Connected #2 - Connected to Jesus' Life (Hebrews 2:5-18)

And chapter number two. And i want to draw your attention to verse five. Hebrew chapter two reading from verse five page 1061 in the bibles that we give away. If you're able to do so can i invite you to stand with me out of respect for god's word.

In this moment god is speaking to us directly from his word. So hebrews chapter two beginning in verse five through to verse 18. Brothers and sisters these are god's very words to us. But he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about.

But someone somewhere has testified what is man that you remember him or the son of man that you care for him. You made him lower than the angels for a short time. You crowned him with glory and honor and subjected everything under his feet.

In subjecting everything to him he left nothing that is not subject to him. Now as it is we do not yet see everything subjected to him but we do see jesus made lower than the angels for a short time so that by god's grace he might taste death for everyone crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory it was entirely appropriate that god for whom and through whom all things exist should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings for the one who sanctifies.

And those who are sanctified all have one father. That is why jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters saying i will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters i will sing hymns to you in the congregation again i will trust in him and again here i am with the children god gave me.

Now since the children have flesh and blood in common jesus also shared in these so that through death he might destroy the one holding the power of death that is the devil and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death which is clear that he does not reach out to help angels but to help abraham's offspring.

Therefore he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to god to make atonement for the sins of the people.

But since he himself has suffered when he was tempted he is able to help those who are tempted the grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of our god will remain forever. Allow me to pray ask for god's help and we will get to work in god's word.

Heavenly father we thank you that we have yet another opportunity to hear you speak to us. So father i simply ask that our hearts would be open and receptive to hear what your word has to say to us this morning as we consider the lord jesus as we think about who he is and what he has done i pray that for those of us who know you our hearts would grow in love for him.

And on the off chances anybody who does not know the lord i pray that your spirit would use this word to draw them to christ. Father as we pray for ourselves pray for anchor church you'd be just down the street from us.

Pray for pastor dave and the team there pray that they would know your blessing that they would know your help as they seek to preach your word and to see disciples made. Father we pray that for them.

And we pray that for us even now as we open up your word and we ask in jesus name and for his sake. Amen. Please be seated. Well this morning we come to week two of the sermon series that we began last week called connected connected finding joy in our union with christ.

For those of you who maybe weren't here or missed that message i won't do a complete breakdown of all of it but essentially we were asking the question of what is union with christ and why does it matter.

And you remember that last week i began by saying that what we want to do in this series is to look at this biblical teaching and for this biblical teaching to help us in answering three really important questions.

The question of identity just who am i. The question of purpose just why am i here. And the question of destiny just where am i going. I think we can all agree. Those are questions that people have been asking since the dawn of time.

Well the bible does give us answers. And what we're hoping to do with this sermon series is to consider just how one biblical teaching there are many that answer this question. But how one biblical teaching called union with christ.

How that answers this question. You can see on the study guide there that i've put the definition that i gave last week if you can allow me just to go over again real quickly we said that union with christ is the biblical truth that by faith god has joined us to jesus in his life death and resurrection so that all of the benefits of jesus's work for us become ours through the holy spirit.

And so that's the definition that we're working with. And what we're looking at in this series is how that truth answers the deepest questions that we have. So last week was kind of an introduction and this week i want to actually start to get into the meat and potatoes of this series if you will.

And i want to consider with you for a few moments what it means for us to be connected to jesus's life. To be connected to jesus's life. I think we can all agree that the life of jesus without question is probably and probably is really understating it.

It's probably the most important life that has ever been lived. Can we agree that it wasn't a long life as lives go. He was only 33 when he died. How much meaning how much worth just how much significance is wrapped up in the life of this man.

We call jesus the christ. Like i said that's the question i want to consider with you this morning just how much significance is there in the life of christ. This morning i want you to just take a moment and think with me about the life of christ.

And as we think about the life of christ i want you to think with me about how the life of christ ministers to us as god's people. And i hope that like i said as i prayed that this would be a benefit to both christian and non-christian alike.

