Post by arete on Mar 27, 2014 19:48:05 GMT
Introduction:
"What is the immanence of God?" I ask this because the passage today focuses on it. God’s immanence refers to His presence within His creation. “A belief in God’s immanence holds that God is present in all of creation, while remaining distinct from it. In other words, there is no place where God is not. His sovereign control extends everywhere simultaneously. He is also transcendent – which means he is not part of his creation. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God’s immanence. He is Emmanuel. He is God with us” (GotQuestions.org). This is not a dry doctrine to be kept on the shelf, but an exciting one that impacts the relationship God has with us.
Context:
The author of this book has emphasized the superiority of the Son and established the Son as Creator and as the ultimate revelation of God to man. Furthermore, the Son is superior to the angels who owe him worship as God. At the start of chapter 2, the author exhorted us to pay close attention to the revelation of the Son as proof against drifting in our faith and reminded us that neglect of the great salvation of the Son deserves discipline. He wrapped up that section by listing the witnesses we have of the truth of the Son of God – the prophecies and Scriptures of old, eye witness testimony from the apostles and disciples, the signs, wonders and miracles of God accompanying the Son and the Holy Spirit at work in the saved both in sanctifying and the giving of spiritual gifts. The author now moves again to demonstrate the Scriptural proofs we have concerning the Son and he names him for the first time in this section.
Body – Hebrews 2:5-13 – ESV
The Founder of Salvation
5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
Subjection of the World vv. 5-8a
In the matter of salvation, this section looks to the purpose of man as opposed to angels (v. 5). The angels are glorious created beings, but they have never been given authority over the world to come. There is a background of belief to understand this idea. The world is fundamentally broken and fallen. Since the Fall, God has been planning a redemption of man and a restoration of creation. While the current world rebels against its Creator, the world to come will be perfectly subject to her king.
The author emphasizes this idea with a quote from Psalm 8 (v. 6a.) His introduction seems as if he doesn’t know what passage he is quoting, but he quotes it word perfect. The author has been emphasizing God as the ultimate author and is unconcerned with attributing Scripture any other way. The word, “testified”, focuses on the solemn testimony of God
The quote focuses on the nature of man with a question (v. 6b). What is man that God should be mindful of him, or care for him? The psalmist asks what there is about man that the great God should stoop to help him. The answer is not found in defining man. The answer is in defining God – he cares not because we deserve it. He cares because he is caring and loving.
1. What is “mindful”? – Mindful means that God is not neglecting his creature. He does not forget we are here. His remembrance of us is keyed toward helping us.
2. What is “care”? – Care means the intent to personally visit or intervene with either necessary discipline or necessary nurture to provide our greatest good.
The quote also gives an idea of man’s substance and purpose (v. 7-8a).
1. Substance of man – man is a little lower than angels. They are made to have continual access to the throne and never die. Man can attain God’s presence and eternal life by God’s grace. The glory and honor are the place man has in creation because he bears the image of God. So man is temporarily lower than the angels, but through salvation is eternally blessed.
2. Purpose of man – all of creation was put in the stewardship of Adam and his descendants. Since the Fall, man has not properly or righteously and never perfectly fulfilled his purpose.
Illustration:
Hudson Taylor was scheduled to speak at a large Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia. The moderator of the service introduced the missionary in eloquent and glowing terms. He told the large congregation all that Taylor had accomplished in China, and then presented him as “our illustrious guest.” Taylor stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his message by saying, “Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master.”
Application:
What is man, that God is mindful of us? The context of Psalm and here in Hebrews 2 points us not to man, but to the person of God. God is so glorious we cannot attain him and so he stoops down to us. He is mindful of us. He remembers us and that we are frail creatures. He cares for us. Especially when speaking of the saved, his care for us is demonstrated in sending the Son to save us which brings us to the next point.
Salvation through the Son vv. 8b-9
The verses so far might lead us then to ask, “What has happened to God’s plan to put everything in subjection under man?”
The author now moves from man in a general sense of humanity to the Christ, the Son of Man (v. 8b). We have to leap ahead a verse to see who the “him” is beginning here and we find it is Jesus.
