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This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to teach on “Minimizing Your Humanity and Maximizing Your Divinity.” In John chapter 5 Jesus healed a man who had was lame for 38 years. The man was happy, the people who saw the miracle were happy, but the Jewish religious leaders were not happy because Jesus performed the miracle on the Sabbath. Jesus’ response helps us understand the dynamic between the human and divine. Jesus said, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” Jesus’ point was that the Father is ultimately in charge. When the Father wants to do something in the earth, unless He chooses to do it solely by Sovereign power, He normally seeks the cooperation of a human. In this case Jesus was the ‘human in the loop.’ Jesus simply submitted to what the Father wanted to do. Since the Father wanted to heal the man on the Sabbath, Jesus submitted to the Father’s will. Jesus did not come up with the idea, the Father did, and this is key for us today, because it frees us to operate the same way.
Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.” We will stop here for today.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Jesus was the only perfect human. Jesus was the only human to ever live a completely sinless life. We are not perfect, but He was perfect for us.
2. Jesus could have relied on His humanity. Since Jesus was perfect in his humanity, He could have brought attention to His perfection and claimed to be used of the Father because of it. But thankfully He did not. Had Jesus indicated that we must be perfect to be used of God, then none of us could be used.
3. Jesus chose to minimize His humanity and rely on the Father. Jesus never brought attention to Himself, nor did He rely on His power. Jesus kept all the focus on the Father and He made it clear that He was totally reliant on Him. This gives us hope, because we can do the same.
4. We are qualified to be used by God’s undeserved grace. God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called by grace. When God looks at us He sees us in the same light as He saw His Son. He sees us as instruments in His hands; as vessels through which He can influence and impact the people and systems of the world.
5. You can do what Jesus did. In your humanity, you are not perfect. But God does not require you to be. The Father is looking for you to do what Jesus did, and that is simply to rely on Him. So stop focusing on your humanity and all the mistakes you have made. Instead, focus on the divinity living in You, the Holy Spirit Himself, and allow the Father to flow through you, by His grace, for His glory!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for taking the time to teach me about Your amazing grace. I find hope in the way you chose to use Jesus. Jesus was a perfect human, but thankfully He did not operate in His perfect humanity alone. Jesus relied on You for all things. He only said what He heard You say. He only did what He saw You do. Jesus is my example. I can do what Jesus did. I can rely on You Father, to lead me in the way I should go. Like Jesus, I seek You daily and throughout the day. Like Jesus, I rely on You to give me the words to say and to back up my words with Your power. You are in heaven and You want to influence the earth. I am in the earth and I want heaven’s influence to flow down here. As it is in heaven, so let it be in the earth. I yield myself over to You, to be used of You, to influence and impact the people of the world, and the systems of the world. Thy Kingdom has come, thy will shall be done, here on the earth, as it is in heaven, through me, by Your grace, for Your glory! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
