CHAPTER TWO

IN HIS WORK

Scripture Reading: John 1:1, 14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Luke 24:19; Acts 2:22; 10:38-39; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18; Heb. 2:9; Acts 13:33; 1 Pet. 1:3; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:6b; Acts 2:36; Eph. 1:22, 10; Acts 2:33

OUTLINE

1. Being incarnated to bring God into man that divinity and humanity may be mingled as one-John 1:1, 14; 1 Tim. 3:16.
2. Passing through human living to live the human life in His humanity with His divinity-Luke 24:19; Acts 2:22; 10:38-39.
3. Dying for the creation to taste death on behalf of all creation in His humanity with His divinity-1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18; Heb. 2:9.
4. Resurrecting from the dead:
   1. To bring man into God that humanity may be mingled with divinity-Acts 13:33; 1 Pet. 1:3; 2 Pet. 1:4.
   2. To become the life-giving Spirit for the dispensing of God’s life into man-1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:6b.
5. Ascending to the heavens:
   1. To be made by God both Lord and Christ-Acts 2:36.
   2. To be given by God to be Head over all things to the church that all things may be headed up in Him-Eph. 1:22, 10.
   3. To pour out on His Body the all-inclusive Spirit promised by God-Acts 2:33.

In the previous message we saw that in what He is, in His person, the Lord Jesus is both all-inclusive and unlimited. A great deal is involved with His being God and His being all-inclusive and unlimited. Therefore, the Bible says that He is the mystery of God. The universe is a mystery, and God is even more a mystery, but this mystery has been unfolded in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the mystery of God; outside of Him, no one can find God. Furthermore, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily. How all-inclusive and boundless He is!

Even His coming to be a man was not simple. He was not a man who had only the human nature. Rather, He was a man who had the divine nature added to His human nature. His human nature was mingled with the divine nature. He was born of a human virgin, but He was conceived of the divine Holy Spirit. Therefore, He was born as a man with both the human nature and the divine nature. Thus, He could be called a God-man, One who was both God and man. When He was on the earth for thirty-three and a half years, very often even the disciples who followed Him were so amazed that they asked who this One was. He was indeed a man. He felt weary, He was hungry, He even wept and shed tears, and He slept. In this way He was the same as any normal human being. He lived as an ordinary man in a carpenter’s home for thirty years. Nevertheless, many times His words and actions were extraordinary. Not only did He perform signs and wonders, but His words were simple yet great. Throughout the ages no philosopher has had the boldness to speak what He spoke. He said, “I am the life,” “I am the light,” and “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness.” We could not even dream of such words, which are simple yet full of wisdom. Such mysterious, excellent, and deep words indicate that He was the infinite God. Even though He was a man who was finite, in this finite man was divinity. Therefore, as a man He was both all-inclusive and infinite. Moreover, concerning His death, He did not die for Himself because He Himself did not need to die. He died for us, and He did a work for us. Even though He passed through death, He still worked in this death. The work which He carried out in His death also manifested His all-inclusiveness and unlimitedness.
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