The Captain of Our Salvation

Introduction

Last time I was here, we looked at the beginning of Chapter 2. We looked at the 1st warning which we discussed was directed to the “on the fence congregants” of that Hebrew church.

These were people who had seen the miracles and wonders and the power of God demonstrated, not only in the miracles themselves but in the transformation of the lives of the believers there.

The author reminds them that if in the past, the law which was mediated by angels, was treated so severally, how much more severe the consequence of ignoring a greater witness.

God’s own son came to this world, and was demonstrated to be the long awaited Messiah. His disciples message was vindicated in the miracles they performed, thus these individuals were urged to come to a conclusion and no longer remain on the fence.

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Afterward, we talked about Mans original Destiny, How that When God created him, His purpose was to bring the world into his dominion and authority.

All creatures were made after their kind, and in a similar way, Man was fashioned after the image of God. Man was to rule the earth under God, just as God rules everything under him.

But when Man sinned, he lost that honor, and subsequently the earth was cursed. But even from the beginning, this was part of Gods plan. And from the Beginning God offered a plan of salvation to mankind, to restore his relationship to God and to reclaim his authority over the earth.

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In Verse 7, we see the author quote scripture from Psalms 8:4-6. Truly this question is a profound one to consider. It is a question, we will be constantly be referring back to. What…Is…Man…That THOU…art mindful of…HIM? or the son of man, referring to mankind and not Christ, that THOU…visitest him?

You know, I love it when people visit it me. Its always a delightful surprise, except for when my house is messy, then its a frantic decision of do I attempt to clean the house in point 3 seconds, or do I pretend i’m not home! Well consider this, How would you feel if the President of The United States called and said He wanted to come over, oh wait bad example! How would you feel if the former president called and said he wanted to come over?! Im obviously joking, but you get the point. You’d be thinking why does this Great Man want to come to MY house of all people? How much more should we feel in awe when we consider GOD who is higher than all people, who has all the honor in that he has created all things, wants to visit us, to know us, to care and love us and to bless us? Its unfathomable that God would feel that way towards tiny man.

Lets read Verse 8, According to the Bible we know that God created us and we were to rule over the planet. And yet obviously that isn't happening at the moment. We can see a limited perspective of this in mans ability to cultivate land and create incredible things and to terra-form the planet.

Man could've easily spread the Garden of Eden across the globe had he not sinned. We don't see this plan fulfilled yet, but we do see one thing, we see God’s redemptive plan fulfilled little by little, prophecy after prophecy, until at last the Son of God himself. God, who had spoken in many ways through many people hath spoken unto us in these last days by his son, it says in the beginning of this book. The one spoken of through out all the Old testament had arrived, Jesus.

Verse 9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels. Remember last week we talked about what that word little, and what it meant. It is in reference to time. Jesus was for, a little while, lower than the angels, although one could say that Jesus condescended to a point no angel could ever descend to, for the suffering of Death. The Son of God came to this world to die. No angel had ever and could ever do this. The one who was far above the angels, who created them, came down beneath them to do something so humiliating as to die. The one who knew no sin, became sin for us, he took on the punishment for sin for us, and recieved the punishment of death. But God didn't leave him in the grave. His resurrection substantiated Jesus’ claim of deity, and vindicated his sacrificial atonement on our behalf. Thus it is written, He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of Holiness BY THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. If Jesus was a fraud he would have remained in the grave. Many False Messiahs have come to this world, claiming to be the Saviour, all of which have died and to this day are in the grave. But Jesus was not left in the grave but was raised on the third day, and it is said of him in Acts 17:31 that he himself will judge the world in righteousness, and the assurance of these things is his resurrection from the dead.

He was brought down for the suffering of death, resurrected and exalted, crowned with glory and honour and given a name above every other name. Lets read Philippians 2:9-11 . This is an understatement but let me just say, God thinks very highly of Jesus Christ. That’s why some of these warnings are so stern because if God, in his incomprehensible Grace sent his Son to die on our behalf, us vile sinners, to then have us understand that and still reject it, its if your saying “God, you were wrong to send your son because I don't need him.” There remaineth no more sacrifices for those individuals because what greater sacrifice is there than the son of God himself?

In sending his Son to die for us, we see who God is. God is Merciful and gracious. He must be in order to do something like that! In our verse it says that Jesus, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man. By the grace of God, did Jesus do this. For God so loved the world HE sent his son. For God PROVED his love for us in that while we were yet sinners CHRIST DIED for us. God did it. It was all of him, and he gets all the credit.

Lets read our passage now. Lets read Verses 9-18.

Verse 10

In the beginning of verse 10 it reads, For it became him, in other words, it was fitting, or it was appropriate, it was becoming of him. It was consistent with his character in other words. This is referring to God the Father, but it can also be towards Jesus. What God did for us in sending his son Jesus was absolutely consistent with his character. In sending Jesus, it was consistent with his Loving nature.John 3 says For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that God sent not his son to condemn the world, but rather that the world through him might be saved. In Ezekiel 18, its said that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. In Christs suffering of death, it was consistent with Gods holiness for on the cross was his hatred for sin demonstrated. Often times man looks at the cross as a testimony to how much God loved us, but also what should be seen is just how wretched man is, that the only thing that could cleanse us was the death of Gods son. In providing salvation to man it was consistent with his gracious nature, God is a saving God. Jesus Christ is the substitute for us. It was a subsitutionary atonement that God accomplished on the cross. A work that he had to do for us, because we could never payback our sin debt, nor would we want to. Finally it was consistent with Gods Incredible power, for in the hours that Jesus was on the Cross, he payed the eternities of divine wrath for all those who would believe.

