And turn to Hebrews 2, 5-9.
As you turn to the passage, I would like to give a quick introduction to Hebrews 2,
!
It says,
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with suffering,
sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction,
sometimes being partners with those so treated.
For you had compassion on those in prison,
and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property,
since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession than an abiding one.
God, in the book of Hebrews,
He is using the author to exhort and encourage a small church on how majestic the Lord is.
And He wants the church to know that Jesus Christ is grander.
He is more supreme.
He is more marvelous than all other things.
In this book, we're reminded of Colossians 1.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Therefore, those who pay attention to King Jesus,
and those who take refuge in Him will receive the blessings of the Son,
and those who do not will drift away, as we see last week.
So, this is important as we approach Hebrews 2, 5-9.
Let's keep this in mind.
Pray with me as we seek God's Spirit to help us understand the text.
Lord, we thank You that You are the God who speaks and has spoken.
We thank You that You have revealed Your Son.
And Lord, today I ask that You teach us more and more about Jesus Christ and how marvelous He is.
And Lord, how we can find a refuge in Him.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Perfect.
So, in the Chronicles of Narnia,
the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,
we see the scene where Peter and his army is fighting the witch and her army.
And it's at a point where you see Peter and his army is overwhelmed.
They're in a place where they're exhausted.
You know the end is coming.
They're about to be crushed and destroyed.
But then, out of nowhere, you see, it's built up,
but you see Aslan come.
And as Aslan comes, hope is restored in the people.
And as hope is restored,
eventually Peter and his army overcomes the witch and her army through Aslan.
And I bring up this introduction to relate to the Hebrew Christians.
They are enduring great suffering.
They, at this point, are not to the point of death,
but have been afflicted in every way,
but not crushed.
They are not perplexed,
but not driven to despair.
They are persecuted, but not forsaken.
And in this point, they're struck down, but not destroyed.
It is here, these believers are struggling
to endure and persevere in their relationship with God.
And that's the setting that the author of Hebrews gives them,
this beautiful truth.
The author of Hebrews encourages these storm-beaten Christians
that God has given an original purpose to man.
Although man suffered loss of that purpose through the tragedy of sin,
God has brought about an everlasting hope in the better Adam.
So today, I hope that you would glean from the text that Jesus Christ
is the better Adam,
the second Adam,
who has tasted death for man
and has raised man up to glory with him.
That we're saved through him and are secured in him,
ultimately, is what I believe the text today
is telling us about who Jesus Christ is
and what he's done for us.
So, let's read Hebrews 2, 5-9.
Now, it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come,
of which we are speaking.
It has been testified somewhere,
what is man that you were mindful of him,
or the son of man that you cared for him?
You have made him a little lower than the angels.
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
putting everything in subjection under his feet.
Now, in putting everything in subjection to him,
he left nothing outside of his control.
But at the present time,
we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
But we see him,
who for a little while was made lower than 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.
In today's passage,
we are going to go through four points.
Point number one is that man is the crown of creation.
Point number two is that man has lost his crown.
Point number three is,
Jesus Christ is the second Adam
who has restored man through his death.
And point number four is,
Jesus Christ is the reigning king
and secures a great salvation for man.
Number one,
man is the crown of creation.
Verse five says,
now it was not to angels
that God subjected the world to come,
of which we are speaking.
It is important to note this word,
subjection,
or subjected.
It's used three times in this one passage,
five through nine.
So obviously,
it has an important role to play.
This word,
subjected,
it communicates some sense of hierarchy.
In ancient Greek,
it was used a military term to rank under.
So,
this idea that's being portrayed
is that God is not subjecting the world to come,
the heavenly dwelling to angels.
They're not going to rule in this world to come,
but that man's going to rule.
And that's what we see here
in the first few verses of the text.
Also,
we see fulfilled in Christ.
There is this royal language
that depicts that man
will inherit salvation
in a great inheritance.
So,
we also see in the text
that the next phrase
is that
the world to come.
This phrase literally means
an earthly inhabitation,
and to come is looking forward.
So,
he's saying there's this
earthly habitation to come
of which he is speaking.
This term is really
looking forward to
a heavenly dwelling,
a beautiful
and glorious
security
that is expected
that they have
coming before them
as they
persevere,
make it through
this time of hardship.
Lastly,
the last phrase
in this first verse
we have is
of which we're speaking.
