Verse 10. Hebrews 2 at verse 10.
For it was fitting that he, for whom and by all things exist,
! bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
! And so on down through the following verses.
Experts in education will remind us that if we get the order wrong as far as skill and knowledge is concerned,
then that we reap what we sow and we end up with those who are badly informed and who are not equipped to work or to serve.
In other words, they will tell us that we must lay the emphasis on knowledge before we lay emphasis on skill,
because knowledge is the basis for skill.
And it seems as we read this letter that the writer understood that well,
because here was a people struggling with their faith,
struggling with the assurance of faith,
and struggling with the opposition that they faced in the world.
And the writer well understood that the way to address that was to increase their knowledge of the Lord Jesus as their saviour,
and having done so, to apply that to them and to give them a better understanding of how that not only changes their lives,
but sets their lives in motion.
And we want to think about that as we look at these verses together this evening.
The importance and the centrality of Jesus in our lives.
And of course, we are Christians who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and who do follow him.
But we do want to think of what that means in the light of what Jesus has done.
And as we do read through these verses, it seems there is a clear sense of the background of two things.
First of all, there is the sense of the world to come in verse five.
It's important that we have that perspective, that there is a better world to come.
And along that, as we shall see, there is underlying these verses also the mission of God.
And the Bible, of course, is about the mission of God.
And from these verses this evening, we want to think of the assurance of faith and the founder of salvation,
which we have in verse number 10.
I want to see, first of all, the mission of God and redemption.
And when we read through these words in verse number five, six, down to verse number eight,
and we come into the second half of verse number eight,
the writer speaks about subjection.
And that subjection is in the context of the verses that he quotes from Psalm number eight.
And subjection is about subordination.
It's about willingness to be under control of.
And particularly in this Psalm, it speaks of the way in which God created man in his own image
and after his own likeness in order to have dominion over everything in the world,
to subdue creation and have dominion over everything that moves.
And when we read back into Genesis chapter one,
that's where we see the mission of God set out for Adam at the point of his creation.
And we can summarize the mission of God given to Adam in two different ways.
First of all, he is to fill the creation of God with the image of God.
His children, his offspring, are going to be the image of God.
And secondly, he is going to spread the garden conditions to cover the whole of creation.
So the paradise that is confined to the garden of Eden is a paradise which will cover the whole of creation.
That's the mission of God, simply put.
And Adam is set out into this creation to begin that extension of the garden conditions
and to fill the world with people who are in the image of God.
And the writer here says in Roshnabarit,
we don't yet see everything in subjection to him.
In other words, something has gone wrong.
Not that the mission of God has failed,
but there has been a failure on the part of Adam who was going to fulfill that commission.
And we know the story in Genesis 2 and Genesis 3,
if ye to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
you shall surely die.
And we read through the account in Genesis 3,
and that's exactly what happened.
Where are you, says God?
Have ye eaten of the tree that I told you not to eat of it?
And the outcome is that Adam is sent out of the garden
because of the way in which he has failed God and broken God's covenant.
There is a great failure.
And once we think of that,
humanly speaking,
there's such an impasse that there is no possibility
of the mission of God ever now being accomplished.
That is until we begin to see that there is redemption.
And that's what the writer here wants them to notice.
We don't see everything yet in subjection to him,
but we see him.
We see Jesus,
who was made a little lower than the angels for a little while.
We're going to understand the mission of God,
with a focus on the passion of the Son of God,
as the passion has come to work out a way of redemption,
to rescue humankind from the way in which Adam has led us into death
because of his sin,
to rescue us from that.
But God prepares a way of redemption.
And we see Jesus.
He is the focus of our faith.
He is the center of our salvation.
And here he is,
for a little time,
made lower than the angels.
As I mentioned,
he was born in the manger,
the Son of God came into the world.
He was brought up on his mother's breast.
He is Jesus,
made lower than the angels for a little while.
for the great purpose of redemption.
So that by the grace of God,
he might taste death for everyone.
The movement of God's heart
for the salvation of his own people
and for the purpose of his own mission,
that he sent his Son
to taste death for,
on behalf of,
as a substitute for everyone.
And tasting in the sense of
experiencing all that death meant.
And in the work of redemption,
to think of the death that he did taste.
And we can describe death
in so many different ways
as we are familiar with it.
But unless the death that he tasted
is the same death
that Adam endured
in the Garden of Eden
when he was sent out of it,
then there is no redemption.
So when I see Jesus on the cross
dying for my sin,
dying for the sins of the world,
I need to be sure
that my understanding of his death
corresponds
to the failure of Adam
in the Garden of Eden.
