John 5:18-27
Introduction
Jesus is man and God. He has the nature of both eternal deity and mortal humanity which makes it possible for Jesus to be the way we can connect with God and experience heaven with earth. The virgin birth is what unites the two natures into the person of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:18). Fulfilling prophecy (Isa 7:14), Jesus was born of a virgin: conceived in the womb of His mother Mary, through the Holy Spirit, without the agency of a human father. His virgin birth protected Christ’s deity and preserved His humanity, making Jesus fully man and fully God. Because of this, He is the most unique person that has ever lived!
As the Son of God, Christ bears the prerogative of Deity and the privilege of the divine nature. All the attributes of God such as omniscience (Job 37:16), omnipresence (Ps 139:7-10), and omnipotence (Job 42:2) also belong to Jesus. Like God, Jesus Christ is an eternal being. He is not limited by time and space; whatever is true of God is true of Jesus because they share the divine nature. Jesus possesses the divine power of God while He simultaneously fulfills the destiny of man. Because Jesus is fully human, He could pay for our sins, overcome death, and fulfill the destiny of man to rule on God’s behalf on earth (Heb 2:14-15). Jesus being both God and man allows Him to operate in both natures at the same time without mixing either one. The theological term for this is the hypostatic union.
Heaven and earth are linked together because Jesus is both God and man. We can find our point of connection to God because Jesus was born of virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit. However, in order for us to enjoy the linking of heaven and earth, we must confess Jesus as God to have fellowship with God. Our fellowship with God is contingent on the recognition of Jesus and exaltation of His unique position as God and man. As we recognize the position of Jesus Christ, we ought to be motivated to be fully committed to Him; He deserves this because of who He is. He deserves this commitment in every area of our lives. So many people are willing to commit themselves to human beings who are limited to their human nature. Doesn’t it make sense to commit fully to the one who can relate to us as human but is simultaneously God?
Getting Started
- Have you ever struggled with the concept of the virgin birth? Why or why not? Do you consider it simple to grasp or difficult to believe?
- Many people today doubt the deity of Christ and seek to explain His existence as simply that of a good person in history or that of a lunatic who made false claims. Based on today’s sermon, what answer will you be prepared to give for those that seek to explain away His dualistic nature?
Let’s Get Personal
- How does the truth you learned today make you feel about Jesus? How does the understanding of His holy and human nature affect your appreciation for who He is?
- Discuss with your group what it means for heaven and earth to be connected. Why is this important? How does it make a difference?
- What needs do you have that you hope Jesus will address by His power, connecting both heaven and earth on your behalf?
Take the Next Step
- Jesus is God and man. Without honoring Him as God there can be no fellowship with God. Since part of honoring Jesus is showing commitment to Him, in what ways can you show a greater commitment to Jesus today?
- Want to go deeper? Take a look at the following passages: Gen 3:15; John 1:43, 51; 14:6; Rom 1:4; Gal 4:4-7; Dan 7:13-14; Mark 14:61-62; Heb 2:14-15; 1 John 4:2-3; 1 Tim 2:5
Renew Your Mind
“He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” – John 5:23