And this is
kind of like,
you're a little shocked
at this moment
because it reveals
something to the reader
at this point in time.
It reveals that
what the writer
so far has been talking about
is stuff to come,
that is looking forward.
So,
I believe
in this passage
as we trek through
Hebrews
and we understand
who Jesus Christ is,
that he's talking about
who Christ
presently is,
but also
looking forward
to what's coming,
what our salvation
looks like.
It's a great salvation
to come.
So,
I think in the context
of the book of Hebrews
what we've discovered
so far
and we've learned
so far
is that it's all
talking about
what we have
to look forward to.
And at this point
in time,
now we're here
and the Hebrew
Christians are suffering
and again,
he wants not to
anchor their hope
in this world,
but he wants to
anchor it in the world
to come.
So,
as we trek
through Hebrews
and learn about
these wonderful things
that the author
is telling us about,
we need to let the author
direct us
and carry us along
to see what we have
to come.
The writer picks back up
on this glorious world
to come throughout the book.
So,
note some important things
he says in this book.
He speaks of
an everlasting
Sabbath rest,
an eternal redemption,
a sure and steadfast
anchor of our soul,
a permanent priesthood,
a better
and abiding possession,
a city that has
foundations,
a better
and heavenly country,
a city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
and a kingdom
that cannot be shaken.
So,
what we see
is that
throughout this book,
the author wants
the audience
and these Hebrew Christians
to understand
that there is hope
to come
amidst their affliction
and their suffering
and the losing
of their home
and the persecution
they experience,
that there is
an everlasting hope
in Christ
that is so much better
than the present things
they are experiencing
in this world.
So,
I encourage you guys
as we spend time
in the text today
and as we move forward
that we should let,
we should linger
before the text
and believe in this
coming reality.
And the more we linger
and the more we believe,
the greater our hope
and joy will be
because ultimately
we are those who
walk not by sight
but by faith
towards the everlasting kingdom,
the kingdom
that cannot be shaken.
So,
ultimately the first verse
is telling us
a really important reality
that we see
the world to come
does not belong to angels
but it belongs to man.
And what we'll see
in this few verses
is that man was originally
the crown of creation
and man will be restored
and inherit
and heavily habitation to come.
Verse 6 through 8
in the text
is actually a quotation
from Psalm 8.
Instead of spending time
right here,
I'm actually one
to take us to Psalm 8
so we can understand
what the author
meant in Psalm 8
and how we can understand
it in Hebrews.
So if you will,
take a copy of God's Word
and turn to Psalm 8 with me.
We'll read verse 1 through 6.
O Lord,
our Lord,
how majestic
is your name
in all the earth.
You have set your glory
above the heavens.
Out of the mouth
of babies and infants
you have established strength
because of your foes
to still the enemy
and the adventure.
When I look at your heavens,
the works of your fingers,
the moon and the stars
which you have set in place,
what is man
that you are mindful of him
or the son of man
that you care for him?
Yet you have made him
a little lower
than the heavenly beings
and crowned him
with glory and honor
and given him dominion
over the works of your hands.
You have put all things
under his feet.
And considering Psalm 8,
what we see
is the sheer greatness
and majesty of God.
This Psalm is celebrating
in who God is.
The author at the beginning
is just saying,
O majestic is your name.
Just celebrating
in who God's character is.
And then he has a moment
where he talks about
the puny small human.
What is man
that you're mindful of him?
In the Bible,
oftentimes man
is mentioned
as a drop in the bucket.
The Bible says
the nations
are a drop in the bucket.
And in reality,
if we look at
the vast greatness
of the universe,
this question
makes so much sense.
What is man?
When we look at
how big the universe is
and how great God is,
this reality is like
we really are small
in a physical sense.
But the author
goes on to tell
how important man
is to God
and how precious
man is to God.
One thing,
before we move on to that,
I want to really consider
how vast God is
and how vast
his creation is.
The Bible says
that God created
the heavens and the earth
to praise God,
to give him glory.
So in that,
have y'all ever
hiked a mountain?
Or if you're going
over a Blenton Mountain
driving,
and you stop
and you look over
the expanse
of the mountain
and you see
how great it is.
And I don't know
if it's just me,
but when I sit there
and see how big
creation is,
I think just how small I am.
There's a humble feeling,
a humiliation
that comes upon me
because I'm just amazed
by just who God is
and how wonderful
his creation is.
