If God didn’t become a man, none of us could be saved. If you ask me, David, why did God become a man? I would say, one, to show us what he’s like. Two, so that he would know human life by personal experience. The Bible said he was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. It says he was made like unto his brethren so he could be a merciful and faithful high priest. He can sympathize with us and he can comfort us in our trials. Why? Because he knows human life by personal experience. You say, why did he become a man? I tell you, he became a man to show us what we ought to be.
SPEAKER 03 :
This is Hope for Today, the Bible teaching ministry of David Hawking. And it’s wonderful to have you with us for this Friday broadcast as we continue our series on the attributes of God. You know, most people want a God that they can keep at a safe distance. A God of religious talk, holiday sentiment, and clean little cliches. A God who doesn’t judge them or hold them accountable. John chapter 1, however, blows that notion to pieces. The eternal Word of God did not remain far off. He came down. The God who made the world stepped into it. The God man cannot climb up to came down to man in the person of Jesus Christ. Well, today, Bible teacher David Hawking returns with day two of his message called The Incarnation of God. If your view of Jesus has been too small, too safe, or maybe too soft, stay with us. We’re going back to the Word of God to learn more about the incarnation of God in just a moment. But first, so many times I’ve come in the office here, Matt, and I see the volunteers and the staff gathered around in a circle praying for Jesus. the needs of some listening family member. My life with the death of my niece a few months back. And when I walked in the office, they knew about that. They circled around me and they prayed for me and the family, for my sister and her family.
SPEAKER 02 :
What a blessing that was. Amen. We’d be right before the Lord. That’s right. And that’s it. Yeah. So we have a note here today from Patty. Okay. And it says, thank you, Lord, for HFT and the excellent Bible based teachings and timeless teachings. God bless David and the whole ministry. Isn’t it true that it’s timeless, right? Yeah. It’s the word of God. Yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
Open up the book and you’ll find something that encourages you in your walk with the Lord or something you can share with somebody else. Do you have a prayer need? Get in touch and hang on. We’ll tell you just a bit later in the program how to do that. Now turn to John chapter 1, and here’s David with day two of The Incarnation of God.
SPEAKER 01 :
When I see the logic and the reasonableness of the whole argument of the gospel, it is the most beautiful story that a human mind could ever comprehend. If God made us and wanted to communicate with us, there’s one way He could do it. If God wanted us to believe in Him and to love Him and to worship Him, there’s one way to do it, and that’s to become a man. Consider the following three things in paragraph number 2 in verses 6 to 13. One, you have the witness and his responsibility. In verses 6 to 9, it introduces us to John the Baptist. Interesting that Jesus said of that man, that no greater man has ever been born of woman than John the Baptist. But it was John the Baptist who said, he must increase and I must decrease. This passage says that John isn’t the light. John came to bear witness of the light. My dear friends, the light that lights every man is Jesus Christ. The ones who speak about Jesus Christ are not important. They’re the witness, and only the witness. They are not the light. Only He is the light. It’s a natural tendency of man to want to receive glory, to want to make people believe that somehow He has the power to help them. My friends, no human beings on the face of this globe can really help you in the final analysis. Only God can. I believe that about everything. I love it when a doctor informs you of something that’s very seriously wrong. I’ve done this with other folks, and I have seen the impact. I had the joy of seeing my mother-in-law do it. My mother-in-law was informed that she has a terminal illness, and I told her how to handle it. I said, if he tells you that, you tell him. Tell me something I don’t know. He’ll repeat it again. Let me tell you the seriousness of this. Mrs. McCollum, you’re going to die. Say, so are you, doctor. And by the way, you don’t look too well. They’re not telling you a blooming thing. God is in charge. Almighty God, he’s running things. And we are accountable to him. The witness isn’t important. The light is. The light’s every man that comes into the world. We think we’re in charge. We’re not in charge. Turn to 2 Corinthians, please, chapter 4. A lot of Christians, I believe, have lost sight of what our purpose is. If we really understand the incarnation of God, we’ve got one purpose. We’re to tell people about the light, the only thing that can change them. About the purpose of God, which is to believe in Him and to love Him and to serve Him, to know the God who made you. In 2 Corinthians 4, verse 3, it says, “…if our gospel is veiled or hidden, it’s hidden to those who are perishing, whose minds the God of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” For we do not preach ourselves. John said, I’m not that light. We preach Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure, this knowledge of God’s glory in Jesus. