The Precious Fruit of His Suffering — Anton Bosch

Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering

Hebrews chapter 2, and I'm going to read 10 through 18. Hebrews chapter 2, reading verses 10 through 18. For it was fitting for him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to be called their brethren, saying, I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly.

I will sing praise to you. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, here am I and the children whom God has sent me or given me. Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

For indeed he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is also able to aid those who are tempted. So we ended up with verse 10 last week, that he is made perfect as our high priest, and obviously here in this verse as the author of our faith and also the captain or the pioneer, the leader of our salvation.

And he was made perfect through sufferings. And so there's the key to the next verses, in fact to all of the verses for the rest of the chapter. This now deals with suffering. So Jesus is made perfect through sufferings.

And now he's going to explain how that works. But obviously the point is, and in the context of our present situation, the fact is that if he had to be made perfect through sufferings, then how much more are we not to be made perfect through sufferings?

So the things that we suffer, the things that we endure, are those things that shape us and mold us, that drive us closer to him, that drive us to his word, and that make us to become more like the Lord Jesus.

Jesus and Believers as One Family

And so then he says in verse 11,. For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one. The word sanctified, cleansed, or set apart, made holy. So who is he who makes holy? Obviously Jesus.

Who are those who are being made holy or being sanctified? That's us. So now he says that he who makes or sanctifies and those who are being sanctified, in other words, Jesus and us, are all of one. And this is where we get a little stuck.

All of one in what sense? It seems that the general agreement, and I agree with the general consensus, and that is that we can insert there family, that we are all of the one family. Now, the question then is which family?

And so some say, well, we're the family of God. But the context deals with him being made a man. And so I believe what he is not saying, he's not saying that we are all of one family, the family of God, but we are all of one family, the family of Adam.

Because that's the whole point of this passage. Jesus is made like unto us. And so it's not so much in this section, us being made like him. While that is obviously part of the process, this passage is dealing not with us being made like him, but him being made like us.

So he and us are the same family, the family of Adam. And so Jesus obviously being born as a man, becomes fully man, and part of what we believe is that Jesus was fully man while he is still fully God.

But the emphasis here is not on his divinity. The beginning, chapter 1, remember, that speaks about him being God, that he is the express image and glory of God, to use another verse, that he in fact is the greatest one.

Here he's not dealing with the greatness of Jesus, but he's dealing with Jesus being made like us. And so we are of one family. We are the same. That's really what he is saying. Jesus was no different.

This is a point I'm going to belabor as we go through the next few weeks, or through the rest of this book, in fact, is that Jesus was made just like us. Now, I don't want to get too much into this because there's a lot that I want to deal with this evening in this passage.

But there are many Christians who believe that Jesus was not exactly like us, that, for example, he could not sin. Well, if he could not sin, then how can he be like me? Because that's, in a sense, what defines me is my propensity, my inclination to sin.

And so when I struggle with sin, how can he understand that if he didn't have the same issue? So he is in all points made like unto us. So he is made, he is born as a son of Adam, while, of course, he is still a son of God.

So now, for which reason, because he is one of us, he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Now, obviously, he is not saying that all people are his brothers. We have these misconceptions in the world.

We know that every unbeliever prays our father, and obviously God is not their father. We like to call people brother in the world. Particularly if you have the same ethnicity, then, you know, he's my brother because he's from my country, or he has the same skin color.

And there is, I suppose, a sense in which we are brothers because we are all sons of Adam. But that's not the point that he is making here. Here he's talking about brethren in the born-again sense, in the spiritual sense.

And so he is not ashamed to call us his brothers, and obviously sisters. Now, just think about that. I think when I look at my own life, and when I look at the behavior of Christians, sometimes I'm ashamed of other Christians.

Surely he must be ashamed, but he is not ashamed to call us his brethren because the basis on which he calls us his brethren is not because we behave perfectly, but because of what he has done and what he is doing.

