"Flesh and Blood" February 25, 2018 AM

Hebrews 2:14-18 and the Sufficiency of Christ

Invite you to turn in your Bibles with me to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2 will be looking at verses 14 Through 18 this morning. Let me pray for us as we begin. Father, I thank you for this hymn that we've sung that confesses the supremacy of Jesus Christ of the absolute certainty that we have That Christ reigns from the right hand now and he will forever reign on earth in the new creation that there will not be a single part of Your world and your creation over which Christ shall not reign in Perfect right Lord.

I thank you for the reminder this morning that your work is Far larger than we Think about far larger than we have the capacity to our brothers and sisters who Confess this same Lord Jesus Christ in different languages and in different places.

Lord, thank you for giving your son to us not just to Us here, but to men and women. To children all over this Planet throughout the history of This humanity you've given it you've given Christ as our only Savior.

I Pray that our attention would be upon him this morning. We consider the heat and pray these things For his sake for the sake of Jesus Christ with whom you were well pleased. We come to Hebrews this morning As My Attempt to do what I can to sense of communion of taking the bread and the cup of Share, but also believe that the Spirit led me to Hebrews even preparing my heart for Palm Sunday and Good Friday and Easter.

And I've been bridges here as we look at this a with our faith in Christ strengthened our confidence in Christ fully assured. If you will stand with me I'm going to read verses 14 through 18 of Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14 through 18. This is the word of the Lord 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 and 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. Those who have ears to hear hear the word of the Lord you may be seated as you read through the book of Hebrews.

Christ as the Bread from Heaven and the Only Savior

It is my understanding that this is a sermon that is written down and sent to a chester is absent. He loves his flock. He loves these church members with whom he is in covenant fellowship, and he is apart from them.

And he cannot be with them to preach them this message, and so he sends it and he calls it a brief message. If you read it aloud, it's about 50 minutes, so you know what you're in for today. Morning. I think it's to put our attention on the elements that Not only have we sung The scriptural truths not only have we prayed in agreement with the scripture.

Not only have we read going to go through this time of the scripture being preached, but we also will see the truth of scripture. Here in the elements and Hebrews does a marvelous job of putting our attention upon Christ and not letting us be distracted by anything else.

As you read through the first two chapters you are assaulted with this one theme the supremacy the Superiority of Jesus Christ. He is superior to prophets and to priests and to Kings and to angels. He is superior to everyone and everything.

Yeah, he is the Son of God and as you Come through chapter 2 We find he is the Son of God. For us and for our salvation he is the Son of God incarnate the second person of the Trinity in human flesh. A Great mystery, but the point being made in the message of this pastor to the Hebrews is truly not just the superiority of Jesus Christ, but the Sufficiency of Jesus Christ for their salvation in every possible way that you can imagine.

His his point especially in this passage is that Jesus Christ is exactly who we need. I begin to think about the children of Israel in the wilderness as they began their exit from slavery into following God.

Through the wilderness they found themselves hungry. They found themselves hungry. How are they going to be fed? Well, they begin to slaughter all their livestock and maybe eat for two days and then what they don't have enough food.

And God said later, but he let them be hungry and they're hungry in the wilderness and then he does something for them. What does he give them? He gives them bread from heaven. He gives them bread from heaven.

They called it manna because they didn't know what it was and it Actually, it means what is it today. They named it something they had to call it something. But it's bread from heaven. It's bread from God and they went out to gather it.

What happened? We read in Exodus. In Exodus Chapter 16 in verse 18 We read that each man went out to gather the manna and one gathered more and one gathered less. But in the end they had exactly what they needed.

They had exactly what they needed to be fed for that day. God gave them exactly what they needed bread from heaven. And I think that's the point being made in our passage this morning that God gave Us that God gives us exactly what we need.

Turn your Bibles very quickly to John chapter 6 in verses 48 through 51. We read this. Jesus says I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. This Is the bread which comes down out of heaven so that one may eat of it and not die.