Some really great facts
about the universe
that just really continues
to discuss how vast
God is by how
he created the world.
Fact number one,
talk about how big
the universe is.
The earth is tiny
in comparison
with the rest of the universe.
It could fit into the sun
1.3 million times.
When we think of
the vastness of the universe,
there are more stars
in the universe
than grains of salt
on all the beaches.
That's at least
a billion trillion.
And according to
recent discoveries
from the Hubble telescope,
there are hundreds
of billions
of galaxies
across the universe.
So again,
the universe is massive
and the question
we have to ask ourselves
is why?
Why did God create
a universe this big?
And what we see
in Psalm 91
is that the heavens
and the earth
proclaim the glory
of God.
When we consider
God's hand
and his handiwork,
we should be in awe
by how great he is.
But then,
it should amaze us
that how much
he cares for man
and how he created us.
So if you will,
take your copy of God's word
and turn to
Genesis 1.
And I want to go back
to God's original intent
in creation
and show you
just how much
God cares for man
and then the commission
he's given man.
starting in verse 26.
And God said,
let us make man
in our image
after our likeness
and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea
and over the birds
of the heavens
and over the livestock
and over all the earth
and over every creeping thing
that creeps on the earth.
So God created man
in his own image
and the image of God
he created him.
Male and female
he created them.
And God blessed them
and God said to them,
be fruitful and multiply
and fill the earth
and subdue it
and have dominion
over the fish of the sea
and over the birds
of the heavens
and over every living thing
that moves.
So when we get
to Genesis 1,
we see a beautiful structure
that just adds
to this account
in verse 26 through 28.
When we come to Genesis 1,
starting with day 1,
God says,
God speaks,
and then God says
it is good.
So in verse 1
or verse 3,
we say,
and God said,
in verse,
and then in verse
6,
I think, yeah.
Anyways,
God said,
and then God said
it was good.
And we see this day 1,
and God speaks,
and then he said
it was good.
Day 2,
day 3,
4,
5,
and then he gets
to day 6.
He creates animals,
and God says
it was good.
But then,
God decides
to fashion man
in his own image,
and then he gave them
dominion.
There are so many
great things
in this passage
that I'm tempted
to linger over
and want to spend
time discussing.
That man is
the prophet,
priest,
and king of creation,
and other things
along those lines.
But our text
doesn't give way
for that time.
But one thing
we do need to see
is that God
created man
in his image
to represent him
well in this creation.
And that God
gave man
dominion over
this creation.
And after God
created man,
after God
gave man
his purpose,
God then said
creation was
very good.
It wasn't until
creation wasn't
complete or very good
until once
man crowned
creation.
Until man
completed creation.
This word
very good,
the word very
is a word of
emphasis,
an adjective
that means
exceedingly
or great.
It's trying to
emphasize just
how great,
how pleasing
this creation was
that God
has made.
And I think
the purpose
that this is
communicating with
the God spoke
and it was good
to where it was
very good
is that
creation was
made
ultimately
to praise God
and man
crowned creation
to praise God
and serve
as his
creature
king and
queens.
That they're
supposed to
function
and operate
under God's
lordship
and honor God.
And I think
that's what
Psalm 8 is
getting at.
That he
created them
lower than
angels
and gave
them glory
and honor
and crowned
them.
This idea
that man
and woman
will reign
in creation
and spread
God's presence
and glory
in creation.
But in
that we see
that God
deeply cares
for human
beings.
Out of all
creation he
chose us.
Small,
weak humans
and made
us in
his image
to represent
him throughout
all creation.
He chose
to set
his love
upon us.
In
Exodus 19
God calls
his people
his personal
treasure.
That out of
all the things
he's made
his personal
treasure
is his
people.
It's kind
of like a
very carefully
crafted ring
that shines
beautifully
but the gem
that shines
the most
is his
people.
So I want
you to consider
the sheer weight
that this means
to the current
Hebrew Christians
who are
suffering.
And even
consider
what it
means to
us that
we have
a God
who deeply
values his
children and
has set
his love
upon us
from creation
to new
creation.
Isaiah 40
25-26
says,
To whom
then will
you compare
me?
That should
be like
him,
says the
Holy One.
Lift up
your eyes
on high
and see
who created
these,
who brings
out their
host by
number,
calling them
by name,
by greatness
of his
might,
and because
he is
strong in
power,
not one
is missing.
