It is arguably the most penetrating question found in all of scripture. In Matthew 16:15 (NIV) Jesus asked, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?" When Jesus asked this question Peter emphatically replied in Matthew 16:16 (NIV),"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
I remember my first week at Lincoln Christian College. I was walking by the library and a lady whom I had never met stopped me in the hall. She said, "You must be a Morrissette. Are you related to Dan Morrissette? I grew up with your Dad and you look just like him."
A son always bears the likeness of his father. Jesus was the Son of God. Human parents give birth to human children, children with human limitations, children with human features, and with human capabilities. When Peter looked at Jesus he saw some striking similarities between Jesus and God. These similarities led him to conclude that Jesus was God's Son. As the son of Mary, Jesus was fully human. But as the Son of the living God, Jesus was also fully God. In Jesus the two natures, God and man, unite. Jesus was fully man and fully God.
Jesus was fully human.
Last week we explored the truth that Jesus was fully human. No one, not even atheists, dispute the humanity of Jesus. Jesus was by all accounts, both secular and Christian, an historical figure who grew up in a carpenter's shop in Nazareth, around 2 or 3 A.D. A recent Time Magazine article by Reynolds Price reads, "It would require much exotic calculation to deny that the single most powerful figure-- not merely in these two millenniums but in all human history-- has been Jesus of Nazareth. A serious argument can be made that no one else's life has proved remotely as powerful and enduring as that of Jesus. It's an astonishing conclusion in light of the fact that Jesus was a man who lived a short life in a rural backwater of the Roman Empire, who died in agony as a convicted criminal." The humanity of Jesus has rarely, if ever, been an issue. No one questions it.
Because Jesus was fully human he can totally relate to us in every way. He has faced temptation. He has grieved. He's experienced frustration, anger, and physical pain. There is nothing in our lives of which we can say, "Jesus, if only you could slip into my shoes, into my skin for a day, you would understand how I feel."
The greater issue for us is whether Jesus was fully God, that is, the Son of God. As of late, an aggressive campaign has been launched to refute the divinity of Jesus. The self-appointed Jesus Seminar and other such groups have been aggressively asserting that Jesus never cured any diseases and that he never performed even a single miracle. They dispute that the loaves and fishes, the water and wine, the raising of Lazarus, and even Jesus' own bodily resurrection, ever happened. They theorize that Jesus' body was buried in a shallow grave and the body was later consumed by wild, ravenous dogs roaming through the execution wastelands.
This Christmas we lay aside such skepticism and unbelief as we reflect on those features of the Christmas story that have led us to conclude that Jesus was fully God and that he came in the flesh, in the form of an infant.
Jesus' distinctive lineage.
First let us consider Jesus' distinctive lineage. In Matthew 1and Luke 3 we discover Jesus' family tree. Matthew and Luke go to great lengths to relate Jesus to such historic figures as King Solomon, King David, Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Noah, and Adam. Now by itself, a family tree does nothing to prove that Jesus, or anyone else, was fully God.
But Jesus' family tree shows us that he had a distinctive lineage, a lineage that heightened the possibility that he could in fact be the promised messiah, the Christ. Jesus could be the one whom God had promised to send to save the world from sin. Jesus' distinctive lineage as reflected in these genealogies illustrates that all of Jewish history prepared the way for Jesus' birth. It illustrates that God in his providence was working to accomplish his great purpose by bringing his Son into the world. The Jewish people would never have considered the possibility that Jesus was fully God apart from this distinctive lineage.
Jesus' miraculous conception.
Let us also consider Jesus' miraculous conception. Matthew 1:18 (NIV) tells us, "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit." Beyond a doubt there was a lot of controversy surrounding Jesus' birth. The Pharisees and teachers of the law called Jesus an illegitimate son. Others have alleged that Mary was an adulterous hairdresser and a harlot of carpenters.
In his genealogy Matthew begins to clear up the controversy. He goes through a whole litany of names beginning in Matthew 1:2 (NIV). "Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers." But at the end of the list in Matthew 1:15-16 (NIV) he switches a few words around."...Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
According to Matthew, Jesus did not have an earthly father. His father was not Joseph, not some adulterous husband, not some wayward carpenter, and not any earthly man. Rather, Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and had only God as his father. In order for Jesus to be both fully human and fully God it was necessary that he have an earthly mother and only a heavenly father. Remember, a son always bears the likeness of his father. Jesus was the Son of God. Had Jesus been conceived and born like any other child, he could not have been God.
