Was Jesus God or Man?

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Early First United Methodist Church

July 17, 2005

Rev. Eddie Smart

Philip. 2:5-11 (NRSV)

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

⁶who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

⁷but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

⁸he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death--

even death on a cross.

⁹Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Bruce Thielemann shared in one of his sermons that he read of a Hindu who could not believe in Christianity because he could not contemplate a God who would so humble himself. Then one day the Hindu came upon an anthill. He tried to get close enough to it to study it, but every time he bent low, his shadow caused all the ants to scurry away. He recognized to himself that the only way in which he could ever come to know that colony of ants would be if he could somehow become an ant himself. And that was the moment at which his conversion began.

God became human. The theologians talk about incarnation. The story of scripture is one of God longing to restore a relationship with those God created. Paul describes Jesus in both as being divine and at the same time human. The one who was like God became like us so that we could become like Him. God becomes the humble one. God becomes a slave. For the first century people that was as low as you could get.

These words we read this morning don’t really match Paul’s style of writing. It is believed that Paul is quoting here. He is quoting what had become a popular Christian hymn celebrating God’s grace that came in Jesus as a humble human. Paul wants us to know that Jesus was human.

Jesus had a mother and father. He was totally dependent upon them until he reached the age to care for himself. It is humans who offer prayers to the divine. It was the regular practice of Jesus to pray to His Heavenly Father. Jesus was human–fully human.

Jesus, God in human flesh, was the humble one. On the night He was betrayed, He made the point of taking the job of a servant. He wrapped the towel around his waist, took the basin of water, knelt and washed the feet of the disciples. That was a slave’s job.

Origen in describing worship in the 3^rd century Christian church remember this story of Jesus. He wrote, “Jesus, my feet are dirty. Come even as a slave to me, pour water into your bowl, come and wash my feet. In asking such a thing I know I am overbold, but I dread what was threatened when you said to me, ‘If I do not wash your feet I have no fellowship with you.’ Wash my feet then, because I long for your companionship. Are we willing to allow Jesus to be our servant?

Albert Schweitzer once said, “One thing I know: The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” God became flesh that we might be reconciled to God. God became flesh and in the process became our teacher and example. Are we willing to be servants of one another?

Jesus was indeed fully human, and yet, he was also fully divine. We see the divine Jesus on the mountain as he stands in his glory flanked by Moses and Elijah. We see the divinity of Jesus as he heals lepers, the blind, the possessed, and the lame. We see the divinity of Jesus as we witness Him walking on stormy seas and calming those seas. We see the divinity of Jesus as he turns 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish into enough food to feed 5000 people.

The gospel of John begins with , “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 (NRSV) Jesus was from the beginning God. Jesus was a part of the creation. That same divine Jesus came to earth, took on the form of a human and humbled himself even to the point of dying on a cross for our sin. Jesus emptied himself in order that he might be our Savior.

I love this story about John Newton. I think I have probably shared it before, but it is worth repeating. Newton is remembered for his hymn "Amazing Grace." In his later years, he often lost his memory in the pulpit and had to be reminded of the subject about which he had been preaching. (Does that sound familiar?) He said, "My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Jesus is a great Savior."

Jesus left paradise so that you and I might know eternal life with Him. Jesus took the form of a slave–humbled himself, becoming obedient to death. Jesus took on our sins, dying on that cross for you and me.

So never, never forget: