Well, good morning.
Just want to add to Pastor Greg's announcement as the children's ministry.
If you are a member and you'd like to come to the meeting on Thursday, we will provide
childcare.
So please, if that is a barrier to you thinking about coming, please do plan on coming and
join us for the meal beforehand, and then there will be someone to watch your kids during
the meeting.
And also, there are agendas on the back table.
If you are a member and would like to know more particularly what we're talking about,
that is available for you, I believe.
Is that right, Esther?
So if you want those, they're on the back table.
One of the fun things about being a father is watching your son grow up.
My son Eli is five, almost five.
He'll be five in two weeks.
And he's at a really, really fun stage of life.
When I ask him to help with something, he just lights up.
He stands up straighter.
His chest kind of puffs out a little bit.
And he will literally run around the house getting the things that he thinks we need.
Some of it's useful.
Some of it's not.
But getting the things that he thinks that we need to do the task at hand.
And it is really fun to see him as he finds a place in my world, in our world, where he
can help, where he can contribute.
He loves it.
And it just fills him with pride and fills him with a joy.
And it energizes his life.
And I was reflecting on it this week because I was thinking, I don't know how many of us,
myself included, feel this way every day.
We don't describe our day-to-day life as this great opportunity to jump into good works,
to help the world, and to do something profitable.
Instead, what do we do?
Well, often we call it the daily grind.
Whatever are the tasks at hand, what do we need to get through today?
Whether it's laundry and wiping noses.
Whether it's assignments and preparing for exams or writing papers.
Whether it's projects at work, getting the to-do list done for your boss.
Whether it's all the activities that fill your day.
Often these things are not seen as these great opportunities.
But instead, they're a daily grind.
We think, how do we get through this one?
And then how do we get through the next one?
And how do we get through the next one?
And deep in our hearts, we ask ourselves a question.
Is this what we were created for?
Is there anything greater?
Is there anything more than this?
One of my favorite poets slash songwriters in the last 15 years,
and this is going to date me for some of you,
but if you're familiar with the band Switchfoot,
wrote a great song.
It's probably their breakout song.
This is partly what they wrote in this song.
Fumbling his confidence and wondering why the world has passed him by.
Hoping that he's bent for more than arguments and failed attempts to fly.
Dreaming about providence and whether mice and men have second tries.
Maybe we've been living with our eyes half open.
Maybe we're bent and broken.
We were meant to live for so much more.
Have we lost ourselves?
And I wonder if you feel that way today.
I wonder if you feel, as you wake up each morning,
is this all that I've been made for?
And you know, sometimes we don't feel that way.
Sometimes we wake up in the morning and we just think,
what a great day.
I can't wait for all the things.
But as I was reflecting on it,
it seems that this question arises more commonly in particular circumstances.
Sometimes it's when we've reached the top.
When we've accomplished all the things we wanted to accomplish.
When we've won the Super Bowl.
When we've done all the things.
When we've finally gotten married.
Whatever the thing is that we've set our hearts on it
and gone through all the work to do.
And then we think, is this all?
Is this all there is?
On the other hand, on the other end of the spectrum,
there are times when we ask the question
when we feel like we are getting crushed under the heel of life.
Where every day is simply an attempt to survive.
To try to get through to the next day.
And not be totally overcome.
And overwhelmed.
By the tasks of life.
Often we think, is this all?
And thirdly,
I think there are times when we ask this question
when what we're working for will be very costly.
When continuing to pursue the thing that we're grinding out for
suddenly will cost us a lot.
And we ask, is this worth it?
Is this what I was made for?
Is it worth continuing on this track?
This career track?
Is it worth pressing through in this relationship?
Is it, well you can't really get out of parenting.
You're kind of stuck there.
But when it's really costly.
These are the times when these questions rise up in our mind.
And I think when we ask this question,
when we feel this existential angst,
I think there are two things that we can do.
There are two ways that we respond.
One is that we run,
we try to anesthetize our hearts
from the fearful reality of asking that question.
We run to little things to give us a little pleasure,
a little distraction,
a little entertainment,
a little something
to avoid the pain of facing a life
where we're asking,
is this really worth it?
Or, the second thing is,
we take up the charge of the existentialists of the 20th century
who said,
there is no meaning out there.
Don't even try to find it.
The only meaning is what you make of it.
And so we set ourselves to the task
of making our lives meaningful.
And we become driven,
purposeful people.