In our
lives,
when things
get heavy,
when we
feel the
weight of
suffering,
when we
feel the
deep effects
of sin,
when we
feel a deep
sadness or
an anxious
stirring in
our hearts
during those
times that
it is hard,
let us
remember that
we have not
been forsaken.
We are not
people who
are forsaken,
but we
remember deeply
because not
one is
missing.
God cares
so deeply
about us
that he
created us
in a
personal way
and ultimately
sent a
savior to
die for
us.
So I
think it's
very deep
as we
get right
here to
remember
that
wonderful
truth that
God has
not forgotten
us,
that the
one who
upholds
creation
still deeply
cares and
remembers us
day to
day.
This brings
to our
second point.
man has
lost the
crown of
new creation.
So God
created man
in his
image,
set him
in this
wonderful
garden to
rule and
have dominion
over the
earth,
but something
tragic happened,
something that
changed
everything.
But before we
get there,
I want to
remind you of
Hebrews.
It says,
now in
putting
everything in
subjection to
him,
he left
nothing outside
his control.
This is
verse 8.
At the
present,
we do not
see everything
in subjection
to him.
So what we
see is after
Psalm 8 is
quoted,
after God
is emphasizing
his purpose
in creation,
he then says
nothing was
left outside
of man's
control.
But then he
goes,
he shifts.
This moment
when he says
nothing was
left outside
of man's
control,
there's a
moment of,
but this
doesn't seem
right,
it doesn't
seem like
everything's
under control.
But then the
next sentence
in Hebrews
says,
at present,
we do not
see everything
in subjection
to him.
So just
the,
he almost
answers it,
because like
when you're
reading the
text,
you're like,
this doesn't
seem like
everything's
under the
control of
man right
now.
And then he
says the
present,
it isn't,
pretty much.
Because we
had something
tragic happen,
that in the
garden,
in Genesis
3,
we see that
the serpent
came into
God's creation,
and man and
woman were
ruling over
creation,
and God
gave him
good commands
to follow.
And they
were supposed
to honor him
well,
and love him,
and serve him,
and be his
personal treasure.
But through
the attacks
of Satan,
who deceived
man and
woman,
they chose
not to
honor God.
What did
they do?
They chose
to sin
and rebel
against their
king,
against the
God who
created them.
And at
this moment,
what we see
is that
humanity
is forever
changed.
When Adam
and Eve
rebelled
against the
almighty
God,
they ultimately
lost their
crown for
now,
and sin
was corrupted.
Isn't it
interesting,
the effects
and experiences
we experience
under sin?
We experience
what it's like
to hate God
and love
ourselves.
We understand
the idol
of self
better than
anyone else.
Since Adam
and Eve
rebelled
against God,
creation
has totally
been corrupted.
All of creation
was totally
corrupted.
The creation
began to
experience
corruption
of sin.
Romans 8
says creation
is subjected
to corruption
and fertility,
and that is
longing for the
sons of God
to be raised
up and be
restored to
its original
state.
We see
that the
physical human
bodies
experience
pain,
and we
suffer
through our
physical
experiences,
and we
will ultimately
die.
We also
see that
spiritually,
man is
in bondage
to sin.
We are
under
lifelong
slavery
in our
natural
state,
and we
desire our
fleshly
desires.
Naturally,
man hates
God.
It cannot
do anything
in his
natural
state.
this is
a problem,
a major
problem.
The Bible
says all
have sinned
and fought
short of
the glory
of God,
and this
sin deserves
a punishment.
It deserves
death.
Romans 6
23 says
the wages
of sin
is death.
So what
we see here
in our
natural
state,
we would
all stand
before an
everlasting
God,
and we
would be
silent and
judged for
us and
for all
these things
we've done
wrong.
But this
also,
this part
of the
passage in
Hebrews,
it also
brings us
to a
different
sense of
when we
look at
sin,
we feel
this heavy
and deep
experience
of this
world.
We see
the devastation
of nature,
and we see
the depravity
of man.
We start
to experience
wrongness,
like this
is not how
it should
be.
The more
we're in
this world,
the more
we see
how pervasive
sin is.
Panama City
and destruction,
we see
shootings
throughout
the country
feeling totally
helpless.
We see
the murder
of babies
in our
felt with
despair,
and then
we see
our own
heart and
selfish
thoughts,
and we
hate it.