Remember, who is he speaking about? Those who are being sanctified. Notice, not those who have been sanctified or who will be, but those who are being sanctified. Those are the ones that he is not ashamed to call him his brethren.

And so if we're in the sanctification process, in the spiritual growth process, in this being made holy, and remember, for those who are new with us, that there are two aspects to the work of God. There is what we call the forensic or the legal aspect in that when we were born again we were made righteous and just before God as though we had never sinned.

We were made perfect in God's sight. But there is a practical holiness, a practical righteousness that needs to now find its effect in our lives. And so while legally we are righteous before God, in practice we are not.

And in practice we are being made righteous. We are being sanctified. And the process is, are we being made? Now, I think there are many Christians who are not being sanctified. And I don't know whether they're saved or not.

That's not a question I can answer. But the fact is that they claim to be Christians, but they are not submitting themselves to the sanctification process, to the cleansing process. And I don't want to get sidetracked into how that process worked.

It works. But they're just doing their own thing, just saying, well, you know, I got born again, then I was baptized, I'm going to go to heaven. No, there's a process in between which is called sanctification.

And those who are being sanctified, he is not ashamed to call them brethren. And so I have no problem with Christians, with brethren who are imperfect. As long as they are going through the process of being made perfect, of being made holy, of sanctifying.

But I really struggle with Christians who are dissatisfied with their lukewarmness, with their coldness, with their carnality, with their worldliness, and do nothing to respond to the grace of God. And so he is not ashamed to call them who are being sanctified his brethren, because he knows what he is doing.

And it's not what we're doing, it's what he is doing in our hearts. So now he goes to Psalm 22. And I want us to go there, because we need to get the context. And the context here and also the next quotation is very important.

Psalm 22 and the Suffering Messiah

Psalm 22. Now, Psalm 22 is what we call a messianic psalm. It's a psalm that speaks of Jesus as the Messiah, but it speaks about a particular context. This, in fact, should be one of the psalms that we know best.

We know Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd, but we should also know Psalm 22, because this speaks about the Lord Jesus. Now, if you look at the screen saying, I will declare your name to my brethren, in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to you.

And you'll see that that is verse 22. I will declare your name to my brethren, in the midst of the assembly I will praise you. Almost identical, almost quoted word for word, except the word sing instead of praise.

So what is the context? This is absolutely crucial to understanding. You see, here's the problem we have, is that those to whom the writer is writing understand the context. So when he says Psalm 22, they were able to immediately know, what does Psalm 22 speak about?

It speaks about his suffering. He was made perfect in verse 10 through suffering. Psalm 22, you should know, speaks about the suffering of the Lord Jesus. So let's have a quick look at it, and I'm not going to go through the whole thing.

But it begins, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? We know those are words of the cross. Why is your fire from helping me? From the words of my groaning. Verse 6. I am but a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised by the people.

All those who see me ridicule me. They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying he trusted in the Lord. Let him rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him. Words that were fulfilled at the cross.

Verse 12. Many bulls, speaking about demons, have surrounded me. Strong bulls of passion have encircled me. They gape at me with their mouths, like a raging and a roaring lion, speaking about the devil.

I'm poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax that has melted within me, speaking about his physical suffering. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to my jaws.

And you have brought me to the dust of death. Verse 16, speaking more of demons. For dogs have surrounded me. The congregation of the wicked has enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet. I count all my bones.

They look out and stare at me. They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cost lots. That's the context. The cross. The suffering. But in that context, verse 22, I will declare your name to my brethren.

In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you. That is the resurrection. That is what Hebrews, remember the same book that we're studying, the book of Hebrews, for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despised the shame, speaking here of the shame, and is set down.

So he had the joy. This is what kept him going. This is what caused him to endure. I will declare your name to my brethren. When he was suffering, he saw the church. He saw the brethren. And he said, it's worth it.

