A Gift Worth Understanding

A Gift Worth Understanding

Hebrews 2:5-18

December 9, 2001

Intro:

A. [The Delivery of a Child, Citation: Robin Greenspan, Chester, Massachusetts, Christian Reader, "Lite Fare."]

My cousin, Bill, was excited and nervous about the birth of his first child.

When the anticipated day arrived, the father-to-be drove his wife Betty quickly to the hospital, speeding past the admitting entrance.

"Bill, that’s where we’re supposed to go," Betty said.

"No, Honey," Bill said. "I saw a sign that said DELIVERIES IN THE REAR."

B. The Bible makes it clear that the birth of Christ (which we call Christmas) was not when Christ came into existence.

1. The Bible makes it clear that Christ has always been in existence with God, the Father.

2. So if Christ was already in existence, why was He born?

3. Why did Christ transform Himself into a human being in the womb of a woman?

4. Why did Christ come?

5. The birth of Christ is a gift that God has given to man.

6. Jesus Christ is the greatest gift that has ever been given to man.

7. The birth of Christ is a gift worth understanding.

8. So why was Christ born?

9. Why did He come?

I. Jesus Came to Regain Our Dominion

Hebrews 2:5-9, It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 7 You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor 8 and put everything under his feet." In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

A. OK., let’s jump into this with both feet.

B. First the Hebrews, to whom this letter was written, thought quite a bit about angels.

1. They placed a great deal of importance upon angels.

2. In fact there were many who worshipped them.

3. Now angels are no doubt important to us for our protection, but God never intended for us to worship them or spend so much time studying them.

4. Angels are important, but not a priority.

5. And the Hebrew writer is saying that God did not subject the creation to angels.

6. This world was not created for the angels to have dominion over it.

7. How do I know that is what he is saying? Let’s continue…

C. In verses 6-8, the Hebrew writer is quoting a Psalm of David, which we have in our Bibles as Psalm 8.

1. Let’s go back and read all of Psalm 8: For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

2. Now this "man" that David is referring to in Psalm 8:4 is "mankind."

3. The "son of man" is "mankind" as well.

4. Both phrases mean the same thing.

5. I know that Jesus referred to Himself as the "Son of Man" on many occasions, but this reference is not to Him, but to mankind.

6. David is saying that it is absolutely amazing that God would create the world with all the stars and moons and flocks and birds and put all of creation under the dominion of mankind.

7. [re-read vss 3-8]

8. And this is what the Hebrew writer is referring to in Hebrew 2:5-8.

9. Yet David did not see the whole picture.

10. Since David lived prior to the birth of Christ, he wasn’t privy to the entire picture as the Hebrew writer was.