So,
obviously,
there's
something wrong,
there's
something at
the present
that's not
right with
creation,
and how
all things
have been
subjected.
Man's
lost a
crown,
and right
now,
the rule
of this
world is
not man.
It's
angels.
Ultimately,
it's Satan.
He's the
ruler of this
world,
the upsurper.
Right now,
we see
humanity in
rebellion to
God,
and we
see Satan
leading humanity
to destruction.
It is here
that I
hope you
can feel
the weight
of this
massive
problem,
and it's
here that
we should
feel despair,
and it
should be
evident that
we are
in need
of help.
We are
desperate.
But,
that's not
all.
Although we
are sinners,
and we
deserve the
justice of
God,
isn't it
a beautiful
thing that
God has
loved us and
sent a
son for
us?
So,
this brings
us to our
third point.
Jesus is the
second Adam
who has
restored man
through his
death.
If you go
back to
Hebrews
chapter 2,
verse 9
says,
Hebrews 2,
9,
parallels with
Psalm 8.
We see that
man was made
lower than
angels and
crowned of
glory and
honor.
Everything was
put in
subjection under
him.
In Hebrews
2, 9,
we see that
Christ was
made lower
than angels,
and then
he was
crowned with
glory and
honor.
And then
1 Corinthians
15 tells
everything was
subjected to
him.
What we see
here is that
although man
was a crown
of creation,
and the man
rebelled against
God and
lost his
crown,
ultimately
Psalm 8
is talking
about man
in his
original state
and looking
forward to
the son of
man, to
the one
who's going
to fill
Psalm 8,
who's going
to bring
about the
new heavens
and new
earth,
and ultimately
save man
from this
depravity,
this wrongness
that we are
experiencing.
So we
see that
sin is
deeply
corrupted
reality,
and things
are not
subjected to
man,
but we
see that
Christ in
his
fulfillment
is going
to bring
all things
in subjection
to him.
Hebrews
2.9
ultimately
helps us
better understand
Hebrews 1.
You guys
remember the
phrase,
pure
occasions for
sin,
and he
sat down
at the
right hand
of the
majesty.
I think
ultimately
that Hebrews
1 was
our
introduction,
and the
rest of
the book
is going
to
exposit
or explain
more about
who God
is,
about his
nature,
and his
roles,
and how
he functions.
And here
I think
that verse
9 is
explaining
more about
the one
who purified
us,
who came
as the
lamb of
God,
and the
one who
sat down
at the
right hand,
that is
now the
king.
So as
we finish
this passage
and walk
through this
last bit of
text,
we will
observe more
into Jesus'
humiliation,
and then we'll
get into his
exaltation.
We're going to
walk through
text to
understand how
Jesus is
the better
Adam,
who has
tasted death
for us,
that he
experienced
death on
our behalf.
And then we'll
understand more
how he is
the reigning
king,
and how by
him we are
secure,
and we have
everlasting
hope.
So,
in Philippians
2,
verse 4-8
says,
let each
of us not
look to his
own interests,
but the
interests of
others.
Having this
mind among
ourselves,
which is
yours in
Christ Jesus,
who though
he is in
the form of
God,
did not
count equality
with God
a thing to
be grasped,
but made
himself nothing,
taking the
form of a
servant,
being born
in likeness
of man,
and being
found in
human form.
He humbled
himself by
becoming
obedient to
the point
of death,
even death
on the
cross.
So we
have,
as we go
back to our
last point,
is this
massive
problem.
The weight
of sin,
the problem
that God
is holy
and just,
and man
is sinful
and deserves
God's just
wrath.
And as we
talked about,
this is a
massive problem,
and if we
don't have a
redemption,
we're in a
desperate state.
So how can
this be resolved?
And I think
Philippians 2
and Hebrews 2
both answer
this question
for us.
It can be
resolved by a
God who is
rich in
mercy,
a God who
demonstrated his
love for us,
and that while
we were sinners,
Christ died for
us.
This God
who created
the world,
and in whom
all things
exist,
and who holds
together all
things,
subjected himself
to sinful
flesh.
He brought
himself lower
than angels,
and put himself
in sinful
flesh,
so that we
might find
redemption.
Jesus Christ,
our Savior
and Lord,
willfully and
obediently took
the form of
a servant,
and was found
in the human
form.
He never
endured sin.
He lived
perfectly,
and endured
the fullness
of temptation.