Jesus had a distinctive lineage and he was born via a miraculous conception.
Joseph's cancelled divorce.
Let us also consider Joseph's cancelled divorce. Matthew tells us that Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. But he informs us that before they came together, she was found to be with child. When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant, he didn't buy her virgin birth defense. He was no doubt disappointed and disgusted. He was most deeply hurt. One can only imagine how Mary's unrelenting Holy Spirit conception story would have driven them further apart. "Sure Mary, whatever. Just blame God for your promiscuity!"
Matthew tells us in Matthew 1:19 (NIV) that, "...he (Joseph) had in mind to divorce her (Mary) quietly." Only a fool would marry Mary. Only a fool would marry a woman who from every indication had just been through an adulterous affair. Only a fool would marry a woman who tried to pass off such outrageous tales as, "God impregnated me." But Matthew tells us that Joseph does the unthinkable. Joseph cancelled his divorce plans. He buys her story and they get married anyway. What happened?
Matthew 1:20-21 (NIV) tells us that after Joseph had considered divorce, "...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Later on in Matthew 1:24 (NIV) it tells us that, "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus." There is no valid explanation for Joseph's dramatic change of heart other than the explanation that Joseph became fully convinced that the baby in Mary's womb was God's one and only son.
A distinctive lineage. A miraculous conception. A cancelled divorce.
The angelic testimony.
We should also consider the angelic testimony. Angels are never to become a focus in and of themselves. They are only messengers. In Luke 1:28 we discover that an angel appeared to Mary. In Matthew 1:20 an angel appeared to Joseph and confirmed Mary's story about how she became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. In Luke 2:8 an angel appeared to some shepherds and announced Jesus' birth.
Cosmic disturbances.
It is worth noting that there were cosmic disturbances around the time of Jesus' birth. Matthew tells us that a star appeared in the east and went ahead of the Magi until it stopped over the place where Jesus was being born. God was confirming to his creation that a drama of cosmic magnitude was unfolding. Through angels and cosmic disturbances, the whole world was being put on notice that Jesus' time on earth had arrived. You can see that quite a list is building. A distinctive lineage, a miraculous conception, a canceled divorce, angelic testimony, and cosmic disturbances.
Precision prophecies.
Let us also add that the birth of Jesus represented the fulfillment of precision prophecies. It is not enough for us to say that the Old Testament predicted the coming of Christ. People make all kinds of vague predictions every year. A world leader will be assassinated. There will be an earthquake in California. There will be a hurricane in Florida. There will be a major conflict in the Middle East.
Though there are numerous vague prophecies about the coming of Christ, there are even more precision prophecies foretelling his birth, life, death, and resurrection. As one reads the Christmas story, Matthew pauses the story to remind his readers whenever a precision prophecy is fulfilled.
In Matthew 1:22 he reminds us that the nature of Jesus conception and birth was predicted hundreds of years before the time of Christ by the prophet Isaiah. In Matthew 2:6 Matthew reminds us that the place of Jesus' birth, Bethlehem, was predicted hundreds of years earlier by the prophet Micah. In Matthew 2:15 Matthew reminds us that Joseph and Mary's flight to Egypt to escape Herod was predicted hundreds of years earlier by the prophet Hosea. In Matthew 2:18 Matthew points us to the prophecy given by Jeremiah concerning the cold-blooded murders of innocent children in Bethlehem.
A few months ago I picked up a book by Josh McDowell entitled The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. In that book he details hundreds of Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled through Jesus. The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be born of a woman, a virgin woman. The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be the Son of God, that Jesus would be a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that Jesus would be from the tribe of Judah, the family line of Jesse, and the house of David. The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, that Jesus would be presented with gifts upon his birth, and that Herod would kill children in an attempt to root Jesus out of Bethlehem.
The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be God himself, that he would be called Lord, Immanuel, a prophet, a priest, judge, and king. The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would receive a special anointing from the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would have great zeal and unsurpassed zeal for God.
The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be preceded by a messenger, John the Baptist, that his ministry would begin in Galilee, that his ministry would include miracles, that Jesus would be a teacher of parables, that Jesus would enter the temple, that Jesus would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey, and that Jesus would be rejected by many of the Jews as a stumbling block.