Listen to what Jesus is saying. I Am the living bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread also, which I will give for the life flesh. Jesus says I'm the into this dire neediness of humanity.

God has given them bread from heaven and he who we need. So that we will not die in spiritual starvation we are by nature chained to sin enslaved to Satan. We are guilty. We are condemned righteously condemned thoroughly.

Guilt need. God Sends his son for us and for our salvation. He partakes of flesh and blood to be exactly who we need. Verses 14 through 16 of Hebrews 2 we learn that Christ frees us from Satan. Christ frees us from Satan.

Christ in the Flesh, the Fight, and the Family

How does he do this? First of all, he came in the flesh verse 14 Beginning says therefore since the children share in flesh and blood he himself likewise also partook of the same. You and I we're flesh and blood.

We are mortal beings. The writer that the Hebrews uses this term flesh and blood not to deny that we have a Spiritual aspect to our existence vanity that Christ took on. That that it was not simply that he began to identify with us in and yes indeed Even the flesh and blood is a full humanity that because we are flesh and blood he himself likewise took upon the same and It's vitally important that he came in the flesh.

Otherwise, he could not omnipotent Omniscient omnipresent second person of the Godhead takes upon Humanity so that he is as much man as man is man while yet he is still as much God as God is God and That his divinity and his humanity do not detract from one another but they are held in full in this one amazed.

The immortal took on the mortal the infinite took upon the finite the immutable took upon the growing aging learning form of full Humanity he took on flesh and blood. To become exactly who he needed him to be flesh and blood symbolized here by the elements bread and juice elements that were a part of the Passover meal in Jesus's time and he took them and said this is my body.

This is my blood to emphasize. To his disciples to proclaim to us that he is who we need. He is the one who satisfies God and satisfies us. Reconciling us together. Flesh and blood he frees us from Satan.

How does he do this? He comes in the flesh. To be for us and in our place. The one who defeats our great enemy he came for a fight the classic threat in first period. See at the pull-up may cause some degree of trepidation over a few hours.

But has nothing on what God's Some 6 ,000 years ago. What did he say? You don't believe me. Is that what happens with Adam and Eve. And he says to the serpents in verse 14 because you have done this because you have tempted Adam and Eve.

Led them into sin. Cursed are you more than all cattle and more than every beasts of the field. On your belly you will go. And dust you will eat all the days of your life. Now look at verse 15 and I will put enmity between you and the woman.

Between your seed and her seed he shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel. God said that's not God. This is not how it ends. I'm going to put enmity between you Satan and all that follow you.

They'll be in and all who are in him. There is a fight. There was a conflict and he's going to crush your head. You may do something to him, but he's going to crush you and Jesus Christ came for that fight.

He came for that fight. And he finished it. There's a lot that was finished of Satan. How does he do that? 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. So you see that the devil has this power of death not that the devil holds our lives in his hands.

God holds our lives in his hand. He's the one who gives us breath. It's in him that we move and live and have our being. But the power of death that Satan has is this is this power of fear death this power of Leading and tempting and drawing all of humanity after sin.

Jesus said he was a murderer from the beginning because Satan murdered Adam and Eve by leading them into sin. And so say because he keeps murdering humanity and He has this power. But what does Christ do.

He takes on flesh and blood a full humanity so that renders powerless Satan. He takes what Satan considers to be his great weapon and Jesus takes that weapon and Defeats Satan with it. There are many in the history that we read in the scriptures many who Who Had this experience of being raised from the dead and yet they died again.

We have a few a couple that seem to maybe have escaped death. But they did not defeat it. They gave no answer for it. It was Christ alone Who reached inside of death and unlocked it? He has the keys of Death in the grave.

He's the one who defeated Jesus Christ in a in a way far superior. Reminds me of Benaiah one of David's mighty men in 2nd Samuel. Benaiah went down into a pit on a snowy day and Killed a lion. It's a snowy day.