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. That was not the light, John the Baptist. Jesus was the light. Come back to John chapter 1 again. When you see the divine reason for the people he created, that all through him might believe, you understand what our job is, is to tell people about the light. That’s why I get ticked. That’s from the Greek takeo, if you were worried. I get mad. And if you don’t… Think I should and pray for me, but I get mad. I think every year at Christmas time it’s getting worse. It’s getting worse. And I see the evidence of a world, a society that’s decided to get God out of the picture, and they don’t want to mention Jesus Christ. That’s for sure. It’s like you mention Jesus Christ, it’s like you swore. They can say every gross word under the sun with great freedom and shock the best of us. In terms of vocabulary, they can do anything they want. But you mentioned Jesus, and it’s like panic sets in. What is Christmas without Jesus? It’s nothing. It’s spending too much money. That’s what it is. And the paganism and commercialism of Christmas, you want us to just go along and talk sweetly about it? No, this culture needs to be confronted. We’re removing the only reason for it. And that’s Jesus Christ our Lord. Christmas is the gospel. How God in love came into this world to die on a cross for our sins. The world needs him desperately. The Bible says God became a man. Jesus was born in Bethlehem that all through him might believe. And that tells me my responsibility. I’m not the light. He’s the light. But I am sent like John to bear witness of the light. And so are you. Come back to John 1. Look at the world and its response after seeing the witness and his responsibility. According to the Bible in verse 10, John 1.10, He was in the world, the world was made by him, made through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own and his own did not receive him. What is the response of the world to Jesus Christ? One, they didn’t know him, and two, they didn’t receive him. Now, a lot of people, I believe, who are Christians and know this passage have not understood the argument. What the argument is building up to is that the very person who made everybody literally came to those folks, and those folks not only did not recognize his true identity as God, but they didn’t really receive him. And the fact is that they can’t receive him without his help. That’s the argument of the passage. So it’s going to tell you that you can’t really know him or receive him without his help. fascinating argument the world did not know him his own did not receive another several ways to look at the words his own for instance a standard way that many of us do in our churches is that the world verse 10 are Gentiles and that his own are referring to the Jewish people I understand why people believe that but I don’t see is that being the main point it doesn’t fit the whole context another possibility is that its people in general The world didn’t know him. He came to his own, his people. Backing up to verse 3, all things were made by him. Verse 4, in him was life. The point is, these are his own people, but they didn’t receive him. A third possibility, which is very interesting and probably fits the context, is that the words his own are referring to those who will believe in him. He was in the world, and the world did not know him. He came even unto his own in his high priestly prayer in John 17. He prayed to the Father. He said, I pray not only for these who have believed in me, referring to his disciples, but I pray for those who are going to believe on me. He thanked the Father for those you have given to me. The Bible says we’re chosen before the foundation of the world. Follow this carefully. Jesus came unto his own even. The ones he knows are going to believe in him. And his own did not receive him. You must understand that salvation is of God. And left to yourself, you will not believe. You’ll not receive him. It requires God’s help in order for you to believe. Let’s look at the way and its requirements. How can I know him? Verses 12 to 13. As many as, as many as received him. To them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name, who were born. Now notice verse 12. He gave the right or authority to become little born ones of God. And verse 13 tells you how it happens. You are born not of blood. You’re not a Christian because your parents are. It amazes me, folks, how many people in our generation believe they’re Christians. and have really no understanding of the true nature of the gospel. I was talking with a man just in a brief conversation and trying to share a little gospel with him. He let me know that he’s a Christian. He said, I’ve always been a Christian. I’m a member of a church. I said, that’s wonderful. I said, what’s the pastor preaching on these days? Well, he says, I don’t go now. Well, why not? Well, it doesn’t meet my needs. I said, did you find that in the Bible? The church was supposed to meet your needs. Jesus meets our needs. Well, I went to a rest home years ago, he said. What’d you do there? Well, I sang there. I said, that’s wonderful. You know, the Bible teaches you got to be born again. Hey, we don’t believe that kind of stuff. We’re Christians. Hey, wait a minute. I’m not trying to talk you out of it, but I know a lot of folks talking about going to heaven ain’t going there. There’s a lot of folks who say they’re Christians that have never been born again. This text says you’re not born because your parents are in. It’s not a blood. It’s not the will of the flesh. That’s a statement dealing with your own desire. You think, well, I’ll turn over a new leaf. I’ll really do this. I’ll follow what he says. You’re going to blow it in the first week. You’re not born by your own desire. It says not by the will of any other man either. No other person on the face of this globe can save you. Then how is a man born? Of God. He’s born of God. It has to be God. So the whole context when you put it together is fascinating. Here is the Word, who is God, the One who made everything and gave you life. He came into this world. The world didn’t respond. They didn’t know Him. They didn’t receive Him. He came to even His own who are going to believe in Him. They didn’t receive Him, but as many as did, He gave the right, the authority, to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name, who were born, by the way, not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. The incarnation of God is an eternal relationship with God. It was also a divine reason for the people he created. If God didn’t become a man, none of us could be saved. Why did God become a man? To show us what he’s like. So that he would know human life by personal experience. The Bible said he was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. It