Inexhaustible Supply of Deity
The sermon emphasizes that Jesus exemplifies the perfect relationship between God and man, showcasing the unlimited divine resources available to humanity through Him.
Major Ian Thomas emphasizes that Jesus Christ embodies the ultimate truth about God and humanity, demonstrating that He is the perfect representation of what it means to be human as intended by God. He highlights that Jesus, though divine, willingly humbled Himself to become a servant and fully embraced the human experience, showcasing the relationship God desires with mankind. Thomas asserts that in His perfection, Jesus had access to the limitless resources of deity, which are also available to those who align themselves with God. The sermon calls believers to recognize their potential to tap into God's inexhaustible supplies through their relationship with Christ.
Text
Jesus Christ Himself is the final exegesis of all truth. He is all that we need to know about God, and He is all that we need to know about man.
The Lord Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands that as a Man, all the illimitable resources of deity had been vested in His person. That is the first thing I would like you to notice, for although He was in the beginning with God, and was God, and is God and although as the Creative Word, all things were made by Him when He came to this earth, in the very fullest sense of the term, He became Man; but He became Man as God intended man to be, and behaved as God intended man to behave, walking day by day in that relationship to the Father which God had always intended should exist between man and Himself.
Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God (possessing the fulness of the attributes which make God God), did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained; but stripped Himself (of all privileges and rightful dignity) so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form He abased and humbled Himself (still further) and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of (the) cross! (Philippians 2:6-8 Amplified New Testament).
In all His activities, in all His reactions, in every step He took and in every word He said, in every decision He made, He did so as man, even though He was God. He knew that in His perfection as man, the Father had vested in Him all that God intended to vest in man all things! In other words, man in perfection has an unlimited call upon the inexhaustible supplies of deity.
To put it another way, all the inexhaustible supplies of God are available to the man who is available to all the inexhaustible supplies of God; and Jesus Christ was that Man! He was Man in perfection - - totally, unrelentingly, unquestioningly available and that is why there was available to Him all that to which he was available all things!
From: The Saving Life of Christ. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House. ©1961.
Sermon Outline
-
I
- Jesus as the final exegesis of truth
- Understanding God through Jesus
- The relationship between God and man
-
II
- The fullness of deity in Christ
- Christ's humility and servanthood
- Philippians 2:6-8 as a model
-
III
- The perfection of man in Christ
- Unlimited access to divine resources
- The call to be available to God
-
IV
- The significance of Christ's obedience
- The implications for believers
- Living in the fullness of God's supply
Key Quotes
“Jesus Christ Himself is the final exegesis of all truth.” — Major Ian Thomas
“To put it another way, all the inexhaustible supplies of God are available to the man who is available to all the inexhaustible supplies of God.” — Major Ian Thomas
“He was Man in perfection - - totally, unrelentingly, unquestioningly available.” — Major Ian Thomas
Application Points
- Seek to understand Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God and truth.
- Embrace humility and servanthood in your daily life, following Christ's example.
- Recognize and access the inexhaustible resources of God available to you through faith.