And 2 Corinthians
5-21 reminds us
that he became
sin.
He who was not
sin,
became sin,
endured the
just punishment
of sin.
This makes us
ask another
question.
For what?
Why would
someone do
this?
Why would the
eternal Son of
God become
man?
And this should
be a deep
question to us,
because it
doesn't make
sense.
God
is
God
deeply
loves
his
children
and deeply
cares for
us.
For our
sake,
he who
did not
know sin
became sin,
so that we
might become
the righteousness
of God.
It is for
those who
believe,
Jesus
subjected
himself to
sinful
flesh and
became sin,
endured the
just of God
for our
sake,
so that we
might be
righteous.
So,
brothers and
sisters,
remember that
you have not
been forgotten
or forsaken
in your
earthly
toils,
but remember,
we know this,
that we see
him who
remembered us,
who subjected
himself to
sinful flesh,
endured the
weight of
temptation and
sin for
our sake.
This should
warm and
stir our
hearts.
We should
be amazed
that the
God of the
universe
sent his
Son because
he loved
us,
and he
deeply
cares for
us.
And let's
talk more
about the
word death,
or taste
of death.
This idea
of taste
it is an
experience.
When you
eat something,
there's a
taste.
You experience
it,
you feel
it.
And when
it says
that Christ
tasted
death,
it's saying
that he
experienced
death,
that although
he did not
deserve this
death,
Jesus tasted
it for our
sake.
And ultimately
he tasted
death so
we could
have life.
Since
Christ tasted
death,
we are now
resurrected with
resurrection life,
and we can
now taste the
goodness of
God.
1 Peter 2,
2-3 says,
like newborn
infants,
long for the
pure spiritual
milk that you
may grow into
salvation,
if indeed you
have tasted
that the
Lord is good.
So because
Lord Jesus
has died for
us, we can
now really
live and
grow into
our salvation,
knowing and
tasting that
God is
actually good.
This is a
reality in our
lives, that
he is good
and he's also
good to us,
and he deeply
cares for us.
Therefore,
let us
remember that
before the
marvelous grace
of our
Savior and
almighty
justice of
God that
he lavished
upon his
son, if
we are
harboring any
sins in our
hearts this
morning, we
need to turn
from these
sins and
turn to
God.
We need to
repent from
our sins and
turn to God
who sent
his son for
us, that
deeply cares
for us.
We need to
turn from
our rebellion.
And ultimately,
if there is
anyone here
that does
not know
God, there
is anyone
here that
does not
have a
relationship
with God
and has
no evidence
of God
in their
lives,
this truth
needs to be
wrestled with.
We need to
wrestle the
good news of
Jesus Christ.
Deeply consider
eternity.
Where are you
going?
Why are you
here?
But also, we
need to deeply
consider what
would happen if
you died.
And ultimately,
if you don't
know Christ,
one day you're
going to die
and you have
to face this
reality.
So, I
plead with you
now, today
is a favorable
time.
Now is the
day of
salvation.
God has
made every
day and now
is the right
time if this
is something
you're wrestling
with.
But ultimately,
we do need
to stop and
think the
wondrous thing
that Jesus
Christ has
suffered for
us.
And in
him, we
find salvation.
But the
good news of
the gospel
does not
stop at
the life
and death
of Jesus.
He not
only lived
as the
Lamb of
God, but
he also
rose from
the dead
and conquered
death.
And the
Son of
God was
raised by
the almighty
power of
God from
the dead.
And what
does Hebrews
1 say?
He took
a seat at
the right
hand of
the majesty
on high.
So this
brings us
to our
last point
in the
text.
Jesus
Christ is
the reigning
king and
secures a
great salvation
from man.
Hebrews 2
9 continues
to say,
Jesus is
crowned of
glory and
honor because
of the
sufferings of
death.
This brings
us back to
psalm 8.
In this
psalm 8,
man is
crowned of
glory and
honor and
everything is
put in
subjection to
him.
Now Jesus
Christ is
crowned of
glory and
honor.
In 1
Corinthians
15 27 says
that God
has subjected
all things under
his feet.
the original
intention of
man is
ultimately
fulfilled in
Christ.
And
Jesus
Christ's
life,
death,
and
resurrection
on our
behalf.