The Lions in a pit go home drink hot chocolate. Put your feet up the Lions in a pit. It's going to freeze to death. It's going to die. It's a snowy day, but Benaiah can't leave it there. There's a lion.

I'm going to kill it and he goes down into the pit. So it's either him or the lion. And Benaiah kills it again. He went down to an Egyptian a mighty man who had a great spear. And what does Benaiah do?

Benaiah goes down to the Egyptian takes the spear out of the Egyptians hand and slays his enemy with that very same weapon a Mighty man a warrior a model warrior. But he is a model that points us to Christ who comes to our great enemy.

With and with the enemy's own weapon he defeats him. He is disarmed the strong man and bound him and robbed him of his possessions and so he frees Those whom Satan considered his own possessions. He freaks us.

Those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. Jesus Christ is exactly who we need. He took on flesh and blood to be the Savior that we need to defeat the one who had power over flesh and blood.

So he comes in the flesh he comes for a fight and he comes for the family in verse 16. For assuredly, he does not give help to angels. He doesn't save angels there's no redemption for angels. But he gives help to the descendant of Abraham he gives help.

What does that mean? There's the kind of help where there's a child struggling with long division and you give them a few pointers and. There's the kind of help when that same child falls into a raging Flooding River and you snatch them up under their armpits and drag them out of death.

This help is the second kind of help. He gives help to who the descendant of Abraham better translated seed. Seed seed is an interesting word. It can be singular. Or a singular plural in the scriptures and when you heard about it in Genesis 3 15 One was called the seed of the woman capital s.

Singular singular only one Savior the seed. But then those whom he saves those whom he helps are called the seed singular plural of Abraham it's not seeds but seed. You see in my greenhouse I have some seeds because there are different types of seed.

Even I have a variety of different lettuce seeds, but they're all different kind. But if I have a packet all full of this this just this one type of lettuce I can call it seed. I've got a hundred of them, but it's still seed because it's all of one kind.

He gives help to the seed. All an innumerable multitude, but they're all of one kind. Because they are in Christ. We go over to Galatians chapter 3 and verse 29. We are reminded of this. Galatians chapter 3 in verse 29 says if you belong to Christ.

If you belong to Christ then you are Abraham's descendants and Literally, it says seed. If you belong to Christ you then you are Abraham's seed heirs according to promise. No matter who you are or where you come from Jew or Gentile rich or poor healthy or sick Man or woman if you're in Christ by faith you are Abraham's seed.

I think it's important for us to recognize it when you look in the context of Hebrews 2. And you read about sons you read about Brethren. You read about a congregation. You read about the children those who are called the seed of Abraham.

They are called the people. All of these are synonyms for the same group. And so the Son of God in Bringing many sons to glory. It's not a shame to call them his brethren family. We find from verse 9 in chapter 2 and from every family children are given to Christ it says Who is their flesh and blood Savior who helps them?

What does it have to do with communion? We are a Singular plural in Christ. We are not here seeds. Our brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world singing hymns with us. They are not of a different type of seed.

We are all one seed in Christ. This is called communion because we come together in unity and in community and in fellowship as one. Because of who Christ is as our flesh and blood Savior. So he came in the flesh for a fight and to save the family.

Christ Saves Us from Sin by His High-Priestly Propitiation

So he frees us from says exactly who we need. Perhaps besides our need for Christ. We look at verse is 1 through 3 in chapter 2 of Hebrews. For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard so that we do not drift away from it.

For if the word spoken through angels meaning the law if this proved unalterable and every Transgression and disobedience Received a just penalty. How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

The law was given by angels and every single sin every single iniquity every single transgression received a just penalty. You if you read through a Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy. Do you see all the law that was given in my image and Then read all the consequences for those who fail to do so how.

How will we escape? If we neglect so great a salvation so great a salvation found in Christ. Christ not only freezes from Satan he freezes from sin. Without him we stand condemned full of guilt. Subject to return to wicked ways no matter what moral improvements me we make we are Subject to return to grumbling ways like wilderness wanderers.