But we're desperately trying to infuse our life
with a meaning,
with a purpose,
with a grandeur,
all on our own.
And yet I would posit to you
that neither of these strategies ultimately work.
And they leave us with the same question.
Were we made for something more?
We made for something more than this.
And this is the question
to which our passage speaks this morning.
We are continuing our series in the book of Hebrews.
If you want to turn in your pew Bible,
page 1001.
We're going to look at Hebrews chapter 2 this morning.
We're going to look at this passage
and we're going to remember what it is
that God has said to us about this question.
And just to remind you of a little bit of the context
as you're looking there,
chapter 1 of Hebrews was all about
Jesus the Exalted One.
Jesus who is the final and the best Word of God.
Jesus who has come
and who has given a greater and a fuller revelation
than that of the angels.
In fact, the angels are simply ministering spirits.
But Jesus is the final Word.
Jesus is the One who has come.
And God has spoken to us
so that we know who God is through Jesus.
And then, the beginning of chapter 2,
verses 1 through 4,
Nick last week talked about how
woven into this argument about the Exalted Jesus
is then this grave warning.
So if Jesus is that great,
oh friends, let us be careful
that we do not drift away
from such a great work of salvation
that this Jesus has worked for us.
And then, starting in verse 5 of chapter 2,
which is what we're going to read in just a minute,
he dives back into the argument.
But he's not starting a brand new argument,
nor is he continuing the same argument.
But he has a second movement in this argument
about Jesus and how he relates
to God and to angels and to creation.
And in this section, particularly,
how he relates to humanity.
So let's look together.
Hebrews chapter 2, verses 5 through 9.
Let's read it together.
Now, in putting everything in subjection to him,
he left nothing outside his control.
At present, we do not yet see everything
in subjection to him,
but we see him who, for a little while,
was made lower than the angels,
namely Jesus,
crowned with glory and honor
because of the suffering of death,
so that by the grace of God,
he might taste death for everyone.
Let's pray together.
God, we thank you for your word.
We thank you that in it,
you have shown us who Jesus is,
your best and final word.
And God, I pray this morning
that you would lead us and help us
as we look at it this morning.
God, I pray for your spirit to help me
that the words I speak might be useful.
Lord, that you would apply your word to our hearts.
Lord, that we might see what a glorious Savior Jesus is.
And we pray in his precious name.
Amen.
So as we look at this argument,
I don't know what your first reaction to it was.
When I first looked at this passage
as I started preparing a little while ago was,
okay, this is not obvious what this is all about.
So let me try and walk you through the argument.
And as we walk you through the argument,
we're going to see what a precious thing
this word gives us.
And we're going to see three things in this argument.
The first thing is we're going to see
God's plan for humanity
in verses five through eight.
And then at the very end of verse eight,
we're going to see the second thing,
which is the problem for humanity.
And then in verse nine,
we will see God's provision for humanity.
So we're going to see God's plan,
the problem, and God's provision for humanity.
So first, let's look at verses five through eight
and the plan for humanity.
And you know what?
This is the answer to the question
that I raised at the beginning.
What were we made for?
In verses five through eight,
the author is saying Jesus
is connected with humanity
and God has a unique plan for humanity.
This is what he means in verse five,
where he starts off the argument,
for it was not to angels
that God subjected the world to come.
He's picking up the arguments from before, okay?
He's been talking about the angels
and particularly if you look back,
verse 14 of chapter one,
who are the angels?
The angels are not the last word,
but the angels are ministering spirits
for the sake of who?
For the sake of those who will inherit salvation.
That is human beings,
you and me and all of humanity.
And so he's picking up that argument again
and he's saying,
do you remember?
It's not to angels that he subjected the world,
but to humanity.
And that's the argument at the beginning of verse five.
And he's saying that the world
that's being subjected to humanity
is not this world now,
but it's the world to come.
That is, it's the world
when Jesus' reign is fully established,
humanity will be the ones
who will rule over it.
Now, why do I say this?
Well, the author gives us a reason.
He goes back and he quotes Psalm 8,
which was read to us earlier this morning.
And he looks at Psalm 8 and he says,
what is man that you are mindful of him
or the son of man that you care for him?
You made him for a little while,
lower than the angels.
You've crowned him with glory and honor,
putting everything in subjection under his feet.
And if you remember the Psalm and the glory of it,
the psalmist was writing as he stood there
and he looked at the heavens
and he looked at the glory of God's creation
and he felt so small.