Thus, it can be said, it was fitting of him and consistent with who he was, for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto Glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect or complete through sufferings. The Work of the Cross made Salvation possible to man. And it is by this salvation that Jesus Christ brings us unto glory, and it is by belief in his Gospel that we are made Sons and Daughters of the Most High God. Again, what is man that thou art mindful of him?

How can God be so gracious and loving to us?

It became him, to make the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings. The word captain here is such an appropriate word in our text. Its translated Archegos, meaning Pioneer, or leader, or Captain, or Prince as its used in other texts. The word can be used whenever an individual is the leader or Chief of something. Some examples are of a man who builds a city, or of a man who builds a road through a jungle as a pioneer. Jesus Christ is our Archegos. An Archegos never gives out orders from the rear, but is always leading by example in the thick of it too. If you’ve ever had a good boss you’ll understand that its these individuals who you respect the most. There the ones who don’t just tell you to do something that they themselves wouldn’t do, but their type of leader who doesn’t even say anything and comes down to do an unglamorous or undesired task. Consider then how great Christ was in that sense, who left the glory of heaven to be born in the manger, born into obscurity, who had a normal job like we did, who during his ministry had no place to stay or lay his head down on. To be spit and mocked and beaten and tortured, and finally killed. When this great and Powerful Prince could've at a moments notice uttered words to call down the armies of heaven and obliterated the universe in mere seconds. Jesus Christ our great spiritual Archegos is our forefront leader, and it is after him we follow. God made him to suffer so that our Archegos could be perfect. For imagine what type of leader would he have been, if he had never walked in our shoes. As we’ll see later on, this is a truth that makes Jesus Christ all the more beautiful and awesome! He’s such a perfect leader and Saviour because he was in the thick of it as we are now!

Verse 10-11

Lets read Verse 10-11 together now. Jesus not only is our perfect Salvation Archegos, but hes our perfect Sanctifier. Turn with me to Romans 4:20.

2nd Corinthians 5:21 Also says this, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus Christ has sanctified us, he has consecrated us, set us apart, made us to be holy, or as our verse said made us the righteousness of God in him. He took our sin and God gave us his righteousness. Go back to our text now in Hebrews 2:11,

Verse 11

Both He, Jesus, who sanctifies, and they, us, who are sanctified, are all of one. Were all of one, were all of one father. Its not that we are perfect right now, its that when God looks at us he see’s his sons righteousness, because we are in Jesus. Go to John 17:21-23 .

It is because we are one now, it says He is not ashamed to call us brethren! Jesus Christ isnt ashamed to say Michael Sanders you are my brethren. Though he has much to be ashamed of in me he isnt! He calls us, his brethren, his brother and his sister. Though we are still very far from our glorified state, positionally, because of the sanctifying work of Christ, we are made holy. God see’s us as holy and that is why here, Jesus isnt ashamed to call us his brethren. Back in John 17:24 it says this, Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. Do you see how he’s not ashamed of us? We are his brethren. Before Jesus went to the cross, his disciples were called his disciples, or his sheep, his followers but after his atonement for them and for us, we are made holy and subsequently are made his brothers. When Jesus appeared to mary, he said, Go and tell my Brethren. Again, What is man that thou art mindful of him? Doesn’t this just invigorate you? Jesus Christ has everything to be ashamed of in me, and yet he isnt. And the sad reality as that we have nothing to be ashamed of in him, and yet at times we are.

My prayer is that this amazing truth, will affect how you view your saviour. Jesus Christ is our elder brother, our inteccesor , our advocate, our high priest. We can come to him whenever we need him! He’s our Archegos remember? He leads the way. And he is absolutely not ashamed to call you his because his perfect righteousness is accredited to your account.

A truly beautiful example of this is found in Genesis, which we have recently read together, quoting from John Phillips commentary of Hebrews, he says, A beautiful illustration of this is given in the Old Testament. Joseph’s brethren behaved scandalously toward him. They hated him, scorned him, opposed him, and finally sold him into Egypt for the price of a slave. For a couple of pieces of silver apiece, they handed him over to the traders, turning their backs upon his tears. Yet, afterward, when they were thoroughly repentant, Joseph was not ashamed to call them brethren. Even though every shepherd was an abomination to the Egyptians, Joseph took them into the very presence of Pharaoh himself and presented them before the throne, and they were accepted by him.

Just as Jesus Christ takes us into the very prescence of God, as his brethren.

Psalm 22 is known as the psalm of the cross. I’d like to read the whole thing because the author quotes from this psalm and it is truly amazing. The Gospels describe the cross but this psalm described the thoughts behind our saviour on the cross. Lets read it now.

Go back to our text, Hebrews 2:12

So we see here something amazing. We see Jesus, comforting himself with the thoughts of bringing us into the family of God. I will declare thy name unto my brethren. What Love is this? How can I speak on such love. Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends. In Verse 13 we see that The coming Messiah would put his faith in God the father as well as lead his brethren too.

Truly we are a blessed people to have such a great God. We have much to praise Jesus for, and my prayer is that this message bring him glory, as we follow in our Lord’s footsteps, that great shepherd and bishop of our souls. Lets Pray.