Jesus: God/Man - King/Servant

	"In the beginning was the Word," John 1:1 testifies, "and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
	This passage goes on to identify the Word as Jesus.  So Jesus is God.
	"I and the Father are one," Jesus states clearly in John 10:30.
	"And He is the image of the invisible God," we read in Colossians 1:15-17, "the first-born of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, {both} in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created by Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."
	"For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form," Colossians 2:9 adds.
	"But of the Son {He says}," we find in Hebrews 1:8, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom." 
	Jesus is God.  Yet He becomes a man.
	"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus," Paul instructs in Philippians 2:5-7, "who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, {and} being made in the likeness of men."
	To what extent does Jesus become human?
	"And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry," we learn from Matthew 4:2.
	"Give Me a drink," Jesus asks the Samaritan woman in John 4:7. 
	Jesus suffers from hunger and thirst.
	"And behold, there arose a great storm in the sea," Matthew 8:24 records, "so that the boat was covered with the waves; but He Himself was asleep." 
	Jesus experiences physical exhaustion.
	"When Jesus therefore saw her weeping," we find in John 11:33-35, "and the Jews who came with her, {also} weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled, and said, 'Where have you laid him?' They said to Him, 'Lord, come and see.'  Jesus wept."
	Jesus experiences the emotional agony of the death of a friend.
	"Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things," Hebrews 2:17-18 explains, "that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted."
	"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses," Hebrews 4:15 says, "but One who has been tempted in all things as {we are, yet} without sin."
	Although He does not sin, Jesus is tempted as much as any human.
	Jesus is God.  Yet He becomes a man.  He becomes a man for those of us who are human.  How human are we?
	"And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this { comes} judgment," Hebrews 9:27 replies.
	What does it mean to be human?
	"Now I say this, brethren," Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:50, "that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable."
	Being human means being mortal.  It means having a perishable body of flesh and blood.
	Jesus is God.  Yet He becomes a man so that we who are human might obtain immortality.
	"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God," Romans 8:16-17 notes, "and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with {Him} in order that we may also be glorified with {Him.}"
	Because of Jesus, we can become children of God.  We become heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.
	"Behold, I tell you a mystery," Paul reveals in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, "we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality."

	"'Behold, {the} days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch,'" Jeremiah 23:5 foretells, "and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.'"
	"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" the wise men ask in Matthew 2:2.  "For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."
	"Rabbi, You are the Son of God," Nathanael exclaims in John 1:49 when he meets Jesus, "you are the King of Israel."
	Jesus is king.  Yet He becomes a servant.
	In Matthew chapter 20, the mother of James and John approaches Jesus with a request about her sons.
	"What do you wish?" Jesus asks in verse 21.
	"Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left," the mother petitions.
	"You do not know what you are asking for," the Lord replies. "Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?"
	"We are able," the brothers answer.
	"My cup you shall drink," Jesus returns, "but to sit on My right and on {My} left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father."
	"And hearing {this,}" the passage continues in verses 24-28, "the ten became indignant with the two brothers.  But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and {their} great men exercise authority over them.  It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.'"
	"But emptied Himself," Philippians 2:7 says of Jesus, "taking the form of a bond-servant, {and} being made in the likeness of men." 
	Jesus is king.  Yet He becomes a servant.  He becomes a servant for those of us who are slaves. 
	"Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin," Jesus instructs in John 8:34.
	"Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone {as} slaves for obedience," Paul explains in Romans 6:16, "you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?"
	All who sin are slaves of sin.  How many of us does this include?
	"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Paul points out in Romans 3:23.
	Jesus is king.  Yet He becomes a servant.  He becomes a servant for those of us who are slaves.  He becomes a servant so that we who are slaves might reign with Him.  He starts by freeing us from our bondage.
	"If therefore the Son shall make you free," John 8:36 promises, "you shall be free indeed."
	Jesus frees us from slavery.  But He does not stop here.  He frees us that we might reign with Him.
	"It is a trustworthy statement," Paul teaches in 2 Timothy 2:11-12, "for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him."
	"For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one," Romans 5:17 notes, "much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."
	Jesus is king. Yet He becomes a servant so that we who are slaves might reign with Him.
	Jesus is God.  Yet He becomes a man so that we who are human might attain immortality.
	We must start by accepting the freedom from sin and death offered through obedience to God.  So let's obey the truth and be set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 Used by permission."