For those of you who are believers i hope that this would encourage you that you will come. You'd come away from this message with fresh appreciation for who jesus is and what he's done for us. And because i never take it for granted that everyone who hears me preach is necessarily a believer.

If you're not a believer you've chosen a great week to be here because we're actually going to be looking at some of the basics of the christian message. You know consider this kind of going back to school a little bit as we think about the lord jesus and who he is.

Our base camp in the journey that is this sermon series this morning is hebrews chapter two. Hebrews chapter two. I have to admit hebrews is my favorite book in the entire new destiny. I know more than romans more than the four gospels.

I mean not that i don't love the other ones of course. But if you could leave me on a desert island with only one book of the bible i might make it the book of hebrews 13 chapters 303 verses in our english bibles.

My opinion is a masterpiece of biblical teaching. When it comes to the message of jesus he was just written to jewish christians we don't quite know where they are. There's lots of speculation. There's lots about this book's background.

We don't entirely know what we do know. Is this from reading the book that there seems to have been a temptation laid in their way a temptation to as it were leave christianity that they have become a part of and to go back to the judaism that they've been raised in.

And so that as time kind of progresses and there are trials and temptations from both the outside and the inside. Their faith is starting to feel a little bit worn. You can see the you know the wearing away on the tires so to speak.

And what the authors of the hebrews does which is so masterful is that he writes to encourage them. In fact he describes this book right at the end chapter 13 he describes it as a word of encouragement.

And the encouragement you can really boil it down to three words a simple encouragement such a powerful one. The encouragement he gives them is this christians jesus is better. Jesus is better than the judaism you came from on just about every level you can think of.

It's interesting i mentioned chapter 13 where he calls this a word of encouragement. That phrase is only used one other time in the new testament in the book of acts. It's a reference to one of paul's sermons in the synagogue and he calls it a word of encouragement the exact same phrase and that's led a number of people myself included to believe that this was more than likely a sermon that was then committed to paper.

And if you read the book of hebrews you don't have time to get into all of it. The structure kind of bears that out that this is more for the ear than for the eye. If that makes sense that this is a sermon that was preached to encourage these christians.

And so in recent years i've stopped calling. Sometimes i'll still say it. But i try to discipline myself to not say the author to the hebrews but the preacher to the hebrews because this is a sermon that is chock full of encouragement.

When we come to chapter two he's still very early in the sermon. The sermon is just kind of heating up at this stage. But he's already made two major points and one application by the time you come to the text that we want to look at this morning.

So in chapter one verses one through four he starts with point number one in his sermon which is keep believing in jesus because he is better than the prophets. The prophets were servants but jesus is a son.

And so yes the prophets were good. He's not saying the prophets were bad and jesus is good. He's saying the prophets were good but jesus is better. And then the verses 5 through 14 he says keep believing in jesus.

Not just because he is better than the prophets but because he is better than the angels. And so verses 5 through 14 he pulls text after text from the old testament and says here's what god says about his son.

And here's what he says about the angels. The angels don't even come close. And since that is true his since that is true excuse me his first application comes in chapter 2 verses 1 through 4 since jesus is better than the prophets and he's better than the angels don't let go of the good news about him.

So chapter 2 verse 1 for this reason we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard so that we will not drift away. He essentially calls his audiences keep a tight grip on the message that you heard this message about jesus.

But it's an application that's kind of starts it. But then he returns back to his point. And so he's still in that second point that we should keep believing in jesus because he is better than the angels.

He's still on that message. As we come to the text we're going to be looking at this morning jesus is better than the angels because of who he is and because of what he has done. Now of course if you're here you're a christian you already believe that.

But why should we believe it. Why would why would we as christians argue well maybe argues not the word i want to use. Why would we as christians believe with everything in us that this man called jesus truly makes the difference.

Why would we stake life and eternity on this man's life. That's what i want us to consider this morning. I think that is really the key question here. What exact. What is it exactly about jesus and his life.

What is it that makes his life so important. Well that leads me to my big idea for this message this morning very simply. Why is it important for us to think about the life of jesus. It's important because jesus is the perfect man who lived for us died for us and represents us before god.

