Trinity and Humanity

Part 7A:

Part 7B:

Full Message:

Main Bible Verses: Luke 24: 44-49 Acts 1: 1-11

Introduction:

“Meantime in all its waiting and expectation the church is commanded by its Lord to lift up its head in thanksgiving and joy, for its ‘redemption is drawing near’. The church of the risen Lord has no right to be a prophet of gloom or despair, for this world has been redeemed and sanctified by Christ and he will not let it go. The corruptible clay of our poor earth has been taken up in Jesus, is consecrated through his sacrifice and resurrection, and he will not allow it to sink back into corruption. Hence the whole creation groans and travails waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, looking forward with eager expectation to the hour of final liberation and renewal in the advent of its risen savior. The church must learn to take into its mouth the good news of the resurrection and new creation, for that must be its primary note, one of limitless joy and thanksgiving. That is how the church began its mission at Pentecost where the dominant emphasis in all its preaching was the resurrection of the crucified Christ and the astounding fact that because of Christ the Spirit of God himself was poured out upon men and women. They knew that the last times had overtaken them and that they were caught up in the onward and outward thrust of the resurrection of Christ toward the new creation in which all nations and peoples and all times would be brought to share. The involvement of the church in the suffering of mankind must never be allowed to stifle that supreme note of resurrection triumph or to smother the eschatological joy at the astounding events that have broken into history and pledged for mankind the final day of regeneration.” – Thomas Torrance

Theological Theme:

‘Truly our fellowship (koinonia) is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.’ The early church fathers expressed this by saying that he who was the eternal Son of God by nature became Son of Man, our brother, that we ‘sons (children) of men’ might become ‘sons of God’ by grace–in him and through union with him. Thus, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, ‘through Christ Jesus, we both have access by one Spirit to the Father’ (Eph. 2:18).” –James B. Torrance

Christ Connection:

Our consolation is that God has become man in Jesus, and has taken up our Fallen Human nature that we might share in his healed human nature! And Jesus making it through His human life and having the victory means your making it through and having the victory IN HIM! In the very birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension and final appearing of Jesus we see that God has not allowed anything that He cannot redeem, perfect and make it work out for His good purposes! Therefore Jesus ascends to the right hand of the Father and sends us His Spirit that He might return in the Spirit with Whom He is One. In and through the Spirit Jesus remains here with us till he returns bodily to transform these mortal bodies into glorious and immortal bodies, strengthening us to participate with him in hope.

Missional Application:

“On the basis of the eternal will of God we have to think of every human being, even the oddest, most villainous or miserable, as one to whom Jesus Christ is Brother and God is Father; and we have to deal with him on this assumption. If the other person knows that already, then we have to strengthen him in that knowledge. If he does not know it yet, or no longer knows it, our business is to transmit this knowledge to him. On the basis of the knowledge of the humanity of God no other attitude to any kind of fellow man is possible. It is identical with the practical acknowledgement of his human rights and his human dignity. To deny it to him would be for us to renounce having Jesus Christ as Brother and God as Father.” – Karl Barth, The Humanity of God, p. 53. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982.

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