The Eternal Significance of Mankind

Hebrews 2 April 27, 1997

Scripture: Unison Reading, Hebrews 2:1-4, page 1863, Pew Bible

Prayer: National Day of Repentance

Introduction:

From Current Thoughts and Trends, May, 1997, page 16: “Doctrinal preaching --- shows Christians how to interpret life for themselves. When we preach so that people start to think, we ‘invite the priesthood of all believers’ in which each person takes on the role of theologian.” Robert Kysar in Journal for Preachers, Easter 1997.

I. The superiority of our hope: an exhortation against drifting away from the message of Jesus. (vv. 1-4) {The Lord’s message - to us}

A. (Therefore) since Jesus is eternally significant, so is his message. (v. 1)

1. The significance of his message demands that we grow in our understanding of it (more careful attention).

2. The significance of his message demands that we grow in our adherence to it (do not drift away).

3. Our adherence to the message flows from our understanding of the message as being eternally significant.

B. The O.T. Law was awesome in condemnation of sin. (v. 2)

1. The Law was decreed by God through angels.

2. The Law is unyielding in its requirements.

C. The N.T. salvation is even more awesome in forgiveness of sin. (v. 3)

1. Salvation is unparalleled in its grace. a. This grace must not be taken lightly.

b. This grace is our deliverance from bondage.

2. Salvation was first announced by God through Jesus (whom we have seen is superior to angels).

3. Salvation’s message was subsequently relayed and confirmed by those who heard Jesus directly.

D. The authoritative offer of this salvation has been affirmed by God. (v. 4)

1. God has given ample credibility to this message through the testimony of supernatural events that accompanied Jesus’ ministry.

2. God has given ample credibility to this message through the testimony of spiritual gifts given to those who believed.

II. The superiority of our position: the humiliation and glory of Jesus. (vv. 5-9) {The Lord’s rule - with us}

A. The administration of angels over this world is temporary. (v. 5)

1. The future world ‘of inhabitants’ shall not be ruled by angels.

2. This world to come (about which we are speaking) is the time of realized salvation.

B. The administration of mankind over this world was God’s plan. (vv. 6-8b)

1. Man has a privileged place in the mind and provision of God even though God allowed him to be subject to sin.

2. Man in the image of God was created to have a place of distinctive superiority over all other created beings, but at present lower than the angels.

C. The administration of mankind in this world is still God’s plan. (v. 8c)

1. This plan has been forestalled by man’s fallen condition.

2. Man’s fallen condition will not always be the case.

D. The administration of mankind in this world shall be restored through the sacrifice of Jesus. (v. 9)

1. Jesus as God (higher than angels) also became Jesus as man (lower than angels) in the fullness of time according to the eternal plan of God.

2. In dying as an acceptable sacrifice for man’s sin, Jesus as man returned to his glory and honor as God in order to redeem man from his fallen condition.

3. The grace of God enabled Jesus to endure this suffering for man’s sin in order to pass this grace on to us in salvation from sin.

a. This grace of forgiveness is freely available to all who believe.

b. This grace removes the penalty of eternal death for all who believe.

4. Man is therefore enabled to realize the fullness of God’s glorious created purpose for him by faith in Jesus.

a. Glorified man will then become higher than angels in Jesus.

b. Glorified man will then rule all creation in Jesus.

III. The superiority of our relationship: the work of Jesus on man’s behalf. (vv. 10-18) {The Lord’s work - for us}

A. God, who authored our existence through himself, also becomes of necessity the One who authors our relationship to himself. (v. 10)

1. Nothing exists in its own strength but only by the sustaining power of God.

2. It is only the ever present glory of God that is able to bring anything into the glory of God.

3. Jesus is the person of God both in creation and in redemption.

4. God therefore provides himself as the path to himself.

5. This path is perfect and complete even as God himself is perfect and complete.

6. This path to perfection requires the suffering of payment for sin since sin violates God’s perfection.

7. Jesus took the brunt of our suffering for us, since he is perfect and complete God and man, therefore acceptable to God for man, so that we might also become perfect and complete in him.

B. Our relationship to God through God is a holy relationship.

(v. 11)

1. It is a holy relationship because Jesus is holy (sanctified or set apart unto God).

2. If we are in Jesus we also become holy.

3. In Jesus we become brothers of holiness in a family of holiness with God.

4. In this holy relationship there is no shame (shame and glory are mutually exclusive).

C. This holy relationship to God through Jesus has many privileges and benefits. (vv. 12-13)

1. Through faith in Jesus we will be able to know God intimately.

2. Through the example of Jesus we will be able to praise God intimately.

3. Because of the accomplishment of Jesus we will desire to praise God vociferously.

4. This praise to God is in the company of others (the church).

5. Through Jesus we find the way of trust in God.

6. Through Jesus we are presented holy and acceptable unto God.

D. Our relationship to Jesus is one of complete identity.

(vv. 14-15)

1. He shared our humanity in its substance (blood and flesh) by taking on our nature as a specific act in time to become what he was not before (man).

2. He shared our humanity in its death (necessary because of its substance).

a. He did this to destroy the one who exploits the weakness of our substance (by shedding his own righteous blood).

b. He did this to destroy the mechanism of that exploitation (death).

(1) Because we sin we must die.

(2) Because we die we are held in bondage to sin.

c. He did this to set us free from the bondage of fear as the instrument of that exploitation.

(1) In Jesus, death is not eternal.

(2) In Jesus, our death takes on the character of his death.

(3) In Jesus, Satan has no ultimate power.

E. Our relationship through Jesus is one of complete confidence.

(vv. 16-18)

1. God has chosen to save men rather than angels.

a. The men God chooses to help are those who are children of Abraham by faith.

b. This must surely give us confidence as being eternally significant to God.

2. So God has chosen to become a man.

a. Jesus became like man in every way.

b. Jesus did this in order to intercede for us (high priest).

c. Jesus did this in order to satisfy (atone) God’s wrath for man’s sin which violated God’s holiness.

3. In becoming man, Jesus suffered temptation without sin.

a. So we may enjoy unhindered confidence in our relationship to God through him.

b. We may be certain of his help to overcome sin in times of temptation.

Timeless Truth: Since God has done all these things for man through the death of Jesus, man must surely have a place of eternal significance in the eternal plan of God. Live in confirmation of this truth.

The Eternal Significance of Mankind

Hebrews 2 April 27, 1997

I. The superiority of our h _ _ _ : an exhortation against drifting away from the message of Jesus. (vv. 1-4) {The Lord’s message - to us}