says he was made like unto his brethren so he could be a merciful and faithful high priest. He can sympathize with us and he can comfort us in our trials. Why? Because he knows human life by personal experience. I’d tell you he became a man to show us what we ought to be. He showed us what man ought to be like by the way he lived. And many people in what we call liberal theology, that’s the only message they see in the incarnation. Just try to be what he wants you to be. But my friends, without a spiritual awakening, you’re going to fall flat on your face. If you ask me what is the major reason why Jesus came, the Bible says the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to die on a cross for your sins and mine, because we could not pay for our own. We could not redeem ourselves. He came to not only die, but rise from the dead to guarantee our own resurrection. And he said, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. He came, folks, to give us everlasting life. I am come that you might have life, Jesus said in John 10.10, and that you might have it more abundantly. In John 10.28, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Yes, our Lord came for a divine reason, that all through Him might believe. Will you please notice in the last paragraph, verses 14 to 18, that the incarnation was not only an eternal relationship with God, it was not only a divine reason for the people He created, but it was also a full revelation of the glory of God. Verse 14 says the Word became flesh. That verse does not say in Greek or in English that the Word was flesh. If you touched Jesus Christ’s body while He was on earth, was it flesh? Yes. But the Bible does not say the word was flesh. It says he became flesh. The word become in Greek is indicating a change of condition. It indicates he already existed before he became flesh. Number one, his preexistence is taught. And number two, that his essential nature is not flesh. Listen to me, my Christian brothers and sisters. We get messed up a lot when we try to tell folks about who Jesus is. Was Jesus flesh and bones and blood? Yes. Was he a real human being? Yes. Is that what he is, man? No. Was he a man? Yes. But the Bible describing this tells us he was God, manifest in the flesh. What is the essential nature of Jesus Christ? It’s God Almighty, the God who made us, who created the universe, who became man, so that we could know Him and have everlasting life. Let me give you three things. One, it was seen by eyewitnesses. You say, I don’t know this. You have to trust the eyewitnesses. The whole Bible is built on that fact, that the record about Jesus Christ is written by eyewitnesses. Verse 14 says, “…we beheld His glory.” Turn, please, to 2 Peter chapter 1 in the New Testament. Peter was one of those like John who knew Jesus well. It was a full revelation of the glory of God, Jesus Christ. It was seen by eyewitnesses, 2 Peter 1, 16. It says, “…for we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Turn please to 1 John chapter 1, just a page or two to the right. And look at what it says in the opening verses. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled concerning the word, that’s John’s favorite word for Jesus, the logos, concerning the word or the revelation of life, the life was manifested. We have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. That which we have seen and heard we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. I want to ask the true believers, is your joy full that Jesus is God? Well, you better believe it. There isn’t any joy apart from that. What assurance would we have of forgiveness or eternal life if He is not God? Fullness of joy. It was a full revelation of the glory of God. It was seen by eyewitnesses. Back to John 1. Secondly, it was sufficient, this revelation of God, it was sufficient to save us all. I read in verse 14, he was full, full of grace and truth. What you believe about Jesus Christ is essential. He was full of grace and truth. Look, please, at verse 16. And of, or literally out of his fullness. We have all received and grace for grace. What does that mean? Well, in order to be saved, you’ve got to have grace from God. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith. And that is not of ourselves. It’s a gift of God. Grace gives you what you do not deserve. You can’t earn salvation. It’s not based on human performance. God must grace it to you. And the Bible says of his fullness, we’ve all received grace for grace. The English word for is the Greek preposition anti, which in English today means against, but in ancient Greece meant instead of. It’s a word of substitution or exchange. What it is saying is that when you get saved, you receive grace. But guess what? That doesn’t end God’s grace. That grace you receive when you get saved is going to be exchanged for more grace to sustain you in your Christian life and give you blessings you never dreamed possible. And guess what? It’s not even worthy to be compared with the grace that will be given to you in the future. All this and heaven too. Yes, according to the Bible, it was seen by eyewitnesses and was sufficient to save us all. Verse 17, I love. It says the law came through Moses. The law condemns us and tells us we’re sinners. But it says grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. In the Greek language, the definite article the is in front of grace and truth. The point of that is, we’re not talking about any old grace or any old truth. We’re talking about the one in the context. The grace that God must give you in order for you to receive Him, because when He came, you didn’t. And He even came to His own, and they didn’t. We believers don’t automatically believe in Him of our own desire. We need the help of God. And so God graces to us even salvation, and the grace comes through Jesus Christ. Also, the truth, the truth that sets us free is that Jesus is God in human flesh.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s Bible teacher and author David Hawking, and this is Hope for Today. David will be back in just a bit here to close out our study time today, so do stay with us for that.