And when I capture that
and see the death
that I can see
through the lens
of the prophets
and of all the experience
of Moses and the children of Israel
through these lenses,
looking back to see
the death that Adam endured,
that here is Jesus
abolishing death.
At the end of this chapter,
that here is Jesus
who through death
destroy the one
who has the power of death.
He is our Redeemer.
And tonight,
we need to continue
to think more and more
about what the death
of Jesus meant.
Our salvation depends upon it.
We remember
the death of the Lord Jesus.
His blood is the new covenant.
But we remember
that his death
is at the center
of the redeeming work of God
because of the grand mission of God.
And the more my faith
engages with that,
and the more my faith
begins to see
the riches
of these connections,
then I begin to see
the purpose of God
for humankind.
So that my salvation
is not individualistic,
which it is,
and I may share,
but that especially,
it's part of the big thing
that God is doing
to rescue humankind.
So there is
the mission of God
and redemption.
Jesus died
for our sins.
Secondly,
there is
the mission of God
and realignment.
if something goes off track,
something needs to take place
in order to bring it back on track
and bring it back on course.
And so as surely as we see
the death of Jesus
redeeming us
from the penalty of death
and because of Adam's sin,
then we see the resurrection of Jesus
as the realignment
of the mission of God,
bringing it back firmly on course
so that what he purposed to do
in the Garden of Eden
will be realized
in the new heavens
and in the new earth.
And in verse 9,
the writer
goes on to speak
about the way in which
he is crowned
with glory
and honor.
Sit at my right hand.
We read in Psalm 110.
God made that same Jesus
you have crucified,
Lord and Christ,
in Acts chapter 2.
He is crowned
with glory
and honor.
And part of that glory
is the glory
that Adam was promised
in the Garden of Eden.
There is that experience
of glory.
There is that place
of glory.
He is crowned
with personal glory
and honor.
But he enters
into the place
of glory.
glory.
And that's where
we see the realignment.
Because we are
reminded in this
verse 10,
it was fitting
that he for whom
and by whom
all things exist
in bringing
many
sons
to glory.
Here is the realignment.
Here is
what Adam failed to do
to bring the whole
of humankind
as posterity
into the paradise
of God
to be confirmed
in that place
of commune
with God.
Instead,
Adam led us
into the
death
and the darkness
of separation
from God.
But here is
this
Jesus.
He is the
founder
of our salvation.
That does mean
he's the pioneer
who goes
first.
that means
he's the
groundbreaker.
Nobody has
done this
before.
But being
the founder
also means
that he is
representing
others
and taking
others
with him.
Adam took
us into
death.
Jesus,
the son
of God,
leads us
into the
glory of God,
bringing many
sons to glory.
that's why
he says
in version
number 13,
behold,
I and the
children God
has given
me.
What will
Jesus say
at the end
when we're
all gathered
in glory
with Jesus?
Behold me
and the
children
that God
has given
to me.
At the
very beginning
I mentioned
the way
in which
the grace
of God
creates
motion in
the life
of the
Christian.
we're
not
static,
we're
not
sitting
in the
same
place
going
nowhere.
The
picture
clearly
is
that
since
the
day
that
Jesus
rose
and
since
the
day
we're
united
to him
is that
he is
leading us
on a
triumphant
journey
through
this world
until
at last
triumphantly
we enter
into
through
the gates
of glory
and there
to be
forever
more
with
Christ.