But look at Christ verse 17. He saves us from sin because he serves as our high priest. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in all things. He had to partake in flesh and blood 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 the preacher has quoted in verses 12 and 13.

He's quoted from Psalm 22 and Isaiah 8 to assert that the father has given To the son children to save and thus the son has this obligation. He had to be made like the children. He had that he could serve as their high priest.

The high priest is the one who stands between all of the people and all of God to do labor to reconcile the two he has to be All of us and he has to be all of God if there's reconciliation to be had. He must be fully a man and fully God.

He had to be made like his brethren in all things. Only then does he represent us. Only then could he in a merciful and faithful way Satisfy the justice of God concerning our sins he propitiates. He satisfies through a sacrifice God's offended suffering.

He did this flesh and blood. He is exactly who we need. He's exactly who we need. He serves as our high priest and he serves as our perfect leader. Verse 18. 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. Verse 18 harkens back to verse 10 something that the preacher has already said something that captures my wonder. And I'm refraining from going into all the details so come back on Good Friday.

But in verse 10 depending on your translation, it says he's the author or the leader. The Greek says he's the archaic oz of our salvation. He is the captain and he is the author and he is the founder and he is the pioneer of our salvation.

And he is so in flesh and blood. He is made exactly who we need through his flesh and blood. Sufferings it says in his sufferings. He is bit and he has been tempted in in ways like we have been tempted so that he may be This merciful and faithful high priest so he may help those he may save from temptation.

Those who are his brethren. He is flesh and blood and he has suffered greatly. He knows what it means to be tempted. He knows how to save us from sin. He knows how to save us from being ensnared in sin always losing to sin he saves us from that.

I've been asked before and I've asked before and How is it that? How is it that? Jesus Christ who knew no sins. He never sinned. He never knew what it was like to give into temptation. So really, how can he help us who often give into temptation if he never knew what it was to personally commit sin.

How can a different angle? When does temptation get stronger? When you resist it. You resist it the first time and it comes back stronger the second time you resist it again. It comes back stronger the third time and it increases on you and increases on you and it bears upon you until in this temptation.

It's almost all that you can think about and you wonder if you're going to persevere or not. Jesus Christ never ever once gave into temptation. He knows what it's like to be tempted to the uttermost. And he has suffered greatly.

The preacher combines these thoughts of suffering and temptation because God knows that when we Suffer that is when we're tempted most greatly to sin. We believe we have an excuse. We believe we have right.

Christ is our perfect leader who Blazes the trail to glory through Suffering and knows what it's like to be tempted and so he can deliver us from sin. He's exactly who we need. Again in John 6 verses 53 through 54 he asserts to those listening That he is exactly who we need.

Jesus said to them truly truly I say to you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. You have no life in yourselves. He who eats my flesh and drinks. My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day.

Jesus is saying this a few days before the Passover. He's saying to them this Passover meal that you're supposed to eat that lamb. That you're supposed to eat and not leave a bit of it left. Says that's me.

I'm your lamb. I'm your Passover lamb. With which you must be fully satisfied for with Christ alone God Is fully satisfied. He's exactly who we need because he saves us in flesh and blood. He saves us from Satan and he saves us from our sin when we partake of the Lord's Supper.

We are confessing that. We confess that We eat the bread we drink the cup what we're saying. We're saying Jesus Christ is exactly who I need. I State this by faith. I confess before all brothers and sisters in Christ because we all agree about this.

Jesus Christ is exactly who we need. He is our Savior and in him we have our fellowship. Pray for us and We will sing a hymn together. We'll share a meal together. Father, I thank you for the time. You've given us this morning.

I thank you for the reminder from your word that Jesus Christ is exactly who we need is our flesh and blood Savior. Thank you for giving him to us. We ask it this morning as we as We eat the bread and drink this juice we would do so in remembrance of Christ worshiping him and entrusting ourselves to him.

Pray these things for his sake.