INTRODUCTION

May I ask you to take your Bibles and turn in your Bibles to Hebrews Chapter 2. We will be continuing this morning with our second sermon in a series on the Book of Hebrews. Entitled “New Confidence For The New Order, Responding In Faith To Such A Great Salvation.” I remind your our theme verses are found in Heb 10:19-23, and I remind you to look there particularly this week as you give that to your memory. For those who weren’t with us last week we saw that the Book of Hebrews drives at the very heart of religion itself. For the book begins by saying that in the past “God” spoke. It goes on to say “in these last days, God has spoken to us” even “by his Son.” This morning we want to pick up in Hebrews Chapter 2. I will read for your verses 5 through 18. This is God’s word:

SCRIPTURE READING

^“It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.” In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement forthe sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

PRAYER

This ends the reading of God’s Holy inspired and inerrant word. Would you bow with me in prayer.

(8:30) Our Father, , we pray that might know your word and understand your ways, that we might live the life you would have us to live and possess the hope that belongs to your praise and your people. Fill us today with the word of your poer that your own glory might be found in us. This we pray in Jeus’ name. Amen.

(11:00) Our heavenly Father, as we submit ourselves to the authority of your word, we come recognizing that had you not revealed salvation to us we would not know it. Father, we recognize the same is true of us today if you do not open your word and lay your word it upon our hearts in such a way that it has a redemptive and an effective effect upon our lives. Father, we will simply be not only wasting our time this morning, but rather the opposite will be true as well - our hearts will only become harder. We pray this morning for the softening of our hearts, for the growth of our understanding, …but we pray even more so Father, that we might grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ in such a way that we are more committed to him for the days to come. May you bless us to this end, we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

SERMON

Sometimes in this life I have found that it is not the immediate fix, but the general understanding or the reasons behind “why we do what we do”, or even better put “why we believe what we believe” that provides us with the most helpful and long lasting answers or solutions to life’s most troubling, but necessary questions.

I point out it wasn’t long ago that I was more interested in my father or friends perhaps fixing the problems that I had at that particular time so that I could get on with the life that I wanted to live. But I found that as I have grown in maturity, that I am much more interested in understanding more about the principles and truths that underlie the solutions to my immediate, long term, or even unforeseen problems.

I begin there because as we come to the Book of Hebrews, which is given to help and enable the believer to become mature and to bring about a preserving faith in them; …you may not leave this sanctuary this morning with that one nugget that will help you with that pressing problem that you have in your present life right now. You may…, but then again you may not ,and that is okay, because I believe that as the Book of Hebrews has been given for the maturity of the saints for the persevering faith of the saints apart from which you and I cannot be saved. At that same time if it doesn’t meet the pressing need that we have today that by deepening our understanding of the faith we will be put in better steed even as we face a myriad of problems in our future.

Chapter 1 of the Book of Hebrews, we saw last week, dealt with the divinity and the superiority of Christ. Chapter 1 verse 4 says: “So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.” Again in v. 8 we read: ^”But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God,” refers to his divinity. “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,” That is Chapter 1. As we come to Chapter 2 what we are dealing with now is the humanity as well as the humiliation of Jesus Christ. In v. 6 we read “ What is man that you are mindful of him. The son of man that you care for him. You made him a little lower than the angels;” Here it is not the superiority to the angels, but at least for a time both man and the son of man is made a little lower than the angels. In v. 14 we read: Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity,” I want to stop at this point and say that we are dealing with the humanity of Jesus Christ today.

What an appropriate time as you and I begin to prepare our hearts for celebrating the Lord and the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the coming weeks and looking to what the humanity of Jesus Christ has to do with our lives and with our salvation and with our future. We have a time this morning to take a few moments, a few minutes and actually spend time thinking about what it means and why it is so important that Christ came to this earth and didn’t come simply in awe of his divinity, but also took upon himself, humanity.

What difference does that make in your life and in my life? I believe that looking at the humanity of Jesus Christ often answers many of the problems you and I face on a daily basis. Problems like these. Have you ever asked the question as you became frustrated on a daily basis. You know why in the world did God bring about salvation this way? I mean we know if he could have snapped his fingers and zapped us all into infinite eternity with him and we would not have to go through the things that we go through today. Does humanity have anything to say regarding the answer to that question? How about the question, Can we be sure? Can we be sure that all is going to work according to the way scripture says it is going to. For the scripture says that all things have been put under the authority of Christ. They have been put under his feet and yet as we look back we recognize that in his humanity he died the death of a criminal. Can we be sure that here is one who took on human nature; there is human nature there clearly. He bled and he sweated and he got hungry and he thirsted and so forth. He was human. Can you and I be sure without a shadow of a doubt that indeed his humanity actually leads to our glory.