And maybe you felt that too.
When you go to the Grand Canyon
or an incredibly beautiful place,
when you go to the ocean
and watch the immensity of the waves,
when you go to the mountains
and you see how great and immovable they are,
you feel small.
And yet the psalmist is saying,
God, you've made such a great creation.
Who am I?
What is my place in it?
And yet you have actually given me
the greatest place
because though you made me a little lower
than the angels,
yet you've crowned me with glory
and you have made it so that
everything will be under my feet.
And the psalmist there is pulling on
a number of different traditions.
One of the traditions is that
or understandings in the Old Testament times.
One is that it was the angels
who have dominion over this present world.
This was a common view,
both at the time of the psalmist
and in the first century,
where the angels were sort of the ruling spirits
over this world,
over this present age.
It's saying,
so humanity was made lower than them for a season.
And yet,
and yet that's not the ultimate goal.
In fact,
going back to Genesis 1,
going back to the very beginning
of the story,
the psalmist is recalling that
God has given humanity
dominion over all the earth,
male and female.
He gave them stewardship
over all of creation,
all the living things,
all of the physical world.
And though,
and we'll explore this more in a few minutes,
though this has been abused greatly,
yet there is an original dignity
and rightness
in what it is that God is doing.
And so he says,
what is man
that you've made,
that you're mindful of him,
or the son of man
that you would care for him?
And the son of man there,
I don't think actually refers to Jesus.
It's kind of easy to jump there.
But I think based on Hebrew parallelism
and just the way
that Old Testament writers wrote,
it's simply saying,
it's another way of saying,
what is man?
What is mankind,
humanity,
that is being referred to
in that verse?
And so the psalmist
is saying,
God, you have done an amazing thing.
I am little in your creation,
but you have given me
this incredible purpose
of having dominion,
that everything will be put
under my control
as I live,
and this is the original intent,
as I live under you,
God,
this is the place that I have
in your creation
and your world.
And this is what he says
as he goes on
in verse 8,
the first part,
right?
He says,
now I'm putting everything
into subjection to him.
He left nothing
outside of his control.
Not even the angels.
The angels will ultimately
be under human rulership
as the humans rule
under God
over creation.
And this is the argument.
And I think it's unbelievable
for us.
One,
we're very democratic.
We don't like kings.
We don't like people
who rule over us.
And we're uncomfortable
with the thought
that we might actually
have to play that role ourselves.
And so we have
a cultural barrier
against wanting to be,
having a place
of ruling or reigning
over others.
We just feel
uncomfortable with it.
And so we have
but the psalmist says,
no,
this is actually
your human destiny.
This is your created purpose
that God has given to you.
Have you ever thought
about the Chronicles of Narnia
in light of this?
The Chronicles of Narnia,
for those of you who don't know,
is a great series
of children's books
by C.S. Lewis.
And the first one
tells the story
of these four children,
the Pivensies,
who are off on holiday
at their,
at a large house
and they get transported
into a new world.
And you know,
in their normal world,
they're just everyday people.
But you know
what happens to them?
When they're transported
into the world,
they find out
that they are in fact
kings and queens.
And as they learn
about this world
and as they understand
this world more,
they know,
they come to realize
that they have
this incredible world
that they've been given
to rule over
and to care for
under the great rule
of the emperor
over the sea
and his son,
Aslan the lion,
who sacrificially saves
the land
by his own death.
It's a great allegory.
If you haven't read it,
definitely do it.
But the picture there
of these ordinary kids
who are transported
into a world
where they in fact
are kings and queens.
This is, in fact,
true of us.
This is what God intends
for you and me.
Under God,
for all eternity,
this is what
we were created for.
Think about what
that must have meant
to the recipients
of this letter.
We've talked about
the fact that
the people
who received this letter
seemed to be facing
some kind of persecution,
some kind of difficulty.
In fact,
the pressure was so great
that there were people
who were turning away
from Jesus
and saying,
No, Jesus,
that's not,
I'm not going to
continue to believe
in Jesus
because it cost me
too much.
They're facing
that third crisis
that I talked about earlier,
about what am I here for?
And they're turning away
from Jesus
in the midst of it.
And if we read it right,
and if that pressure
is coming significantly
from Roman persecution,
what good news
would it be
that you,
though you may be killed
by the Roman emperor,
you are going to reign
forever with Jesus?
What good news
would that be?
It would be pretty great,
wouldn't it?
It would be pretty exciting.
