Hebrews 2 - God's Spiritual Mirror

Identity

What do you see when you look into a mirror? Of course, a mirror reflects the form of our bodies. We can see how tall we are, how thin or thick we are. We see the color of our eyes, hair, and skin. We can begin to see how our souls are. Are we smiling or frowning? That is about how far we can go.

If we had a mirror that reflected our souls, we would be able to see beyond the skin. What are the thoughts that we are having? We’d see our motivations. We’d see how we feel about that moment, that day, and even our lives. If we had that mirror than we would find whether we are hopeful or distressed. We would see if we saw life as a glass half full or half empty. Just like our reaction to the mirror that reflects the body, we would have a reaction to the mirror of our souls.

This past week with about 20 other veterans I was encouraged to see and hear many of them share testimonies of the result of trusting Jesus Christ as their Savior and leaving images of wounds, rejection, guilt, and captivity behind. Some caught a glimpse of the opportunity to have life after death.

Isaiah 61:1–3 NIV

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

Wow! His anointing wasn’t just on Isaiah, or me as a preacher. It is on all of us who have received the Spirit of adoption and became sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ.

Hebrews 2 is God’s Mirror of the Spirit

Hebrews 2 NIV

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet.”, In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

As we enjoy reading and studying the 2nd chapter of Hebrews, I want to point out some things that celebrate God’s view of us as we are reflected in a spiritual mirror. “What is mankind that you are mindful of them?”[1], the writer asks. In other words, “Why, God, do you fix Your attention on us and make us so wonderful. I’m looking pretty good in this mirror!

My Bible gives the majority of the chapter the title “Jesus Made Fully Human”, which is of course true. However, what really popped out to me that we are discussing this morning is WHY did He become fully human…and the answer is this…

Through Jesus Christ the Believer is Empowered

Why did the Son of God become man? How are the sorrows, sufferings, and death of Jesus consistent with the sublime glories of the Son of God, the equal and fellow of the Eternal? These questions are answered in this chapter. One Bible teacher makes this summary:

“He who was above all angels became lower than the angels for a little time; that He might lift men from their abasement, and set them on his own glorious level in His heavenly Father's kingdom; and that he might be a faithful and merciful High Priest for the sorrowful and tempted and dying.”

“What is mankind that You are mindful of him” extends far beyond the idea that man is beneath God. It extends to the realities of WHY Christ died and the realities of who we are in Chirst. He has made us POWERFUL, PERFECTED, and FAMILY.

In this Spiritual Mirror You and I are Powerful!

Imagine yourselves in front of the mirror at the height of your physical fitness. You are fit enough to lead the Rose Parade for miles as you twirled the baton. You just scored your highest score on the Army PT test. You have trained and danced for the ballet and are in the best shape of your life. You are looking pretty good – lean, strong, and happy!

I know that our bodies will be perfected in heaven. No bent backs, old football injuries, asthma or arthritis is allowed in, so we get beyond the physical. Hebrews tells us that we are created to have angels subject to us.

In the Future World, Angels will be Subject to You

In verses 5-8 the writer points out that Jesus designed it so that we would eventually have angels subject to us.

Hebrews 2:5–9 NIV

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet.”, In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Notice that the passage shows that the world to come will not be subject to the angels but by God’s children who live for Him and serve Him. Christ became lower than the angels by taking upon Himself the form of a man. Now, Christ is exalted.

In the Army we use the term, “advance party”. It means people that go ahead of the unit to prepare for the rest of the unit to arrive. That is what Jesus has done for us. He is the advance party, the “First fruit”, and it is His desire that we are empowered with Him in Heaven.

Go ahead and flex for the mirror, I know you want to.

We are Perfected By the Suffering of Christ

So, we are powerful. Now we find that we are perfected because of Jesus Christ. We find this in verses 10-11:

Hebrews 2:10–11 NIV

In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.

Notice:

1. Our salvation was ‘perfected’ through the suffering of Christ.

2. The work of Christ brings us to ‘glory’

3. The result is being holy just as Christ is holy.

Definition: To perfect (5048) (teleioo related to teleios from telos = an end, a purpose, an aim, a goal, consummate soundness, idea of being whole) means to accomplish or bring to an end or to the intended goal (telos). It means to be complete, mature, fully developed, full grown, brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness or in good working order. It does not mean simply to terminate something but to carry it out to the full finish which is picked up in the translation "perfected".

In The Last Days Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, "Were any great men born in this village?"

The old man replied, "Nope, only babies."

A frothy question brought a profound answer. There are no instant heroes--whether in this world or in the kingdom of God. Growth takes time, and as I Timothy 3:6 and 5:22 point out, even spiritual leadership must be earned. William C. Shereos.

This idea of becoming mature and whole is a strong theme in Hebrews. Teleios is used 24 times in the entire NT. 19 of those times occurs in the book of Hebrews. Maturity is attractional. Immaturity is a distraction.

Go ahead and poise for the mirror, I know you want to. Christ is making us beautiful!

We are the FAMILY of Christ

I had the opportunity to be with my parents, brother, and sister a couple of weeks ago. When we get together, we just ‘get’ one another. It has been decades since growing up in the same home but we all just understand the world from a similar viewpoint. Others roll their eyes when they see the family dynamics of the Gardner’s – can’t help it. It makes sense to us.

Have you ever seen someone for the first time and you just know that they have Jesus in their hearts? I’ll tell you why…because we are family!

Hebrews 2:11 NIV

Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.

Because of the humanity of Christ and His willingness to be incarnate, He is able to understand us.

Hebrews 2:14–18 NIV

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

We are Understood

· Christ becomes man to understand his weaknesses and problems.

· Christ faces temptation for us.

· Despite our sin, he is merciful to us. His mercy is without equal.

· He knows how to help us when we are tempted.[2]

Nearly 60 years ago, John Howard Griffin darkened his skin color and experienced life in a predominantly white society. In his fascinating book Black Like Me, Griffin describes his travels in the United States, and he tells about the sad discrimination and prejudice he faced. The Son of God did far more than change His appearance. He laid aside His glory and took on our humanity. He lived on this earth as a man who was despised and rejected. Because of His love for us, He entered into our sorrow, and He came to know by personal experience the feelings we humans have. The writer to the Hebrews said that because Jesus lived as a man and died for our sins, He is our merciful and faithful High Priest. Because He became one of us and knows what it is like to be tempted, He is able to help us when we are tempted. We can pray in His name with boldness, telling Him in complete honesty our struggles, fears, defeats, needs--even our questionings and doubts. That's why, as we remember all He endured for us as the Son of God from glory, we love Him and strive to please Him.[3]

Just like my family can get together and enjoy comfort, care, and forgiveness, we can enjoy it as brothers and sisters of Christ.

Go ahead and poise for a portrait, squeeze in. Get all of the family! Christ has made us all brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of God.

The Image in the Mirror

I hope that this look at Hebrews 2 excites you about how God sees you and how we ought to see ourselves.

Our message this morning may have opened your eyes to understanding that Christianity is about more than taking up a 4-hour block on Sunday mornings. Having a relationship with Christ is about power, being perfected (maturation), and inclusion into the family of God.

It may be that right now when you look into the mirror you are embarrassed and discouraged. There is no need to be! A transformation can take place faster than any fad diet or months in the gym can do. How does this transformation take place? A man named Nicodemus asked the same question to Jesus:

John 3:4–8 NIV

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Are you ready to change the image in the mirror?

[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Heb 2:6). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. [2]Pentz, C. M. (1972). Sermon Outlines on the Epistles: Titus–Jude (p. 14). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House. [3] Vernon C Grounds (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)