INTRODUCTION:

When I asked if anyone had questions about which I could preach after New Year’s Day, I received several really good questions… “What Do the Names of God mean in the Bible?” “What are angels?” “Did God Die?” and “Can we have a study of The Epistle of 1^st John?”

So far this year, I have endeavored to answer the first four questions. Today I hope to help you understand the answer to the question, “Did God Die?” Like the others, this is a brilliant theological question that deserves a clear and biblical answer!

Before one can understand the answer to this seemingly simple question, we must understand the two Natures of Jesus Christ!”

Theological Note: The existence of two Natures in the one Person of Jesus Christ is called, “The Hypostatic Union” and it is why we can say that “Jesus Christ is truly GOD and truly Man!” and, “Jesus is just as much GOD as if HE were not man at all; and Jesus is just as much man as if HE were GOD at all!”

EXPOSITION:

First, Jesus is the eternal Logos, God the Son Who became the Son of God and the Son of Man. HE had, HE has, and HE will always have a “divine Nature!”

John 1:1-2, 14

(1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God.”  (14) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 8:56-58

(56) “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” (57) So, the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” (58) Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

John 17:4-5

(4) “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. (5) And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

Because HE has a divine Nature, HE has always existed!

(John 1:1-2) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”

Because HE has a divine Nature, HE could perform miracles at will!

(John 20:30-31) “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Because HE has a divine Nature, HE could know the thoughts of people!

(Mark 2:6-9)

“Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?”

Because HE has a divine Nature, HE decreed and therefore knows the future!

(Matthew 16:21) “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Because HE has a divine Nature, HE could rise from the dead and ascend into Heaven!

(Luke 24:1-7) “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.

Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

(Acts 1:9-11) “And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Second, when HE took upon HIMSELF human flesh in the womb of Mary, HE took upon HIMSELF a Human Nature!

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Luke 1:30-35

(30) “And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (31) And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.     (32) He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, (33) and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (34) And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (35) And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy– the Son of God.”

GOD explains this most clearly in Philippians 2:5-11

(5) “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, (6) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

(7) but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (9) Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (10) so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

ERGO, when Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary, HE received BOTH a human body and a Human Nature!

Because HE had a Human Body and Nature, HE could exist as a fetus in the womb of the Mary and be born as any other human child is born!

(Luke 2:6-7) “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

Because HE had a Human Body and Nature, He could grow in wisdom and in stature!

(Luke 2:51-52) “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

Because HE had a Human Body and Nature, HE could limit HIS temporal knowledge!

(Mark 5:25-31) “Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, Who touched Me?’ “

(Mark 13:31-32) “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Because HE had a Human Body and Nature, HE could be seen, be heard, be touched, be tired and hungry, and sweat drops of blood!

(Luke 24:39-40) “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.”

Because HE had a Human Body and Nature, HE could die on the cross to pay for the sins of HIS people!

(Isaiah 53:4-6) “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. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

AMEN!