“Puppies for Sale,” the sign said, and a young boy came to inquire. “I’d like to buy one, if they don’t cost too much.” “Well, son, they’re $25.” The boy was crushed. “I’ve only got $2.05. Could I see them anyway?” “Sure,” said the kind gentleman. The boy’s eyes danced at the sight of 5 little fur balls. “I heard that one has a bad leg,” said the boy. “Yes, I’m afraid he’s going to have a limp for life.” “That’s the puppy I want. Could I pay for her a little at a time?” “But she’ll always have a limp,” he said. Smiling bravely the boy pulled up his pant leg revealing a brace. “I don’t walk too good either,” he told the man. Then, looking at the puppy, “I guess she’ll need a lot of love and help. I sure did. Its not so easy being handicapped.” ”Here, take her,” the man said, “I know you’ll give her a good home.” (Our Daily Bread)
This boy had a special ability to love and care for that little puppy. He knew, firsthand - what it was like having a limp. He’d lived his life with the same problem and had learned how to deal with it. And, because of this he could give that puppy just what she needed.
We’re like the puppy with a limp that needed someone to help her who personally understood her needs. This is why Jesus had to be one of us. He couldn’t do what we needed done for us long distance.
"Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death. It’s obvious, of course, that he didn’t go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham. That’s why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people’s sins, he would have already experienced it all himself—all the pain, all the testing—and would be able to help where help was needed." Hebrews 2:14-18 (MSG)
He Had To Be One Of Us . . . To Save Us
The Bible tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), and that "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Because of sin a relational chasm exists between God and us. Our choice (sin) results in separation from God! And, it is impossible for us to save ourselves!
But "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) God laid a Cross across the gulf! Jesus had to be one of us to (1) “Destroy” Death (render it inoperative) and to; (2) “Liberate us” - those once held in the devil’s death grip now freed by Jesus’.
“Honey,” the girls father to his daughter in the Limo following behind her mom’s hearse on the way to the cemetery as truck passes, “Would you rather be run over by that truck or its shadow?” Those who’ve received Jesus no longer fear death because it can no longer run over us.
“The Cross was appropriate for it balanced God’s Holiness with His Love; to perfectly accomplish His Plan to redeem people.” (NIV Commentary)
Our response is to, “... confess (agree) with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
He Had To Be One Of Us . . . To Represent Us
The fact that Jesus was THE High Priest to end all high priests is a major theme in this Book. The High Priest (1) represented the people before God and (2) was chosen from among the people - He had to be one of them to have any standing as their representative.
Don’t you want a pastor who is like you? Who faces the same life struggles, temptations and problems as you; who can represent you when he prays to God and preaches to you as one with compassion; who can relate because he too has “been there and done that?”
We have a High Priest Who can and does represent us well to the Father because He was one of us.
Max Lucado in, "When God Came Near," writes about our discomfort in imagining that the “exalted Lord of glory” was one of us. ”Angels watched as Mary changed God’s diaper. The universe watched with wonder as the Almighty learned to walk. Children played in the street with him. Jesus may have had pimples. Perhaps a girl down the street had a crush on him or vice-versa. It could be that his knees were bony. One thing’s for sure: He was, while being completely divine, completely human. For 33 years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired. And his head ached. To think of Jesus in such light is - well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn’t it? It’s not something we like to do; its uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer.”
But it’s this truth that is most comforting since we know we have a representative who knows our life’s struggles; who understands!
He Had To Be One Of Us . . . To Help Us
Jesus never experienced sin but he did experience temptation! He knows how it feels to suffer.
What bothers those who’ve been through something awful is for someone to say, “I know how you must be feeling.” The mother who’s lost a child, the wife her husband, a man his career. But nobody can know how it feels unless they’ve felt it! That’s why support groups are so supportive - they know how it feels. And because Jesus has personally felt temptation - He can help us!
Some people can be very critical of others if they haven’t been through what the other has.
Because Jesus understands, from experience, our life’s struggles, He feels with us in times of temptation! Therefore, He is able to help “those who are being tempted.”
Jesus had to be one of us - (1) in order to take our sin upon himself and die to save us, (2) in order to be a legitimate representative for us before His Father and, (3) in order to be of any practical help in our times of temptation.
Elizabeth Elliot tells of the time she was a missionary in the jungles of South America when she and her Indian guide were walking along a primitive path and her trail suddenly dropped off into a ravine. The only means across was a fallen tree. The guide took off across the tree while she froze in her tracks. Her fear of falling paralyzed her. The guide came back and held out his hand, taking her’s he led her safely across. The stability of one who had obvious mastery of the situation gave her the needed confidence to cross over.
God could have simply told us about His desire to save us, to provide representation for us, and to help us with temptation.
Instead, He saw our fear and how we were frozen in our tracks by sin - so He came to us and held out both hands offering us His help!
This One - Who has obvious mastery of the situation - offers relationship and help to us! Have you taken His hand?
If you would like to click this link and follow these, "Four Steps to Peace With God." https://stepstopeace.org/