So why is jesus's life important. Because jesus is the perfect man who lived for us who died for us and who represents us before god. We believe in jesus because he is the perfect man who lived for us who died for us and who represents us before this morning.

As i draw our attention to this text i want to consider four ways in which jesus is the perfect man. Four ways in which jesus is the perfect man and why. That is good news for us who believe in jesus.

And if you're here you don't believe in jesus. This is why this is good news even for you. This morning i want to consider four ways in which jesus is the perfect man and why. That is good news for us.

And i want this text to help us do it. How is jesus the perfect man. Well first off can i invite you to think about the fact that point number one jesus completes humanity's unfinished story. Jesus completes humanity's unfinished story.

As i said this is a sermon. And the preacher picks up his point that he started back in chapter one with a very simple observation. So look at verse five. Chapter two. Verse five text says. But he this is god has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about.

So again see how we see how it's connecting right back to this theme of jesus being better than the angels. Jesus is god's ruling and god's reigning king. That's not a privilege that angels will ever enjoy or even know about to kind of uh support his uh argument here verses six through eight of our passage is a quotation from psalm eight.

In fact just knowing that is kind of important. Psalm eight comes at the end of a section of psalms from psalm three four five six and seven which are songs of lament. They are songs that are asking for the help of god in the midst of the pain of life.

But you have this theme from three four five six and seven. But then you get to chapter eight and the tone flips. It goes from a tone of lament and sorrow and begging god for his help to one of triumphant praise.

And in the verses that the preacher hebrews quotes the psalmist is amazed. He's amazed that god pays attention to that he has regard for that. He has any kind of thoughts about man. I mean have you ever thought about that god is wonderful and amazing and transcendent.

He is totally other from us. God is god and man is man. It's a little mind-blowing when you think about it that way isn't it. And yet god has care for regard for man. In fact the psalmist acknowledges and he takes a moment to affirm the dignity of man as created by god.

That man was created in the image of god. And that not only is he created in the image of god. That man is created in the image of god to do three things to make him easy. I like to use three r's. He's created to rule to exercise authority.

He's created not just to rule to exercise authority but to reign to exercise that authority over a particular people and a particular place. So man was created to rule to exercise authority to reign to exercise that authority over a particular people in a particular place and to reflect to exercise that authority in ways that reflect how god rules over his creation.

See that all the way back in genesis in chapter one where God after he creates man says. Let us make man in our image and in our likeness and let them rule have dominion over creation. This was the divine ideal.

This is what God created man to be and what he created man to do. And even here I need to pull up for a moment because do you realize that when God made man he made man with inherent dignity. That he made man with a inherent worth with inherent value.

Okay. Kofi. Why is that important. Well very simple. All you need to do is look at the world around us as I often do I think we can all agree. If you look at the world around us it's very clear that the problems that we see in this world those three questions I said we're going to be thinking about in this series identity purpose and destiny.

If you think about those three questions the reason why we have so much difficulty in my opinion and I would argue the bible's opinion that the problems we have with that are the result of our rejecting the fact that we have been made in the very image of God after all if we are just what happens when random things happen.

And we crawled out of the the phrase I'm hearing in school the primordial goo if that's the case I only think about this with me as I was preparing this week he just kept coming back to me. Should we really be surprised when people view themselves as inherently worthless.

That's all I came from nowhere. I have no purpose. And as far as I know I'm not going anywhere. Should we be surprised that suicide rates climbed year on year. But as a number of public health officials are saying we are in the worst mental health decline in history.

And I'm sure some may want to argue about. Well what do we really mean by that. How much of that is exaggerated. Fine. But the fact that we're even using that kind of language I think there's some truth to that.

That's all if identity and meaning and destiny. If these are mysteries that we can't answer. But why should I care. I'll put it to you that part of the problem that we have in our society is that the dignity that we were made with has been uh traded away as it were for fool's gold.