And not only did he see us, but in the midst of the assembly, in the midst of the congregation, I will praise you. Now, can you see that if we go back to Hebrews 2 .12, he's saying, I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you.

That's all he says. But the hearers should have been able to fill in the rest and say, ah, we know what he's talking about. He's talking about Jesus suffering at the cross. And yet in his suffering, he sees the end of the conversation.

He sees the product of his travail. And this is what he sees. And he sees two things in this verse. And I want us to have a look at those very quickly. I will declare your name to my brethren. When it speaks about the name of God, or in fact the name of anyone, it speaks about declaring his character.

Remember, the name of someone declares his character. Jacob's name was changed from Esau to Jacob because there was a change in character. Sarai becomes Sarah. Abram becomes Abraham because there is a change in character, and so the name is changed.

God's name, Yahweh, I am that I am, declares his eternality, that he is eternal, that he is sovereign, that he is supreme. And so when he says, I will declare your name to my brethren, he's not saying, well, I'll teach them.

His name is Jesus Christ. No, I will declare his character. I will declare who he is. Who's going to do this? Jesus. This is Jesus that is speaking about in Psalm 22. And this is Jesus that is speaking about here.

Jesus Reveals the Character of the Father

So Jesus declares to us the character of God. Who is God? How is he? Remember, Jesus said, if you've seen me, you have seen the Father. Jesus came and declared the Father's heart to us, declared the Father's will to us.

And so this is the wonderful thing, that he is declaring the Father, he's revealing the Father. Remember where we began, that God, who in sundry times, though he was man, has spoke to the Father through the prophets, has spoken to us through his Son.

And what has he spoken to us? He's spoken to us about himself. That is what he is revealing. We're concerned about, and remember we touched on this on Sunday, we're concerned about when and where and how and what.

But those are not the questions. The question is who. That's what we need to know. In our suffering, in our trials, in our tribulations, we need to know who. And the who is Jesus. And of course that's the problem that's absent in preaching today.

We'll preach about all sorts of other things, but we're not preaching Jesus. We're not preaching the one who declares and reveals the Father to us through the Spirit. So that's the first thing he's doing.

He is declaring the Father. And what about the Father? The Father is faithful. The Father is just. And so when, and remember he's writing to Christians who are suffering and who are thinking of giving up the faith and returning back to their traditional religion, Judaism.

And he's saying, no, remember who God is. God is faithful. God is reliable. God is merciful. God is all of these wonderful things. So we need to remember who he is. While we're in this COVID thing, I'm finding that pastors all over are preaching against this and against that and against the government and against COVID.

But they're not preaching Jesus. There is one thing that will see us through and that is Jesus. There is one thing that will see us through when we are persecuted for our faith and it is Jesus. And he is the one that we need to know and he is the one that needs to be declared.

Jesus Leads the Assembly in Worship

And so then he says, and this is mind-blowing, in the midst of the assembly or the congregation, I will sing praise to you. Now just think, it's simple. What is Jesus going to be doing? He's going to sing praise to God.

And where is he going to do that? In the midst of the assembly. So when we sing, and this is why it's important for us to sing with all of our hearts, when we worship God that we worship him with all of our hearts.

Because we don't have, and that's one of the reasons we don't have a song leader or a worship team or a band. Because the one who is leading us in praise, according to this verse, is Jesus. He is leading our praise to the Father.

That's what the verse says. In the midst, amongst the assembly, in the congregation, I will sing praise to you. So Jesus is worshiping the Father as we worship him. And I trust that the Father is not just hearing him, but he's hearing us.

And that we're entering in with all of our hearts. Because this is not us praising him and he's over there. He, according to this verse, and I believe that this is right, that he is amongst us. And he's not just amongst us to receive our praise.

Of course that's true. Of course he's receiving our worship and our praise. But he is entering in to our praises and he is worshiping the Father also. That's an amazing thing. And so what is it that caused Jesus to endure?

