Hebrews 2:5-3:6

MAP

Mr X: Why did Jesus have to become man?

Jesus:

Jesus the man restores humanity’s fallen crown

Jesus the man brings us to glory

Joel: Consider, contemplate, meditate, reflection on Jesus

PREAMBLE

Welcome. Barge talks for all. Join us. Invite.

INTRODUCTION (Relevance Persuasion | Resonate)

(A) Around Christmas last year. Good friends. New born. Little Charles.

New born. neck muscle undeveloped. trouble feeding. Only poo.

Christmas! Bewildering thought - God becoming baby. Undeveloped neck muscles. trouble feeding. Poo on himself.

Q?: Why did Jesus have to become man?

God in the flesh. The Christmas story.

Muslims and Jews baulk at the idea of God incarnate.

More! God in the flesh. suffers. dies. humiliating death!

1st C Christians mocked for following a crucified Christ.

Jehovah witnesses reject his physical resurrection

God becoming man to die, is anathema, and abomination to many.

If God is so great, so strong, so mighty, why couldn’t he just snap his fingers… and restore the word?

So why did Jesus have to become man?

(pause)

Moreover, what has Jesus becoming a man have to do with me?

You may know that the boffins refer to this as the doctrine of Christology.

Understanding and unpacking the hypostatic union of Christ.

But how does understanding this actually help me? How does it impact my 9-5 or 9-9 in the wharf?

Does it have any relevance to my day to day?

Why did Jesus have to become man?

(Pause)

CONTEXT (Orientate | Situate)

I like to show you where our preacher wants us to land by the end of this talk.

Hebrews 3:1 “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,”

Consider = contemplate, ponder, ruminate on the person of Jesus.

And so in the preceding verses, in our passage today, he is going to help us consider why Jesus had to become a man.

(Pause)

I’m not sure what brought you here today. What concerns, issues or problems that have been gnawing away at you in the background.

Not suggesting that this talk will solve anything.

but preacher’s recommendation is that as we contemplate on the person of Christ… we may find the answers we’re looking for.

(Pause)

(L) As dive in, worth mentioning that this section is quite complex. dense. chance for Q&A later.

Could dumb down. But I won’t.

You may be a fan of a plain ham and cheese sandwich…

But I suggest it is much better to have something meaty over lunch. substantial.

Put on our thinking caps.

Q? Why did Jesus have to become man?

ARGUMENT (Texture | Unity | Coherence | Development)

JESUS THE MAN RESTORES HUMANITY’S FALLEN CROWN

Hebrews 2:6–8 “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.

Have you ever had your breath taken away as you look out into nature?

(A) Grand Canyon

Three months working. Close to nature.

Look out across the rim. Rock Formations. Strata down and down. Vastness. Orange.

Just after the rain. Rainbow. Sunset. Colors. Deep orange. Red.

Awe

Night. No light pollution. Sky. Millions. Billions of stars.

Breathtaking.

(Pause)

Have you had that experience? Mountains. Ocean. Sky.

In those moment, we realise that we human beings are very small.

Even Richard Dawkins, famous Atheism

Said in those moments, as he stands at the rim of the GC. look out… Sense of the sacred. Awe

But for the ancient author: awe translates to wonder and amazement. Curiosity?

(A) purely materialistic view of human

All we are.. are sacks of skin, with organised bundle of atoms.

But according to the bible. We are far far more dignified than that.

Hebrews 2:6–8 He thinks about God caring for humanity.

“What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?

We are so small, yet we are so cared for. Wow.

But more than that..

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.”

We are so insignificant. Yet we were made to be crowned with glory and honor. To rule over all of creation.

Double wow.

I mean.. really? Wow. Human beings. You and Me. We are meant to wear the crown and rule over creation. Wow.

Humanity was meant to be crowned with glory and honor.

(Pause)

(A) Maybe we get a sense of that at work

Given responsibility and ownership

Meet a tight deadline, Improve a process, successful deal

Real satisfaction

Lead a team

Align people, Grow team capability, deliver results,

Genuine satisfaction

(A) deep sense in us to meant for rule. create, organise, establish order in this world.

Do you see what the author said? v8 "Everything in subjection under humanity"

We are all made to rule.

(Pause)

(L) But of course it is hard to imagine because there is a good reason for it.

(A) Other day. Some stuff happened. Feeling really… meh. a bit down.

Came home. House was in a mess. Things were all over the place. Do you know what I did?

I started ruling, and reigning and started organising and ordering…

(pause)

No I didn’t. When to my freezer. Took out a tub of Mackies ice cream. Lie down on the couch to eat ice cream.

Not really king-like.

Even though we were meant to rule, we don’t live like that

Author knows that we’re like

Hebrews 2:8 Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control.

BUT At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him (humanity).”

meant to be wearing the crown. crowned with glory and honor.

But at present. in reality.

(A) We do not currently rule

Tend our gardens. But the weeds keep choking our plants.

Given responsibility at work, stress and the burden and the toxic environment wears us down.

At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him (humanity)

(PAUSE)

(L) and that is why Jesus had to come as a man.

Hebrews 2:9 “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor”

Like all of us, he is given a name.

“On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus,”

namely Jesus

Like all of us, he is made lower than the angels.

Verse 9 We see him, Jesus, who for a little while made lower than the angels

But unlike all of us

After that little while, he is crowned with glory and honor.

Jesus the man, restores humanity’s fallen crown.

(PAUSE)

(^) Always part of God’s purpose for humanity

Genesis 1:28 “ God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over every living thing that moves on the earth.””

