The humiliation and glory of the Son and his solidarity with humanity
Notes
Transcript
Scene 1: You have probably heard the saying, “Walk a mile in my shoes”
People often use these words when they think that you don’t really appreciate how hard things really are for them.
There is a need to enter the world of another to truly understand what things are like for them.
I can read all about what it is to live in a country that is at war.
I can read all about what it is to live in a place where there is no infrastructure.
I can watch it on TV and be very aware of the situation.
I can even have a grasp of the causes and possible solutions.
The cultural, religious, environmental and political issues that cause the people to suffer.
I may even visit one of those places.
But I do not know what it is to be one of those people
Jesus went beyond this level of understanding; he intentionally left the glory of Heaven and took a position of humiliation.
He became a human.
He took a position a little lower than angels to became one of us.
The angels were created to be God’s servants in the spiritual world
Humans though where given a position that was intended to be one of rule and honour.
The plan was that we would govern creation, the physical world for God.
But Adam & Eve wrecked that plan by their disobedience.
Instead of following orders, they decided to do their own thing.
And they handed control of the palace over to the Devil
It is as if one day the King goes out.
He knows the enemy cannot attack him directly and he leaves the palace in the hands of his honoured governor.
But Adam & Eve leave the front gate to the palace unguarded.
They disobey a direct order of the King to be on guard, to not leave the one and only vulnerable position open
As a result they let the enemy in.
This enemy must be defeated, the palace reclaimed.
To do so requires someone to enter that palace.
The problem occurred here on earth in the physical creation
There is only one solution.
The King of the universe must come to earth.
Jesus must join us; he left glory to humbly take a position with us.
Literally to become one of us.
Fully human, fully divine.
Intentionally taking a place of humility.
A place outside of heaven.
Scene 2:This intentional humiliation enabled Jesus to break the power of sin & death given to the devil by Adam & Eve’s disobedience.
Hebrews 2:14-15
Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Jesus had to share fully in our humanity.
To become human which is called the incarnation.
So that he could in fact die.
And by his death destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.
This recalls the teaching of Genesis chapter 3 about Satan’s role in the rebellion of humanity against God and the imposition of death as the divine penalty for sin.
Adam, the first human disobeyed God and brought death into the world.
Jesus’, being fully human, perfectly obeyed God and therefore destroyed the power of death and brought eternal life.
But verse 15 tells us that the devil continues to hold people in slavery because they still fear death
When we trust Jesus for salvation from death we are freed from Satan’s power.
We are freed to serve God.
He removes the threat of judgment and condemnation for those who trust in him and gives the assurance of life in the world to come.[1]
To achieve this Jesus had to take a place of humility, to become human.
Scene 3:This intentional humiliation enabled Jesus to regain man’s lost dominion over the earth. V 5-8A
It was God’s original intention that mankind rule over all.
This is clearly spoken of in Psalm 8 .
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument. O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Hebrews chapter 2 verse 5 clearly picks up on this idea of man ruling over creation.
It is very clear; it is not the angels who will control the world to come.
Hebrews 2:5
And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about.
If you can picture that beautiful palace, high on a hill.
This palace is the home of all humanity, and is called earth.
Adam & Eve are the governors of this palace.
They walk out the front door and down the pathway;
They leave the front gate open.
And the Hell’ Angel’s biker and all his mates just walk in the front gate.
Seeing a good opportunity the bikie and his mates move in to the palace and set up shop.
Adam & Eve have given dominion over the palace called earth to the devil.
The once beautiful palace becomes a hotbed of vice and corruption and a number of floors are pretty soon trashed.
So the bikie and his mates move to the top floor, where things are a little more comfortable.
His offsiders move between the levels enforcing his rule.
A number of lower floors are now very dangerous, the plumbing doesn’t work the electricity is out & unfortunately many have no choice but to continue living there.
For those people there is lots of suffering.
It is easy to get sick or injured
Some are lucky, they have better health, they live on a floor where there is sunlight and the plumbing and power still works
Some parts of that beautiful palace still look OK, other parts are derelict.
But something is about to change.
For the first time, since time began, the King is walking in the gate.
He is about to reclaim what is rightfully his.
He is about to ambush the Hell’s Angels.