Everything is subject to Christ (v. 8b). He is the superior and sovereign Son loudly proclaimed in this letter. He is the Creator and owns all of Creation. Whether his creatures bow or stand rebellious, Jesus is Lord and Master of the heavens and the earth and everything they contain.
Still, we see such rebellion and lack of subjection (v. 8c.) The author is not painting a portrait of a powerless King, but a merciful and patient King and Savior. The longsuffering of God is not purposeless, but finds its purpose in Jesus Christ.
Jesus came first not to subject but to save (v. 9). He would have been fully just in coming to punish every rebel. Instead he came in mercy and grace to bring salvation to the rebel.
1. Jesus is the Son of Man – he was made little lower than the angels. He humiliated or lowered himself and became fully human while remaining fully divine.
2. Jesus was crowned with glory & honor because of his suffering. He was obedient even to death on the cross. Through the first Adam, one man’s disobedience brought death to all. In Jesus, the Last Adam, one man’s obedience unto death brought eternal life. His obedience shines in glory & honor.
3. Jesus is the vehicle for God’s grace to man. God gives the free gift of the perfect sacrifice for sin. God’s wrath on sin demands death as payment. Christ tasted death and satisfied God’s wrath.
Illustration:
Because Jesus became “obedient to the point of death . . . God has highly exalted him”. By his redemptive work, Christ has fulfilled all that is required as the supreme representative of mankind. By his incarnation, substitutionary sacrifice, and victory over sin and death, he has fulfilled man’s original purpose. As the Second Adam, he was for a short time lower than the angels. Now he has glory and honor, and all things (including angels) are subject to him. John MacArthur
Application:
Who is this Jesus? He is creator and sustainer. He is sovereign and savior. He is the mediator between God and man. He is our magnificent Master. He is the one and only way to God because he is the only one who paid the penalty of sin and delivered God’s grace to the saved. He is the greatest proof of God’s mindfulness, care and love for all people – Christ was not sent in the form of an angel; he was sent in the form of a man.
Sanctification of Many Sons vv. 10-13
The author tells us that the saving work of Jesus Christ fits God’s character and person (v. 10).
1. Jesus is the creator and sustainer of us all. His Creation was broken by man. Now, he is the redeemer of man and the creation.
2. Jesus is the founder of salvation. He is the pioneer. He led the way. Without him cutting a straight path to the Father, we would remain lost in sin.
3. Jesus brings many sons to glory. He is the firstborn of many brothers. Through his saving work, we become sons of God and heirs of heaven. He doesn’t save from sin, but also saves to glory.
4. Jesus was perfected through suffering. This doesn’t mean he has ever been imperfect. Rather, Jesus Christ is the Man whose human nature was perfected in obedience. He fulfilled God’s plan to redeem the lost.
Jesus Christ saving work is based in oneness (v. 11). Jesus is the one who sanctifies; we are the ones who are sanctified. His salvation is what justifies us from sin and is at work in us making us holy and set apart to God and for his purposes. The phrase “one source” is just “one” in the author’s language. The emphasis is on the shared humanity we have. Jesus is qualified to be our priest and savior because he is truly human. As a descendant of Adam, he is our brother. As our Savior who makes us sons of God, he is doubly our brother.
The author quotes Psalm 22 and Isaiah 8 as proofs of this teaching (vv. 12-13).
1. Psalm 22:22 – The telling of the name is to accurately represent the nature of God to man. Jesus was the exact representative of God to man. As the perfect God man, he is our Savior and our brother who represents us before God. We should join him in praise to God for who Jesus is to us
2. Isaiah 8:17 & 18 – Jesus perfected obedience in his human nature by trusting in God for everything. Because of this, he is qualified to be our kinsman redeemer. As perfectly God and perfectly human, he can pay our sin debt to God and as a reward he has all these fellow sons.
Illustration:
Jesus had taught that those who do the will of the Father in obedience to his word are his brothers and mother (Matt. 12:50; Luke 8:21). He never directly referred to his disciples by the title of “brethren” or “brothers” until after his resurrection (Matt. 28:10; John 20:17). Not until he had paid the price for their salvation, did they truly become his spiritual brothers and sisters demonstrating his full identification with mankind in order to provide complete redemption (Phil. 2:7–9).
