Motivated for Sanctification (Heb 2:5-18) | Adult Sunday School

930, so come on in and grab your seat. Welcome to Kootenai Church and our adult Sunday school class. It's a great spot to be on a cold fall morning. Let's open in a word of prayer. Our loving Father, we come before you today to worship and to glorify your name.

You reign supreme over every corner of our universe and you are perfect in all your ways. As we come to you and to your perfect word this morning, we ask you for your Spirit's help to guide us into all truth.

May we delight in the contemplation of the perfect life of your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ. It is in his perfect name that we pray. Amen. Well, welcome back. I am excited to resume our Sunday school series that we are calling Walk by the Spirit.

This is week three of that series and I have been extremely blessed over the past two weeks by all of the comments and questions and thought-provoking ideas that you have shared with me right after the service or throughout the week.

That is body life. That's exactly what I was praying for is that God would use this to stimulate us to apply his Word and to cultivate the unity that we have in Jesus Christ. Now several people have asked if I can share the application questions that I'm sharing as part of each lesson and I would be more than happy to do that with you.

So you have two options. You can either look me up in the church directory and get my email and phone number and feel free to email, call, text, whatever is easiest for you. Or if you don't want to wait to forget, I have a sheet of paper up here you can come up afterwards, write down your name and either your email or your phone number for text messages and I would be happy to send you my application questions after each lesson.

Now one of the application questions that I asked last week was, has your spiritual walk with God, your sanctification process, has it plateaued or started to decline a little bit? But more importantly not just has it, but why has it started to plateau or decline?

It doesn't matter how long you've been saved. Almost all of us have experienced that multiple times in our spiritual walk. Why? Well it's easy. Sanctification, the process that we are going through, it's hard work and we ask ourselves where is the fuel for that fight?

I have a quote for you from Jerry Bridges that I love. It says, God's purpose in our salvation is that we might be conformed to the image of his son. Those who God justifies, the Holy Spirit sanctifies.

As the agent of our transformation, the Holy Spirit both works in us and enables us. And that is the key that we have been zeroing in on as we focus our minds and hearts on the person of Jesus Christ, the man Christ Jesus, because it's not just him, it's really the Holy Spirit in him and in us that is producing the work of sanctification.

But why is sanctification so hard? Well the process is long and the goal can seem unattainable. It's just always out of reach, never get there and that can be very frustrating for us as human beings. Secondly, we are weak in our minds, hearts, and bodies and we fail repeatedly and that frustrates us.

Third, we're always fighting against the remnant of the sinful flesh that we have and that fight is contemplated by the reality that we live in a sinful world that's conflicting with God's word and plan and that world is ruled by the power of Satan.

So all three of those things combine together to make this sanctification process that you and I are in together difficult. Now, lest we grow weary and stumble in our walk, we must realize and rely upon the power that God provided us in the human life of Jesus as he lived in full dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

The title of today's lesson is Motivated for Sanctification and we'll be drawing this from Hebrews chapter 2 verse 5 through 18. So if you would like to, I would have you turn to Hebrews 2 verse 5. Now I know what some of you might be thinking.

Is Simon really going to be the first guy to teach from the book of Hebrews after Jim? So to those of you questioning my sanity, let me just offer up a couple points of information. First off, I did not personally observe Jim teach this passage from Hebrews 2 and therefore I have no conclusive proof that he actually did.

Now you may well say, well Simon if you just go look at YouTube you can clearly see that he preached six sermons from Hebrews 2, 5 through 18 from June 3rd to July 15th, 2018. And I have two answers for you.

First, in our current day of AI and Josh Comstock, I don't believe a single thing I see on the internet anymore. Secondly, my family arrived at KCC in 2021 and we were in Hebrews 10 and it took us four years to finish 10 through 13.

There's no way he made it from chapter 2 to chapter 10 in less than that time. No way. How many of you were here in 2018 and allegedly heard him preach from Hebrews 2? Okay. If you were, I'm fairly certain that a couple of you missed one of those six weeks and you probably don't remember everything that he said.

Fourth, I intend to summarize this passage in one Sunday school rather than six. If you want the deep dive, and I do commend it to you because the AI was pretty good, you can go back to YouTube and watch the AI enhanced Jim Osmond teach it.

Four Incentives for Sanctification from Hebrews 2

Motivated for sanctification. This morning we're gonna look at four incentives to persist in sanctification provided by the humanity of Christ so that we can find the motivation that we need for our daily walk with the Spirit.

