The Bible presents Jesus Christ, the unique Savior of mankind, as both full God and fully Man. He is eternal, without beginning or end, and as the second Person of the Trinity is coequal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

He was begotten by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, became flesh and lived a sinless life, dying on the cross as full payment for the sins of mankind. He rose bodily from the grave and one day this same Jesus will physically and visibly return to earth.

Fully Human

"The young child with Mary his mother" (Matt. 2:11).

"Behold, thy mother and thy brethren" (Matt. 12:47).

"The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (Jn. 1:14).

"Made of a woman" (Gal. 4:4).

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim.. 2:5).

Born Of A Virgin

"Mary was found with child of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 1:18).

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child God with us" (Matt. 1:23).

Joseph physically "knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus" (Matt. 1:25).

The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and declared to her not to be afraid, but rejoice that she was to become the human mother of the Son of God. When she protested that she had no husband (though she was betrothed) the angel announced that the child would have no human father. The miracle of birth would take place by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mary soon found out what this high calling would cost her, for Joseph naturally reacted vigorously to the news of her pregnancy. On a visit by an angel enabled him to understand, see (Matt. 1:18-25). ". . . Behold, "thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord, God shall give unto him the 'throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. The said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said, unto her. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, "and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Lk. 1:31-35).

In Luke's story there are several appearances of angels, God's messengers. An angel appeared to Zechariah as he served in the Temple; Gabriel was next sent to speak to Mary; finally, shepherds tending their sheep were visited first by one angel and then by a multitude of them. The initial reaction to these appearances was always one of fear, so that the first words of the angels were to persuade people to stop being afraid.

Luke used several different methods to describe the degree and intensity of these fears. Zechariah was "troubled" and "fear fell upon him." Mary was" greatly troubled." The shepherds were "filled with fear." In these stories the angels speak and state that fear can be put aside, for the Savior is coming. The Biblical message to Zechariah, Mary, and the shepherds is still relevant today: "Stop being afraid" Hear this message that brings joy and life. "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people," (Luke 1:10).

Fully God

"The Word was God" (Jn. 1:1).

"And Thomas answered [Jesus] and said unto him, My Lord and my God" (Jn. 20:28).

"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever" (Hebr. 1:8)

"Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever" (Rom. 9:5).

"For in him [Jesus] dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9).

"The great God and our Savour Jesus Christ" (Tit. 2:13).

"and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 Jn. 5:20).

Teaching outlines

A. Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them," (2 Kn. 6:16).
B. The Bible speaks of Jesus' final victory over all the earth's cultures in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.

1. "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, Holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." (Isa. 6:1-8).

II. The truth of the matter in Chapter 6 is that the man Isa. is being made ready to share the greatest event of all human history. The coming Messiah, known as "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," (Isa. 9:6), Jesus.

A. Jesus is superior to angels. ⁽¹⁾
1. (Col. 1:16), tell us that everything in the universe, including the angels, was created by Christ and for Christ.
2. (Dan. 7:14), speak of Jesus' final victory over all the earth's cultures: "To Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed."
B. We are to go to prayer with praise on our lips, not a complaint above the apparent power of the adversary.
1. Read carefully this mind-blowing Scripture: " . . . to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places," (Eph. 3:10).
C. We are to proclaim that the apparent victory of Satan at the cross was a defeat for him and his ruling (angels) spirits.
1. The gospel is bad news to demons and good news to human beings.
2. The cross took away the devil's power of accusation.

III. The cross was Satan's most humiliating mistake.