Application:
Who are the sons of God and the brothers of Christ? Those people who trust in Christ alone for their salvation are made sons of God and heirs to heaven. They are made brothers to the Lord and King, Jesus. We are brought into the family of God by Christ’s work on the cross. As such, we owe obedience to our Father, obedience to our King and love to God and to our brothers and sisters. If Christ is not ashamed to call a believer “brother” then we dare not be ashamed either.
So What? What does all of this mean?
We have utterly failed and fallen before God. We should ask, “What is man that God should be mindful of him?” This segues between the bad news that all have sinned and deserve death and the good news that Jesus Christ has come and is Savior.
Jesus Christ has perfectly glorified God in his life, his death, and his ministry of the Cross. While asking “What is man” might drive us to despair and hopelessness, it is meant to drive us to God. It is not a matter of what I am, but of who God is. He sent Jesus Christ to us so that we could know him.
The immanence of God figures heavily into our salvation and a life of faith. “The very existence of God’s Word in written form testifies to God’s interest and action in His world. Israel’s survival throughout biblical history and Jesus’ incarnation bear powerful witness that God is present and involved. He is literally “sustaining all things by His powerful word” (Heb. 1:3). He is Immanuel, “God with us”; He is immanent.”
Immanence as a doctrine means answers to death, disease, pain & suffering! Yes death is terrible, but God offers eternal life in Christ. Yes pain and suffering are hard, but through the suffering of Christ we have peace & mercy and grace. God is not far off when we hurt; he is near us, mindful of us, caring for us.
The immanent, superior, Creator God is worthy of praise and worship. The message this morning is light on ten practical steps to… instead, like the author, my desire is that by coming face to face with the wondrous nearness of God and his mercy and grace – we will be driven to worship and praise that he should be so mindful and caring as to send a perfect high priest to offer himself as the sacrifice once and for all for our sins – the sins we have committed and the sins we will commit. Let the glorious nearness of the Father and Jesus Christ draw you always into repentance and worship.
Benediction
"And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32 NRSV)
"What is the immanence of God?" I ask this because the passage today focuses on it. God’s immanence refers to His presence within His creation. “A belief in God’s immanence holds that God is present in all of creation, while remaining distinct from it. In other words, there is no place where God is not. His sovereign control extends everywhere simultaneously. He is also transcendent – which means he is not part of his creation. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God’s immanence. He is Emmanuel. He is God with us” (GotQuestions.org). This is not a dry doctrine to be kept on the shelf, but an exciting one that impacts the relationship God has with us.
Context:
The author of this book has emphasized the superiority of the Son and established the Son as Creator and as the ultimate revelation of God to man. Furthermore, the Son is superior to the angels who owe him worship as God. At the start of chapter 2, the author exhorted us to pay close attention to the revelation of the Son as proof against drifting in our faith and reminded us that neglect of the great salvation of the Son deserves discipline. He wrapped up that section by listing the witnesses we have of the truth of the Son of God – the prophecies and Scriptures of old, eye witness testimony from the apostles and disciples, the signs, wonders and miracles of God accompanying the Son and the Holy Spirit at work in the saved both in sanctifying and the giving of spiritual gifts. The author now moves again to demonstrate the Scriptural proofs we have concerning the Son and he names him for the first time in this section.
Body – Hebrews 2:5-13 – ESV
The Founder of Salvation
5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
Subjection of the World vv. 5-8a
In the matter of salvation, this section looks to the purpose of man as opposed to angels (v. 5). The angels are glorious created beings, but they have never been given authority over the world to come. There is a background of belief to understand this idea. The world is fundamentally broken and fallen. Since the Fall, God has been planning a redemption of man and a restoration of creation. While the current world rebels against its Creator, the world to come will be perfectly subject to her king.