What was it that caused him to go through the stuff that we read about in Psalm 22? The hope of being in the congregation. And seeing his brothers. And declaring the Father to the brothers and sisters.

And worshiping God with the body of Christ. With the church. This is powerful stuff. And when we are beset by trials and tribulation and difficulties and problems, we need to remember that it's far greater than anything that we are dealing with.

And it's far greater than even the sufferings of the cross. And I don't want to in any way minimize or lessen the sufferings of the cross. But that is what caused Jesus, if he for one moment focused on what was happening to him there and lost sight of the end goal, lost sight of these things, that he would have brethren and that he would declare the Father to the brethren and that he would sing praises to the Father with the body of Christ.

If he lost sight of those things, who knows that he may have despaired and not been able to endure. But he endured because he had respect unto the old King James says, the recompense to the reward. Alright, now if we go then to verse 13.

Isaiah 8 and Trusting God When Everything Fails

Now he's going to go to Isaiah chapter 8. And I was powerfully blessed when I studied Isaiah 8. We spoke from Isaiah chapter 8 this last year, very early on in the COVID thing about the verse on conspiracies here.

And I was really so touched by this today that I want to preach on Isaiah 8 again very soon, maybe even next week. But let me again give you the context. The context is that Israel is walking in disobedience.

God is allowing the Assyrians to come against them. Israel is about and is in the process of being broken and destroyed. On top of this, God is no longer speaking to Israel. And I believe that this is where the church today is.

God is not speaking anymore. He's only speaking to a few. Verse 16, bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples. Terrible place. God says, Isaiah, just seal it. Keep it amongst the disciples, amongst the true followers, because the people are not listening.

They're not interested. Verse 17, and I will wait on the Lord who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. I will wait on the Lord who hides his face from Jacob. And I believe that that's where we're at in the church in the world today.

It seems that God has hidden his face. But verse 17 ends, I will hope in him. Remember the word hope and trust is basically the same. And so Hebrews chapter 2, I will put my trust in him, is that part of the end of verse 17.

I will hope, I will trust in him. Now, I sidetracked you by speaking about our modern situation. Let's get the context again. Israel is surrounded by enemies. Israel is about to be overrun. God is not speaking anymore.

Israel is in a desperate, desperate state. But Isaiah says, I will trust in him. Isaiah has lost trust in the prophets. Because in chapter 1, he speaks against them. He's lost trust in the religious system.

He's lost trust in the government. He speaks about that in chapter 1. He's lost trust in the land barons. Speaks about that in chapter 1. He's lost confidence in everything. But he says, I'll trust the Lord.

And folks, that's where we're coming to. That's where the true church of Jesus Christ is coming to today. Is that we need to come to a place where we forget about everything out there. And everyone else that we had hope in.

And that we put our hope and our trust in God alone. And as Jesus hangs upon that cross. And again, this is speaking about Jesus. As Jesus hangs on the cross. Everyone had turned against him. The one that he ate with for three years.

Betrayed him with a kiss. The others all ran away from him. The multitudes that cried a week before. Hosanna. Ready to crown him as king. Now cried crucify him. They spat upon him. No one stood with him.

Except a few women and John. But he says, I will put my trust in God. Every man just about failed Jesus on that day. But he put his trust in God. And folk, everything around us may fail us. But God will never fail.

Can you see the messages that the writer is assuming we understand. But we don't because we don't know the scriptures. And so I will put my trust in him. When everything else fails. When America fails.

When the church fails. I will trust in him. And again. And you see the beginning of verse 13 and again. And then the middle verse 13 and again. These are different subjects. But in this verse they both come from the same verse.

Or the same text. And so this is the next verse. Verse 18. In Isaiah chapter 8. Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me. We are for signs and wonders in Israel. From the Lord of hosts who dwells in Mount Zion.

Now he's saying two things in this verse in Hebrews. First of all, he is reminding us of Isaiah. And secondly, he's reminding us of the fact that we are his brethren. Or that there are children that God has given him.

