God In The Flesh

Welcome to week three of our series in Hebrews! We’re on this journey together through Hebrews 1-8 where we are meeting Jesus. The author of Hebrews presents Jesus for us, through the lens of the Old Testament, and really helps us to understand who it is that we call Lord and God.

So let me start this morning by asking you this: remember the Christmas story? How Jesus came and was born and laid in a manger? He probably didn’t look different from most other new borns. Red, maybe a bit gooy, grumpy.

When Jon was born, he looked a bit like that. And I’ve got a picture of him just after he was born, looking highly unimpressed with this one eyebrow raise like he was highly put out, wondering why he was in this cold room that was so bright. How rude!

Maybe Jesus looked like that. Maybe he was more peaceful. Either way, He came into this world in the natural way, and lived a life like ours (though he was completely sinless.) He was like us in every respect - one of us. But this aspect o who Jesus was - his full humanity - has foundational application for us.

Hebrews 2:5–18 ESV

For 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 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 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 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. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 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, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus Christ is God incarnate: One of us.

But what does it mean for Jesus to be God in the flesh… how is this significant to our lives and our salvation? That’s what we’re going to look at. We’re going to consider 3 features that the author of Hebrews gives us to help us understand the significance of what it means for Jesus to be fully God, yet fully human and therefore one of us.

What does it mean for Jesus to be God incarnate and therefore one of us?

vv. 5-9 already, not yet

What do we notice right away in this portion of the text? We are moving back into this argument about the difference between angels and Christ. Here we see that - as we touched on a couple of weeks ago - Christ reigns over all. The “world to come” or in other words the kingdom of God in its fullness is not ruled by angels, but by Christ Himself. Yet, there is this aspect of “already, not yet”.

Already not yet is our understanding that while Christ has died, risen, and ascended; And we experience the fruits of His grace and mercy through the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and the hope of eternal life; we recognize that Christ’s rule has not come fully yet. It doesn’t take long to realize that this world hates God, and refuses to be subject to Him.

If we flip back to 1:13, we read

Hebrews 1:13 ESV

And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

Notice the word until. Not yet is everything subjected to Jesus Christ. Yet there is coming a day when the whole world will live in harmony under the rulership of Jesus Christ. There will be no more sin, death, pain. As Revelation 21:4 tells us

Revelation 21:4 ESV

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

At this moment in time, is this something we see? NO! This is not our reality. But one day it will be! And the One who will bring this is none other than the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Author moves on to quote Ps 8:4-6. You might notice a few things about this quotation, and the original psalm. The ESV put the word angels in verse 7. Most other translations employ the same word. But if we look at the psalm itself uses the words “heavenly beings.” What’s this all about.

The original Hebrew word literally translates to God, god, or deity. So is the psalmist and the writer of Hebrews saying that us humans are demi-gods or something? Right now I’m starting to get a picture of a Duane Johnson-voiced Maui in my head! But this is not at all what the psalmist means. Rather, this psalm is intending to show how humanity was given a very high position, ruling over creation, as we see at the end of Genesis 1.

This psalm reflects upon the wonder of how God chose to use humanity and gave them a high place in creation. He didn’t have to, but He did. How amazing! Yet the author of Hebrews doesn’t apply these words necessarily to the first Adam, but rather to Jesus Christ. How could this be? Because Jesus, in becoming human - in becoming one of us - became our perfect representative. He is the one who rules. He is the One who receives the creation and all that God has made under His rulership. Yet again, we understand that the entirety of this is not yet realized. There is an aspect of Already, not yet.

This is expressly said at the end of verse 8. Instead, as verse 9 tells us:

Hebrews 2:9 ESV

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.

This verse deserves our attention. We see that Jesus, while He is God, chose to come in human form and therefore be made lower than the heavenly beings. He IS God, but now God in the flesh. For a time - as we see in the gospel accounts - Jesus Christ was made lower, because He took on human flesh, lived a human life, and died so that, as we see later on, he might conquer over the fear of death.

One note: This is the first time we see Jesus actually called Jesus in Hebrews. Until now, it has been “the Son,” or “Him.” Now we meet Him as Jesus. The text has been leading up to this. Now we “see” Him, explicitly, though He has been implied all along.

Now we come down to the nitty gritty: How is it that Jesus is “crowned with glory and honour because of His suffering?? If Jesus is fully God, does He not hold all the honour in the universe already?? Yes certainly. What we are seeing here demonstrated is how Christ was exalted, left His place of honour to become human, died and rose for us, and ascended again to that place of glory and honour. But now comes with it this extra joy and triumph because Jesus has conquered once for all!

So we see this picture of how Jesus has conquered, and Yes He has all glory and honour, but also the world is not submitted fully to Jesus. It is God’s mercy and grace that He has given more time to repent before God’s Kingdom comes in its fullness. But we are anticipating this day when Christ - as our representative and king, is coming again!

