Jesus: Son of God/Son of Man

We all know the essential truths about Jesus, the facts of the Gospel: Son of God, Messiah, took our
sins on Himself, died on the cross, buried, resurrected 3 days later, conquering death and Hell,
ascended into Heaven, will return again. We know Jesus performed many miracles from turning
water into wine to healing the sick and injured, from exorcising demons to raising the dead, from
walking on water to ensuring over 9,000 people got fed (5,000 [Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 6:33-44; Luke
9:10-17; John 6:1-14]; 4,000 [Matt. 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9]). We even know about His virgin birth and
other seemingly miraculous events (aka Jesus escaping when authorities attempt to lay hold of Him).
However, sometimes we get so wrapped up in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, that we forget
one very important feature about Him: HE WAS HUMAN!!! Jesus had a natural, human body, subject
to decay, aging, sickness, pain, and suffering. Jesus could, and still can, feel emotions, every emotion
known to man (and some not known to man). He wasn’t just the Son of God, but the Son of God
Incarnate. Throughout this course, we are going to attempt to forget the whole “Son of God” title
and focus on Jesus as a man. It will be tough, since we can take man out of God but not God out of
man.

The first part of our course will be spent learning how Jesus lived His earthly life, using Scriptures as
our primary source, and using the writings of others as supporting sources. The remainder of the
course will be spent learning how we, as servants of God, leaders in our chapters and followers of
Jesus Christ, can represent Jesus and reflect not just His love, but His life.

Characteristics of Jesus
As Christians and summer missionaries, we should know some of the primary characteristics about
Jesus. Let’s list them:

Teacher
Servant
Humble
Learned
Leader
Wise
Just
Impartial
Social
Loving
Passionate
Compassionate
Empathetic
Prayerful

Let’s take what time we have to look up Scripture supporting the list we just came up with.
Jesus through the Eyes of Others

Physical Description of Jesus

- Isaiah 53:2-3
- “He had an average build and was a little shorter than me, maybe five foot ten or so. His
complexion toned olive, his hair dark and wavy, cut short and combed forward. His bushy
eyebrows…hung over deep eye sockets and brown eyes dark enough that you couldn’t tell
where the iris ended and the pupil began. His slender nose and thinnish lips matched a chin that
receded slightly, as if knowing it couldn’t compete with the brows above. He wasn’t GQ cover
material, but he definitely spent more time in the gym that I did.” (Dinner with a Perfect
Stranger by David Gregory, pg. 11)

The Doctrine of God the Son

- Jesus’ humanity is essential to the message of Christ’s Kingdom. We have a Savior who is not just
one in Spirit, but is one in human form. Because of Christ becoming human, because of His
suffering as a man, we have a great high priest who sympathizes with us in our grief, not
standing off untouched by our sorrows, for He himself is a Man of many sorrows.
- Hebrews 4:14-16
- “His humanity is taken for granted in the [Gospels], as if it could not possibly occur to anyone to
question it. We see Him lying in the cradle, growing, learning, subject to hunger, anxiety, doubt,
disappointment, surprise (Mark 2:15; 14:33; 15:34; Luke 2:40; 7:9), and finally to death and
burial. But elsewhere his true humanity is specifically witnessed to, as if it might be called into
question (John 1:14; Galatians 4:4) or its significance neglected (Hebrews 2:9, 17; 5:7-8; 12:2).
- “Jesus’ self-identification with men is brought about in passages that recall the suffering servant
of Isaiah (Matt 12:18; Mark 10:45; Luke 24:26).”
- Isaiah 53

Jesus as taught by Dr. Martin Luther

- Martin Luther taught that Jesus is learned of through Scripture.
- He taught the concept of Christ as both God and Man. (Luther pg. 108)
- “…I, God be praised, have learned from the Holy Scriptures and by experience in my trials,
temptations, and fierce combats against the devil, that this article of Christ’s humanity is most
sure and certain; for nothing has more or better helped me in high spiritual temptations than my
comfort in this: that Christ, the true everlasting Son of God, is our flesh and bone, as Saint Paul
says to the Ephesians, Chapter 5. “We are members of his body, of his flesh and bone; he sitteth
at the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us.” When I take hold on this shield of
faith, then I soon drive away that wicked one with all his fiery darts.”
- “When Jesus was born, doubtless, He cried and wept like other children, and His mother tended
Him as other mothers tend to their children. As He grew up, He was submissive to his parents,
and waited on them, and carried His supposed father’s dinner to him, and when He came back,
Mary, no doubt, often said: ‘My dear little Jesus, where have you been?’ He that takes not
offence at the simple, lowly, and mean course of the life of Christ is endued with high divine air
 and wisdom; yea, has a special give of God in the Holy Ghost. Let us ever bear in mind that our
blessed Saviour thus humbled and abased Himself, yielding even to the contumelious
[contemptuous] death on the cross, for the comfort of us poor, miserable and damned
creatures.”

