Sermon & Small Group Resources
This is the third sermon in our Advent series on the Incarnation. This sermon is “Fully Human Fully God”. Preacher: Bishop Cam Venables. Bible Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18
DOWNLOAD the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).
Next Steps this Week
BIBLE READING: Hebrews 2:14-18
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS
Download in PDF format.
CONNECT: How could we grow in our service to others to be more like Jesus over advent?
WARM-UP
- What do you think is the best thing about being human? What do you think is the most challenging?
- Do you think people find it more challenging to acknowledge Jesus as human or divine?
Read Hebrews 2:14-16
- As you think through the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life, how do we see his humanity?
- As you think through the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ life, how do we see his divinity?
- What does it mean to you to know that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine?
- What does the author mean by, “the children have flesh and blood”? Why was it necessary for Jesus to also share in our humanity?
- How did Jesus ‘help’ us (along with all of ‘Abraham’s descendants’)? How can that fill us with wonder?
- If Jesus is fully human, in what ways can he sympathise with us? How does that bring you comfort?
- How did Jesus suffer when he was tempted? How can Jesus help us when we are tempted? Practically, how can we better: (a) recognise that we need help in those situations; and (b) come to him?
- In your own devotional life, how does (or could) remembering Jesus’ humanity help shape your prayer?
- If Jesus is fully God, in what ways can he know and help us? How does that shape your life as worship?
- Who holds the power of death? How is it a form of slavery? How does Jesus break those bonds?
- Have you ever thought of yourself as a slave? If so, in what way? What does it mean to you to be free?
- Do you ever have a tendency to emphasise one aspect of Jesus’ nature over the other (i.e., you might tend to emphasise his humanity over his divinity, or his divinity over his humanity)? Why so?
- What can it look like to emphasise Jesus’ humanity over his divinity? How might that be a problem?
- What can it look like to emphasise Jesus’ divinity over his humanity? How might that be a problem?
- As you prepare to celebrate Christmas, how can you be reminded that Jesus is both fully human and fully God?
APPLY: What is one way that your prayer life this week can reflect both Jesus’ humanity and divinity more richly?
PRAYER
Gracious God, thank you that your Son became flesh—fully sharing in our humanity— in order to break the power of sin and death. Thank you that it is in Jesus we find the one who is perfectly able to sympathise with us and help us, especially in times of temptation. Please help us to see who Jesus is clearly and run to him. Amen.
GOING DEEPER
On Your Frontline This Week: Ask someone what is the most challenging moment of Christmas?
Listen, Watch, and Read:
SERIES Resources:
Grow as Families
Each week St Bart’s Kids and CHARGE Youth provides resources for you to use at home. Join the livestream and then spend 30 minutes to work through these together.
Families: Read, Chat, Do, and Pray
High School: CHARGE Discussion Questions
Kids’ Talk: Watch the Kids’ Talk
eBook: Watch the eBook