They are not expecting someone to walk in the front gate in the simple robes of a peasant.
The guards have gotten a bit slack.
They are looking out for a motorcade with guards and flags on the front of the cars.
But Jesus has just walked in.
He is humble, no fancy robes and he is about to bring a new rule to this palace.
Scene 4: Verses 8b to 9 of Hebrews Chapter 2 talk of this change.
Hebrews 2:8-9
You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone.
Jesus intentional humiliation, coming to earth in human form enabled him to be a trailblazer, a pioneer opening a path that others can now follow.
He had to come to earth to do this,
He could not do it from heaven, because this palace is on earth.
His death he like a secret key which opens the hidden door.
The devil has missed this.
He didn’t examine the plans to the palace, he missed the veiled references.
He thought he knew it all.
No one was expecting such perfect obedience and insight into the King’s plan.
Jesus climbs the stairs to the top floor.
Knocking out the devils henchmen as he goes.
And then he walks into the throne room, confronts the devil.
Head butts him and leaves him unconscious.
He then picks him up by the scruff of the neck and tosses him out the window into the cess pit from which he can never escape.
The palace though is still in a mess.
There is still suffering.
There is much that needs to be repaired.
Jesus knows that his Army is still many days journey away, but one day they will arrive with resources beyond imagination.
When they do arrive they will sweep through the whole palace and it will be instantly transformed.
Until then Jesus sets about bringing change.
Lighting the lamps in the palace like someone forging a path through the darkness.
Just as a pioneer, blazes a path in the trees so that others can follow.
He is the servant of all, setting the example of love.
He starts with the heart because the residents have forgotten what it is to live with an attitude of love.
Slowly some areas of the palace are transformed, but it will take a long time to restore it.
Some resist, they preferred the darkness because they themselves have been corrupted by those who previously ruled.
Others are so used to what has been that they do not want to change.
Some have not yet heard that the true King has arrived.
But bit by bit the rubbish is removed and more and more parts of the palace restored.
Jesus works quietly, patiently as his subjects increasing understand his agenda.
It all started when Jesus in perfect obedience chose to be incarnated to become human.
Through this obedience even to death.
He has ambushed sin & death.
He has restored man’s dominion over the palace called earth.
He will bring us as brothers and sisters into Glory.
Scene 5: Jesus’ intentional humiliation has enabled Him to be both our King and Faithful High priest.
Verse 10 tells us that his work was made perfect.
Hebrews 2:10
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.
Perfect in the sense of being;
Complete.
Fulfilled.
Finished.
All other priests find that their work is never perfect.
Because it cannot be complete.
It can never permanently fulfil the penalty of sin.
It is never finished.
For their work must be done over and over again.
But Jesus the one who sacrificed himself once for all for our sins.
Has completing the work of salvation.
He has permanently and forever taken back control of the palace.
He invites us to reign with him forever as his brothers & sisters.
The writer to the Hebrews quotes Psalm 22:22 as one part of that secret plan to bring us into kinship with Jesus.
Hebrew 2:10-13
God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people.” He also said, “I will put my trust in him,” that is, “I and the children God has given me.”
This is not the invitation of a distant ruler.
One who is disinterested in the lives of his people.
No, this is the invitation of a ruler who shares his rule with his subjects.
He is not a distant priest or a distant king.
He has not just walked a mile in our shoes.
He is one who walks with us every day.
He understands all that it is to be human
Because he is one of us.
Perfectly one of us.
Fully human and fully divine.
That is why he can help us.
That is why he can show mercy
Hebrews 2:16-18
We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.
Jesus took the humble position of a human being so that he could ambush sin & death,
Restore man’s dominion over the earth
And bring us as brothers and sisters into Glory.
Will you open the room of your heart and let him restore it?
Will you let your room in that palace reflect the glory that it rightly should?
Opening the door is much better than keeping it locked and continuing in darkness?
The King has arrived will you accept his rule?
Or will you wait until you run out of time.
For when his army arrives it will be too late.
All who have not accepted him will be thrown out, just like the devil into the cesspit that is inescapable.
You have the freedom to choose!
[1] Carson, D. A., France, R. T., Motyer, J. A., & Wenham, G. J. (Eds.). (1994). New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., Heb 2:5–18). Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press.