This is the first feature of Jesus’ incarnation and becoming one of us that we find here. Now, as we move into the second feature we understand better:

vv. 10-13 Jesus Is One of Us

The fact that Jesus literally became like the ones that He leads to salvation and back to God makes all the difference. The author of Hebrews says it was “fitting” that God the Father make Jesus Christ like the very ones he saves: fully human. Jesus is referred to as the founder of salvation. One commentary I read called him the “pathfinder.” These descriptions help us to understand just who Jesus is. He is the One upon whom our hope rests. He is the one who makes us right with God, as verse 11 tells us. He is the One who has made possible a way back to right relationship with God. He is the founder.

According to Hebrews, God made Him perfect through suffering. What does this mean? Jesus is sinless, he is perfect. So how then can He be made perfect?

We’re not talking perfection in terms of sinlessness, because we know that Jesus was sinless. Rather, how the requirements for making a way back to God needed to be fulfilled. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, if He really is to be our perfect Saviour, must suffer and die for us. This was the requirement. To make a way back to God, Jesus must first blaze the trail so to speak. This only came through suffering and death. So, through Christ’s death and suffering, made the way to God accessible and is our perfect founder of salvation.

The writer of Hebrews quotes 2 Scriptures in the three citations in verses 12-13. Psalm 22:22, and Isaiah 8:17-18. The writer of Hebrews expertly demonstrates how Jesus, as one of us, proclaims the Father’s name to His people. Here, children and brothers and sisters are used interchangeably.

Jesus is our brother. Yet how can this be? The writer says it’s because the one who sanctifies and the ones who are all sanctified are all of the same “stock.”

This word sanctified means

Dictionary of Bible Themes 6744 sanctification

The process of becoming consecrated to God, which is an integral aspect of being a member of the people of God. This

In other words, we are set apart for God. Jesus Christ does this through His sacrifice, and therefore, we are now sons and daughters of God. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. We are of the same stock in this sense, of the same origin. So Jesus now calls us instead of foreigners, not just friends but brothers and sisters. We now have a close, familial relationship with Christ our brother, and God our Father. How amazing is that!?!

Why does the author choose to employ these OT references here? To demonstrate the solidarity of the relationship between Christ and His brothers and sisters.

In particular, Psalm 22:22 hold a very rich meaning for us. Let’s read it:

Ps 22 22

Psalm 22:22 ESV

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

We see that Jesus proclaims the name of the Father, and in the midst of the congregation joins in singing praise. The last song we sang during worship was “Be Thou My Vision.”

Would you sing the word of verse 2 with me?

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Jesus says in Ps 22:22 and again here that He will sing praise to God in the midst of the congregation. Practically speaking, we realize here that Jesus sings with us. When we come together to sing praise, joining in song to worship God, Jesus Christ our Lord is with us, and singing with us. No, you can’t see Him with physical eyes, or hear Him with physical ears, but He is present nonetheless. And in a sense we can hear Him, because we hear the praise He sings in the voices of those around us. If anyone asks you why they should go to church, Hebrews 2:12 is a good reason: Because in the assembly of believers we find Jesus singing with His brothers and sisters.

As we move to the quotations from Isaiah 8:17-18, we see here two things about Christ. First, that he trusted in God. This is what a faithful high priest should do, and it is what Jesus did. But not just Jesus. All His brothers and sisters, or God’s children to keep true to the original prophecy, trust in God as well.

The second feature we discover concerning Christ’s incarnation is that in becoming human He became on of us! He is our now our brother, our redeemer, and He sings with us in praise to God. Christ is the founder of our salvation precisely because He became human so that He might in every way satisfy the demand for one, in human likeness yet sinless, who would come and die and rise again, saving us from the fear of death and making us right with God. Moreover, it is to Him that all rulership is given. Christ is one of us, and now we see that this makes him our perfect representative.

As God, Christ is not an acquisitional being, grasping and seizing. He is self-giving for the sake of others. (Cornerstone - Philippians; Fee, 1995,211)

Be thou my vision - Jesus tells of the Father to his brothers and sisters 2:12-12

The author then demonstrates the importance of Jesus’ humanity. He literally became one of us that He might die for us and lead humanity into freedom from sin and death. Moreover, to do this he had to be made perfect. In other words Christ for Christ to show us the way to God He had to walk that road Himself. This was the only way He could be our true representative, and therefore declare to us - as brothers and sisters - the Father’s name.

vv. 14-18 Jesus: Our Representative

What did Jesus actually do in becoming human? This is what these last four verses are all about. It’s application time.

The author begins by noting what we have previously discussed: How Jesus Christ became one of us. Yet why would Christ do this? Consider the answer:

Hebrews 2:14–15 ESV

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Wow. What a powerful statement! And then what does the writer say?