What we find in this passage, we find three truths concerning the humanity of Christ that lead us, those of us who participate in the heavenly calling, to concern ourselves, all the more with Jesus Christ. Or as Heb3:1 says to fix our thoughts on Christ. The question in view is this. To whom did God grant dominion? To whom did God grant dominion, both in this world in which we live now, but also in the world to come. We find three (3) truths in this text concerning the humanity of Christ and I want too share those with you one at a time.

Truth No. 1. We see that Christ’s humanity has led to his majesty.

The question in view is: To whom did God grant dominion (not only to this world but to the world to come)? Ans: Not angels, but to MAN. In vv. 5-6, we read “It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” Read on…“You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.”

Now the imagery that you find here is that of the Old Testament king who when they went out in battle and defeated their enemies, they would literally bring the kings from the enemy nations and put them before their throne , put their feet upon their throats, and show their ultimate and total dominion over them. The king would literally take his foot and put it across the neck of the other king. That is what is being said here when it says there is one whom God put everything under his feet.

Well, what does that mean though? What does that have to do with Christ’s humanity? Sure his is up in heaven and Christ is Lord over all, but what does that have to do with his humanity? Well think about this contrast or this similarity if you will. What we find in this passage is that there was someone who testified concerning Christ and his present rule. We find that it was actually King David, himself. In v. 6 we read: It is not to angels that God has subjected the world to come but there is another one who will rule. And the questions is, who is that? The author of Hebrews says, well we have the answer to that. He says there is a place where someone has testified. “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you are for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor ⁸and put everything under his feet.” What is the writer of Hebrews saying here? Let me ask you the question. If I was to be talking with you about a particular subject and all of a sudden I said: “You know you and I have certain inalienable rights.” Someone once wrote that you and I have certain inalienable rights and they include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What would come to mind? It would be the Declaration of Independence. And that those words come with some measure of authority, whatever measure that might be. When the same way to first and second century believer and more so the second century, since we know this is second hand information. When these words were spoken that we find here in verses 6 and 7 that believer in their mind would have said Aha! Not the Declaration of Independence, but would have said Aha! We know those words. Because those are the very same words that you and I read responsively this morning in Psalm, Chapter 8. You see in the mind of the New Testament believer, there was the repetition of the Old Testament Psalms. They said them day after day and week after week in worship. So when this Psalm was actually referred to, when the writer of Hebrews said there was someone who once said. We know the writer of Hebrews knew exactly who said it because he quotes it exactly with the exception of one phrase. That in the mind of the New Testament believer, the first and second century believer they would have said Aha! These are the words of the prophet, David. Meaning that the prophet, David, as he wrote these words in Psalm v. 8 was simply prophesying about the one to whom God would subject the world to come, or the heavenly or eternal life that you and I look forward to. Now what did he say about it. He said this. He said in the same way that God, it pleased him, for whatever reason out of all the creatures within his creation, not the angels, not the bugs that crawl along the ground, not the horses, not the cows, not the fish in the sea, not the birds in the sky, but in this present life in which you and I live, for whatever reason it pleased God to give man dominion over his creation. Think about that with me. We are reminded of Genesis Chapter 1, verse 26 that after God created Adam and Eve in the garden he says: “and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, over the livestock and over all the earthand over all the creatures that move along the ground.” The prophet David picks up on that in Psalm 8, verse 8. What he says is in the very same way that God has given humanity dominion over this world, he says in the very same way, he has given dominion to the son of man and to humanity in the world to come. Look at this parallel. He says in the same way that you and I as human beings are lower than the angels, but God has given us dominion here upon this earth. He says in the very same way there is a son of man, one who has come to participate in humanity, who is a son of humanity, who also for a time was made lower than the angels and that is the one to whom he will subject the world to come. Look with me at what he says in verse 6. There is a place where someone was testifying, what is man? You and I, that God is mindful of us. Why did God give you and me dominion over his creation? It just pleased him to do so, but why, it’s amazing! He goes on to say the son of man as well that you care for him, you see, he took place in our humanity. Surely, God would help him if he was fully God coming here to this earth. But he was not only fully God but he took part in our humanity and so the Psalmist says what is even the son of man as he has partaken of our humanity that you would consider him. Verse 7 it says that God made him a little lower than the angels, you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet. He left out one part of Psalm 8 though and that is verse 6.

You know if you and I were to talk and I was to say, particularly concerning an issue like abortion or something else dealing with life, and I said John 3:16 says: Someone once said: “For God so loved the world he gave his only son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish.” It would trigger in your mind, oh! Not only does he not perish but he also has life. When the Psalmist leaves out Psalm 8, verse 6, it is to draw particular attention to that verse. In that verse we read this. God referring to the Father above, you made him ruler over the works of your hand. As Hebrews Chapter 2, verse 7 says: “ and put everything under his feet.” The point being this. God’s plan from the very beginning was that man should exercise dominion over his creation. We know that in Adam we have not faithfully done that in a righteous way. But what we find here is that Jesus has come and he has participated in our humanity through the incarnation that the dominion might be realized and even to a more full form as it is not simply above the creatures of this earth, but over all of God’s creation, even the angels themselves.