It looks valuable but it's not. It's been traded away for fool's gold of just living and dying with not much else happening in between. But can I put it to you that the bible makes us to understand that man was created for so much more that man created in the very image of god to rule and to reign and to reflect him.

But of course that's not where the bible story ends. Because man sinned and man rebelled against god. And when man sinned and man rebelled against god everything changed. Human beings are still created in the image of god.

But the way the classic christian understanding of the bible has put it the image of god has been marred. M-a-double-r-e-d. It's been uh ruined. We still have it. But it's a pale comparison of what it once was.

And in fact the author of the hebrews picks this up because look at verse 8 chapter 2. Verse 8 he says. For in subjecting everything to him he left nothing that is not subject to him. That's what man was created to be to have everything in creation subject to him.

God's not subject to him because god is not part of creation of course. But man was created to rule to reign and to reflect. But look at how he ends. He says as it is we do not yet see everything subjected to him.

Man was created to rule over creation. And of course you just simply need to look at creation to realize we're not quite doing that. Adam sinned. And ever since we have been so so far short of our created design man doesn't have the dignity and dominion that he was created to have because of sin.

But that's not where the story ends. Because though man doesn't have the dignity and dominion that he was created to have there is one man who does so look at verse 9 verse 5 words there. But we do see jesus.

Man doesn't have the full dignity he should have. But one man in particular does jesus took on humanity real humanity. That's why he says verse 9. But we do see jesus made lower than the angels for a short time so that by god's grace he might taste death for everyone.

Jesus took on humanity real humanity. It wasn't as some people in the early church said and they were wrong that jesus you know he's a divine person. But he kind of puts on humanity like a suit. It's not really who he is.

The human body of jesus. There were people who taught this in the early church the human body of jesus was just the suits that contained the real jesus the divine person. That's not what the bible teaches.

The bible teaches that jesus was a very real man that he had a real human body a real human soul a real human mind will and emotions. Think about this that the creator of the universe was made low according to this passage in verse 9 he was made lower than the angels that he created.

And in fact he was made so low in his humanity. His humanity was so real that he experienced the one thing that all human beings will experience death. He wasn't faking it. He wasn't like i don't know if you know this the religion of islam teaches well some parts of it.

Anyway he said jesus didn't really die on the cross. You know either he was swapped out with judas which that's kind of wild. Or yeah. He was on the cross but you know he swooned. He's in so much pain.

He passed out. He didn't really die. Well the bible doesn't actually say that. No the bible says that he actually died like all humanity does. At some point it's interesting that when jesus becomes a man when he identifies with humanity he fully identifies with humanity.

And so he died. But his story doesn't even end there. Yes the the preacher says that he died but his time on earth was only for a little while. And how does he pick it up. He says made lower than the angels verse 9 for a short time so that by god's grace he might taste death for everyone.

Who's everyone there. Everyone is all the people that the father gave him. Go back to last week's message where i make that point but not what he says. We do see jesus. In fact if you've got the csb you'll notice that it puts that whole section there in between two dashes.

Because his main point is not so much that jesus was made lower. His main point is what he says right at the end. In fact if you read it without the dashes it reads like this. But we do see jesus crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

Yes jesus experienced real humanity all the way to the point of death. But on the other side of that he rose. And when he rose he received glory and honor. Man was created with glory and honor. But he lost that glory and honor when he sinned.

But the wonderful message of the gospel and i have to say this is a part i don't think we often emphasize like we should. Man lost his glory and honor when he sinned. But jesus regains it for his people through his life and through his death.

The mess the story excuse me that was left unfinished in the fall of man created in the image of god to rule to reign and to reflect humanity's unfinished story is completed in the person of jesus he receives the glory and the honor that we lost in the fall.

In fact i would argue he receives greater glory than what was lost in the fall. Okay kofi. Great wonderful. Why does that matter. Well it matters because that work of completing humanity's glorious but unfinished story.

That work is only true for those who are in him. It is only in jesus that humanity's story is brought to its wonderful and glorious conclusion. In a society that yearns for value for worth for dignity.

