Human like us

Jesus understands what it is like to be you and I. Jesus, although God, chose to be born as a human like us. In this way, He experienced hunger, tiredness, pain, temptation and rejection.

Philippians  2:6–7  (NIV)

⁶Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

A human story

The Gospel of Luke takes time to present to us the humanity of Jesus.  The genealogy recorded in Luke starts with Adam, the first human and provides more insight into His birth and boyhood than any other gospel Luke 2:41-52.  Isaiah 53 tells us that from a human perspective, there was nothing special about Him.

Isaiah 53:2

² ….. he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

A human touch

Luke tells the story of Jesus as one who came to reach out to the lost, the sick, the sinful and the possessed. The point of Jesus being human is that he is able to reach out to us with compassion and understanding. Luke 5:12-16 records the story of Jesus meeting a leper, an outcast, an untouchable and Jesus reaches His hand out and touches the man and brings healing.  The story then says that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places.

Luke 5:13,16

¹³ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him…..¹⁶ But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Human temptations

We know from the gospels that Jesus was tempted to sin.  Luke 4:1-13 records some of those temptations but we can be sure Satan looked for many opportunities to tempt Him and yet Jesus resisted.  He understands what it is like to be tempted and knows how to help us when we are tempted.

Heb 4:15

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Human suffering

Not only did Jesus experience life as a human, He experienced, betrayal, rejection, shame and intense suffering on the cross as a human. No other religion has the maker of that religion sacrificing himself and giving up so much for the good of their followers.  Jesus did this because he loved us and wanted to provide a way for us to be forgiven, loved and blessed for all eternity.

Next steps

As well as being God, Jesus is human and understands our human challenges. Be encouraged that you can always approach Jesus at any time, he will understand your circumstances and always have compassion for you.  So, bring all that you are and need to the Lord in prayer.