WEEK 3: One Lord With Two Natures

DATE: August 23rd

MAIN IDEA: The One who saves me understands me.

MAIN TEXT: Hebrews 4:14–16; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Hebrews 7:23–25; Romans 8:31–34; 2 Corinthians 5:19–21; John 1:14; John 10:30; Luke 22:39–46; Isaiah 53:4–6

CREEDAL CONFESSION: "One and the same Christ… acknowledged in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation." (the Chalcedonian Creed)

SERMON IDEAS:

- Hebrews 4 presents Jesus as our great high priest who has ascended into heaven.

-- He is exalted and has heavenly authority.

-- At the same time, Hebrews says Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because He was tempted in every way, yet without sin.

-- Jesus is not less sympathetic because He is sinless. He is more able to help because He endured temptation without surrendering to it.

- Colossians 2:9 says that in Christ all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form.

-- This one verse holds together the full deity and true humanity of Christ.

- 1 Timothy 2:5 says there is one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus.

-- Jesus mediates between God and humanity because He truly shares in both.

-- As God, He brings God to us.

-- As man, He brings us to God.

- The Council of Chalcedon met in AD 451 to clarify how Jesus is both fully God and fully human.

-- The Church confessed one and the same Christ in two natures: without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation.

-- "Without confusion" means the divine and human natures are not mixed into something else.

-- "Without change" means the divine nature remains divine and the human nature remains human.

-- "Without division" means Jesus is not two persons.

-- "Without separation" means His two natures are never pulled apart.

- Chalcedon should be taught with conviction and humility.

-- Please remember that this council meeting became a dividing point in church history, especially with Oriental Orthodox churches (which includes the Syriac Orthodox Church and some St. Thomas Kerala Christians).

-- Do not create more division, but the pastoral point remains powerful. Our churches are fundamentally and doctrinally distinct.

- The Jesus who saves us is not partial, mixed, divided, or distant.

-- Because Jesus is fully God, He has the power to save.

-- Because Jesus is fully human, He has the nearness to sympathize.

-- Because He is one Lord, His saving work is complete.

- He is fully both, fully integrated, fully distinct, and fully of wonder, and He calls to us "I know you and what you are going through… come to me."

- The One who saves me understands me.

APPLICATION:

- Because Jesus is both God and Human, we can come boldly to Jesus because He is both powerful and compassionate.

- Do not hide in shame. Approach the throne of grace with confidence.

- Believe that Jesus is able to save, able to sympathize, able to help, able to keep, and able to intercede.

- No one understands our situations as humans more than Jesus, so please trust that your weakness does not repel Jesus.

- Rest in the assurance that we do not need another mediator, savior, priest, or advocate.

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