Hebrews 2:16 ESV

For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

Why did Jesus come, and live, and die, and rise again? For you and for me! Through Jesus, and only through Jesus, do we now live without fear of death. For everyone who calls Jesus Lord, there is this promise of huge hope.

You might ask, how do we do that? How can you reasonably live without fear of death. To understand this, we need to realize that in Christ we are spiritually alive. So yes, our bodies deteriorate and eventually do die. Yet our spirits are made alive in Christ, and continue to grow in Him. Am I afraid of death itself? Not really. I’m a little nervous for the moment of death itself, because it is one of the singular biggest things that can ever happen in one’s life. Yet now, 20 years from now, in that process of dying, and in that moment or moments when I pass from this life into eternity, I have Jesus Christ. He’s walking with me, every step of the way.

Do you know what frightens me? The process leading up to death. It would be easy for me to keep myself awake at night wondering how I will die. Will it be long and slow and painful? Will it be quick. Could I die in war, or a natural disaster? I’m not to keen on the process to be sure. But even in this, the total fear of death can be broken through the power of Jesus Christ. God will be faithful to me and not let go of my hand. Many of you, with far greater life experience than me, I’m sure could speak to this more. But no matter wether I die of cancer, or a car crash, God holds me, even as he does at this moment.

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the power of the devil - that is the power of death - is broken. It doesn’t have to be something that I am afraid of. Because when God calls me home, He’s walking with me. And Oh! What a home it will be! Do you know that song, I can only imagine? The author of this song speaks to how he can only imagine what it will be like to walk in God’s presence, literally by His side.

Then the chorus goes like this:

Surrounded by Your glory What will my heart feel? Will I dance for You Jesus Or in awe of You be still? Will I stand in Your presence Or to my knees, will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine I can only imagine

That’s what we are waiting for! The power of death is broken. Instead, we look forward to eternal life!

The author, in the last few verses, appeals to the Jewish foreknowledge of his audience. We have a merciful and faithful high priest, he says. As we travel throughout the next sections of Hebrews, we are going to see the author unpack these concepts of merciful and faithful in greater detail. But we must understand, in order for Jesus to be a high priest, the one making the atonement before God, He must be one with us in nature. Jesus became this, stooping lower than angels to the level of humanity, so that He could save us when we could not save ourselves. Jesus was tested and found faithful. Therefore, He is able to help those who are being tempted and suffering.

Hebrews 2:18 ESV

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

To borrow the apt words of one of our pastors back in Edmonton: “There is no such thing as pointless pain in the life of a child of God.” Are you experiencing temptation? Are you suffering in some way and it is causing you to be tempted to turn away from God? Your pain is not pointless, and God does not leave you alone. We don’t always get the explanations to our pain. Sometimes I sure wish we did. But this verse and passage tell us that our merciful and faithful representative - Jesus Christ - has endured and has conquered. A good leader does not ask his followers to do something he is unwilling to do. Jesus calls us to follow the perfect path to God (through His death) which He Himself both walked and accomplished. Are you experiencing temptation or pain? So did Jesus. He conquered, so through His power you can too! He is a faithful High Priest, and through Him there is hope. Not just in what is to come, but even now. Christ makes the difference in your life. Truly, Jesus is our representative, because He not only is one of us, but knows our struggles and pain, because He has endured them too.

Conclusion

As we’ve considered this portion of Hebrews, Jesus Christ is clearly seen as God in human flesh. He’s our perfect representative, sinless, our great high priest. There is also this aspect of how Jesus Christ received all glory and honour, yet God has not totally subjected the world to Jesus yet. This is grace, pure and simple. He has yet given the world time to repent before the fullness of God’s kingdom and our salvation is realized!

Where does this leave us today though? How do we apply this to our lives?

Well, if you do not know Jesus, consider: Jesus became human, and He died to save you. We talked about how He has conquered over death. Did you notice the hope in the room as we talked about that? This is something you too can share in. Give your life to Christ, repent of your sin, and ask Jesus to be your Lord.

If you do have a personal relationship with Jesus, My challenge for you this week is to consider how these things make a difference for you : How does the incarnation of Jesus Christ make a difference? Maybe it comes as strength in the knowledge that Jesus has suffered and been tempted. So when you are, you can lean on Him. Maybe the hope of eternity - when the former things will pass away - is all that you have got right now. Maybe this understanding helps you to worship fully, giving God your all in worship because you are joining not just with brothers and sisters, but Christ Himself in praising God.

Whatever the application is for you, we all here need to realize that the difference Jesus’ humanity makes the very foundations of our faith. You have a Saviour who is like you, human. God Himself chose to take the form of the one He created so that He could save you. I pray this knowledge hit home for you as we move into this week.

Pray