Title: Fleshly Christianity

Focus: Jesus identified with humanity in a most intimate way in order to bring us to God, therefore we should do the same

Function: To motivate the hearers to actively get involved in the lives of others to demonstrate God’s grace. Purpose: To motivate Christians to share the gospel by getting involved in the lives of other people




I.  What does the New Testament have to say about flesh?
	A.  I Cor 3:1-3
	B.  Rom 7:14-24
	C.  It seems from these passages that flesh is not a good thing
		1.  Greek word is “sarx” and is used in two ways
			a.  Literal flesh (skin, meat, etc.)
			b.  Human weakness that causes us to sin
		2.  Flesh and Spirit are at war with each other
			a.  We saw this in Rom 7
			b.  Gal 5:16-18
		3.  If you are fleshly, you are weak
	D.  Matt 26:41 - “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”
	E.  This fleshliness seems to be part of a nature as humans

II.  Was Jesus weak and fleshly as well?
	A.  Jn 1:1-14 (a profound passage)  The “word” became “flesh”
		1.  Heb 1:6-7 (Ps 8 applied to Jesus)
		2.  Some would say that Jesus was not human like we are
		3.  Heb 2:14-17 - He was like his brethren in ALL things
		4.  Still uncomfortable with his humanity?
	B.  Heb 5:7-9 - In the days of his “flesh”
		1.  He had to “learn” obedience and was “made” perfect!
		2.  What??????
	C.  Jesus had to “walk in our shoes” to become a merciful & faithful high preist
		1.  1 Tim 2:5 - One mediator - the MAN Christ Jesus
		2.  Heb 4:14-5:2 - Jesus was beset with human weakness
	D.  So Jesus was fleshly just as we are
	E.  WHY?

III.  What does Jesus as a perfect man do for us?
	A.  Could talk about perfect scrifice, but Hebrews speaks of perfect high priest
	B.  A priest is a mediator
		1.  Mt 1:23 - Jesus was “Immanu-El”  With us is God
		2.  Jn 1:14 - We beheld his glory - Jesus is the glory of God
		3.  Jn 14:9 - He who has seen me has seen the Father

IV.  Is there a practical application to all this?
	A.  Heb 1:1-2 - 
		1.  Notice what God’s ultimate and final word was - A HUMAN
		2.  Not tracts, radio, television, correspondence courses - A PERSON
	B.  Jn 20:21 - As the Father sent me, I send YOU
		- Does this mean we are to walk in other’s shoes as well?
	C.  Paul’s Example - 1 Cor 9:19-23 - Paul became like them, not of them, to win 
	      them

Concl:
1.  God’s ultimate message became “flesh”
2.  God’s message is still to become flesh through us