Fully God and Fully Man

In our lives, how many of us have said “I can’t do this!”? I, for one, have said it a lot. At times, what we actually mean is not I can’t, but I REALLY don’t want to do this! Either way, on our own, the statement is true. We cannot do what we are called to do and there are times we really do not want to do what we are called to do.

For a long time, I thought that all the supernatural things Jesus did while physically here on the earth happened just because He was God and He could do those things and that there was no way I would ever be able to do things like that because, after all, He was special and different than me.

But, Jesus is fully God AND fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, so the Holy Spirit was with Him from His first nanosecond of human life. Beyond that, in the gospels there are multiple accounts of the Holy Spirit descending and remaining on Jesus at His baptism. Since the Holy Spirit was there when He was conceived, how could the Holy Spirit also descend and remain on Him?

What was the difference between the two? 

Can that difference also affect us?

“I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'” - John 1:33

In the Jewish culture of Jesus’ day, there were two significant adulthood markers for a male. One was his bar mitzvah, and the second was when his father publicly introduced his son as having full rights and authority of the father’s household. This ceremony gave the son full authority to make decisions in place of his father. (1)

Jesus’ baptism was the beginning of His ministry. He fulfilled the Old Testament scriptures as He submitted to being baptized. Jesus’ spiritual family were all in attendance. All three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, of the Godhead were present. Jesus’ Father announced to all:

“This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3:17

Thus, publicly introducing His Son as having full rights and authority. The Holy Spirit descended and remained on Jesus and Jesus had the power and authority of the Holy Spirit with Him just as we do. Jesus was filled with and led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
 
“And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 12 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.” - Mark 1:10 & 12

Does that sound familiar being filled with and/or led by the Spirit?
 
Jesus was not led by himself; he was led by the Spirit just as we are led by the Spirit. After the wilderness experience, in the power of the Spirit, Jesus proceeded with His ministry.

“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…” - Luke 4:1

“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.” - Luke 4:14

In Luke 4:16-19, one of the first things Jesus did was to go to Nazareth, His hometown. I assume His physical family missed out on His baptism. Why wouldn’t He want to go home and let His mama know? Jesus proclaims to His physical family, friends, and neighbors the truth about Himself and the start of His ministry. On the sabbath, He went to the synagogue and proclaimed from

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." - Isaiah 61:1-2

That message didn’t go over so well with them, they tried to throw Him over a cliff, talk about persecution, but Jesus went through the midst of them and kept right on with His ministry.

Jesus went through the midst of them.

We are talking about a murderous crowd, and He just walked right through their midst? Sounds like something a man, singlehandedly, could not do.
 
Jesus did many miracles. He healed folks, brought them back to life, multiplied food, changed the weather, walked on the water, among other things that never got listed in the Bible. (John 21:25)

How could He do all this?

“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.” - Luke 3:34

“The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ–He is Lord of all– that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” - Acts 10:36-38

From these verses and others, I have changed what I thought about Jesus. Jesus was human like we are. He worked supernaturally through the Spirit as we can. Even though Jesus did many mighty and wonderful things we can do more.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” - John 14:12

This is not to say we can save people. Only what Jesus did by dying on the cross, being buried, and then rising again did that. Only His blood can wash away our sins and make a way for us to be with Him and be a part of His family forever. I am so very thankful for His grace and mercy He showed us by offering Himself for us. He didn’t have to do that, but that’s how special you are to Him. It’s His gift to us and He’s waiting and wanting us to accept. If you haven’t yet, it’s our gift to open and live in! 

What are you waiting for?

Anyone hungry?
 
_{(1)  New Testament I and II; Gospels and Acts: A Revelatory Bible Survey Teaching and Exegetical Notes (Edition 5) By Dr. Peter J Young Bridgeway Publishing Denver, CO. Page 45}