Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
NT Framework - Our Model to Rely upon God
We have strength and can make decisions; but are they always the best way to do things, in our own power? Jesus modeled the right approach for us. Will you and I follow that path now?
More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com
This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).
Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament Framework. Today a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:Now the doctrine of kenosis says what, again, just stated here. Jesus Christ gave up or emptied himself of the independent use of his divine attributes. Kenosis comes from that word empty in Philippians 2. So what does this mean? He gave up the independent use of his divine attributes. It means that in the incarnation. It doesn't mean that, let's say he does not mean that he gave up his divine attributes, like somehow he laid aside his deity. No, he had a divine nature and he had all the attributes of God in that nature. But what he did do is he gave up the independent use of those divine attributes. Independent use meaning he did not use them without, let's say, permission from the Father, because he says I'll always do exactly what the Father wants me to do. He even says, not my will, but thy will be done. So this is a deprecation or giving up of his independent use of the divine attributes.
Speaker 2:There are occasions, of course, where the father obviously did give him permission to use the divine attributes and he uses them. He's like he'll say you know, I saw you under the fig tree, or I know what type of person you are. And these people are like how did you know? The Samaritan woman says I met a man. He told me everything I ever did. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. She's standing there talking to him and he says. He says, yeah, well, you know the guy you're living with now. You're not married to him Before this, you had seven husbands and dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. And he starts telling her whole life to her. And he she goes to town and she says I met someone who told me my entire life. Could this be the Messiah? So there are times when he utilizes his divine attributes, but those would only happen when the Father gave him permission to do so. Now, importantly, he chose not to use them when he was tempted. And so let's turn to Luke, chapter 4. Luke, chapter 4. Luke, chapter 4. And make a couple points, points 5 and 6. Here he chose not to use the divine attributes when he was tempted. In fact, what he was being tempted to do, the three temptations that came after the 40 days when he became hungry, the temptations were all essentially to use his divine attribute without the permission of the father, in other words, to use them independently, because in that case he wouldn't be doing the will of the father, and then he would. The whole thing would have gone south because it would be quote-unquote sin for him to do that.
Speaker 2:So notice verse 1 jesus, full of the holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was being led around by the spirit in the wilderness. Remember I mentioned this last week that this is so interesting, that it was the spirit who took him into this situation. He led the way because this relates to the impeccability, how he as a person could, was not able to sin, and so it's like the Spirit is taking Jesus to the fight. I think I mentioned, did I mention that when Jesus and the disciples were in the Garden of Gethsemane and you know they couldn't even pray with him for an hour, you know I'm like, yeah, that would be me. You know it's embarrassing, right, it is. But you know, try praying for an hour, good luck. It takes spiritual discipline to do that right, without, you know, zonking out or getting distracted and thinking about other things. But in that scene in Garden of Gethsemane, he tells his disciples get up, it's time, the deceiver or the betrayer is at hand. And Jesus walks toward where the deceiver and the high priest and the Roman soldiers were coming. In other words, he went to the fight. He wasn't like, oh, they're coming to get me. No, he went to them, he went straight at it. And that's the same thing here with the temptations.
Speaker 2:The Spirit was leading Jesus into the situation to be tempted. So let's look at it For 40 days. Notice verse 2,. He was being tempted by the devil and he ate nothing during those days. So the longest fast in Judaism is a 40-day fast. It's a food fast, it's not a liquid fast. So water would be accessible down in this area of the Jordan River. So there would be water but no food. And when they had ended, he became hungry. Duh, if it was me I'd be going crazy. Some people have done this.
Speaker 2:But obviously, and the devil said to him if you are the son of God, tell this stone to become bread. Now could he do that? Yeah, he had all the divine attributes, but he could only use those divine attributes if the father permitted him to turn a stone into bread. Right, and Jesus answered and said to him man shall not live on bread alone. So he quotes scripture. Right, because evidently the Father didn't want him to use his divine attributes to deal with the temptation. Because if he was using his divine attributes to handle the temptations, would he know what it's like for you who don't have divine attributes, to be tempted. No, he would have been able to defeat him with his divine nature, where he says no, I am going to be tempted in all things, as other people are, and deal with it the way you would have to deal with it to show us that living the christian life actually works. And so if he didn't use his divine attributes to meet this temptation, what did he use? He used the word of God, right, and of course he is.
Speaker 2:Notice verse 1, jesus. What Full of the Spirit. So he's walking by the Spirit, he's living by the Spirit. So how are we going to be successful in the temptation? These two things, word of God, I mean. Did he have it right on his tongue? Yeah, he did. What does Psalm 119 say? It says hide your word in my heart that I may not sin against you. Isn't that what Jesus did? And of course, by citing the word, he's also manifesting that he's depending upon the Spirit. So the Word and the Spirit, these work together. So that's the first temptation, and he overcame it.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app, and until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.