The produce of the prevail of his soul. The results of the price he paid at Calvary. Of the children whom the Father has given him. That's us. But the context in Isaiah. Again. Is everything was failing.

The worship of God had failed. The priests had failed. The prophets had failed. The kings had failed. Israel was far from God. But Isaiah had two sons. And that's what it's speaking about here. Here are the children that you have given me.

What were those children to Isaiah? They were two important things. The first thing is where they were the hope of the future. They were the hope that God would raise up of his children. And obviously of the children of others who were faithful.

A people who would worship God. And give God his proper place amongst them. One of his sons was named. And his name means. God has a remnant. God has a remnant. And again Hebrews. The writer is assuming we understand what he's saying.

When Isaiah says here are my children. God has a remnant. I'm not going to speak about the other son. Because that's another long story. But here are my children. And one says God has a remnant. And so even here to these Christians who are suffering for their faith.

Who are about to give up on Christianity. And go back to Judaism. He's saying remember. God has his children. And he has his remnant. Even though God is not speaking to Israel anymore. In Isaiah. Even though God has said seal up the testimony.

God still has his children. Here am I. And the children. So why does he say here am I? We now understand I hope. What the children signify. Isaiah's name means. God saves. And so what is he saying? Here am I.

Here are my children. God saves. And he has a remnant. God saves and he has a remnant. And folks that is still the message today. God still saves. We thank God for the testimony of those who have been saved in this last year or 18 months.

God still saves. Not in big numbers. Remember out of all of Israel. Basically Isaiah says well I've got me and I've got my boys. That's all I've got. But God has his remnant. And there is hope for the future.

Christ's Humanity and the Destruction of Death's Power

Now verse 14. Who are the children? The previous verse. Those whom the Father, the God has given. Spiritual children. Those who are born again. We are partakers of flesh and blood. Just simply saying we're human.

He himself likewise shared in the same. So he is reminding us again. That when we suffer. When we go through trials. When things are hard. Jesus was made like unto us. He was also human. He did not have superhuman abilities.

Folks this is the point that we're going to hammer home I trust. As we go through the book of Hebrews. Because it's going to come up over and over and over. He didn't have superhuman abilities. To deal with stuff that you and I don't have.

Because then he wouldn't be like us. But he is made like us. Flesh and blood. He shared in the same that through death. He might destroy him. Who had the power of death. That is the devil. All right now let me as I often do deal with the end.

And then go back to the beginning again. He who had the power of death. That is the devil. We know that ultimately God. Has final authority as far as life and death is concerned. That doesn't change. But at the same time.

The devil rules in this world. And under God's authority. He is the one who by virtue of sin. Has brought death into the world. And so it's not saying that the devil has ultimate say. God has ultimate say.

But the devil is the one who brought death. Into the world. And so now he says. Let's go back to the middle. He himself likewise shared in the same. Shared in flesh and blood. That through death. He might destroy him.

Who had the power of death. That is the devil. Now what was the power the devil had in death? The power he actually had was the word of God. The soul that sins it must die. And so if God wanted to save you.

He in a sense has to get past the devil. Now I'm exaggerating here. But this is the point. Because if he saves you. Without Jesus's death. Then the devil says. But you said. You made the law. The soul that sins must die.

So in a sense. God's own righteousness holds him to this law. Obviously. But the devil is also. And the devil is saying. Why don't you save me then? So Jesus has to die. And in dying he breaks the power.

As the hymn says. Of cancelled sin. He deals with the sentence. Or he deals with the guilt. And in dealing with the guilt. The sentence now. Is expunged. The sentence is taken away. And as we said last week.

That he could not die as God. Because God cannot die. So he has to come as a man. He has to become one of us. His flesh and blood. So that he can die. And in dying. He can destroy him. Who had the power of death.

Now I know immediately you say. Well the devil has not been destroyed. Well the word doesn't mean destroy. In the sense of annihilated. We understand that he will ultimately be. Cast into the lake of fire.