That believers are the only ones with the answers to those questions. That believers find those answers in the person and in the work of jesus. And then believers extend outwards to a world with those answers.

And so jesus is the perfect man. And that is good news for us because he completes humanity's unfinished story. But it's also good news because point number two jesus restores humanity's most fractured relationship.

Jesus restores humanity's most fractured relationship. So look at verses 10 through 13 with me he moves to 10 to 13. For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory it was entirely appropriate that god from whom and through whom all things exist should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For the one who sanctifies. And those who are sanctified all have one father. That is why jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters say i will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.

I will sing hymns to you in the congregation again i will trust in him. And again here i am with the children that god gave me. Jesus restores humanity's most fractured relationship. Can i take a moment and correct something that sometimes um the world kind of gets wrong while god is the creator of all can we understand that god though he's the creator of all he is not the father of all that those are two very different relationships.

Yes god created all things and all people. But he is not father to all things and not to all people. A father a fatherly relationship speaks to closeness. It speaks to tenderness it speaks to intimacy.

When man was created he did have that. It's this wonderful little. There's almost a throwaway sentence if you don't pay attention to it in the genesis narrative when the fall happens where it says that god came down in the cool of the day.

And the implication seems to be that adam and eve knew this to be a regular thing because they go hiding from him knowing that he's coming at some point. Why does the author of genesis feel the need to mention that simple he's communicating to us that god enjoyed closeness with his relationship.

God was not the you know divine watchmaker. There was a theory that said this in history that you know god kind of created the world kind of wound up like a clock. And then right. That's working great see you when i see you and went off.

That's not the picture of god that the bible presents to us the picture of god that the bible presents to us is that god desired to know his creation and to be known by his creation. Those who are in our sunday school hour we talked about this that though god doesn't need our worship he did create us for it.

And god doesn't need a relationship with us yet he desires one with us. But that closeness that man had with god. Well sin interrupted all that didn't it. God had to remove man from again. I've talked about this in our series in genesis you can go watch it online that that edom this garden was created as a space for worship it's laid out like a space for worship.

Adam's task was a worshipful task. But when sin in when sin came in god had to remove man from the space that he had designed for his own worship. Because that relationship had now changed. And one could argue that outside of christ humanity has been out of eden ever since.

But follow me here if it's true that jesus completes humanity's broken story then that has to include or incomplete story. He has to restore the relationship that was broken between god and man. Doesn't he.

Because that's part of man's story. And that's why i've named the second point that jesus restores humanity's most fractured relationship. And i get that if you're wondering how i came up with that did you know family language that's scattered throughout these verses.

So in verse 10 for in bringing many sons and daughters to glory verse 11 the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have one father. Familiar translations may say source or origin. The reason why the csb translates as father is it's picking up on this word family here the word that's there actually can be translated as father.

So son's father twice in verse 11 and 12 brothers and sisters. Verse 13 children. There's this familial theme to these verses. And that's important. Because catch this our union with christ isn't just a legal union.

You know what i mean when i say that our union with christ is not just okay god as it were bangs the gavel waves the wand and says yep united with me you're saved. Ticket stamps record clean go have a nice life.

I'll see you on the other side our union with christ is not uh just a legal act. Can i put it to you that it's a relational act that we are being invited into a family. We are being told essentially that you belong here.

And i put it to you that the only place that this truly happens in the world might be a bold statement. But you know i stand 10 toes down on it. The only place in the world where people truly belong is in the church.

How does paul describe it. If you're taking those collisions 318. He says there's no jewel greece label free male female. Why. Since you are all one in christ. Jesus colossians 311. One of my favorite pauline lines he says in christ there is not greek or jew circumcision and uncircumcision barbarian scythian slave and free.

But christ is all and in all the only place. Again people might disagree with me but i put it to you the only place in all of it where people belong 100 unconditionally is in the church of our lord jesus christ.

If i compose doesn't that make it kind of sad. When christians forget like forget that. That doesn't. I can't speak for you. But i know it does for me. If i can put it bluntly doesn't it just rip the heart out of your chest when you see churches.

