The Jesus We See
Notes
Transcript
God is in Control
God is in Control
As you turn your bibles over to Hebrews Chapter 2:5 this morning I am going to make a statement that I believe we need to be continually reminded of: God is in Control.
I look at how messy the work of the church is and sometimes it is difficult to keep that perspective. God is in control, it doesn’t matter if our plans aren’t going as we think that they should, it doesn’t matter what curve balls are thrown in our direction and it doesn’t even matter how we feel about situations. God — Is — In — Control
As hard as it is to keep that perspective, in America, in relative comfort, under relative freedom — Imagine if I were preaching this message to you in Afghanistan this morning.
Afghanistan is simultaneously one of the fastest growing churches in the the world, but is also considered the second most persecuted country in the world. — That was before the Taliban took back over — See what I don’t think most American’s understood is that the Afghan government, even the government that was supported by America that was in place up until a week ago, had laws in place that prohibited converting to any other religion than Islam under penalty of death.
Christians in this country were already facing great persecution but as the Taliban took back over the reports are that Christians are being hunted, and if what is reported is true, in some places people are being required to hand over their phones to the Taliban and if a Bible app is found they are being executed.
These are the things that are going on today, this is the evilness and wickedness of the world and yet I still started the message with this simple statement: God is in control
If you have your Bible, we will get our text this morning from Hebrews Chapter 2 verses 5-9
5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
This is the first message in a series entitled Perfected, and it is entitled The Jesus We See
Pray
Out of Control?
Out of Control?
Who is in control?
Who is in control?
In John 12:31 Satan is referred to as the prince of this world
John 12:31 (KJV 1900)
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
To be the prince is to be the governor or magistrate, and out Bible says that it is devil who currently has this role
2 Corinthians 4:4 calls Satan the god of this world when it says
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
This is more than just the governor or ruler, but a being with great power, so much so that Paul writes in 2 Corinthians that he has the power to blind the minds of unbelievers.
All indications are that this world has been forsaken to the evil intentions of the devil. Disease, Hatred, War, Murders, Racism, and Persecution all run rampant.
Who do we see?
Who do we see?
The world we observe today and the world spoken of by the Bible is not a world where the sovereignty of God is apparent so it is easy for us to only see a partial view of who Christ is.
There are a lot of ways people see Jesus
Baby
Baby
Many people think of Jesus and think of the Baby in a manger, especially at Christmastime. There are certainly efforts to even silence this picture of our Lord but by-and-large this is the most palatable image that many have of Jesus.
A baby is helpless. A baby doesn’t speak convicting words.
But for the Christian when we see the depiction of Christ we don’t see just a baby but we see a promise yet fulfilled.
The angel in Luke 2:11 says of this baby
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Prophet
Prophet
But that baby would grow to be a man. Matthew summarizes the message of Jesus, the message similar to the prophets who came before him. Matthew writes:
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Jesus preached forgiveness of sins to the meek and condemnation to the proud.
Sacrifice
Sacrifice
Many see Jesus as the man hanging upon the middle cross at Calvary. They see the nails in his hands and feet, the crown of thorns upon his head and the blood streaming from his wounds.
It is this depiction of Christ that typically hangs in catholic churches and homes and in hospital rooms throughout this country. A reminder that Christ suffered upon a Roman cross for our sins.
A Resurrected Savior
A Resurrected Savior
In most Baptist churches, and really in protestant churches the cross is displayed bare. This mostly goes back to Calvin and his followers stressing that having an image of Christ on the cross could lead to idol worship.
But this points to a focus on the risen savior rather than on the sacrificial act itself.
King
King
But in all of this seeing of Christ, we typically see Jesus in some way with the characteristics of a man.
In verse 6 the writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 8:4-6 — You can read along in Hebrews 2:6-8 as I read from Psalm 8
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:
It is interesting that verse 6 says But one in a certain place testified which is often how I feel my memory is when I am trying retrieve scripture addresses in my mind. Someone somewhere said....
But the author of Hebrews know where this was referenced and by whom it was written. It is a psalm of David and would have been very familiar to any Jewish person of the time.
But the author of Hebrews is de-emphasizing the hand the wrote the scripture, he didn’t want the authorship of David to distract from the point that he was making — which is this:
What is mankind that he should be of such concern to the All-Mighty God? How is it that God created this world as an expression of his glory and then set man up to look after His creation.
And if we are to be honest, who can’t say with ps 22:6
6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people.
or with Romans 7:24
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
And these are the lamentations of King David, the man after God’s own heart and the Apostle Paul, if this is how they see themselves, how then should we view the remainder of humanity!
Under Subjection
Under Subjection
However — It is in this lowly station that God chose to make his glory known.
Hebrews 2:8 says:
8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
God the father will put all things under the feet of man. — But be careful here — this isn’t to say that all things will be put under the feet of you and I — That we will have dominion over creation. No, continue with me in v9
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
It is man, represented by that perfect man, our savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
And so, God expresses his might--in the frailty of humanity. That it is as a human — lower than an angel that the Word of God would be incarnated — And then would receive his crown of glory and honor through suffering and death.
Trust
Trust
You and I — When we observe the things that are going on in the world, when we go through hardship or see persecution, it is hard for us to see a world where God is in control. But that is what it says in v8 right: that all things were put in subjection under his feet?
But v8 goes on to say that there is nothing that isn’t put under him. Christ doesn’t have just victory over death — Christ doesn’t just have victory in religion — And He doesn’t just have victory over the world to come. Christ has dominion over all.
Sometimes we have to just trust that our Lord is in control, because it’s not apparent if we judge things by what we perceive today.
We will get to this at some point down the line but Hebrews 11:1 tells us
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
To have faith is to have hope. — Today we have to hope that Christ will exercise his authority because today we see that he is letting sin run its course.
See people are always asking questions like: How could a good God, how could a loving God allow X. Why does God allow suffering in the world. And when we are in a time where we are waiting for that time when Christ puts everything right and remakes the earth and heavens. While we are waiting for that time where every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord We have to have faith. Because these aren’t things that are yet seen, it’s where our hope lies.
It’s natural to ask the question: why? Why hasn’t Christ completed his work and ended suffering? 2 Peter 3:8-9 addresses this
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
What we perceive as slowness, or slack in fulfilling His promise — What you are actually seeing is God’s patience with man. He is allowing for more to come to repentance.
In the meantime we live in a world that has been devastated by sin, but it is sin that man has created by our heart of rebellion and we will have to live with it’s consequences until all things are made to submit to him.
Everyone
Everyone
I will point out one final inclusive word before we close today and it is at the end of verse 9.
Hebrews 2:9 (KJV 1900)
9c he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
That same word we read in v8 where we read Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. That same word all πᾶς (pas) or panta in the text is the same word we find in v9 translated as every man.
He by the grace of God should taste death for all
And the great news I have for you this morning is that you are included in that word all. Christ tasted death for you.
What God is asking through his word this morning is for you to have faith. You and I are part of this fallen world, we are the worm and the wretched man and if it were only justice, then you have to admit with me this morning that we are partly responsible for mucking up His creations and we are not worthy of His grace.
But that is why it is called grace. Unmerited favor. God just loves you, because you are you. You are his creation, his child, his image bearer, flawed or not.
And it takes faith. It takes you believing in something that you can’t see today. But if you will yield to the Holy Spirit’s beckoning on your heart, If you will acknowledge Christ as savior and the Lord and King who is sovereign over all and if you will repent from your sins and put your faith and trust in the savior. Then you will be saved and you will be a citizen of that kingdom to come, where we will witness the glory of our King once and for all.
If you have any questions this morning about this message or any thing else I would love to tell you more about our God. Meet me after the service or send me a message is you are watching online and I will get back to you as soon as I am able. But please, don’t put off that decision because we don’t know when that time will come, when God’s patience has reached it’s end, and eternity will have been decided.
Pray