Now that
Jesus sits at
the right hand
of God
and reigns
of God,
we can
better understand
this passage
and understand
Philippians 2,
the last part
of it.
therefore God
has highly
exalted him
and bestowed
on him the
name that
is above
every name,
so that at
the name of
Jesus every
knee should
bow in
heaven and
on earth and
under the
earth,
and every
tongue confess
that Jesus
Christ is
Lord to
the glory of
God the
Father.
So at
the present
time,
presently where
we're at
now,
we see
Jesus who
willfully
subject himself
from heavenly
glories to
sinful flesh.
For our
sake he did
this,
and he has
now been
restored to
his rightful
place as
his son.
At this
point,
it reminds
us of
chapter 1
and how
Jesus'
name as
the son
is greater
than the
angels.
Jesus'
throne is
forever and
ever,
and his
scepter is
the uprightness,
and he
loves righteousness
and despises
wickedness.
This also
reminds that
Jesus has
inherited
this heavenly
glory as
the son
and the
firstborn
from the
dead.
So what
does this
mean to
us?
Why does
it matter
that Jesus
suffered and
was crowned
of glory and
honor since
he already
that before
he suffered?
What this
means is
answering the
text.
It says,
so that by
the grace
of God,
he may
taste death
for everyone.
Jesus'
work,
this great
salvation we
have spoken
thus far,
not only
saves us
from our
sins,
but it's
also our
security in
this heavenly
home,
this eternal
dwelling to
come.
Jesus Christ
has reconciled
us to God.
He is
restoring to
us a beautiful
crown in the
new heavens and
new earth.
the scripture
has informed
us that we
are crucified
with Christ
in his death
and we will
be raised with
him in his
resurrection life.
He is the
resurrection.
So in
closing,
can you turn
your Bibles
to Ephesians
2?
starting in
verse 4?
But God,
being rich in
mercy because of
his great love
with which he
has loved us,
even when we
were dead in
our trespasses,
made us alive
together with
Christ,
by grace you
have been
saved,
and raised
up with
him and
seated us
with him in
heavenly places
in Christ
Jesus,
so that in
the coming
ages he
might show
the immeasurable
riches of
his grace and
kindness towards
us in Christ.
For by grace you
have been saved
through faith,
and this is not
your own doing,
it is the gift
of God,
not a result of
work so that
no one may
boast.
For we are
his workmanship
created in
Christ Jesus
for good works,
which God
has prepared
before us,
that we may
walk in
them.
Isn't it
beautiful that
God cares about
man from
creation to
new creation,
that he has
set his love
on a people
and treasured
us and has
sent his son
to die for us
and ultimately
will be raised
with his son.
The beauty of
Ephesians 2
should warm
our hearts that
we were crucified
with him,
our sins were
placard on him
in his death,
and now since
he's conquered
death we're
going to be
raised with
him,
and our
security isn't
in things
that change,
things that can
be destroyed,
but things
that are
indestructible,
and it's
in something
secure,
ultimately in
the Son of
God,
Jesus Christ.
In the
Lord's Supper
this morning,
Francis talked
on suffering
and suffering
for Christ.
He says,
Christians
participate in
Christ's
sufferings,
and I was
thinking about
that and I
just wanted to
continue the
phrase with
this term,
I think it
flowed really
beautifully,
that Christians
participate in
Christ's
suffering,
and they
will participate
in Christ
as he is in
glory too.
Not only do we
participate in
his sufferings,
we participate
in his glory,
because the
Bible says
that we are
co-heirs with
Christ.
Therefore,
as these
Hebrew believers
are in this
afflicted time
and struggling
with their
lives,
and experiencing
deep sorrow
and pain,
this is the
truth that I
believe the
Hebrews are
trying to tell
them,
that although
things are
hard,
that God
had a purpose
for man,
and although
man lost that
purpose,
he sent his
Son,
Jesus Christ,
who is the
better man,
the second Adam,
who tasted
death for him,
that by this
better man,
Jesus Christ,
we have walked
from our sins
to life,
we've been
resurrected,
we were dead,
and now we're
alive.
But then he
also goes on
to say that
we have a
security based
in this new
heaven,
new earth,
that we are
not those who
walk looking
at this
physical present
reality in
this suffering
and say,
I'm forsaken,
I'm destroyed.
No,
we are those
who walk for
the heavenly
reality,
that we are
considering that
this momentary
and light
affliction is
building for us
in a heavenly
way to glory.
That's our hope
and that's our
reality today
as we linger
before Hebrews 2.
So let's pray.