The author emphasizes this idea with a quote from Psalm 8 (v. 6a.) His introduction seems as if he doesn’t know what passage he is quoting, but he quotes it word perfect. The author has been emphasizing God as the ultimate author and is unconcerned with attributing Scripture any other way. The word, “testified”, focuses on the solemn testimony of God
The quote focuses on the nature of man with a question (v. 6b). What is man that God should be mindful of him, or care for him? The psalmist asks what there is about man that the great God should stoop to help him. The answer is not found in defining man. The answer is in defining God – he cares not because we deserve it. He cares because he is caring and loving.
1. What is “mindful”? – Mindful means that God is not neglecting his creature. He does not forget we are here. His remembrance of us is keyed toward helping us.
2. What is “care”? – Care means the intent to personally visit or intervene with either necessary discipline or necessary nurture to provide our greatest good.
The quote also gives an idea of man’s substance and purpose (v. 7-8a).
1. Substance of man – man is a little lower than angels. They are made to have continual access to the throne and never die. Man can attain God’s presence and eternal life by God’s grace. The glory and honor are the place man has in creation because he bears the image of God. So man is temporarily lower than the angels, but through salvation is eternally blessed.
2. Purpose of man – all of creation was put in the stewardship of Adam and his descendants. Since the Fall, man has not properly or righteously and never perfectly fulfilled his purpose.
Illustration:
Hudson Taylor was scheduled to speak at a large Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia. The moderator of the service introduced the missionary in eloquent and glowing terms. He told the large congregation all that Taylor had accomplished in China, and then presented him as “our illustrious guest.” Taylor stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his message by saying, “Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master.”
Application:
What is man, that God is mindful of us? The context of Psalm and here in Hebrews 2 points us not to man, but to the person of God. God is so glorious we cannot attain him and so he stoops down to us. He is mindful of us. He remembers us and that we are frail creatures. He cares for us. Especially when speaking of the saved, his care for us is demonstrated in sending the Son to save us which brings us to the next point.
Salvation through the Son vv. 8b-9
The verses so far might lead us then to ask, “What has happened to God’s plan to put everything in subjection under man?”
The author now moves from man in a general sense of humanity to the Christ, the Son of Man (v. 8b). We have to leap ahead a verse to see who the “him” is beginning here and we find it is Jesus.
Everything is subject to Christ (v. 8b). He is the superior and sovereign Son loudly proclaimed in this letter. He is the Creator and owns all of Creation. Whether his creatures bow or stand rebellious, Jesus is Lord and Master of the heavens and the earth and everything they contain.
Still, we see such rebellion and lack of subjection (v. 8c.) The author is not painting a portrait of a powerless King, but a merciful and patient King and Savior. The longsuffering of God is not purposeless, but finds its purpose in Jesus Christ.
Jesus came first not to subject but to save (v. 9). He would have been fully just in coming to punish every rebel. Instead he came in mercy and grace to bring salvation to the rebel.
1. Jesus is the Son of Man – he was made little lower than the angels. He humiliated or lowered himself and became fully human while remaining fully divine.
2. Jesus was crowned with glory & honor because of his suffering. He was obedient even to death on the cross. Through the first Adam, one man’s disobedience brought death to all. In Jesus, the Last Adam, one man’s obedience unto death brought eternal life. His obedience shines in glory & honor.
3. Jesus is the vehicle for God’s grace to man. God gives the free gift of the perfect sacrifice for sin. God’s wrath on sin demands death as payment. Christ tasted death and satisfied God’s wrath.
Illustration:
Because Jesus became “obedient to the point of death . . . God has highly exalted him”. By his redemptive work, Christ has fulfilled all that is required as the supreme representative of mankind. By his incarnation, substitutionary sacrifice, and victory over sin and death, he has fulfilled man’s original purpose. As the Second Adam, he was for a short time lower than the angels. Now he has glory and honor, and all things (including angels) are subject to him. John MacArthur
Application:
Who is this Jesus? He is creator and sustainer. He is sovereign and savior. He is the mediator between God and man. He is our magnificent Master. He is the one and only way to God because he is the only one who paid the penalty of sin and delivered God’s grace to the saved. He is the greatest proof of God’s mindfulness, care and love for all people – Christ was not sent in the form of an angel; he was sent in the form of a man.
Sanctification of Many Sons vv. 10-13
The author tells us that the saving work of Jesus Christ fits God’s character and person (v. 10).
