God in Christ and Reconciliation

Week 4

The Incarnation

How Can God Become Human?

The Bible Says…

Born to Mary Had syblings Experienced bodily functions

(eating, drinking, etc.) Experienced human emotion Experienced real pain and

suffering Was tempted in every way Was a friend to “sinners” Was distrusted by the

“righteous” Physically died Physically rose from the dead

He claimed… Power to forgive sins To be one with the

Father To be the way, the truth,

and the life To be the vine To be “I AM”

Is the Virgin Birth Important?

The Impact of Augustinian TheologySeminal Headship, Sex transmits sin, Therefore, sex is badMary couldn’t have had sexLeads to Mary’s immaculate conception

Is the Virgin Birth Important?

From Guthrie… The proper analogy here is not the physical

process of procreation but God’s original creation of all things “out of nothing” when God simply spoke and it was done.

The “sinfulness” was not sex, but the male! The doctrine is only a way of stating the

mystery that it did in fact happen.

Six attempts to explain the God/Man

EbionismArianism

Eutychianism

Docetism Nestorianism Appolinarianism

Implications of the Incarnation

Jesus was a real Human Being A Jew Experienced need and limitation Tempted to sin Lived without sin: He fulfilled his true humanity in

the image of God What if…his miracles were not because of his divinity, but

because of his fulfilled humanity? Was sinless because he was a friend of sinners.

Was a dangerous human being…he upset the apple cart

Implications of the Incarnation

God with us is a shocking reversalThe Exaltation of HumanityThe Self-Humiliation of God

From Guthrie…The idea that the Son of God is to be great

and powerful on earth and lord it over people is the idea of the devil. (p. 246)

Discussion

How would you answer someone who said that the story of Jesus’ birth is just another example of the many myths in ancient religions about gods coming miraculously to earth in human form (from the textbook)?

Atonement

How Can the Death of One Man Correct the Sin Problem?

The Bible Says…

The Old TestamentCaphar – to cover, purge, make an

atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch.

The Passover LambThe killing of animals (or grain)

The Bible Says…

The New Testamenthilastarion – the mercy seat (its hilarious)Katalasso -- With the thought of “change”

predominating, this word can mean “to change,” “to exchange,” and “to reconcile” or “reconcile oneself.”

Views of the Atonement

Ransom- God paid off the Devil

Satisfaction- God’s anger was

appeased

Penal Substitution – Our sentence was taken out on Jesus

Moral Influence

Jesus demonstrated

God’s way of love

Discussion

Which of the biblical images describing the atonement is most helpful to you? Which would be most helpful in expressing the meaning of Christ’s death to a non-Christian (Guthrie, 268)?

Resurrection

How Can A Person Rising From the Dead Change the World?

Taking the Easter Challenge

“Compare the versions of the Easter story in Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-19; Luke 24:1-51; John 20:1-21, 25-27; and 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.” (Guthrie, 287) Focus on the sequence and uniqueness of each passage.

The Kingdom of God

Is Jesus Lord?

What is the Kingdom of God?

Future (Two Views)We bring it in, so get busyJesus brings it, so just wait

RealizedJesus is the Kingdom, it is “at hand” and we

are invited to join Him in it.Already, but not Yet

From George Ladd – Jesus and the Kingdom

The church is not the kingdom.The kingdom creates the church.The church witnesses to the kingdomThe church is the instrument of the

kingdom.The church is the custodian of the

kingdom.

Discussion

What do we mean in the Lord’s Prayer when we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” and then end by saying, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and glory”?