We'll come back
to that thought
in a little while.
Let me give one application
for this
that is actually an aside.
But as I was reflecting
on this truth this week,
it occurred to me
that we actually struggle
with this idea
of humans reigning
over the world
for another reason too.
In a post-Darwinian world,
we have an assumption,
we have a thought
that human beings
are simply the top
of the animal chain
and we are simply
one more step
in an evolutionary process.
And friends,
this passage tells us
that though it is true
that we are a part
of the created order,
just like the animals,
we are in fact,
according to the Bible,
distinct from
the animal world.
we have a dignity
and a purpose
that is not the same
as that for dolphins
and dogs
and butterflies.
They have their own place
in reflecting God's glory
and we have a stewardship
and a responsibility
to this creation
under God
to care for it
in a way that we have
and always.
But friends,
we are distinct
and that has all sorts
of implications.
That has implications
for unborn children.
It has implications
for the elderly.
It has implications
for stewardship
of the environment.
We need to think
about this
and to recognize
that Psalm 8
and the argument
of the Hebrews
up to this point
is saying human beings
have this unique destiny
and purpose
to rule under God
over the world.
What is humanity
made a little lower
than the angels
but crowned with glory
and given dominion
over all creation?
What a glorious thing
it is.
And yet,
and one of the reasons
why you're sitting there
looking at me
and not standing up
and clapping
and shouting
at how wonderful it is
is because of the end
of verse 8.
Because there's a problem
isn't there?
The problem is
that this glorious purpose
that's laid out
is so far
from our imaginations
to know what that
actually looks like
because we don't see it now
do we?
Look with me
the end of verse 8
at present
we do not yet
see everything
in subjection
to Him.
And this is right
isn't it?
You look around
in our world
and what do we see?
We see a mix.
We see humanity
sometimes doing great things.
There are moments
of heroism.
There's progress
in medicine.
There's growth
in civilization.
There's progress
in creativity
and in the arts.
There's all sorts
of things
that
where we are seeing
some good signs
and yet
how much
are we in fact
not
over
the creation.
How much
do we see
is outside
of control
and in fact
what we see
is not order
but chaos.
Our natural world
is beyond
our ken.
Our natural world
is beyond
our control
and we continue
to be reminded
of it
as we're
in our modern world
continue to think
that we actually
can control it
and then we get
another forest fire
another tsunami
another hurricane
another blizzard
another thing
that just reminds me
that no
this is not yet true.
And it's not just
in the natural world
is it
it's in our own
personal life too.
We don't do
what we want to do
all the time
do we?
We don't even have
control over
being able to accomplish
the things that we set
to accomplish.
We find our emotional
life beyond
our control
at times.
We find our
moral compass
unable
to give us
the strength
to actually be
the righteous people
that we're meant
to be.
And we see it
in relationships
and we see it
in civilizations
and societies.
This world
is not under
the control
of humanity
or when it is
humanity is
abusing that power
and destroying
rather than building.
And the greatest
way that we see
this
is actually
in
the one thing
that no one
ever
has been able
to conquer
and that is
death.
Do you notice
he picked that up
at the end?
We'll get to
why he did.
But one of the
things that we do
see is that
death
has control
over us.
Because no matter
what progress
we've made
in medicine
no matter
what good
things we've
been able
to do
and nutrition
and living
well
and all of
that
we still
die.
Everyone
will die.
Everyone
will face
that
ultimate
eternity.
and it
reminds us
it reminds
us
that
in
Genesis 1
that's not
the way
it was
supposed to
be
and yet
now
it is
inevitably
that way
and it
will not
be otherwise
and we've
been trying
for thousands
of years
as humans
to figure
out how
to overcome
it.
We haven't
yet
and you
know what
we never
will.
We never
will.
death
came into
the world
because of
human sin
and rebellion.
Remember how
I said
that the
framework
was
humanity
over creation
under God?
Most of you
probably know
the storyline
but in
Genesis 3
humanity
said we
don't want
to live
under God.
We want
to be
our own
gods.
We want
to take
a dominion
that is
not ours
and to
try to
replace
God
with
ourselves
and in
that
rebellion
everything
was broken.
Relationships
were broken,
relationship
with God,
relationship
with one
another,
relationship
with creation.
All of
those things
were broken
because of
human sin
that is
rebellion
against God,
refusing to
honor God
and acknowledge
him for
what he's
supposed to
be.
and so
death
came into
the world
as a
right
judgment
against
a
rebellion
against
the giver
of life.