We're gonna see four incentives for us to persist in sanctification in this passage in the humanity of Christ so that we will find that motivation that we need for our daily walk with the Spirit. Our first incentive is in his perfect humanity he redeemed our right to rule and we'll see that in verses 5 through 9 of Hebrews chapter 2.

Now we need to quickly set the context here. The author of Hebrews is writing to a group of church-age Jewish believers suffering from persecution, attempted to go back and abandon the truth that following Jesus as a part of his church that that truth was superior to the old covenant law and the Jewish tradition and culture in which they had been raised.

The writer of Hebrews takes time to conclusively demonstrate that Jesus and his new covenant community the church is better in all possible ways than the old covenant and old law. Now let's read Hebrews chapter 2 verses 5 through 18 together and then focus in on the first section of that.

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 yet there's not subject subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him 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 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.

Therefore since the children share in flesh and blood he himself likewise also partook of the same that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death that is the devil and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

For assuredly he does not give help to angels but he gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in all things so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For since he himself was tempted in that which he has suffered he is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Our first incentive is that in his perfect humanity Jesus redeemed our right to rule.

And we're going to look at Hebrews 2 5 and I want you to notice there it says he did not subject to angels and angels come up a lot. Here we see it down in verse 9 he we see him who was made for a little while lower than the angels in his humanity Jesus the Son of God is made like us in that temporarily he is placed in a position that is lower than the angels.

But the author is quick to note that God the Father did not subject to the angels. The world to come. Jesus will resume his position above the angels when what does the text say here it says the world to come.

In other words he's referring forward to the second age that will be established with the coming of Jesus the Messiah to reign. And then if we look at verse 8 here I love the way he phrases this verse in the second half he says.

But now right now. And I think that now is a profound now because it continues into our now and into the future now. In other words anyone who ever comes to Hebrews 2 verse 8 is going to read the word now.

But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. In other words we are waiting with a joyful earnest expectation of that day when we will see Jesus reign in his earthly kingdom glory. Just remind yourself of that child of God.

You will see him and you will see all things subjected to him. If you are in Christ you will personally see that day. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 6 says. But one has testified somewhere saying what is man.

That you remember him or the son of man that you are concerned about him. Now in verses 6 through 8 the author of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 8 verse 4 through 6 and he asks a rhetorical question. What is man.

In other words what is your divine purpose for man. Answer to rule over your creation as an administrative mediator of God the father. That's the purpose that we derive from Psalm 8. Now that phrase son of man that he uses here and pulls out of Psalm 8 is critical for us.

And for that I want to turn you back and have you read Daniel chapter 7. So go ahead and turn all the way back into the Old Testament. We will be in Hebrews 2 this morning. But you cannot be in Hebrews 2 without spending some time and some of the other passages of Scripture that are alluded to.

And so we want to be Daniel 7 verse 13. We're just going to read two verses there. Jesus loved this phrase the son of man. He uses it about himself 83 times in the Gospels. So as a young Jewish boy imagine Jesus reading Daniel 7 13 and 14 not just for the first time but repeatedly.

Let me read it. He says. I kept looking in the night visions and behold with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man was coming and he came up to the ancient of days and was presented before him and to him was given dominion glory and a kingdom that all the people's nations and men of every language might serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. Jesus would have studied the Old Testament he would have come to this passage and and the Spirit would have enabled him to have a full understanding of who he was and what his role would be in fulfilling this messianic prophecy.

Let me just read to you Psalm 80 verse 17 because it has a very similar feel to it says. Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand upon the son of man whom you made strong for yourself. Jesus is that son of man who is coming to take his throne over the entire kingdom.

Turn back to Hebrews 2. This passage is pulling on a thread. It's a kingdom thread. It starts at the beginning of the Bible and it extends all the way to the end of the Bible. We're just catching a piece of that thread here in Hebrews.

But look at Hebrews 2 verses 7 and 8 again it says. 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. And we noted again that's saw that Psalm 8. And the writer of Hebrews is assuming that those who know Psalm 8 also know the passages that connect to Psalm 8.

He's trying to demonstrate something here. He's demonstrating that God's solution for Adam's sinful failure to rule is to bring another man to earth who would take Adam's place. So really in Psalm 8 the psalmist is reaching all the way back to Genesis 1.

Genesis 1 verses 26 to 31 and that it's worth our time. Let's go back and look at it. So flip all the way back to page 1. Genesis 1 verses 26 to 31. I'll read for you there it says. Then God said let us make man in our image according to our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

God created man in his own image. In the image of God. He created him male and female. He created them. 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.

