A Sermon By Wayne Camp
SERIES TEXT: Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.
TEXT: Jn. 6:51
INTRO: In the series thus far we have considered the fact that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly and really man. We saw the importance, yea, the absolute necessity of knowing him both as God and man. In this message we will consider the necessity of the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are two great mysteries that I have repeatedly meditated upon in the preparation of these messages. One it the Godhead. I do not understand, though I believe it whole-heartedly, how three Persons, Father, Word and Spirit can yet be One God. Three co-equal, co-eternal, co-existent Persons, yet one God, one Godhead. The second mystery is that which has to do with the hypostatic union of two separate and complete natures united in one Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. This one person is so truly God it is as though he were not man, and so truly man it is as though he were not God. A hypostatic union. He is not part God and part man. He is God. He is man.
But, let me assure you, this is what his work in the covenant of grace required. If he would die he must be man, because God cannot die. If that death would merit eternal life for an innumerable multitude he must be God, for not even a sinless man could merit eternal life for one sinner. If he would offer a sacrifice for sins as our great high priest, he must have something to offer, therefore he took flesh and blood, a body prepared by God; if that sacrifice would so satisfy God that every charge against us would be settled forever, he must be God for the merits of that sacrifice to be so infinite as to satisfy God for every sin of an innumerable multitude.
Two great mysteriesCthree persons who are one God and one Person who has two complete natures.
A. Nothing could happen to him that was contrary to what was declared in the Scriptures.
B. Nothing could fail to happen to him if it was declared in Scripture. Luke 24:44 . . .all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
C. The veracity and integrity of God's word could not be diminished one bit and the truth mean anything.
D. The deity of Christ was declared in Scripture long before Christ was born.
1. Consider Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
2. Consider Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
3. See the fulfillment of this in Matthew 1:18-23 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
II. TO KNOW CHRIST WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE THINGS HE ACCOMPLISHED BY BEING MADE FLESH NECESSITATED HIS DEITY
A. He gave us the true bread from heaven which we must eat by faith if we are to have eternal life. John 6:51-56 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
1. The flesh and blood which he would give must have sufficient worth and merit to justify God giving eternal life on the grounds of it.
2. No human person, even a sinless man as Adam before the fall or the sinless man Jesus, could give his flesh and blood for the life of the world unless there is something that is united with that flesh and blood that makes it of infinite dignity, merit and worth.
3. It is the hypostatic union of the Divine nature with the human nature that lends it the infinite merit required for the giving of eternal life.
4. Even though we have seen that he received his human nature from being formed in the womb of Mary; he shows its infinite worth and merit, its power to give everlasting life, its power to cause us to never hunger or thirst again by calling it the bread from heaven. John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
5. If his human nature, his flesh and blood would be the bread and drink of eternal life, they must be so vitally united with the Divine nature as to be able to call them bread from heaven.
B. He made it possible that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us in spite of the weakness of our flesh. Romans 8:3-4 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
1. If we are to enter into heaven we must have a righteousness equal to that of God in its purity.
2. The law was weak through the flesh and no man could meet its demands.
3. Someone in the flesh must satisfy that holy law if that required righteousness is ever fulfilled.
4. The man Christ Jesus was made in our likeness, the likeness of sinful flesh.
5. That man, Jesus, must also be God the Son if his obedience would be of such infinite merit that it could be imputed to the account of all that innumerable multitude for whom he was obedient and for whom he paid the penalty of the law.
6. He abolished the enmity of the law by keeping and fulfilling it in a human nature like ours. Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.
C. He did every thing necessary to present us holy, unblamable, and unreprovable in his sight. Colossians 1:21-22 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreproveable in his sight.
1. I would remind you that this was accomplished in the body of his flesh through death.
2. I would also remind you that God must be in him if that grand work of reconciliation would be accomplished. 2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
D. He revealed God in his flesh. 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
1. His glory was the glory of the only begotten of the Father. John 1:14 And the Word was made 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.
2. In him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
3. There is a manner in which the whole creation reveals God. Romans 1:19-20 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.
a. Look into the heavens and they reveal his glory. Psalm 19:1-3 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Psalm 97:6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
4. God revealed himself in different ways down through the ages.
5. God is revealed in his written word and that is a much fuller revelation of God than in nature, or in visions and dreams. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
6. God's greatest revelation of himself which man has every seen was in the person of Jesus Christ.
a. If we would behold his glory it must be in God the Word made flesh. Jn. 1:14
b. If we would see God we must see him in his Son made flesh and dwelling among us. John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
c. If we are to see the fulness of the Godhead we must see it bodily in the man Christ Jesus. Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
E. He destroyed the power of Satan and delivered his people from the fear of death. Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.
1. If he would destroy the one who has the power of death he must do it through death.
2. Since God cannot die he must partake of a nature that can die so he took on him flesh and blood.
3. But, if he would enter into the realm of death and by it have the power to destroy him who had the power of death, he most be more than a mere sinless man.
4. He must have power to give his life, not have it taken from him by man.
5. He must have power to lay down his life and take his life up again and this could only be done if he were God. John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
F. He has opened up the way for us to enter into heaven. Hebrews 10:19-20 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.
1. Unfallen Adam did not have access to heaven but was confined to this earth even before his fall.
2. A mere sinless man could not open up a way into heaven for sinners merely on his human merits.
3. The blood of the one opening the way must be of such infinite worth that all who are redeemed by it can enter into the very presence of God.
4. The infinite worth of the shed blood of Jesus Christ must be attributed to the hypostatic union of the Divine nature with the human nature.
5. That union is such, and the Divine nature so affects the human nature that the blood of the Man Christ Jesus can properly and Scripturally be called the blood of God. Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
G. He suffered for our sins and brought us to God. 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.
1. Let me remind you again that Christ's death was a death in the flesh; his deity did not die; God cannot die, he was put to death in the flesh, he suffered for sins in the flesh.
2. But, if that death was to serve its purpose and secure our justification, that suffering and death must have infinite worth and infinite merit.
3. That was achieved through the union of the Divine nature with the human nature, lending the human nature the Divine merit and infinite worth.
4. Because of this it is said that they crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
H. He did all these things in the flesh and through his suffering and death in the flesh, but, it would have done us no good had all that he did in the flesh not received infinite worth and merit from the union of his Divine nature with his human nature.
A. A mediator is not a mediator of one therefore the mediator could not be either God or man; he must be both God and man. Galatians 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
B. If he would manifest God to us he must be God in the flesh. I Tim. 3:16
C. If he would set forth the exact, precise will of God he must be God. Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
D. If he would serve as the angel of the everlasting covenant of grace, he must be privy to that covenant and none were but the three persons of the Godhead. Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
E. If he would be our counsellor concerning the things of God he must be mighty God and everlasting father. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
CONC: He must be God with us. He must be the eternal Word made flesh and dwelling among us. A sinless man could never save if he were not also God, for salvation is of the Lord. God alone can save and he shall save he shall save his people from their sins, so he must be God and he was God. His glory was the glory of the only begotten of the Father. God is the God of all grace and he was full of grace. He was eternally rich but became extremely pure that we might be rich. In him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Yes, his name was called Emmanuel, God with us!
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