When we
rebelled
against the
one who
gave us
life,
he said
the punishment
will be
death.
And so
the whole
world
is under
this dynamic
and so
this
God-given
purpose
for humanity
that everything
would be
under him
is in fact
not true
at all
because we
all die.
None of
us will be
able to
reign
forever.
None of
us will
be able
to do
that.
And so
we live
in this
tension,
don't we?
We live
in the
tension
that we
were meant
for this
destiny,
this
dignity
of being
under God
over the
world and
yet now
we cannot
do it.
We are
incapable
of doing
it.
Friends,
just as an
aside,
this is one
of the
most encouraging
things to
me about
the Bible
is that it
actually deals
with reality
because we
live every
day with
this longing
for something
that cannot
be.
And these
verses right
here describe
why we feel
that way.
Because we
were created
for something
but sin
has entered
the world
and it has
entered our
hearts and
so we
cannot do
it,
we cannot
achieve the
things that
we long
we cannot
get to
the ideals
that we
can imagine
because God
has placed
that imagination
into our
hearts but
our sin
has crippled
us.
And so
we do not
see the
world as it
ought to be.
We do not
see the
world in
subjection.
But friends,
this is the
good news that
the writer to
the Hebrews
wants to give
to us is
that that's
not the
last word,
is it?
because in
the end
of verse
8 he
says,
we see
the world
not in
subjection.
But what
do we
see?
We don't
see the
world as
it should
be,
but what
do we
see?
Look with
me at
verse 9.
Let's read
it again
together.
But we
see him
who for
a little
while was
made lower
than the
angels,
namely Jesus,
crowned with
glory and
honor because
of the
suffering of
death,
so that by
the grace
of God he
might taste
death for
everyone.
Oh,
friends,
what good
news this
is.
We see
him,
namely
Jesus,
and what
is it
particularly
that he
says about
Jesus?
Jesus is
two things
at the
same time.
Jesus is
made lower
than the
angels and
yet crowned
with glory.
What does
that mean?
Chapter 1
is talked
about the
exalted
Jesus who
is over all
and who reigns
over all,
who is called
the Son,
who has
this exalted
place in
God's kingdom.
But now we
see Jesus
not simply
in his
exalted
place,
but also
in his
place of
humbling
himself and
coming and
identifying with
humanity.
Jesus came
to restore
what was
broken,
to restore
the fallen
humanity.
And in
order to
do that,
he must
become human.
He had
to join
with us
in being
made lower
than the
angel.
And so
the word,
the second
person of
the trinity,
of the
Godhead,
who existed
from eternity,
took on
human flesh.
He became
a human
being.
And so
this God
man,
Jesus,
identified
with us.
And as
he identified
with us,
he then
captured a
glory that
was beyond
all imagination.
salvation.
Think about
it,
friends.
If you
were the
creator of
the world
and you
were going
to come
and rescue
your world,
how would
you come?
On a
white horse,
crowned with
glory,
with armies
of angels
at your
back,
sweeping over
the world,
executing justice
and righteousness,
lifting up the
downtrodden,
casting down the
proud and the
arrogant,
making all
things right
and new,
wouldn't that
have looked
great.
But instead,
we see
Jesus,
who has a
greater plan
by identifying
with us
and then
being crowned
with glory
because of,
did you see
that phrase
in there?
Because of
the suffering
of death.
So not only
did Jesus
identify with
us by
becoming a
human,
but then
having lived
a perfect
life where
there was
no sin,
we'll see
that later
in Hebrews
if you're
wondering,
there was
no sin
in his
life,
he then
was able
to step
in and
be a
substitute
for all
of humanity.
So just
as the
first Adam
failed and
rejected God,
he comes
as the
second Adam
to live
the perfectly
obedient life
and to
restore that
which was
broken in
the first
place.
and so
he enters
in not
just to
humanity,
but he
enters into
the penalty
upon humanity,
the judgment
upon humanity
by death.
death.
And so
he suffered
death on
the cross
for us.
So that,
you see the
last phrase
in there?
So that
by the
grace of
God,
that is,
the free
undeserved
gift of
God to
the human
race,
he might
taste death
for everyone.
That is,
everyone without
distinction,
everyone who
comes to
him,
he dies.
Friends,
this is
great news.
He came
to be a
human being
like us
so that we
could become
a human being
like him.