By way of application, I would submit to you this. That if, or since Jesus is Lord, since he as come in humanity, he is the one that David prophesied about and that now all things in the world are subject to him, then you and I must fix our eyes upon Christ. Think about it with me. When a presidential election has ended and there is one that has been set apart to become the next President of the United States. Between the time of the election and the inauguration itself, what do the news stations do? They fix themselves, they glue their cameras upon that one who is to reign. What we find here in our present life is there is one reigning; therefore, you and I must fix our lives upon him and upon the salvation he provides for us.

But you may object this morning and say but it doesn’t seem like all things have been subjected to Christ. I mean as you and I live our lives on a daily basis, today, it appears that there is a lot that is still out of control. There appears to be a lot that is still in rebellion to Christ and to his word. So how can we be sure? How can we be sure that all things are subject to Christ at this point. The writer of Hebrews knew this objection and in verse 8, he writes this . He says in putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. He says let me assure of this. Understanding that argument let me again say the God left nothing not subject to him. He said: “Yet at present we do no see everything subject to him.” Verse 9: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” What he says is by faith you and me as believers see that this work is underway and if it is underway, this is humanity that even testifies to it, for it is his coming into humanity and being raised from the grave that actually points to the fact, that indeed he is crowned as Lord over all and therefore; there is hope even for our lives.

Let me ask you today, do you personally see Jesus by faith, today, crowned with glory and with power and with rule, ultimately over all? If so, then you need to fix your eyes on Christ and you need to pay attention to his throne and to the salvation that he has already begun. You know Psalm 8:1-9 begin this way: “O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” When you begin to understand what Hebrews Chapter 2 is saying, no longer will you begin to think that when it says majestic is your name in all the earth, it is simply talking about how beautiful is the name of Christ. The word majestic comes from the word meaning “lord” or “majesty.” It says how great is your rule. How in place is your rule over all the earth, even now. What it says is not simply that it is beautiful but that indeed Christ is a ruler and that you and I need to not only know that but rejoice in that truth.

The first thing we see is by his humanity, Christ actually points out his majesty. For it was prophesied in the Old Testament that there would be a son of man who, one who would participate in humanity to whom the ultimate world would actually be subject to. Second and thirdly we see not only has his humanity led to his majesty, but we see that his humanity also is led to our deliverance as well as to our glory. His humanity has led to our deliverance as well as to our glory. In vv. 14 -15 we read: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” That he might provide deliverance. Again in v. 10: “In bringing many sons to glory,” in bringing about the fullness of our salvation we read: “it was fitting that God,should make the author of their salvation perfect.” How? “through suffering.” Through his humanity. There are two works described here. One is the whole work, not only of delivering us from sin but actually bringing us to the fullness of his glory. I think Baker puts it well when it says it was necessary that the Son of God become a man. Since a human death was required for the sin that separated man from God and rendered man subject to the devil. Again the “New Bible Commentary” puts it this way. “There was no hope for a redeemed community being raised up to enjoy mans intended destiny unless the hold of the devil and the gates of Hades could be broken.” Verse 10 says it was fitting “In bringing many sons to glory,” that God should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. It was fitting.

What does that mean? That something is fitting. It means it was appropriate. It means it was necessary. It means it makes sense. Let me ask you, How do we know that it makes sense that Christ had to come in humanity in order that he might be made perfect as a High Priest for us and also that he might bring about the fullness of his glory in us? How do we know that? Why did it require his humanity?

I would like to take you to two different Old Testament passages. First of all is Psalm 22. This is a passage in which we find a type that points to Christ being on the cross. He describes the band of evil men, and all who circled him on the cross and yet he cries out to God and says God deliver me. But in the Psalm, particularly in vv. 22-24 he says these words: “ I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!” What the writer of Hebrews is saying here is that when Jesus said those words or as the Psalmist pointed to Jesus saying of these words in Psalm 22. What he was saying was those words point not to Christ in heaven above saying I will declare this simply to my spiritual brethren, but he is saying that Christ had to come in humanity and participate in our humanity so that these words might become true. That I will declare your name to my brethren. These who participate in flesh and blood just as myself. So what we find is the sufferings of Jesus actually point to his humanity and they point to this Psalm being fulfilled in our lives. I believe that is important for you and me because it gives you and me hope in our humanity as well. Think about it. If God answered Christ’s prayer and he did not participate in our humanity, then what hope would you and I have as we cry out to God on behalf of our problems within our marriages, or problems within our businesses, or problems that we face in old age, or problems that we face in our relationship with others? If he did that only for one who is divine and who was perfect, then it wouldn’t mean anything to you and me. But Christ came that we might have a High Priest, one that is just like ourselves that he might cry out and offer a sacrifice that even our prayers might be answered the same way.