The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles, that he would be resurrected from the dead, that he would ascend into heaven, and that he would be seated at the right hand of God. The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be betrayed by a friend, that he would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, and that the money would be thrown into God's house(Judas threw the silver into the temple).
The Old Testament predicted the price that would be paid for the land that Judas hung himself on. The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be abandoned by his disciples, that he would be accused by false witnesses, that he would be silent before his accusers, that Jesus would be wounded and bruised, and that he would be smitten and spit upon and mocked.
The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would fall under the weight of the cross that he carried, that his hands and feet would be pierced, that he would be crucified alongside thieves, that he would intercede for his persecutors, and that his own people would reject him.
The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would be hated without cause, that his friends would stand far off as he died, that the people would shake their heads, stare at him, divide up his garments and cast lots for his clothing. The Old Testament predicted that Jesus would suffer thirst, that he would be offered gall and vinegar, that he would utter a forsaken cry, that he would commit himself to God, that not a bone in his body would be broken in his death on a cross, that his heart would be broken and his side pierced. The Old Testament predicted that darkness would cover the land after Jesus' death and that Jesus would be buried in a rich man's tomb.
In his book The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell lists chapter and verse for every precision prophecy that I just mentioned to you. The sheer number of prophecies that were fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ leave absolutely no wiggle room for us to reach any other conclusion about Jesus.
Jesus was fully God.
God wanted us to know exactly who he was when he came and so he told us ahead of time with extremely detailed and precise prophecies. Let's review again. Surrounding Jesus' birth were a distinctive lineage, a miraculous conception, a cancelled divorce, angelic testimony, cosmic disturbances, and precision prophecies.
An overthrown plot and divine protection.
I'll mention two other items briefly, an overthrown plot and divine protection. King Herod was doing everything he could to destroy the infant Jesus. He contracted with wise men, magi, to search for Jesus so that he could kill him. King Herod had all boys in Bethlehem who were two years and younger slaughtered, in the hope that one of them would be the boy Jesus. Despite Herod's valiant efforts, God protected his Son, Jesus Christ. Despite Herod's valiant efforts, God saw to it that Herod's plot would be thwarted.
All of these things, the distinctive lineage, the miraculous conception, Joseph's cancelled divorce, the angelic testimony, the cosmic disturbances, the fulfillment of precision prophesies, Herod's overthrown plot, God's divine protection on Mary, Joseph, and Jesus all point us to faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Jesus was the Son of God. He was fully God. He was of the same essence as his Father in heaven.
Jesus was the son of Mary. He was fully human. He was as fully human as any of us. As we saw last week it is not enough to say that Jesus can really know us. More than anything, we need someone who can really help us. This Christmas we are blessed to know that Jesus can truly know us and understand us because he himself was fully human. But we are even more blessed to know that Jesus can truly help us and save us because he was fully and completely the Son of God who came to earth in the flesh. What a marvelous thing that God himself would reach out to us in our humanity by sending his Son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.
American radio broadcaster Paul Harvey once told a modern parable about a religious skeptic who worked as a farmer. One raw winter night the man heard an irregular thumping sound against his kitchen storm door. He immediately went to a window and watched as tiny, shivering sparrows, attracted to the evident warmth inside, beat their bodies in vain against the glass trying to get inside. Touched, the farmer bundled up and trudged through the fresh snow to open the barn door for the struggling birds. He then turned on lights and tossed some hay in the corner.
But the sparrows, which had scattered in all directions when he emerged from the house, hid in the darkness, afraid. The man tried various tactics to get them into the barn. He laid down a trail of saltine cracker crumbs to direct them. He tried circling behind the birds to drive them toward the barn. Nothing worked.
He, this huge, alien creature, had terrified them. The birds couldn't comprehend that he actually desired to help them and not harm them. Frustrated, the farmer withdrew to his house and watched the doomed sparrows through the window. As he stared, a thought hit him like lightening from a clear blue sky. If only I could become a bird, like one of them, just for a moment. Then I wouldn't frighten them so. I could show them the way to warmth and safety. And just then yet another thought struck him. He had grasped the reason that Jesus was born.
Jesus was fully man and fully God. He was fully man so that we can relate to him and he to us. But he was fully God so that he could save us from our sins. Friends, this is the true meaning of the Christmas story. Emmanuel, the Son of God is with us. He is here to show us the way to eternal life.