Robert Hutchinson
- Pg. 217-218

The Disciplines Jesus Practiced

Jesus, while a wandering man, a man of sorrows, was a man of discipline. He kept Himself focused
on God through acts that disciplined His body and His soul. The goal of Christianity, as I see it, is to
become more like Christ. Acts 11:26 says that “…the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” The
Greek word, “Christianas”, means “follower of Christ”. Some have translated it as “sons of Christ”, or
“little Christs”. These disciples represented Christ so much that the people of Antioch labeled them
“little Christs”.
In his book, The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard states that we can become like Christ by
following him in the overall style of life He chose for Himself. Willard listed 5 disciplines Jesus actively
participated in: Solitude and Silence, Intense Study and Meditation upon God’s Word and Ways, Prayer,
Simple and Sacrificial Living, and Service to Others.
We need to surrender our whole lives, heart, mind, and body, to Christ, and we accomplish that
through the disciplines. Let’s take some time finding verses that show how Jesus applied those 5
disciplines to His daily life.

Solitude and Silence

- Bill Clunn teaching. Insert ideas as needed.

Study and Meditation

Study
- Willard states that in study of God’s word, we engage ourselves with the written and spoken
Word of God.
- Calvin Miller said “Mystics without study are only spiritual romantics who want relationship
without effort.” If we want a relationship with the Almighty Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, we
need to spend time studying His Word.
- David Watson quote, pgs. 176-177
- Foster teaches that study is a medium through which the mind is able to move in a certain
direction. The materials we study determines the habits that are formed.
- There are two “books” that we should study:
o Verbal: books and lectures
o Non-verbal: nature, observation of events and actions
- There are four steps to study:
o Step one: Repetition
  It channels the mind in a specific direction.
 With repetition comes belief and a modified behavior.
o Step two: Concentration
 Centers the mind; focuses the attention on what is being studied.
o Step three: Comprehension
 Understanding what we are studying
 Focuses on the knowledge of the truth (John 8:32)
 Catapults us into a new level of growth and freedom.
o Step four: Reflection
 Defines the significance of what we are studying
 Brings us to see things from God’s perspective
- Study demands humility; it cannot happen until we are willing
- Study of Books
o 3 intrinsic rules
 Understand: what is the author saying?
 Interpret: What does the author mean?
 Evaluate: Is the author right or wrong?
o 3 extrinsic rules
 Experience: the only way to interpret and relate to what we read; informs and
enlightens our study
 Other books: books that precede or advance the issue being studied
 Live discussion: interaction with others that are pursuing the same course of
study
o Most important book: the Bible
o Study of Scripture is interpretation of the words; what it means
o Devotional reading is application; what it means for me
o Book study techniques:
 Take 2-3 days off to study
 Weekends are great
 Anywhere away from home
 Pick a major section of the Bible to read
 Read it through
 Note the structure
 Jot thoughts and impressions
 Keep a journal of your findings
 Study experiential Christian literature
 Don’t overwhelm yourself! The key is experiencing what you read.
- Study of non-verbal “books”
o Most important
o Observation of reality in things, events, and actions.
o Begin with nature
 o Start by reverently and prayerfully observing
o If we love the creation, we can learn from it.
o Jesus taught spiritual concepts using nature as an example.
o Observe relationships between people. Become attentive to ordinary relationships.
o Observe yourself. “Know thyself.” Observe your reactions to situations and people.
o Study institutes and cultures
o Learn to ask questions.
Meditation
- Willard states that in meditation, we withdraw into silence where we prayerfully and steadily
focus upon what we studied. Its meaning can emerge and form us as God works in the depths of
our heart, mind, and soul.
- We devote long periods of time to this. Our prayer during this is that God would meet with us
and speak to us.
- Foster teaches that meditation is the ability to hear God’s voice and obey His word.
- Meditation creates an emotional and spiritual space that allows Christ to construct an inner