God’s purpose for humanity was for man and woman to be ruling over creation.

So the Son of God had to come as a human being to restore humanity’s rule.

he had to be man.

(Pause)

(^) Worth clarifying that the Son of God is still man today.

As long as his name is Jesus, the name he inherits when he takes on flesh.

He continues as a man at the Father’s right hand.

He had to become a man. And he continues to be a man.

Jesus the man, restores humanity’s fallen crown.

(PAUSE)

(L) But what about us?

Jesus the man, restores things on a cosmic level… but what how does that impact us as we head back to the office?

2. JESUS THE MAN BRINGS US TO GLORY

Hebrews 2:10 “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.”

Point? Jesus receiving the crown of glory and honor, was for us.. it was to bring many sons and daughters to glory.

(A) U-shaped. bring us with him.

The son became man, to bring many sons and daughters to glory.

(L) How does it happen?

(A) Interesting phenomena regarding how men address one another.

Women rightly think that we are strange creatures in the way the male species communicate to one another.

We have different terms to address one another.

“Dude. Pal. Buddy. Fella” Most common? Mate?

In Singapore. Where I’m from. “Bro” You may have heard me unconsciously say that.

Semantic range of “bro” very wide.

Close friend to a stranger at the till .

“Hey bro, how much is this item?”

Not necessarily an expression of strong kinship.

But not Jesus. When he calls us brother or sister. He does it effectively.

With real intent, purpose and outcome.

it is for our salvation.

Hebrews 2:11–12 “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.””

He calls you my brother. And my sister.

And those who respond to that call in trust. He brings them to glory.

(L) Not only does he bring us by calling us. he also takes us.

Hebrews 2:14–16 “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.”

Verse 14 is the Christmas story. Share in the flesh and blood. He partook of the same things.

But also expands why he had to become man.

Verse 14 is also good friday. Through through death he destroys the devil, and delivers us from slavery.

Only if the Son shares in our flesh. Can he experience death to save us.

(L) But significantly his death, takes us along with him

v16 “For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.”

Help. comes up twice. also v18. but different underlying.

Help = take hold by the hand.

Hebrews 8:9 “not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

(A) Zipline. Zooms down. Jump off cliff of heaven. ZZZZ

Calls us “my Brother, my sister”

Respond in faith?

Takes hold of us by the hand.

through death, into resurrection life. into glory. all the way to the end.

(PAUSE)

(L) He brings us to glory, by calling us. by taking us by the hand.

But there is one more way that he helps us.

(A) Sometimes, even as he drags us to safety.

We forget how horrible a life slavery is.

We forget how terrible bondage is compared to freedom

We long for the enjoyment of sin.

and even when he is hold on to us..

we can kick and scream, threatening to let go.

to go back to the devil and slavery.

And in the midst of our kicking and screaming… he helps us.

Hebrews 2:17–18 “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.”

Jesus needed to become a man, not only to share in our flesh and deal with death.

But also to be like his brothers in every respect

Emotional ups and downs.

The stresses of life

The temptations that we all face.

Hebrews 2:18 “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Help = come to our aid. to support us along the journey.

(A) instead of his arm taking hold of us, it is to put an arm around our shoulder.

He can do so because he knows what it is like to be human.

(V) have you ever felt the weight of heavy burdens?

have you ever felt the pain of betrayal?

Have you ever felt the temptation to give in?

Hebrews 2:18 “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

(PAUSE)

MAIN POINT (Summarise | Wordsmith | 5 Syllable | Alliterate)

Q? Why did Jesus have to become man?

Cosmic level - restore humanity’s fallen crown.

Ever since Gen 3. Q: How will the world be put right? Has God’s creation purposes been thwarted?

Answer? no! Son of God, steps into the world as a man.

But not just the cosmic reordering of creation order

Also for us.

Personal level - Bring us to glory.

to call us, to take us by the hand, to put an arm around our shoulder

to help us.

V - He calls out to you.

“_________ my brother.” “__________ my sister.”

“Lift your eyes. Call upon God as your Father.”

and he Takes you by the hand. brings you through death into life.

When you Struggle and fail. tempted to fall.

remember He has suffered and so he can help you.

(Pause)

LAND (Worldview | Us)

We considered earlier from an apologetic angle: God becoming a man, an offense, blasphemy to other world religions

But for the Christian, there is nothing more glorious.

If the Son did not take on flesh.

Humanity could never be restored

He would not be able to truly know us. To help us when tempted.

The Christian response: “Why would you want it any other way??”

(L) But of course, Hebrews not primarily written as an apologetic against Islam.

Instead the preacher’s aim is primarily pastoral.

He wants to expand our minds to begin to understand the person of Jesus

He wants to expand our minds to grasp the great salvation he has accomplished

He wants us to contemplate, ponder, ruminate on, consider Jesus.

Hebrews 3:1 “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, “Consider Jesus”

Not a Christian? Searching for a better life?

Jonathan Griffiths writes:

The biggest need of the human heart

is not to find three easy steps to reduce stress our lives,

or to find five easy steps to make our marriages better.

No, the biggest need of the human heart is to see Jesus Christ with the eyes of faith and delight in him more.

The greater he becomes for us, the more everything else falls into its proper place.

The greater he becomes for us, the more everything else falls into its proper place.

Words of the old hymn

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face

Things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of his glory and grace.

(PAUSE)

Jesus has inaugurated a whole new creation. a whole new creation awaits. a new sabbath rest.

Question for next week “Will you enter in?”

pray

Hebrews 2:18 (ESV)

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