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OH,
WHAT A SAVIOR! Introduction:
What does it mean to be a child of God, a "joint-heir"
with Jesus Christ? We proudly claim these privileges, but have we
considered what they mean? We sing "I will cherish the old rugged
cross, and exchange it some day for a crown," but is it true? That is
what this portion of Hebrews is about. It explains how Jesus, introduced
as Almighty God of eternity in the previous chapter, stepped into time -
He was clothed in human flesh - made a little lower than the angels, made
like us – to restore to Adam’s race the glory and dignity lost in the
fall. The writer would have us know that part of God’s "so great
salvation" for the Believer is that we are destined for the throne.
"In the world to come," redeemed humanity will rule and reign
with Jesus Christ. Not even the holy angels have been given that
privilege. To begin this section, the author quotes from Psalm 8:4-6, a
text that recalls man’s former dignity and boldly announces God’s plan
for his restoration. He then makes us look at the Christ of Calvary.
There, we see Him in his suffering – not the eternal Son of God, but the
human born Savior of man. And, what a Savior He is. He has sanctified us,
disarmed our enemy, and understands our needs and limitations. He became
like us so that we could be made like Him. I. A PUZZLE
CONTEMPLATED (V.6) A. Man’s Frailty "What
is man" The word used for "man" refers to man as a product
of creation. Compared to the "heavens," a man is a small,
insignificant speck in the universe. B.
Man’s Fallen-ness – "the son of man" Here the
word for man is different, referring to man as a descendent of Adam. All
of Adam’s descendents are sinners, all are condemned, and all die. Why
does God continue to bother with us, to visit us when we are so much less
than he created us to be? II. GOD’S PURPOSE
EXPLAINED (VV.7-8a) A.
Man’s · Evolution teaches that man is just a more advanced animal. ·
Scripture teaches that we were
created "a little lower than the angels" – something far more
than the rest of God’s earthly creation. B.
Man’s Sovereign Position – crowned "with glory and honor · Man was designated to be the king of God’s creation. God "set [Adam] over the works of [His] hands." Compare to Genesis 1:26-28 ·
Man was created to rule and
reign with God! C.
Man’s shameful Problem –"now we see not yet all things put under
him." · Satan has assumed man’s dominion. When Adam sinned, he forfeited his sovereignty and put man under Satan’s domination. That is why Satan can rightfully be called the "Prince" of this world." He has authority over men he was never intended to have. ·
God has never revoked man’s
sovereignty. The little word "yet" let’s us know that God has
not changed His plan. Man is still His choice for subduing and governing
this world. What is
the solution to this problem? How could mankind be redeemed and his
sovereignty restored without violating God’s principles of justice?
Verse 9 provides the answer. But
we see Jesus…God did not allow His plan for man to be defeated.
He provided another man, the God-man, to defeat Satan, redeem mankind, and
restore the crown Adam had given up. III. GOD’S PROVISION
EXAMINED (VV.9-10) A.
A.
Savior In Man’s Image · Like us, He was made a little lower than the angels. ·
Through the miracle of
incarnation, God provided a second Man who could resist the Tempter and
overthrow his kingdom. B.
A Substitute For
Man’s Sins - "for the suffering of death…" · God could not overlook sin, so He provided One who would taste death for every man. That Christ died for all men indicates that all men need a Savior. That Christ died for all men tells us that all men can be saved. ·
In tasting death for every man,
Christ was made a "perfect" Savior. (Verse 10) The sinless life
of Christ could save no one, because the wages of sin is not goodness.
Anything less than death, and Christ would have been something less than a
Savior. When Christ died as our substitute, the tyranny of Satan was
ended. C.
A Sovereign In
Man’s Place – "crowned with glory and honor" · What was originally true in Adam has been realized again in Jesus Christ. See Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:10 ·
When He returns in glory, Jesus
Christ, the God-man, will rule the earth and redeemed men will rule and
reign with Him. See Revelation 5:9-10 IV. GOD’S PLAN
FULFILLED (VV.11-18) A.
Partakers Of Christ’s Life
– "all of one" · Christ was delivered unto death so that we might partake of His risen life. When a person believes in Christ for salvation, he is placed "in" Christ. Being "in" Christ means that we have a new identity before God (“all of one”). We are fully identified with Christ. "As He is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17b. This is the MEANS of our sanctification. ·
Because we are all of one,
Jesus is not ashamed to call us "brethren." So complete is our
identification with Christ that He openly claims us as His
"brethren." This means that we enjoy the same measure of
acceptance and favor before God as does our "elder brother"
Jesus Christ. This is the MEANING of our sanctification. B.
Delivered By Christ Death
(vv.14-15) · The word destroyed means to render powerless, to make void. Satan was not annihilated, but stripped of his power – the power of death. · Although Satan cannot kill anyone (Example – Job), he did possess a "power of death." When Satan masterminded the fall, he knew that Adam’s sin would put the human race under a sentence of death. From that moment, Satan had a legal "power of death" (like a "power of attorney") to demand the judgment of God on every man because all men are sinners. ·
By dying in our place, Jesus
stripped Satan of his power. With Satan disarmed, we have no reason to
fear death C.
Sustained By Christ’s Priesthood
(vv.16-18) · Christ understands our human condition by experience. He was like us "in all things." ·
As a merciful and faithful High
Priest towards God, He offered Himself upon ·
As a merciful and faithful High
Priest towards us, Christ is able to help us in times of temptation. From
His own personal experience of suffering and temptation, Christ
understands our struggles. Not only does He understand – He can succor
(help, sustain) us in our times of suffering and temptation. God has not
left us alone to struggle with sin and hardship. Christ ministers at the
right hand of God – our faithful High Priest – ready to provide
whatever we need for every circumstance. Conclusion:
The author is not finished with this subject. He will return again
and again to the High Priestly ministry of Jesus Christ. But for now, he
would have us consider the completeness of our salvation. By becoming man,
Christ solved the problem of our past – making it possible for man to
fulfill God’s plan for him. We will rule and reign with Christ. And by
the same means – incarnation – Christ solved the problem of our
present. He has defeated our enemy. He understands our struggles, and is
therefore merciful. He is able to give us victory in this life. In that,
He is faithful. If there is a failure, it is on our part – a failure to
find in Him all that we need. |