sanctuary.
- It calls us into the presence of God.
- We can reach deeper by using our imagination.
- “…as I could not make reflection with my understanding I contrived to picture Christ within me.”
– St. Teresa of Avila
- We learn by experience.
- Set a time. As the practice becomes more natural, it will occur without a set time.
- Pace yourself
- Be in a quiet place with no distractions. ABSOLUTELY NO PHONE!!!!
- Be in a comfortable and least distracting posture. It is recommended you are seated in a chair,
legs uncrossed, sitting up straight, hands on knees, with palms facing up.
- Forms of Meditation
o Meditatio Scripturarum-meditating upon Scripture
 Use an event, parable, a few verses or a word
 You are an active performer, not an passive observer
o Meditation upon creation
 Enjoy and ponder what God has made
o Meditation upon current world events and their significance
Prayer
- It is conversing, communicating with God.
- Prayer always involves the other disciplines if it is to go well.
- O. Hardman quote, pg. 185
- The more we pray, the more we think to pray, and as we see the results of prayer- the
responses of our Father to our requests- our confidence in God’s power spills over into other
areas of our life.
- Most central because it ushers us into continual communion with God.
 - Life creating and life changing.
- It should permeate our lives and our whole being.
- Foster said that “We are to change the world by prayer.”
- Prayer is learned.
- If the requests come to pass, then we are praying correctly.
- Don’t make prayer complicated.
- Be open, honest, and trusting.
- Don’t hesitate to bring the simplest requests to God.
- Saturate worship services with prayer.
- Flash pray: pray for God’s peace, joy, and salvation on everyone you see.
- Pray against evil.
- Don’t wait until you feel like praying.
- Prayer should be simultaneous with work.
- Brother Lawrence quote in The Practice of the Presence of God
Simple and Sacrificial Living
- Simplicity is freedom.
- It brings us joy and balance.
- Begins with an inward focus and unity.
- Our speech becomes truthful and honest and our lust for power disappears.
- Contemporary culture lacks simplicity. We’ve lost touch with reality and we crave what we do
not need or enjoy.
- The Bible and simplicity
o The bible is clear about accumulation of wealth.
o Jesus declared war on materialism.
o He condemns wealth as a rival god (Luke 16:13). Jesus knew the grip that wealth can
have on people.
o He warned His followers not to store up treasures on earth (Matt. 6:19, 21).
o The epistles warned against greed and accumulation of wealth (1 Tim. 3:3, 8; 6:9; 6:17-
19; Heb. 13:5; James 4:1-2; Eph. 5:5; 1 Cor. 5:11).
o However, the Bible does not condone extreme asceticism.
 Asceticism renounces possessions. It finds no place for a “land flowing with milk
and honey”. It finds contentment when it is abased.
 Simplicity, on the other hand, sets possessions in proper perspective. It rejoices
in gracious provision from the hand of God. It knows contentment in abasement
and abundance.
o It is the most visible of the disciplines and is most open to corruption.
o It can become idolatry when it takes precedence over seeking God’s Kingdom.
o Focal point of simplicity: Matt. 6:25-33. Seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness
FIRST, then all things necessary will be put in its proper order.
o Our focus on the Kingdom produces the inward reality of simplicity.
o It frees us from anxiety:
  Anxiety causes us to believe that what we have WE got, we MUST hold on to,
and what we have is NOT available to others.
 Freedom from this anxiety causes us to believe that we have is a gift, that what
we have is to be cared for by God, and what we have is available to others.
o The inner reality is not a reality until there is an outward expression.
o 10 principles for the outward expression of simplicity:
 Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status. Example: cars, living
space, clothing, cell phones. Buy what you need. Forget fashion!
 Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
 Develop a habit of giving things away.
 Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.
 Learn to enjoy things without owning them. (Renting?)
 Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.
 Look with a healthy skepticism to all “buy now, pay later” schemes.
 Obey Jesus’ instructions about plain, honest speech.
 Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
 Sun anything that distracts you from seeking first the Kingdom of God.