John 20:28

• “An Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God.”

Have you ever talked to a Muslim?

• I decided to talk about God’s love as shown by sending His son to the world (John 3:16; Matthew 1:26)

My Muslim friend’s response…

• “God has created us and the universe! How can you say that it was necessary for him to take on flesh and bones to know the human condition. He already knows everything!”

• This has proved stumbling block to many Gnostics

“Gnostics”

• It is impossible for God to exist in fleshly form. Either Jesus was not God, or was not in the flesh.

• Early Christians, especially John, disputed this concept, emphasizing Christ’s humanity and his deity.

1 John 1:1,3

• That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—

• … 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you.

Why did Immanuel come to earth?

• To pay the penalty for our sins

Isaiah 53:4,5

• “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.

• But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by his stripes we are healed.”

Why did Immanuel come to earth?

• To pay the penalty for our sins

• To be our example (1 Jn. 2:6) “To walk as he walked!”

• To become our brother! (Heb. 2:17, 18)

Hebrews 2:17, 18

• 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

• 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Did Immanuel really need to come to earth to be able to

sympathize?

• Perhaps not from his perspective…

• But He wanted to help man from the human perspective

Bonds among those who experience the same

challenges

If Christ (Emmanuel) had not come to earth…

• We would feel far from God (Job 9:32-24)

• “For He is not a man, as I am,That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. 

• 33 Nor is there any mediator between us,Who may lay his hand on us both. 

But, He does know suffering!

• Is. 53:3 “He is despised and rejected by men,    A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

• Heb 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

But, He does know suffering!

• Heb 5:7-9 - who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,

• 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

• 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

Applications

• We must learn to reach out to those who are suffering!

• We need to go to God when we suffer (Heb. 10:21,22)

Hebrews 10: 21, 22

• “…having a High Priest, let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Applications

• We must learn to reach out to those who are suffering!

• We need to go to God when we suffer (Heb. 10:21,22)

• We should love God for His sacrifice!

Philippians 2:6-8

• 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

• 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

• 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Demotion…

Hebrews 2:11,12

• 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

• 12 saying:       “ I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

“PTSD”

Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome