The Man God intended for humanity

Hebrews 3:1–6 (Hebrews): The writer has just presented Jesus (in chapter 2) as the Man who fulfills God’s intent for the human race. That ultimate intent is that we may be indwelt by God. This is surely the meaning of Jesus in John 14:20, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.”

God Gave Man Dominion Over all the Earth

Hebrews 2:5-8 “For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? “You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.”

The primary question is, who is the author referring to?

Is he referring to Christ?

Or is he referring to man?

This is a quote is taken from Psalm 8

Lets read this Psalm and see

“O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!”

It is referring to man

When God made mankind and put them in the garden, He gave them dominion over all the earth.

Gen 1:28 “God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

David is marveling that God would share His power and glory with mankind. Man was created a little lower than the angels, but had much greater privileges than the angels.

“For He did not subject to angels the world to come”

God never promised the angels that they would rule the world to come!

What “world to come” is he talking about?

I think he is talking about the millenium kingdom

God did not promise the angels that they would rule, but He did promise us that we would rule.

2 tim 2:12 “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us”

Rom 5:17 “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Matt 19:28-30

But there is a problem

All things are not subject to us and under our feet.

If we swim in the oceans then we may get eaten by a shark

If we travel to Russia we get shot!

If we walk into the path of a tornado, what is going to happen to us?

It is obvious we do not rule the world. We cannot even rule ourselves!

Why is that? Because in the garden Adam lost dominion over the earth because of his sin.

Application:

How did Adam lose dominion over the earth?

He fell into the temptation of the devil and sinned against God

What happens when we fall into temptation today?

We are handing dominion over to Satan

We are allowing satanic footholds in our lives and letting satan rule in areas where he does not belong

Satan wants all of our lives that we will allow him, and when we choose sin we are handing him the keys and submitting to him

Jesus restores that dominion by suffering death as a man

Hebrews 2:9-10 “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”

This section contrasts that which man lost to that which Christ gained back

“But we do see Jesus”

How do we see Jesus? We see Him through the eyes of Scripture. We see Him through the eye witnesses who walked with Him, recorded His words, and witnessed His miracles.

We see a Jesus who always had dominion over the earth because he never gave into the temptation of the devil

The wind and waves obeyed Him when He calmed the sea

He had dominion over the fish when he told Peter to throw a hook into the sea and the first fish would have a shekel in its mouth

He had dominion over the demons when he cast them out of Mary Magdalene

He had dominion over people when He called them, they followed Him.

“so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone”

That phrase “for everyone” refers to our benefit.

What Adam lost in the garden, Jesus gained back through His death and resurrection. Jesus’ death had eternal implications upon our lives

He tasted death so that we could live with Him

“In bringing many sons to glory”

This world is not glorious. It is not a sinless paradise that it began as in the garden of Eden. But what is coming as our reward for faithfulness to Him on this earth is a glorious kingdom

Application

It says Jesus was crowned with glory and honor.

Who wears crowns? Kings wear crowns

And if Jesus is a King, who are the “many sons” whom he brings with Him into glory?

Those who live as if He is King on earth right now.

There is a Kingdom upon this earth where many sons live for Him. It is a spiritual kingdom, awaiting the physical kingdom.

What we must never forget, is to forfeit living for the spiritual kingdom today, is to forfeit the physical kingdom in the age to come.

Jesus is not just the King, He is the King of Kings

Jesus is united to us and we to Him

Hebrews 2:11-13 “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.” And again, “I will put My trust in Him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.”

For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father

What does that mean?

That means we are His brethren (family)

What do you think it means to be in the same family as Christ?

What is it like to be in your family?

My family is all kind of alike!

We like the same foods

We like the same activities

We like to go to bed at the same time

We like do things together

To be a brethren of Christ is to have the same nature as Christ

How much are you like your brother, or your mother?

My Dad came over today and was out in my shop with me and I was hanging up all my stuff. And My Dad said, you are just like your mother. She does that. And do you know where we get that from? Her Dad. And her Dad probably picked that up from His parents.

Who does Christ call His family?

He quotes Psalm 22:22 “I will tell of Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.”

Who do you think is the assembly?

The church. Not the building, but the people.

Christ died for the church, and those who die to their lives to live for Christ are born into the church and become like Christ.

Jesus has sent His Spirit to live in those who are the church.

They share the same nature as Christ, and everyday become more and more like Christ.

Application

What does it mean to you, to get to be part of a supernatural family of believers who share in the nature of Christ?

What ways can you be more Christ-like in the church?