The Uniqueness Of Jesus Series

THE UNIQUENESS OF JESUS Based on John7:25-46

An advertisement that was originally printed in the

Miner's Magazine as a serious add was later published by

the Reader's Digest as humor. The ad read, "Wanted:

Man to work on nuclear fissionable isotope molecular

reactive counter and three-phase cyclotronic uranium

photosynthesizers. No experience necessary." Of course, it

was a joke. No one is that unique. On the other hand, how

can you find anyone with experience in a field that never

existed before?

The New Testament has a similar problem in the spiritual

realm. The complex task of saving sinners, and yet

remaining just an absolutely loyal to his nature of holiness

was God's problem. Of course, it is only a problem from our

point of view. In His eternal wisdom it was solved before the

world began. The job called for an extremely unique person.

He had to be fully man, for only a man could live a perfect

human life. If he was not truly man, the life he lived would

not be truly human. Yet, only God could insure that such a

life could be lived. The paradox is that only God could do

what was necessary, but it could only be done as a man. The

solution could only be Jesus Christ-the God-Man. All the

paradoxes and problems of the relationship of God and man

are resolved in Christ who was both.

Robert C. Moyer wrote, "In Jesus divine omnipotence

moved in a human arm. In Jesus divine wisdom was cradled

in a human brain. In Jesus divine love throbbed in a human

heart. In Jesus divine compassion glistened in a human eye.

In Jesus divine grace poured forth from human lips." Jesus

was the most unique of all men, but not just because He was

God, but rather, because He was really man. That is, He

was the only complete example of ideal manhood ever seen

on this planet. Adam was the only other man who was ever

perfect in his manhood, and he fell. Jesus alone lived a

perfect human life. Jesus was unique, not just because He

was more than a man, but because He was fully a man. He

was the man par-excellence.

We need, therefore, to stress His humanity as He did of

Himself. His favorite name for Himself was the Son of Man.

In the bureau of standards in Washington there is a gold bar

exactly one yard long which is the standard by which every

measuring instrument in the United States is judged. There

has to be one, and only one, final absolute standard. Jesus is

that standard in the realm of human life, morality, and

character. As deity He was no standard for human life.

Only as man did He become our standard and ideal. In the

incarnation the human ideal became real.

Herman Horne points out that realism and idealism are

combined in Jesus Christ. He writes, "Human nature at its

possible best gives us the ideals for man. If we want to know

what the ideals of man's complete living are, we must know

what human nature is at its best; what it's elements are;

what it is possible for each element to attain in its

development. Thus the real is the basis of the ideal; the real

at its best is the ideal; the real is the actual; the ideal is what

is possible for the real to become. Such idealism as this has

its feet on the ground; is practical. Idealism without

reference to what the real can become is visionary."

Christian idealism is based on the real of Christ. Jesus is the

example of what the real man can become. He is the ideal

which we shall attain, for we shall be like Him when we see

Him as He is, according to John.

Meanwhile, it is our task to learn of Him, and strive

toward His ideal manhood. Paul said in Eph. 4:12-13 that

the gifts of Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and

teachers was, "For the equipment of the saints, for the work

of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all

attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the

Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the

stature of the fullness of Christ." He is our standard, and we

are to measure up to Him as the goal of all our study,

listening, worship, and service as Christians.

O Man of the far away ages,

O Man of the far away land,

More art Thou than all of the sages,

More art Thou than creed or command.

To crown Thee we need but to know Thee;

We need but to live Thee to prove,

For time nor decay can o'er throw Thee-