Then God said behold I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth and every tree which has fruit yielding seed it shall be food for you. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that moves on the earth which has life I have given every green plant for food.

And it was so. God saw all that he had made and behold it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning the sixth day. What Adam's sin had done and what ours has perpetuated in holding humanity at large back from achieving the ideals that are set forth for us in Genesis 1 Jesus overcomes through his humanity his sinless human life lived in humiliation suffering death and then subsequent glory reestablishes his right to rule over all things as a man and to thereby redeem all of us all believers who are joined by faith in him to be eligible to resume our right to rule alongside of him we get to rule with him.

Let's go back to Hebrews chapter 2 verse 9 because we need to see how the writer carries this thread forward after he quotes from Psalm 8 and pulls forward the idea from Genesis 1 it says in verse 9. But we do see him who was made for a 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 death for everyone.

Jesus is made low. He's brought lower than the angels and he suffers death. Why. So that he may be crowned with glory and honor to reign. Because this purpose of Jesus to rule as king was not accomplished during his first coming.

The second coming is an absolute necessity that we can count on and look forward to a quote from FF Bruce and his commentary to the Hebrews. He says. His suffering and triumph is a pledge of his eternal kingdom.

It's a it's a promise it's a commitment of God. Jesus will reign and listen. As I read Revelation 20 verse 6 blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

That's us. So that thread that kingdom thread carries all the way through to Revelation and we picked it up here in Hebrews. And it has several profound meaningful implications that impact our sanctification.

Let's unpack those briefly here. First is we are created by God to rule over his creation. That's our first implication that is why we were created is to rule and subdue the earth. Our sin as an extension of Adam's sin renders us unfit to rule over any part of the creation no matter how large or small it is.

By rebelliously attempting to rule our own lives we forfeit the right to rule God's creation. We do not deserve it but by God's grace by redeeming us Jesus has reestablished the right for all of his saved humanity to rule through him and with him.

And this is the key here. This should motivate us to holy living. This is the truth that we hold on to as we await his return and our opportunity to rule with him. So here are some questions for you to think about in light of that reality where do you find the motivation to fight sin and pursue holiness.

Where is it for you. Is it in the opportunity to be redeemed and rule with him. Secondly how much time do you spend contemplating the future reality of Jesus kingdom and how the Saints will rule with him.

Have you spent time meditating on that truth. And third does your pursuit of holiness reflect a desire to see the Son of Man coming in his glory. In other words if I look at your pursuit of holiness do I see a measure that says this is how much this man or woman is looking forward to the Son of Man coming in his glory.

The first incentive that we have to persist in our sanctification is that in his perfect humanity he redeemed our right to rule. Secondly look at Hebrews 2 verses 10 through 13 we're gonna see that in his perfect life he suffered for our sanctification.

Look at Hebrews 2 10. It says. 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.

Jesus did not merely come to glorify himself he came to bring many sons to glory. How could he accomplish this. Well look at Hebrews 2 10. How does he do it. It says. Through sufferings plural not just suffering not just one suffering not just crucifixion sufferings misfortune it also be translated.

Calamity evil affliction. Everything is included here from his initial humiliation choosing to even take the form of a man as a bond servant as Lippians 2 describes it and then persisting all the way through his human life.

Every abuse that he endured every unkind word every disappointment every manifestation of evil that came against him all of that his whole life is a life of sufferings. And it obviously finishes with the ultimate suffering the crucifixion of an innocent man.

But it's the it's the big picture that I'm focusing you on here. It's his whole life. A quote from Homer Kent. And his commentary in the Hebrews he said. Although Christ did not partake of fallen humanity he did become a genuine man in a fallen world.

And he lived on the earth which had been cursed at the fall. Suffering is the common lot of all men in such a world and Jesus was not exempt from that. He came to our fallen world and participated in all of the fallenness except without sin.

It was therefore as the writer of Hebrews says in verse 10 fitting becoming that Jesus be made perfect through sufferings. And we looked at this briefly last week. But I'll just remind you the word perfect here is a reference to the completion.

It's not a progression from an imperfection to perfection. Jesus was not imperfect but he needed to be completed. His process of becoming complete is what we're focusing on. And that process began as a young man a baby and completed itself on the cross when he proclaimed it is finished my process of becoming perfect through sufferings.

In other words when the writer of Hebrews says here he says to perfect who the author of their salvation our salvation the author of it needed to be made perfect. And therefore we can derive that Jesus did not suffer by accident but it was God's grand design for our sanctification.

