man, but he admits, "As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him". So then when Jesus came as a man, He was able to obey God and thereby have the right to rule over creation as a man, thus fulfilling God's original purpose in putting man on the earth. When Jesus came, because of who He was, He could stand on the bow of that ship and say, waves, silent down. He could say to the fish, come over here we want to catch you. He could say to that tomb, come forth Lazarus. And He who ruled eternity rules this earth. That was something He wanted to give to mankind, and He told Adam to rule over the earth and subdue it. But he sinned and we lost that dominion, that rulership. Christ came back to claim it, and He did.

Next page, page 4. The Word became flesh to be a pattern for our redeemed bodies. Paul tells us that when Jesus rose from the dead He rose a new body that was "imperishable... that was raised in glory...it was raised in power...it was raised a spiritual body". This new resurrection body that Jesus had when He rose from the dead is the pattern for our bodies when we will be like Him when we are raised from the dead. Now remember this, not only when Jesus came did He come to redeem our souls, but He came to redeem this body. When God created Adam and Eve in the garden I cannot tell you what kind of body it was, but think with me just for a minute. It took the fall, it took the act of disobedience, for them to realize their humanness. Because they didn't realize, they didn't recognize their humanness before. As soon as they partook of that tree the first thing they said, we're naked. They recognized their nakedness. Now the question I ask is what kind of body did they have before the fall that they didn't recognize their humanness that changed because of sin? Interesting question. When Jesus came He came not only to redeem our souls, but He came to redeem our bodies. I know why. When He came out of that tomb and He walked in with those disciples in fear, He had all the appearance, He said Thomas here's My hand. See the prints of the nail. But He had taken that human body and now it's changed. He could walk into the room and never come through the door. He's got a glorified body. And John says, beloved, now we do not know what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we're going to see Him as He is. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, when God wraps up all of the plans for this universe and you and I are brought into heaven, in a moment we're going to have a body just like Jesus. Now here's what's important about it. Now you understand if Jesus came not only to redeem my soul but to redeem my body, and the Bible tells us that this body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, He bought us with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, you can understand why this body is so important. And that's why we're instructed in the Scriptures to make sure that we live pure lives, that we keep it holy, that we keep it undefiled before God, because we, this body, is the temple of the Holy Spirit. And one of these days this temple is going to be transformed and I'm going to walk with you down the streets of glory in a redeemed body. No more glasses. No more headaches. No more worrying about aging. Jesus had to take upon Himself a human body in order to redeem a human body that had been marred by the effects of sin.

Last one, 7. The Word became flesh because you and I needed a High Priest, someone who could sympathize with us. The author of Hebrews reminds us that "because he himself has suffered and been tempted he is able to help those who are tempted seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let's hold fast our profession. For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. If Jesus had not been a man, He would not have been able to know by experience what we go through in our temptations and in our struggles in life. But because He has lived as a man, He is able to sympathize more fully in our experience. So when you and I go to prayer, say Jesus, I hurt today. And He answers back and says I understand, when I was there I hurt too. Jesus they're talking about me! I understand, they talked about Me. They called me a child of fornication. They called me demon possessed. I know. I understand. Jesus, my friends have forsaken me. He said that's all right, I understand, when I went to the cross they all forsook Me and fled. I understand. But Jesus, I'm lonely! And He says I understand, I came to My world and walked among men, and no one recognized Me. Because He came, took upon Himself human form, walked the pathways we walk, felt the pain and the rejection we feel, when we open our hearts in prayer; we say Jesus, You've been here and You know how rough it is. He can say yes, I understand.

Seven reasons why the Word became flesh, to be our sacrifice, our pattern, our Savior, our Mediator, and our great High Priest. And when my little lad walked out Friday, I had reason to have a heavy heart because he's now going to be robbed of a Savior, of a Mediator, of a sacrifice, and of God. Now you understand why John wrote those words. It's so important. God took upon Himself human form in the person of Jesus Christ so He could be everything I need Him to be.

My last paragraph on page 4. The Word became flesh. This is by far the most amazing miracle in the entire Bible. Far more amazing than the resurrection, and far more amazing even than the creation of the universe. The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of God could become man and join Himself to a human nature forever, so that infinite God became one person with finite man, will remain for eternity the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in all the universe! Now you understand why I said it's probably the New Testament's greatest verse.

Let's pray. Lord Jesus I pray for my little boy may it be that the years that You gave us to plant the seeds of Your Word in his heart will one of these days, when he has the ability to make decisions for himself, may the seeds that we planted in his classroom and in this room, this chapel, someday flourish and may truth fill his heart, O Christ I pray. May it be that we as Christians tenaciously protect as John did against those heretical teachers, the docetics. May we tenaciously protect Your divinity, Your glory, Your majesty, and Your wonder. You're not a common person Jesus. You're our Savior. You're our God. You're our King of kings, and our Lord of lords, and we love You with all of our heart. Amen. God bless you.