WEEK 2: Very God Who Became Flesh

DATE: August 16th

MAIN IDEA: The God who is above us has come near to us.

MAIN TEXT: John 1:1–18; Philippians 2:5–11

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Colossians 1:15–20; Hebrews 1:1–4; John 8:58; John 10:30; John 14:8–11; Hebrews 2:14–18; Galatians 4:4–5; 1 John 4:2–3

CREEDAL CONFESSION: "Very God from very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father... who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven... and was made man." (the Nicene Creed)

SERMON IDEAS:

- John 1 gives one of the clearest biblical foundations for the deity and incarnation of Christ. He is both GOD and HUMAN.

- "In the beginning was the Word" echoes Genesis 1 and shows that Jesus does not begin at Bethlehem. The Son is eternal.

- "The Word was with God" shows distinction between the Son and the Father.

- "The Word was God" shows the full deity of the Son.

- John 1:14 declares that the eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is not merely sent by God. He is God come near.

- The Word did not appear human or wear humanity like a costume. The Word became flesh.

- Philippians 2 shows the downward movement of the incarnation.

- Christ existed in the form of God, humbled Himself, took the form of a servant, was made in human likeness, and became obedient to death on a cross.

- The "emptying" of Christ does not mean Jesus stopped being divine. It means He humbled Himself by taking the form of a servant.

- Colossians 1 declares that Jesus is the image of the invisible God,

- the creator of all things, before all things,

- the sustainer of all things, and the One in whom all the fullness of God dwells.

- Hebrews 1 says the Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.

- Then Hebrews 2 explains why the incarnation was necessary. Since we have flesh and blood, Jesus shared in our humanity.

- Jesus became human to destroy the power of death, defeat the devil, free those enslaved by fear, and become a merciful and faithful high priest.

- The Council of Nicaea met in AD 325 to address confusion about the identity of the Son.

- Arius taught that the Son was highly exalted but not eternal in the same way as the Father.

- Nicaea rejected the idea that Jesus was a created being. The Church confessed that the Son is of the same essence as the Father.

- The Nicene Creed also confesses that this same eternal Son came down "for us and for our salvation" and "was made man."

- This means the identity of Jesus is directly connected to the salvation of humanity.

- If Jesus is not fully God, He cannot fully reveal God, receive worship, or save us completely.

- If Jesus is not fully man, He cannot represent us, die in our place, heal our humanity, sympathize with our weakness, or become the second Adam.

- This combines two essential truths: Jesus is fully God, and this same Jesus became fully man for us and for our salvation.

- Because He is both, it changes everything for me and my destiny.

- God came down to me as a human, and that has reshaped faith for everyone.

- The God who is above us has come near to us.

APPLICATION:

- Because Jesus is fully God, we can trust Him completely.

- Because Jesus is fully God, we can worship Him without hesitation.

- Because Jesus became flesh, we can bring our grief, exhaustion, temptation, shame, and weakness to Him.

- Because Jesus became flesh, our humanity matters to God.

- Because Jesus became flesh, we can face our brokenness with hope.

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