Was Made Man

“Since the children have flesh and blood,
he too shared in their humanity”
(Hebrews 2:14)

Reflections:
Jesus is one with the Father in His divinity, sharing His being. But He has also become one with us, His created humankind, sharing in our being.

Firstly, He entered into our humanity. He shared in our humanity by ‘becoming flesh’ just as we are. He entered into the frailty and vulnerability of all men and women in the reality of His totally real human body. Like us He had to eat and drink; and like us He became tired and needed sleep. He experienced also our human emotions of joy, sorrow, compassion and anger. And, when His flesh was broken, He bled.

Secondly, He entered into our temptations. By becoming man He laid aside His divine immunity to it and exposed Himself to the very reality of temptation – even beyond anything that we experience.

• “He himself suffered when he was tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)
• “who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15)

Thirdly, He entered into our sufferings. He suffered as we suffer, and to an even greater extent. His identity with us was so complete that He knew what it was to suffer rejection and persecution by the religious leaders and authorities, extreme physical torment when He was flogged and crucified, and emotional anguish when He wept with others outside the tomb of Lazarus and wept also over Jerusalem.

Fourthly, He entered into our death. He did not need to die because He had no sin of His own. Instead He took our sins upon Himself and died for them and for us.

• “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9)

This is the wonder and glory of the love of God for you and for me and for all humankind, as it is revealed and established forever in Jesus Christ –

• “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)

Response:
Think prayerfully on these things so that the Holy Spirit can establish their truth in the depths of your own spirit.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus You understand me fully – even more than I understand myself. You know my pain and suffering, my hopes and fears, my failures, rejections and abuse. Help me to realise that I can entrust myself to You today, tomorrow and forever – and to let You love and care for me right where I am. Amen.

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Lent 8 – In the world

“He was in the world”

(John 1:10)

Reflection:

Jesus was in the world. He through whom all things had been created had now entered into His creation in a completely new and significant way. He became a part of it.

 He felt the sun on His shoulders, the wind in His hair, the rain upon His head, the sand under His feet. He ate and drank, was hungry and thirsty, tired and lonely, angry and afraid. He knew joy and temptation, acceptance and rejection, laughter and tears.

 He loved without limit, used His powers for others, taught and challenged, accepted and forgave, offered freedom and salvation. He was rejected, crucified and died for all men, women and children.

 He who made the world and everything on it, was in the world and took the world upon and into Himself. He loved it, redeemed it, saved it and owned it. It became fully His in a new way.

 Everything changed.

Response:

He came into our world – how fully have I entered into His?

Prayer:

Lord God You gave Yourself fully to us – help me to give myself fully to You. Amen.

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