That is,
he came
and he
walked the
earth and
he died
on the
cross and
he rose
again so
that we
too,
by faith
in him,
might also
die to
sin and
be raised
to new
life with
him.
Jesus is
the one
who's promised
in chapter
1 verse
13 that
all things
will be
put under
his feet.
Do you
see it?
Look with
me.
Sit at
my right
hand until
I make
your enemies
a footstool
for your
feet.
Jesus is
going to
come and
everything
will sit
under him.
But that's
not enough
for God's
great glory
and plan
because he
wants you
and me
to be with
God in
that.
And so
Jesus comes
and he
becomes a
human being
and dies
on the
cross and
rises from
the dead
so that
we,
friends,
may be
caught up
with him.
So that
we might
be restored
to that
place of
reigning
with him.
And this
is scattered
throughout the
New Testament.
1 Corinthians
6 verses
1 and 2
rebukes the
Corinthian church
saying,
don't you
know that
you will
judge the
angels?
that you
will judge
the world?
This is
God's plan
for us.
Jesus is
the, as we
will see
later, the
author and
the pioneer
of our
salvation.
That is, he's
the one who
wrote it from
the very
beginning, but
he's also the
first one to
do it.
He's the
first one to
go through
death and
rise from
the dead so
that we might
be caught up
in his
train as
he, the
king, rises
from the
grave to
take his
place, a
crown with
glory and
honor.
We are
caught up
with him.
We are in
the procession,
the royal
procession, and
when he sits
down for all
who are in
him, we sit
down with
him and
reign with
him.
Friends, what
does this mean
for us?
Well, first
of all, it
means that
only in
Jesus will
we find
the thing
that our
hearts are
longing for.
When we
think, when
we get that
gnawing feeling
of, isn't
there something
more to
life?
This passage
says, yes,
there is.
You were
made to
reign with
Christ over
the world in
all eternity,
and this is
your hope, but
also this is
your focus,
because we
will only do
it in Jesus.
And so to
know Jesus, to
believe in
him, to
trust in
him, to
love him, to
have fellowship
with him, is
your greatest
purpose in
this world.
Remember, to
the Hebrews, that
meant that as
they looked to
Jesus, it
didn't matter if
Caesar won.
And to you, it
doesn't matter how
grinding the
grind is.
it also doesn't
matter how
successful or
how unsuccessful
your strategies
are of trying
to infuse
your life with
meaning on your
own.
Because all of
those things are
nothing compared to
what it will mean
for you to be
caught up in
Jesus and in
his reign.
they don't
have the last
word.
He frees you
from the despair
of wondering if
there's anything in
this life worth
worthwhile.
He frees you from
the performance of
trying to do it
yourself.
If you'll forgive
me a Disney
reference, the
Lion King, spoiler
alert, I'm going to
tell you the end.
It's been out for
a while.
I'm not feeling
bad about it.
So you know the
story.
Simba, the young
princeling, is born
to Mufasa, the
king of all the
animals.
Mufasa dies and
in the story,
Simba is exiled
by his uncle in
shame thinking that
he had caused
the fault.
And so he lives
in this exile for
years.
And then one
night, he has a
vision.
He has a vision
of his father.
And his father
looks at him.
He says, you are
my son.
You are the king.
And the
remembering of this
identity and the
remembering of this
reality gives to
Simba the courage
to stop living in
exile and to
pursue his
rightful place as
the king over all.
God.
Just like my son, Eli, I
have the privilege of
seeing it just a
little bit.
When I give him a
purpose and a role and
a dignity, you see him
just fill up because
that's what he so longs
to do.
And it's because he was
made to be a child of
God as well and to
ultimately hear from his
heavenly father.
I have bestowed upon
you a great dignity.
I have made you a
little lower than the
angels.
But I have crowned you
with glory and I will
put everything under
your feet.
And that will be
yours in Jesus.
And so to us and to
the Hebrews, let us
hold fast to this
Jesus.
Let us not turn away
for no one else can
give us this royal
identity.
No one else can give
us this great purpose.
Only him.
Let's pray.
God, we speak of
things that are greater
than our imagination.
Lord, will you by your
spirit open our hearts
that we might take
hold of the great
promise, Lord, the
great destiny that you
have for us as your
people.
And Lord, may we see
that it is only in
Jesus, only under him
and in him that we
find this great gift,
this grace that you
have given to us.
God, we pray today that
you would capture our
lives with this purpose.
We pray these things in
Jesus' name.
Amen.