The
realignment
they needed
to be
encouraged
to think
above what
was happening
around them
to think
above the
persecution
the suffering
all that
living the
life of
faith meant
they need
to think
above that
and not
just above
that but
beyond
that
so they
will see
that this
is what
their journey
really is
him leading
them
triumphantly
more than
conquerors
through him
who loved
them
until at
last he
brings
them
into
glory
and surely
tonight
that's a
huge
encouragement
for your
faith
and mine
in our
struggles
perhaps
today
itself
we all
have our
individual
struggles
our heads
go down
to think
of motion
that's
bringing us
closer to
glory
as perhaps
the furthest
thing in
our minds
but it
is in
these
moments
that the
Bible
that God
wants us
to remember
that as
Moses took
the children
of Israel
across
the Red
Sea
and the
people of
God
wondered
at the
majesty
of God
that we
should
never
lose
sight of
the fact
that we
are on
a similar
journey
but a
far greater
and significant
journey
to be with
Christ
in glory
and
tonight
no matter
where we
are
or what
we're
going
through
that's
the
journey
that we're
on
we're
on
together
we worship
together
we pray
together
we hear
what God
has to say
to us
together
because we
are on
this
journey
to certain
victory
to be
with Christ
in glory
the mission
of God
and the
realignment
God's
purposes
cannot fail
and he puts
everything in
place to
ensure
that his
mission will
be firmly
on
cush
and will
be
realised
and thirdly
we want to
think of
the mission
of God
and the
Redeemer
who is
this
passion
Jesus
what has
he actually
done
what has
he done
for us
what is
he doing
for us
now
the mission
of God
and the
Redeemer
and through
these verses
there's the
clear
picture
that he's
the perfect
Redeemer
we see
going back
to verse 10
it was
fitting
that he
for whom
and by
whom all
things
exist
the God
whose mission
it is
it was
suitable
and appropriate
for him
to make
the founder
of our
salvation
perfect
through
suffering
the plan
fitted
exactly
what is
required
in order
to keep
the mission
on cush
it was
fitting
God
in his
wisdom
has the
plan
no other
plan
would have
helped the
situation
no other
plan
would have
rescued us
it was
fitting and
suitable and
right and
appropriate
in accordance
with God's
design
for his
design in
his mission
that the
person of
his son
would be
made
perfect
through
suffering
and
perfection
not in
the sense
that he
had any
imperfections
but made
perfect
fully equipped
to reach
the intended
goal
as somebody
who was
called
into
the mission
of God
himself
that he
was fully
equipped
to complete
the task
through
suffering
and we
read in
chapter 5
that he
learned
obedience
through what
he suffered
though he
was a son
he learned
obedience
and that
learning process
was discovering
every step
that he took
what obedience
meant
until he
looked into
the cup
in the garden
of Gethsemane
until he
was crucified
on Calvary's
cross
discovering
is this
what obedience
means
and the more
he suffered
the more
he discovered
yes
this is what
obedience
means
he was made
perfect
through
suffering
everything
that he
endured
was absolutely
necessary
every step
that he took
in life
suffering
at the hands
of others
tempted
by the devil
working day
by day
as the
perfect
holy
son of
God
he was
made
perfect
through
suffering
the mission
of God
and the
perfect
saviour
but I want us
to think as we
close of
the mission
of God
and the
perfect
priest
because
everything that
is introduced
in this
chapter
sets the
writer off
on a
marvellous
exposition
of Christ
Jesus
as our
great
high
priest
in this
in verse 17
here itself
therefore he
had to be
made like
his brothers
in every
respect
so that he
might become
a merciful
and faithful
high priest
in the
service
of God
he was
appointed
as God's
high
priest
and when
we think
of the
high
priest
in his
appointment
in the
Old Testament
we see
there is
a service
of
consecration
of
setting
apart
and of
anointing
and we
see that
in Exodus
chapter 29
and
the late
Professor
John L.
Mackay
who was
a revered
Old Testament
lecturer
in Free Church
College
in my own
time
helpfully
explains
what
consecration
means
and it
means
at a
simple
level
filling
the
hands
of
someone
I
ask
somebody
to go
and do
something
and I
don't
equip
them
to do
that
thing
they're
not
going
to be
able
to do
it
I
need
to
fill
their
hands
with
the
things
that
enable
them
to
complete
that
task
and I
want us
to think
of
the
mission
of God
and the
Redeemer
and the
perfect
high priest
whose hands
were filled
by God
so that he
could complete
the whole
task
and to
think
of that
filling
of the
hands
of
the
perfect
high
priest
in
four
ways
just to
skim
over
and the
first
is
the
priest
needs
an
offering
and in
chapter
