Jesus Christ, God’s own son, became truly human.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
(Statement 4 from BOB—Basis of Belief)
What are some of your favourite Christmas memories?
What are some of your favourite Christmas memories?
Getting started: (5 mins)
Help with understanding (optional)
There are several significant implications of understanding that Jesus is God:
1. We can have a real knowledge of God through looking at Jesus. (John 14:9). If we would know what the love of God, the holiness of God, the power of God are like, we need to look at Christ.
2. Redemption is available to us. The death of Christ is sufficient for all sinners who have ever lived, for it was not merely a finite human, but an infinite God who died.
3. Worship of Christ is appropriate. One day everyone will recognise who and what Jesus is. Those who believe in the deity of Christ already recognise who he is and act accordingly.
There are several significant implications of understanding the Jesus was fully human:
1. Jesus manifests the true nature of humanity. While we are sometimes inclined to draw our conclusions as to what humanity is from an inductive examination of ourselves and those around us, these are but imperfect instances of humanity. Jesus has not only told us what perfect humanity is, he has exhibited it.
2. Jesus can truly sympathise with and intercede for us. He has experienced all that we might undergo. When we are hungry, weary, lonely, he fully understands, for he has gone through it all himself. (Heb 4:15)
3. Human nature was created good. When we tend toward asceticism, regarding human nature, and particularly physical nature, as somehow inherently evil or at least inferior to the spiritual and immaterial, the fact that Jesus took upon himself our full human nature is a reminder that to be human is not evil, it was created good and spoiled by sin.
4. God is not exclusively transcendent. He is not so far removed from the human race.
With John we rejoice that the incarnation was real and complete: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” (John 1:14)
There are several significant implications of understanding that Jesus is God:
1. We can have a real knowledge of God through looking at Jesus. (John 14:9). If we would know what the love of God, the holiness of God, the power of God are like, we need to look at Christ.
2. Redemption is available to us. The death of Christ is sufficient for all sinners who have ever lived, for it was not merely a finite human, but an infinite God who died.
3. Worship of Christ is appropriate. One day everyone will recognise who and what Jesus is. Those who believe in the deity of Christ already recognise who he is and act accordingly.
There are several significant implications of understanding the Jesus was fully human:
1. Jesus manifests the true nature of humanity. While we are sometimes inclined to draw our conclusions as to what humanity is from an inductive examination of ourselves and those around us, these are but imperfect instances of humanity. Jesus has not only told us what perfect humanity is, he has exhibited it.
2. Jesus can truly sympathise with and intercede for us. He has experienced all that we might undergo. When we are hungry, weary, lonely, he fully understands, for he has gone through it all himself. (Heb 4:15)
3. Human nature was created good. When we tend toward asceticism, regarding human nature, and particularly physical nature, as somehow inherently evil or at least inferior to the spiritual and immaterial, the fact that Jesus took upon himself our full human nature is a reminder that to be human is not evil, it was created good and spoiled by sin.
4. God is not exclusively transcendent. He is not so far removed from the human race.
With John we rejoice that the incarnation was real and complete: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” (John 1:14)
Beginning in the bible: (10 mins) Each person is encouraged to share verses that answer both of these questions.
In what ways did Jesus himself claim to be God? In what ways did he show that he was human?
Questions to get to know BOB better: (15 mins)
In what ways did Jesus himself claim to be God? In what ways did he show that he was human?
Questions to get to know BOB better: (15 mins)
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What do you think would be the impact if Jesus was God and only a “pretend” human?
- What do you think would be the impact of Jesus being a human being who was only a “pretend” God?
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What do you think it means to be a human being?
Relating BOB to life: (10 mins)
Why do you think people want to believe the Da Vinci code’s story that Jesus was not really God?
Where to from here? (5mins)
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Pray for an opportunity to talk to a non-Christian friend about what THEY think about what it
means to be a human being, or who Jesus was this week?
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As you go about your week try and be more conscious of what the people around you and the
course that you are studying believes about human nature.
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Memorise this statement from BOB
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