Immanuel: Experience empathy from Jesus who is truly With Us and understands our weakness

—Hebrews 2, 4, 5 & 12 (Part 5 in series)

  • Andrew Fountain – Dec 22, 2024

 
 
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Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself
will give you a sign.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive
and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuel.
[God with us|

Question:

  • Why did Jesus have to become a human?
  1. So he could suffer in our place on the cross as a perfect human
  2. So he could show us an example of how we should live in the power of the Spirit
  3. But why be born in such shame, poverty & filth
    and live in such hardship?
  4. So he can truly empathize with us

Matthew 1

  1. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
  2. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
  3. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Goal

To help us to feel the closeness of Jesus
when we pray
and have a deeper sense of his empathy for us
whenever we are struggling.

Plan

  1. Stories of Jesus experiencing the pains of being human
  2. Stories of Jesus showing empathy and compassion
  3. Get a sense of his compassion for us

Hebrews 2 CSB

  1. For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God ​— ​for whom and through whom all things exist ​— ​should make the pioneer of their salvation complete through sufferings.
  2. For the one who dedicates us and those who are dedicated all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,
  3. saying: I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;
  4. …Here I am with the children God gave me.

Hebrews 2 CSB

  1. Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil
  2. and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.
  3. Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
  4. For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Hebrews 4

  1. And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.
  2. Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.
  3. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.
  1. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.

Hebrews 5 CSB

  1. During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death

Hebrews 12

  1. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Psalm 103

Tired, hungry & homeless

Jacob’s well was there, so Jesus, since he was wearied from the journey, sat right down beside the well. It was about noon. John 4:6

He said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat). Mark 6:31

As they were walking along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Luke 9:57–58

Longing

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how I have often longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…” Luke 13:34

Friendship – John 15

  1. …I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father.
  • Luke 22:
  1. Now when the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table and the apostles joined him.
  2. And he said to them, “I have passionately desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
  3. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Not understood - John 14

  1. Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
  2. Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Uncared for – Matthew 26

  1. He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 38Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”
  2. Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
  3. Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour?
    …

Deserted – Matthew 26

  1. …Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Denied by close friend – John 13

  1. Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
  2. Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Betrayal – John 13

  1. …But this is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who eats my bread has turned against me’…
  2. When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, “I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.”
  • Psalm 41:9:
    Even my close friend whom I trusted,
    he who shared meals with me, has turned against me.

Separated from the Father – Mark 15

  1. Around three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
  • He was abandoned so that we should never be abandoned

Psalm 22

Hebrews 4

  1. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.
  2. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.

Plan

  1. Stories of Jesus experiencing the pains of being human
  2. Stories of Jesus showing empathy and compassion
  3. Get a sense of his compassion for us

Jesus’ Empathy