I've seen this happen when you walk into a church and you can talk quickly. This church is my microphone keeps dying on me. Um hold on there we go. Okay i'm gonna work with this dying on me. If i can put it bluntly isn't it a sad thing when you walk into some churches.

As i do i travel a lot. I've been in a few places in my life you walk into a church and you can immediately tell when you walk into that church this church is clicked up to the nines. You can. What i've seen it after a worship service everyone just immediately breaks to their groups of people.

That group doesn't talk to that group. Those people don't talk to those people. It pains me like i said it's happened. I've seen it happen enough times when you walk into a church and the church is one of the most segregated places you could ever imagine.

If i can put it bluntly brothers and sisters jesus didn't come to earth go through all of that and rise to act for us. Excuse me to act like that didn't happen because it did happen. Jesus restores our most fractured relationship which is our relationship to god.

And as a result of restoring our most fractured relationship which is our relationship to god he creates relationships with other people who are united to him. Jesus restores our relationship with god.

He is a father to us again and we are his children with jesus as the older brother who makes it all happen. Maybe you're here and you've got at least one relationship that isn't quite what you wish it would be.

Maybe it's a family member a co-worker a close friend who's betrayed you. That relationship lies in ruins. And you may think oh man i just i feel like i don't have anyone. Can i comfort you with the reality that in christ you have a father you have an older brother and you have a whole other side of the family that is yours forever.

In fact look at verses 12 and 13. Verses 12 and 13. So verse 11 says that jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. Saying verse 12 i will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will sing hymns to you in the congregation.

And again i will trust in him. And again here i am with the children god gave me. That's quotation from isaiah chapter 8. By the way and it's speaking of the messiah and that the messiah would stand in the presence of god.

It's interesting because it's kind of an interesting word picture as i receive the prophecy about his children. But the prophecy then switched to what god switches to what god is doing. And essentially he says that the messiah stands in the presence of god and says behold i am the children that god gave to me.

Why does the author of the hebrews quote this here. Might i put it to you that he quotes this to show us that jesus rejoices that we are in the family and not just rejoices. He happily represents us before the father.

One of my favorite old testament verses sephaniah 3 17 says that he rejoices over his people with singing. You ever thought about thought about that thought thoughts about your relationship with god in that kind of way.

My one of my good friends dr roger skepple pastors green bible baptist church in atlanta. Skepple in the sermon i heard from him one time said i wish i could get christians to understand that jesus doesn't just love them.

Love them. Excuse me he likes them. Jesus restores humanity's most fractured relationship. And it's not just a now we've mended fences. We'll see how it goes. No it's a you are in you are welcome come on in.

And that should make us an incredibly joyful people. Maybe not always outwardly happy but it should make us an incredibly joyful people. This is the hope this is the identity that we have that we reach outward to others with and invite others to become part of that.

Those who were once enemies of god can become more than his friends. They can become part of his family. So jesus is the perfect man who restores humanity's most broken most fractured relationship. He completes humanity's unfinished story.

He restores humanity's broken relationship to god. But also point number three jesus defeats humanity's greatest enemy. Jesus defeats humanity's greatest enemies. So look at verse 14. Now since the children those who have become part of the family of god.

Now since the children have flesh and blood in common jesus also shared in these so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death that is the devil and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.

Which is clear that he does not reach out to help angels but to help abraham's offspring. Jesus is the perfect man because he defeats our greatest enemies. So once again let's think back to creation and the fall.

When adam fell and we were ever we were forever tied down by the weight of sin. It didn't just destroy our relationship with god. It definitely did that. But it also introduced two major problems into our world.

And in fact the author of the hebrews tells us what those two problems are. Did you notice that he says that through his death he would destroy the one who has the power of death. That's problem number one the power of death as used by the devil.

And problem number two verse 15 he would free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. Two problems. The power of death and the fear of death. Number one the power of death.

The power of death is not an absolute power of life and death. Only god has the absolute power of life and death. God and the devil are not equals in this world. But the bible does teach us that satan has authority over the realm where death happens.