New Humanity
Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:1-3
Our lowly bodies . . . will be like his glorious body.
Throughout this month we have focused on the ordinary humanity of Jesus. The point is to take seriously what the Bible says: that Jesus was (and is) fully human, that he became like us in every way, except for sin.
Like us, Jesus had muscle aches and headaches. Like us, Jesus needed food and sleep, and he could be hurt and wounded. Like us, Jesus suffered when loved ones died. And like us, Jesus had an appointment with death. So yes, Jesus was like us in every way in his humanity, which is a wonder.
But here’s something else that is truly wonderful. When Jesus comes again, we will be like him in every way in our new humanity!
The Bible doesn’t give us much to go on. But there is this much at least. To be human is to be in the image of God. But with us the image lost its shine. Until Jesus. Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s being” (Hebrews 1:3). Now, in his humanity, Jesus is a new creation. He is humanity perfected.
And in the end, we will be like him. We won’t be divine. But we will be everything human beings are supposed to be. According to the Bible, that’s a pretty glorious thing.
Jesus, we want to love what you love and do what you would have us do. Because, more than anything, we want to be like you. Amen.
About the author — Bob Arbogast
Bob Arbogast is the pastor of Celebration Fellowship church in Ionia, Michigan. In his spare time, he plays guitar in a West Michigan blues band. He and his wife Jan have been married forty years and have three adult daughters. Bob has been praying the psalms since 2002.
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