WHAT CHILD IS THIS: Intentionally Vulenerable - a podcast by C3 Church Southwest WA

Philippians 2:6–7 (NLT) Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.

• (MSG) he set aside the privileges of deity

• (ESV) but emptied himself

• (NIV) he made himself nothing

• (NKJV) made Himself of no reputation

Many believe that Jesus was able to be JESUS and do JESUS things because He was JESUS. In reality, He emptied himself of all deistic privilege, power and protection, becoming vulnerable in every way to the challenges humanity faces.

• Survival - Jesus had at least a 35% chance of dying by the time he was 24 years old:

  • Miscarriage rate reported by Mayo Clinic in modern day is close to 20%. What was it like 2,000 years ago?

  • Global death rates for children five and under have in 1990 were close to 10%. Death rates for ages 5-24 was nearly 5%. What was it like 2,000 years ago?

• Birthplace/Birth-Setting Dangers - there was 100% chance of boys in Jesus' time/place being murdered by Herod.

• Family Challenges - Jesus was scandalously born to an unmarried teenager (though Joseph wanted to keep things quiet, people can do math)

• Daily Challenges:

  • Work

  • Finances: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).

  • Frustrations: “He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.… ‘Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!’” (John 2:15-16).

  • Tired/Weariness: “Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well” (John 4:6).

  • Disappointments: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks,…but you were not willing” (Luke 13:34).

  • Hunger: Luke 4:2 (ESV) for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they ended, he was hungry.

  • Rejection: “From this time many of his dis ciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66).

  • Sorrow: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38).

  • Ridicule: “Again and again they struck him…and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid [mocking] homage to him” (Mark 15:19).

  • Loneliness: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

• Accidents/Trauma - Jesus suffered the loss of a parent, and who knows what else.

• Temptation - Hebrews 2:18 (ESV) For because he himself has suffered when tempted…

• Crime - Matthew 26:3–4 (ESV) Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

• Satanic Attack - Luke 4:13 (ESV) And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Why Was Jesus So Intentionally Vulnerable?

Payment For Sin Required It

• Atonement - payment for sin

• Ezekiel 18:20 (ESV) The soul who sins shall die…

• Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death…

• 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV) He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree…

• Isaiah 53:5–6 (ESV) But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

To Compassionately Help You From His Experience.

• “But you don’t understand what I am going through” is something you will never be able to say to Jesus.

• Hebrews 2:18 (ESV) For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

• Hebrews 4:15–16 (ESV) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

To Show You How To Be And Do.

• Jesus was able to be JESUS and do JESUS things, not to prove that He was JESUS.... but because he wanted to show you how to BE and DO the exact same things.

• 1 Peter 2:21 (ESV) For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

• Partnership with the Father & Spirit - Luke 3:22 (ESV) and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

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