There's a purpose in his sufferings. Listen as I read to you again Hebrews chapter 10 or 2 or 2 me not chapter 2. Hebrews 10 10 10 it says. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Did you hear that we have been sanctified past tense. Our salvation places us in perfect union with Jesus Christ. And so it's the purpose of his sufferings that we're looking at here in his perfect life of humanity he suffered.

Why. For your sanctification. Look again at Hebrews 2 11 says. For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one father. If Jesus were not a human and he did not share in our flesh and blood there would be a logical contradiction in his suffering on our behalf.

If he were not a man like us he could not suffer for our sanctification. And verse 11 uses that phrase from one father. We as believers are one with Jesus through both the physical identity of having been made human by the power of God he experienced that and by becoming his spiritual brothers through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now look at Hebrews 2 12 it says saying. I will proclaim your name to my brethren in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praises. And this is another reference back into the Old Testament where the writer of Hebrews quotes directly from Psalm 22 22 a messianic song.

As I read it imagine Jesus reading it for the first time as a boy. Just listen it says in Psalm 22 22. I will surely recount your name to my brothers in the midst of the assembly I will praise you. Part of Jesus ministry to us is his proclamation of God's glorious plan to us as his brothers both physical and for those of us who are in Christ spiritual brothers.

Listen to John 17 verse 6 it says. I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours and you gave them to me and they have kept your word. Now think about this proclamation for me for just a second here.

Homer Kent has a nice quote here that helps me establish in context here that this is a different sort of proclamation from a different sort of person. He says it was not a message sent from some distant Olympus but was delivered by one who took who partook of flesh and blood and gave his witness in the very midst of men while on earth.

Jesus attended synagogue and temple worship with his fellow Jews and identified himself with them in every way except in sinning. Look back again at Hebrews 213. He continues this thread and he says again I will put my trust in him and again behold I and the children whom God has given me.

So in Hebrews 213 the writer then quotes from Isaiah 8 verses 17 and 18. Isn't it just amazing how in the power of the Holy Spirit he could just string together these passages from the Old Testament seamlessly to make his point.

Listen as I read Isaiah 8 17 and 18 says. I will wait for the Lord who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will even look eagerly for him. Behold I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts who dwells on Mount Zion.

I won't take the time to take you back to Isaiah and develop this. But I think it's clear that in the context Isaiah is talking about himself and his own children under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The author of Hebrews is able to apply that forward and say that Jesus similarly looks at us as children of or the family of God. And he can say as they write over the Hebrew said behold I and the children whom God has given me you're a child of God and therefore you're a brother of Christ and you have access through him to perfect righteousness which Jesus imputes to you through salvation.

And that is what is required for your sanctification. We cannot grow in holiness apart from him or apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in and through his word. That's why I am turning you to all of those passages is that the instrument the Spirit is going to use is this word.

Now how did Jesus perfect or complete his work through suffering. We in turn need to see suffering in our life as evidence of our identification with him when we suffer. It's evidence that God has placed us in Christ and is at work in us with his sovereign hand to bring us to completion to perfection in Jesus Christ.

So question. Do you embrace suffering and allow it to complete God's work of sanctification in you. I know I struggle to do so but I have God's Word ringing in my ears from Hebrews 12. However many years ago that was.

But we know that when we suffer that's proof that we're his sons and his daughters proof. Second question. Do you contemplate your spiritual and physical unity with Christ often or often enough. Do you need to increase your contemplation of that unity as you fight sin and pursue sanctification.

So our first two motivations for sanctification are. In his perfect humanity he redeemed our right to rule. Secondly in his perfect life he suffered for our sanctification. Third in Hebrews 2 14 through 16 we'll see that in his perfect death he destroyed the power of the devil.

Look at Hebrews 2 14 through 16. It says. Therefore since the children share and flesh and blood he himself likewise also partook of the same that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death that is the devil and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

For assuredly he does not give help to angels but he gives help to the descendant of Abraham. The process of sanctification is a battle. It's a fight against the remnants of our flesh our sinful flesh.

It's a battle we have to fight physically and spiritually. And yet how quickly we underestimate the infinite resources that are provided for us by Jesus through his death. In verse 14 he says. Flesh and blood.

Jesus took flesh and blood. He didn't merely just sit back in heaven and go well. I wish you well in your fight. I know it's hard. You got Satan you got sin. You have the power of death that Satan wields.