number
10
the
writer
putting
the words
as it
were
in the
mouth
of the
Lord
Jesus
in
verse
5
sacrifice
and
offerings
you have
not
desired
they have
no value
they can't
do the
work
what does
Jesus
say
a body
you have
prepared
for me
so when
I see
the son
of God
as Jesus
in the
manger
taking
our
nature
becoming
one of
us
becoming
like us
as the
writer
says
through
these
verses
I
think
of
God
filling
his
hands
with
a body
which he
was going
to
sacrifice
for
our sins
it's a
body
that he
gave
he
gave
himself
he
offered
himself
his
hands
were
filled
with
a
perfect
sacrifice
and
he
goes
to
Calvary's
cross
and
he
offers
himself
the
perfect
priest
with
a
perfect
sacrifice
with
which
God
filled
his
hands
the
second
thing
in the
way
in which
God
filled
his
hands
is
that
he
gave
him
the
help
of
his
Holy
Spirit
and
we
read
in
chapter
9
verse
number
14
how much
will
the
blood
of
Jesus
Christ
who
through
the
eternal
spirit
offered
himself
Jesus
could
not
offer
himself
without
the
support
of
God
and
as
surely
as
God
provided
for
the
high
priest
in
the
tabernacle
in
the
temple
in
the
Old
Testament
so
here
he
is
giving
his
Holy
Spirit
to
his
son
and
that's
why
John
says
in
John
chapter
3
he
did
not
save
the
Spirit
without
measure
he
was
filled
with
the
Spirit
in
order
to
give
the
obedience
and
in
order
to
give
strength
to
sacrifice
himself
filling
of the
hands
body
for
sacrifice
filling
of the
hands
the
Holy
Spirit
for
strength
thirdly
filling
of the
hands
with
his
own
blood
in
the
presence
of
God
and
that
symbolic
way
again
in
chapter
number
9
he
enters
into
the
presence
of
God
for
us
with
his
own
blood
in
a
symbolic
way
when
Jesus
appears
before
God
to
intercede
for
us
he
goes
with
his
blood
in
his
hands
and
we
know
that
literally
that's
not
what
happens
but
in
the
symbolic
language
of
this
letter
itself
his
hands
are
filled
with
his
own
blood
and
so
when
he
intercedes
for
me
and
father
I
will
that
they
whom
you
have
given
me
be
with
me
where
I
am
keep
them
through
your
word
that
prayer
of
John
17
here
is
the
basis
on
which
it
is
prayed
his
hands
are
filled
with
his
own
blood
his
redeeming
blood
and
on
that
basis
he
is
the
perfect
priest
who
intercedes
for
us
finally
there
is
the
filling
of
his
hands
with
the
spirit
which
he
gives
to
us
and
that's
what
completes
the
realignment
he
promised
to
the
disciples
through
John
14
15
and
16
that
he
would
send
the
helper
the
Holy
Spirit
and
we
read
in
Acts
chapter
2
that
he
received
from
the
Father
the
promised
Holy
Spirit
in
verse
33
and
he
has
poured
out
this
now
which
you
see
and
hear
that
changes
people
that
transformed
that
gathering
at
Pentecost
that
brought
people
to
repentance
and
to
forgiveness
of sin
that
brought
people
to
know the
power of
God
in their
own
lives
hearts
the
hands
of
Jesus
were
filled
the
moment
that
he
sat
on
his
throne
so
that
he
would
send
a
spirit
into
the
world
and
complete
the
realignment
by
changing
your
heart
and
changing
mine
but
being
about
by
reversing
all
of
the
ways
in
which
sin
has
destroyed
our
relationship
with
God
at
the
moment
that
the
Spirit
of
God
comes
to dwell
in
our
hearts
all
things
are
made
new
all
things
have
passed
away
we
are
a
new
creation
in
Christ
and
as
those
who
are
a
new
creation
in
Christ
we
are
on
our
way
to
the
new
heavens
and
to
the
new
earth
he
gives
us
of
his
spirit
and
as
we
close
is
that
not
what
fills
our
own
hands
that
God
gives
to
you
and
to
me
his
!
Spirit
to
equip
us
to
serve
him
we
cannot
do
it
without
him
but
we
can
certainly
do
it
because
he
has
given
us
his
spirit
my
grace
he
says
Paul
my
grace
is
sufficient
for
you
my
power
is
made
perfect
in
your
weakness
and
don't
let's
ever
consider
that
we
can
do
nothing
don't
let's
ever
consider
that
we
sit
back
and
wait
for
something
else
to
happen
or
somebody
else
to
do
it
let's
remember
that
he
has
filled
our
hearts
so
that
we
are
equipped
to
serve
him
and
that
spirit
is
the
spirit
of
obedience
the
spirit
of
holiness
the
spirit
of
love
the
spirit
of
sharing
it
is
the
spirit
that
enables
us
to
do
everything
that
God
requires
of us
and let's
rejoice
that
that is
the outcome
of all
that Jesus
did
and let's
rejoice
that
tonight
we are
part
of that
motion
picture
that takes
us from
here
to the
glory
of God
and that
as surely
as his
hands are
filled
with
the way
in which
he is
equipped
for the
task
that so
are
you
and mine
and why
should we
fear
why should
we fear
the world
temptation
why should
we fear
our own
sense of
feeling and
weakness
why should
we fear
because
God has
given us
the equipment
he has
given to
us
the power
of his
Holy Spirit
may God
bless these
thoughts to
us
so we're
now going to
sing in
Psalm number
132
in the
Scottish
Psalter
on page
423
and we're
singing