1. Jesus is the creator and sustainer of us all. His Creation was broken by man. Now, he is the redeemer of man and the creation.
2. Jesus is the founder of salvation. He is the pioneer. He led the way. Without him cutting a straight path to the Father, we would remain lost in sin.
3. Jesus brings many sons to glory. He is the firstborn of many brothers. Through his saving work, we become sons of God and heirs of heaven. He doesn’t save from sin, but also saves to glory.
4. Jesus was perfected through suffering. This doesn’t mean he has ever been imperfect. Rather, Jesus Christ is the Man whose human nature was perfected in obedience. He fulfilled God’s plan to redeem the lost.
Jesus Christ saving work is based in oneness (v. 11). Jesus is the one who sanctifies; we are the ones who are sanctified. His salvation is what justifies us from sin and is at work in us making us holy and set apart to God and for his purposes. The phrase “one source” is just “one” in the author’s language. The emphasis is on the shared humanity we have. Jesus is qualified to be our priest and savior because he is truly human. As a descendant of Adam, he is our brother. As our Savior who makes us sons of God, he is doubly our brother.
The author quotes Psalm 22 and Isaiah 8 as proofs of this teaching (vv. 12-13).
1. Psalm 22:22 – The telling of the name is to accurately represent the nature of God to man. Jesus was the exact representative of God to man. As the perfect God man, he is our Savior and our brother who represents us before God. We should join him in praise to God for who Jesus is to us
2. Isaiah 8:17 & 18 – Jesus perfected obedience in his human nature by trusting in God for everything. Because of this, he is qualified to be our kinsman redeemer. As perfectly God and perfectly human, he can pay our sin debt to God and as a reward he has all these fellow sons.
Illustration:
Jesus had taught that those who do the will of the Father in obedience to his word are his brothers and mother (Matt. 12:50; Luke 8:21). He never directly referred to his disciples by the title of “brethren” or “brothers” until after his resurrection (Matt. 28:10; John 20:17). Not until he had paid the price for their salvation, did they truly become his spiritual brothers and sisters demonstrating his full identification with mankind in order to provide complete redemption (Phil. 2:7–9).
Application:
Who are the sons of God and the brothers of Christ? Those people who trust in Christ alone for their salvation are made sons of God and heirs to heaven. They are made brothers to the Lord and King, Jesus. We are brought into the family of God by Christ’s work on the cross. As such, we owe obedience to our Father, obedience to our King and love to God and to our brothers and sisters. If Christ is not ashamed to call a believer “brother” then we dare not be ashamed either.
So What? What does all of this mean?
We have utterly failed and fallen before God. We should ask, “What is man that God should be mindful of him?” This segues between the bad news that all have sinned and deserve death and the good news that Jesus Christ has come and is Savior.
Jesus Christ has perfectly glorified God in his life, his death, and his ministry of the Cross. While asking “What is man” might drive us to despair and hopelessness, it is meant to drive us to God. It is not a matter of what I am, but of who God is. He sent Jesus Christ to us so that we could know him.
The immanence of God figures heavily into our salvation and a life of faith. “The very existence of God’s Word in written form testifies to God’s interest and action in His world. Israel’s survival throughout biblical history and Jesus’ incarnation bear powerful witness that God is present and involved. He is literally “sustaining all things by His powerful word” (Heb. 1:3). He is Immanuel, “God with us”; He is immanent.”
Immanence as a doctrine means answers to death, disease, pain & suffering! Yes death is terrible, but God offers eternal life in Christ. Yes pain and suffering are hard, but through the suffering of Christ we have peace & mercy and grace. God is not far off when we hurt; he is near us, mindful of us, caring for us.
The immanent, superior, Creator God is worthy of praise and worship. The message this morning is light on ten practical steps to… instead, like the author, my desire is that by coming face to face with the wondrous nearness of God and his mercy and grace – we will be driven to worship and praise that he should be so mindful and caring as to send a perfect high priest to offer himself as the sacrifice once and for all for our sins – the sins we have committed and the sins we will commit. Let the glorious nearness of the Father and Jesus Christ draw you always into repentance and worship.
Benediction
"And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32 NRSV)