Hope you're doing okay. Down there. If you make it I'll see you soon. No. Jesus didn't do that. He came and he partook of the flesh and blood existence that we share and he partook of it all the way to the end and die.

Sin is confined to the human life. Right. God cannot sin. And death is the rightful penalty for sin and God cannot die. Therefore Jesus must have chosen to live a life of full humanity everything that we are to be able to die as a man and atone for the sin of mankind through Jesus human life and his death.

This is the key here. What does the text say. He renders powerless completely inoperative him who has the power of death that is the devil. Now this this has profound implications for our sanctification.

We should never ever use the excuse of saying well Satan is attacking me. He's preventing me from growing in holiness. I would be fine I would be able to grow. But Satan has set himself against me. And he is preventing me from growing.

The powerful life and death of Jesus completely reverses any power that Satan might be able to wield over you. There's nothing left. You are no longer slaves to sin because Jesus perfect humanity has provided the substitute for your enslaved human life of sin.

I won't read it for you. But you know Romans 6 1 through 11 declares that truth for you. And if you are struggling in your fight against sin meditate on Romans 6 1 through 11. Verse 15 says. And he might free those who through the fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

It's not just that we fear Satan and sin but we fear death itself. And this can result in a life where we try to extract the value out of all of our remaining days on this physical earth. In our physical lives right.

We pour all of our effort and energy and just trying to see every day that we have left be a full complete good day. Rather than seeing that every day that we have left on this earth is a gift from the sovereign hand of God granted at the kindness of his hand.

We can reverse that we can live with the assurance that death is the victory for believers for it brings us to the completion the end of our sanctification race. We can reverse the fear of death and see death as the victory.

Lastly in verse 16 notice that phrase he said. For assuredly he does not give help to angels. Angels are important in God's universe. But you know what. Who who he gave help to the descendants of Abraham.

Jesus has literally taken hold of the descendants of Abraham his spiritual family and will bring them to the end. So implications for us are that Jesus death provides the once-for-all truth that allows you and I to fight sin pass in what you did in the past before you were a believer and that you carry with you into today your present sins.

What you did this morning what you said what you're thinking right now. And any future sins that you know will hold you back. Jesus death has given you the victory over all of those and you don't have to carry that burden.

You can follow him in sanctification. Now Satan continues to wield power over this world. He is not out of the picture yet but guess what. He has no power over you. Zero power. And yes the battle against the flesh continues.

But the indwelling Spirit of God uses the death of Jesus to aid you in fighting that battle against sin. If you will let him now he will do his work. But you can obstruct that spirits work if you do not allow him to have full access.

So let me ask you what sins are you battling right now. Where is the fight. And more importantly are you waging war with inferior tactics. Do you overestimate the power of Satan. If so how how are you giving him credit.

Lastly do you meditate on the victory of Christ the victory of Jesus as you pray for the victory that you need over sin. We've seen three motivations for sanctification so far. Three incentives for us to persist in our sanctification.

In his perfect humanity he has redeemed our right to rule. Secondly in his perfect life he suffered for our sanctification. And third in his perfect death he destroyed the power of the devil. Lastly in his perfect priesthood he encourages us in the face of temptation.

That's from verses 17 and 18. Let's read him here. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in all things so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest. And things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For since he himself was tempted in that which he has suffered he is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Did you see that in verse 17 he had to be made like his brethren in some things. No he had to be made like his brethren in all things to be our high priest.

Jesus has to be a human. He has to be our merciful and faithful high priest who can go before God the Father and offer propitiation for the sins of his people. In other words we can only come close to God if we are confident that the work of our high priest has actually purchased our atonement.

Now the listeners of the original writer of Hebrews they would have immediately identified the significance of not just Jesus being a high priest but the great high priest. The word high priest literally means great priest.

So he's basically saying the great great priest the highest of priests. I'll quote from you for you from Jay Dwight Pentecost and his commentary he says. A merciful high priest must understand the miseries of those whom he represents.

To understand he must identify with men in their sufferings to be a faithful priest to those in need to manifest God's perfect faithfulness he must be God himself. Therefore the incarnation was necessary to provide the kind of priest we needed to represent us in our need before God.

So let's zero in on this concept of temptation. Why does the writer mentioned Jesus temptation. Well his audience was encountering various temptations. And when you think temptations here substituted and think of the word testing it's not just the temptation to sin but it's the temptation to return to the external exercise of the that which was familiar to them in Judaism to go back to the law the cultural norms the sacrifices the temple worship.