Jesus Was A Man

Jesus is a man. 100% human. How does that sit with you?

Yes, He's 100% God - the "Word became flesh" - divinity clothed in humanity. But we have to come to grips with the fact that "it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful high priest before God." Jesus BECAME one of us!

As we kicked off our new sermon series "Rethinking Jesus", we asked the big question, "Why is it so uncomfortable for so many of us to grab hold of this? Why is it that we're OK with Jesus being God - being holy & perfect - Almighty King - but we just can't bear the idea of Him being ordinary?" There are probably several reasons behind this, but I think one stands out above the rest:

If Jesus was a man - if He was just like us - then He set an example that we can actually follow.

We have no problem worshiping Jesus - with revering, adoring, and loving Him for saving us - but we DO have a problem with following Him.

Check out Luke 5:1-11. Jesus gets in a boat to teach, tells the fishermen who own the boat to "go out where it's deeper and let down your nets and you will catch many fish." The fishermen responded, "We tried that all day yesterday and got nothing! But if you say so, we'll try again." You know the rest. They caught so many fish that it ripped the nets. Another boat full of guys had to go out and help them haul it all in. Amazing! But what happens next reveals our natural tendency:

"When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh Lord, please leave me - I'm too much of a sinner to be around you." Peter's natural tendency was to grovel. Then Jesus looks at him - much like the first day He had called him (see Matt. 4:18-22) - and said, "'Don't be afraid. From now on you'll be fishing for people!' And as soon as they landed, they left everything and FOLLOWED JESUS."

To be a Christian is to be a "Christ-follower".

I know it sounds ridiculously elementary, but we seem to have trouble grasping this at times: to be a "Christ-follower" means that you're FOLLOWING CHRIST. You are pursuing Him - longing to be like Him - desperately desiring to say what He would say and go where He would go. "Come and follow me." I don't know that He's really interested in us "worshiping" Him today. But He is still calling us to "follow Him". And when you follow - when you consider your obedience is much greater than your sacrifice - worship will just happen.

"Come and follow me."

Go Deeper:

Hebrews 2:16-18, 4:14-16

Matthew 4:18-22, 16:24-25

Isaiah 58