Dealing with Difficulties

Todays Passage:Luke 3:23-37(Please read if you have not done so)

3:23 - 37

September 8, 2013JHK

3:21 - 22When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. (Luke 3:21-22)Jesus replied, Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. Then John consented.(Matthew 3:15)Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:1-2)Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son (Luke 3:23a)JHK

What do genealogies tell us? 1) God is faithful to work in each generation. 2) Sometimes our biggest contribution is the legacy of faith that we continue in our family line. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.(Hebrews 13:8)3:21 - 37the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed,... (Luke 3:31-32)JHK

the son of Levithe son of Amos, the son of Nahumthe son of Zerubbabelthe son of Joshua, the son of Eliezerthe son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph... (Luke 3:24-30)David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Sauls time he was very old.(I Samuel 17:12)3:21 - 37JHK

Mark - No genealogy. Romans were not very interested in family heritage or bloodlines.John - No genealogy. Greeks were more interested in intellectual pursuits than in a persons. Matthew - His genealogy was written to the Jews to verify that Jesus was the son of Abraham. Luke - His genealogy (as his gospel) was written to show Jesus to be the Son of God sent to all mankind. 3:21 - 37 Solomon (Matthew 1:6) Jacob(Matthew 1:16) JosephNathan(Luke 3:31)Heli(Luke 3:23)MaryHe was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph(Luke 3:23b)Genealogy of Jesus Adam (Luke 3:38)(Matthew 1:1,2)Abraham (Luke 3:34) (Matthew 1:6) David (Luke 3:31) Adam Royal Lineage Abraham Genetic LineageJosephs Line David Marys LineJHK

What does the genealogy of Jesus tell us? 1) Jesus was adopted. 2) Jesus family tree was far from perfect. Terah - an idolater.Abraham - an adulterer and a liar who gave his wife away twice.Jacob - a cheater and a thief.Judah - a slave trader who enjoyed prostitutes.David - an adulterer and a murderer.3:21 - 37JHK

What does the genealogy of Jesus tell us? 1) Jesus was adopted. 2) Jesus family tree was far from perfect. 3) Jesus family line traced Gods covenants. The Davidic Covenant (II Samuel 7:11-16)The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3)The Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:6-9)The Adamic Covenant (Genesis 2:15-17)3:21 - 37He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Helithe son of Nathan, the son of Davidthe son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abrahamthe son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. (Luke 3:21-38)JHK

3:21 - 37So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.(I Corinthians 15:45) The first Adam The second Adam (Jesus) Sinner Sinless Inheritance of death Inheritance of eternal life Condemnation No condemnation (salvation) Failed TriumphedJHK

3:21 - 37The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. (I Corinthians 15:47-49) Ultimately every person will belong to the family of either the first Adam or the second Adam (Jesus). Which lineage we become a part of will determine our eternal destiny. JHK

3:21 - 37

Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lambs book of life.(Revelation 21:27) JHK

4:1 - 2Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. (Luke 4:1-2a)He is the Messiah. Gabriel, Simeon, Anna testified to it.He is Gods Son. This is my beloved Son.Is He able to confront and defeat evil?JHK

4:1 - 2Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. (Luke 4:1-2a)One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. (Job 1:6) satan adversary, one who withstandsJHK

4:1 - 2How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn!You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.(Isaiah 14:12-15) (heylel) morning star shining one, morning star, LuciferJHK

4:1 - 2You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned youYou were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of GodYour heart became proud on account of your beautyI threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. (Ezekiel 28:12-17)JHK

4:1 - 2Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. (Luke 4:1-2a)Could Jesus have sinned? Yes and He did. Yes and He did not. No. JHK

Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. (Habakkuk 1:13a)When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone (James 1:13)Impeccability is the absence of sin. Scripture teaches this to be an attribute of God (logically God cannot sin since it would mean Him acting against his nature) and some conclude it is therefore also an attribute of Jesus.ChristologyChristology is the filed of study within Christian theology primarily concerned with the nature, person and work of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Gospels. As such, Christology is concerned with the details of Jesus life, ministry, actions and teaching to arrive at an understanding of who He is and His role in salvation.JHK

The point of view that Christ could sin is designated by the term peccability and the doctrine that Christ could not sin is referred to as His impeccability. Adherents of both views agree that Christ did not sin, but those who affirm peccability hold that He could have sinned, whereas those who declare Him to be impeccable believe that He could not have sinned due to the presence of His divine nature.ChristologyThe reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devils work. (I John 3:8b)God presented Christ as a propitiation (Romans 3:25a)God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in himwe might become the righteousness of God. (II Corinthians 5:21)To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (I Peter 2:21)JHK

If sin was impossible, the temptation was not genuine. His value as an example for us is negated. The outcome of temptation was a foregone conclusion.Arguments against ImpeccabilityFor we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15b)ChristologyThis presupposes that the primary reason for Jesus being sinless was to set an example for us.

The main reason why Jesus had to be sinless was to be an acceptable sacrifice to redeem mankind for sin.JHK

He came in the likeness of sinful flesh. He was fully Divine. Sin is unnatural even for humans. Being unable to sin doesnt diminish the tempting.Arguments in Favor of ImpeccabilityFor what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. (Romans 8:3)b (homoioma) likenessa figure, image, representation or resemblance.Christology

JHK

He came in the likeness of sinful flesh. He was fully Divine. Sin is unnatural even for humans. Being unable to sin doesnt diminish the tempting. One can sympathize without having experienced.Arguments in Favor of ImpeccabilityChristologyJHK

Sympathy with the sinner in his trial does not depend on the experience of sin, but on the experience of the strength of the temptation to sin, which only the sinless can know in its full intensity. Only the sinless one knows how intense the temptation can be because he never gives in and finally the temptation exhausts itself and departs.

Brooke Westcott(1825 1901) ChristologyArguments in Favor of ImpeccabilityJHK

Jesus did not sin. Jesus was tempted in every way as we are. He is able to assist in our temptation. His temptations all originated externally. Scripture does not definitively answer the question of Christs impeccability. (Therefore it is not an essential doctrine).ConclusionsBut you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. (I John 3:5)Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when its full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)Christology