Until then. He's going to continue to do his stuff. Except for the thousand years when he is bound. But the word destroy here. Simply means. Rendered or made ineffective. So it doesn't mean it's completely gone.

It means it's made ineffective. The church truck is. Made ineffective. It still exists. It still has all its parts. But it doesn't work. And that's the devil. He's still alive. He's still. But he. He's powerless.

As far as the Christian is concerned. And so he has been. Not he has been destroyed. In the sense that he doesn't exist. But his power has been broken. And that is what Jesus came to do. And so one of the joys that we have.

Is that we are not ruled by sin anymore. Sin shall not have dominion over you. The devil doesn't rule us anymore. But we're under God's care. And God's authority. Now the last verse for this evening. Verse 15.

Freedom from the Fear of Death

And release those. Who through fear of death. Were all their lifetime subject. To bondage. The fear of death is a very real thing. For unbelievers. It doesn't matter how. They camouflage it. It doesn't matter how much of a brave face they put on.

Unbelievers fear death. And that fear brings us into bondage. Or brings them into bondage. We're bound by this futility. Of death. The finality of death. The inevitability of death. And this is a fear that grips the hearts.

Of the unbeliever. And they put it off. And that's why unbelievers get into. The stuff they do. Chasing after pleasure. Chasing after all sorts of things. Just to put out of their minds. This concept of death.

At the same time. I think it's Jeff Bezos. Who right now is putting millions. Billions of dollars. Into trying to find some form. Of eternal life. In the sense of making this body. Live forever. Because they fear death.

And that enslaves them. But by Jesus dying for us. And rising of course. He has released us. From the bondage. Of the fear of death. We don't fear death anymore. Because we know that we have been born again.

We know that there is. To be absent from the body. As Paul says is to be present with the Lord. Now remember the context. As I draw to a close. These people are suffering for their faith. They are potentially facing death.

Maybe by being fed to the lions. Or being burnt at the stake. Or being beheaded. Or being crucified. Many of them were being crucified. Just like Jesus. And the writer is reminding them. Remember that's the worst that the devil can do.

I mean you know. He does some terrible stuff to Christians. But he can't do any worse than killing us. And he's reminding us. And he's saying well we don't even fear death anymore. Because Jesus gained the victory.

Over death, sin and the grave. At the cross of Calvary. Because he was made like unto us. And so the writer is saying be encouraged. That it doesn't matter what we're experiencing. It doesn't matter the trials that we.

Because Jesus has gone through them. We have a faithful high priest. And we need to remember the end of the conversation. For the joy that was set before him. There is a joy set before us. And on that day there's that song that says.

It will be worth it all. When we see Jesus. One glimpse of his dear face. All trials will repay. Father we thank you for your word. We thank you for Jesus. We thank you Lord that he. Experienced death for every one of us.

Not just in the sense of experiencing your judgment. And your wrath for our sin. But also doing away with the power of death. Father we pray that we may be. Able to have our eyes fixed on him. Lord that we may understand.

That even though we may go through the valley of the shadow of death. As the next psalm says. We will fear no evil. And Lord we know that. Many Christians are suffering at this time. For many many reasons.

Some more than others. But Lord we thank you that. The Lord Jesus was made like us. Experienced the same things. And he's overcome. We thank you Lord that. He is amongst us. And he's declaring you to us.

That he's singing your praises amongst us. Lord these are glorious things. These are things Lord that should lift us out of. The discouragement and despondency of. This life. Thank you Lord that you do have a remnant.

That you have children. And Lord that those children will have children. And Lord that your name will never be blotted out. Because you promised that you're building your church. And the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Lord make these things real to us I pray. Lord they're so easy to talk about. But Lord they need to become realities to us. And I pray that that would be real today I pray. In Jesus name. I pray Lord that you'd go with us.

Keep us and protect us. Bring us together again on Sunday. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.