The word “descendsion” is not in Webster’s dictionary, but I want to use it. Consider the “descendsion” of the Lord. I’m not talking about dissention, which is arguing. Decendsion is as essential to salvation as the Ascension. To have had the Ascension we must have first had the Descendsion. Preaching Jesus’ descent from heaven would be an early Christmas message, but Nicodemus came to Jesus in the dark. He was a noble man, a ruler of the Jews. He was wise in the scriptures. He was active in the temple and the religion of the Jews. He knew something was missing.
John 3:2 says Nicodemus “came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” He perceived some things about Jesus. He had really embraced God and was looking for the Messiah. He told Jesus that he realized he had come from God because he demonstrated what he said by what he did. Nicodemus was looking for the truth. He was about to get a revelation he would never have imagined.
The sacrificial system set up by the Law of Moses typified salvation. The prophets said the Messiah would come. Nicodemus wanted to know how he could have eternal life. What did it take to make salvation possible for mankind? He would never have thought that some 30 years before this that God, the Son, had already descended. God coming to earth? How? There had only been one other time when God came down. He came to Mount Sinai when Israel was in the wilderness. No one could touch the mountain. Only Moses was allowed to be there. A cloud surrounded it. The people were so afraid they told Moses to ask the Lord to go back.
In verse 9 Nicodemus asked “how can these things be?” He was about to learn his suppositions were true. Elohim—the triune God, the plural name of God was manifested. The one who said “let US make” was here. It’s hard for us to understand a triune God, but that’s the way it is. He’s God in three persons. This God had a fail-proof plan to secure salvation for all who believe. It was the answer for all things. It required God to come from heaven. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” We are saved because HE descended. In verse 13 we read “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” We can’t get to heaven on our own. Jesus had to come down. He was in heaven at the right hand of the Father, yet he came down to get us. We serve a crucified Savior, a risen Savior. Before it could happen he first had to descend.
Knowing the Old Testament, Nicodemus had to digest this. In Luke 1:34-35 Mary had to do the same. “Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” Gabriel knew the plan of God; all heaven knew it. He said don’t worry, Mary. “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.” She submitted and said “be it unto me according to thy word.” Mary was saying, I’m here; let it happen just as you said. God descended from heaven to the womb of a woman and became flesh. As Nicodemus said, everything thing he did proved he was sent by God.
John 6:33 says “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” The Living Bread descended to become the manna that feeds the hunger of our soul. All that gnaws at us—the world and its powers, our lusts, our sins—cannot satisfy us. Nicodemus felt that hunger. As manna fell from heaven to feed Israel in the wilderness, God descended to feed us. He gave us manna for our soul.
He came to the poorest, the weakest. It was hidden from the wise and showed to the simple. IQ levels didn’t matter. Education meant nothing. Ability or disability didn’t matter. Jesus descended to whatever level he needed to; rather he condescended to all of us so that all can be fed. He knows our need. God didn’t feed us by baby spoons; he gave it all. We have so much in our plate we can’t hold it. The Living Bread had come down.
Jesus said that any who comes will not be cast out. He’s near enough for you to feel him. If you can’t get to him, tell him. He’ll descend and come to you. He’ll go a little farther. He’ll go as low as you need him to go. We serve a descended Savior; just reach out to him. John 6:51 says “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” We’ll live, not die if we eat of this Bread.
For every hamburger we eat a cow had to die. For every piece of pork we eat a hog had to die. The oats in our cereal had to be cut down. Jesus gave his life for our life. We can live forever. Ephesians 4:8-10 says “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)”
In the course of his dying Jesus descended to the lowest part of earth to break the captivity of Death. He took captive what held us captive. He turned it around and made death and hell his captives. He freed all that holds us in bondage. He can take captive anything that opposes us. He’ll put the devil in the lake of fire, but we don’t need to wait until then to be free.
There will soon be a shout of the next descendsion of the Lord. But now as the descended Savior he is waiting to come to you. Don’t worry how he does it. Whatever your need, you’ll find Jesus there. No matter how deep you are, he’s been there. He loves you. He’s waiting for you to call on him. He descended for you to get to the deepest recesses of your heart. Whatever you need, he came to supply it.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 