Then secondly we find the passage from Isaiah Chapter 8:17-18. In short, if you go to Isaiah 6, we are all familiar with the fact that there is a prophecy in which Isaiah is brought before the throne room of God. God basically points out the sin that is there and he takes the coal and he sets the coal on Isaiah’s tongue and he begins to present the problems of the whole world and says: “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah says: “Here I am Lord. Send me?” Think about how many missions’ conferences that you have been to in which that verse has been set before you and said in the same way that Isaiah said, “Here am I. Send me?” Then we can apply that to our lives and say: “Here am I God. Send me.” What I found in my study this week is that if you look at Isaiah 8, there is an even greater fulfillment of this type. For in Isa 8:17 we read, these are the words of Isaiah as God’s own people had hardened their hearts against him and because of fear of death they were beginning to worship other gods, even the lords of Egypt, the kings of Egypt and said of God himself. Isaiah stands before them and says these words: He says: “I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him.” He goes on to say in Isa 6:8: “Here am I. Send me!” Here am I and the children the Lord has given me. In other words what he is saying is that when Isaiah prophesied and he said: “Here am I. Send me!” He wasn’t ultimately pointing to himself, but he was ultimately pointing to Jesus Christ. What we find the author of Hebrews is saying here in Hebrews 2 is when Jesus says: “ I will put my trust in Him.” “And again he says, here I am and the children you have given me.” He says that he is pointing ultimately to the humanity of Christ and the fact that Christ has come. That in heaven above, Christ said: “Here am I. Send Me.” Therefore, what we find is his humanity here upon this earth actually points to the fulfillment of that very promise. What we find is his coming and his standing along side us is actually a sign and a symbol, not only to Israel of the Old Testament, but also that the Lord Almighty dwells even among us. The thought is then that Jesus is qualified to be our priest and Savior, because he shares in our own nature. Not because he is some remote being but he is also able to save us.

I will close with an example that Brian Chapel once used concerning an Indian Chief, who in this particular tribe, the way one became a chief was to be the strongest and the most courageous of any within that particular tribe. We are told this chief wore a headdress of about 300 pounds of feathers that went all the way down to the ground. On one particular day, one of the Indians within his particular camp fell down a shaft that went very deep down within the heart of the earth. It was a well that had been dug and one of the Indians actually fell down in it. We are told that the chief that day, because no one else would go, because as others would climb down, they had the strength to climb back up the ladder themselves, but not to bring anyone else with them. The chief, himself, literally took his wardrobe off and he climbed down that ladder and he took that injured Indian and put him upon his shoulder and he climbed all the way back up to the earth. The point being this. In taking that wardrobe off, he didn’t betray the office that he held, that being the Chief of the Indians. It was literally in taking that off and performing the work that he actually proved himself to be the Chief of that tribe. The very same thing is true when it comes to Jesus Christ. For you see it is in his putting aside the glory that he had in heaven and taking upon human flesh and coming down to this earth to redeem you and me out of this pit that he doesn’t betray the office of Messiah, but that he actually fulfills it. Lifting people like you and me out of the pit by becoming our High Priest and even being able to provide, as we have times of need during great temptation. Will you look to such a Lord today? Not only for eternity but as you see him as the Lord over all eternity. Will you look to even the specifics of the salvation that he brings, even that you might live before him in a worthy way here upon this earth. Would you bow with me in prayer.

PRAYER

Our heavenly Father, we give praise to you today, for the government that you have provided for us, for the Savior you have given to redeem us from both your and our enemies. I am mindful this morning, of the temporary or new government that has been set up in Afghanistan, remembering that many of those participated in the deliverance from Al Qaida. But at this point, it was not acceptable for a government from outside their own community to come and to be set up for they would not accept them, for others could not relate to their problems and would not have their best interestS at heart. Therefore, it was from among their own that the world has provided a group of deliverers. We are reminded as well Father, that it must be one of our own that must provide salvation for us! And yet, your word tells us that no human being could offer his life on behalf of another because he must give his own life for the sins that he has committed. Therefore, there was a need for a Savior from beyond us and yet at the same time one who would take upon himself our humanity. Lord, how we praise you this day for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for the testimony given by the prophet David. We thank you for the testimony given in the Book of Hebrews. We pray Father that we might learn to live in obedience to his word as we see him by faith, as the Lord overall. These things we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

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