SPEAKER 02 :
And just before that, this month we are offering a bundle pack for all 27 teaching series by my dad in the New Testament. The study notes provide clarity, definition, explanation, and application. And the outlines guide you through each and every verse. The New Testament series sermon notes are much more than a straight line, one, two, three point list. Yeah, for a given message, start with an engaging introduction. A key verse for the passage. Great for memorization. Exactly, and a theme as well. Then we have outline points to guide your study along with definitions, cross-references, vital notes for the context, and more. And how about explanations of cultural idioms? Yeah. Exploration of applicable history. Faith-assuring apologetic points, evidence for the truth of Scripture, and more. And again, this month we’re offering sermon note outline packs for all 27 of my dad’s New Testament teaching series. The complete bundle is just $75. That’s less than $3. Amen.
SPEAKER 03 :
To get your copy of this study resource, visit davidhawking.org. That’s David, H-O-C-K-I-N-G.org. Or give us a call at 800-75-BIBLE. That’s in the U.S. In Canada, 888-75-BIBLE. And Bible is 242. And as you contact us, would you prayerfully consider a gift of support to hope for today? Your support helps keep this broadcast on the air and helps us continue declaring the truth of God’s Word without compromise. Your donation makes you a part of this work, part of a ministry that teaches the Bible clearly, boldly, and faithfully in a time when so many voices are watering down the truth. It makes you a part of helping produce and distribute strong Bible teaching, making resources available, and reaching people who need the hope and the strength that come from the Word of God. Whether through radio, online, or through the materials we send out, your giving plays a real part in putting God’s truth into hungry hearts. To send a gift by mail in the U.S., write to Hope for Today, Box 3927. Tustin, that’s T-U-S-T-I-N, California, 92781. In Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO, Seven Oaks, Abbotsford, and Abbotsford, by the way, is A-B-B-O-T-S-F-O-R-D-B-C-V-2-S-H-P-1.
SPEAKER 01 :
And now, here again, is David. One final point. Look at verse 18, please. This full revelation of God was seen by eyewitnesses. It is sufficient to save us all, but it was also sufficient in revealing the Father. When Jesus came into this world, when God became man, He showed us the Father. Verse 18 says, No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Father, thank You so much for the good news of the gospel. We read that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. You tell us the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. We thank You. God, I pray for those listening right now who know in their hearts have never made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. And here in the Bible it says we have to receive it. There are people in this audience who have never really been sure about the identity of Jesus Christ. And you say, if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we would be saved. We know this issue is not a minor one. It is essential to our salvation. And I pray, Lord, that those in our audience who have never come to make that personal commitment to Christ might in this moment, right now, make that decision and see their life changed for all eternity. We thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, thank you, David. And before we go, if you missed any part of today’s program or recent broadcast, you can listen again at DavidHawking.org, DavidHawking.org, where these messages are available again for a limited time, so you can go back and hear what you missed and share the broadcast with someone else as well. And also as we close, let me encourage you that if you don’t know Jesus Christ, you don’t know what it means to be a Christian, or you’re not sure where you stand with God, but don’t brush that off. The Word of God was given so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life, an eternal life, through His name. Thank you for watching. or if you’re new to the Christian faith. Call us at 800-75-BIBLE in the U.S., 888-75-BIBLE in Canada, and Bible is 242-53. And for everyone listening, we hope you’ll join us next time as we open the Word of God and bring you the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible right here on Hope for Today. Until then, may the Lord richly bless you.
