Text: Hebrews 2:10-18, Title: Bringing in the Kids, Date/Place: NRBC, 9/19/10, PM
A. Opening illustration: Erika going out to get the kids and they are in their winter coats and rain boots, but in characteristic fashion, she doesn’t tell them what she thinks.
B. Background to passage: after having given the warning passage early in the chapter, the preacher continues with his angels theme, and transitions to the ministry of Christ, and after getting there, he begins to extol the Father, the Son, and the gospel, and it’s accomplishments.
C. Main thought: in this text we seen the means and the goals of Christ’s incarnation and sacrifice
A. Perfect through suffering (v. 10)
1. The preacher here says that it was fitting, meaning that it was consistent with the character of God the Father (for who and by whom are all things) to perfect the Son through the cross. It was consistent with His love, mercy, holiness, wisdom, power, grace, wrath, glory, etc, to crush His Son on our behalf on a cross. In what sense is Christ “made perfect?” The idea is to be completed in his requirements to be the captain, author, leader (bring sons to glory), prince, pioneer, trailblazer of salvation. It is really to demonstrate His perfections and complete the requirements to bring salvation to man. He had to suffer in order to complete His ministry as a sacrifice, His identification as a brother, and as an example of how to suffer well. And as the preacher argues here these perfections and excellencies make Him superior to all things! And with the subsequent verses, the relationship of Christ to God is likened to how we related to God.
2. 1 Peter 1:22-23, Rom 11:36, 1 Cor 8:6, Rev 4:11, Heb 12:1-2
3. Illustration: Richard Wurmbrand, who spent fourteen years suffering in a Communist prison, reminds all believers with less than ideal circumstances that “if the heart is cleansed by the love of Jesus Christ, and if the heart love Him, you can resist all tortures.” He says, “God will not judge us according to how much we endured, but how much we could love.” The love of God demonstrated in the lives of his people is potent. Wurmbrand gives an example: A Christian was sentenced to death. Before being executed, he was allowed to see his wife. His last words to his wife were, ‘You must know that I die loving those who kill me. They don’t know what they do and my last request of you is to love them, too. Don’t have bitterness in your heart because they kill your beloved one. We will meet in heaven.’ These words impressed the officer of the secret police who attended the discussion between the two. After he told me the story in prison, where he had been put for becoming a Christian.” I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the valley If You want me to, review the story of the man who forgave the drunk driver who killed his whole family,
4. The writer gives us the application in v. 18—because Christ suffered a terrible trial, He is able to help those that are suffering trials. Christ has left us an example of how to face suffering and death. If you are facing deep dark trials or death, look at the way that Christ handled it. You may say, “he was Jesus, Son of God,” he had an advantage, but remember that the context here is that Christ was made like us, tried like us, and died like us as humans. So how did Christ face death? He rested in the will of God, which included death. He told others about His impending death and trial regularly. He came to God in prayer, expressing his need of grace, trust in the Father, and submission to his will. He joyfully accepted death. He refused bitterness and anger. He turned His cheek toward the persecutors. He refused things that would dull His mind or soften the blow. He laid down His life willingly. Apply these as you go.
B. Bearing Wrath (v. 17)
1. We are taking this out of order, because of their logical progression. The preacher here makes much of Jesus’ high priestly role in later chapters. Suffice it to say that it was the high priest’s job to make sure that atonement was made. This deals with the theological purpose of Christ’s death--propitiation. The word means to satisfy wrath. God sent forth His Son, so that He would have a means by which to expend His wrath. Jesus didn’t simply divert the wrath from us; he took the wrath for us. God didn’t forget about His anger over sin; He satisfied it. All of God’s fury against every sin was poured out on Christ. He became our sin-bearer, and therefore our wrath bearer. This wrath was a controlled righteous punishment of sin that was committed against a holy God. And no one can escape.
2. 1 John 3:16, 2 Cor 5:21
3. Illustration: Oswald Chambers once said, “We trample the blood of the Son of God if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only explanation for the forgiveness of God... is the death of Jesus Christ... There is absolute reinstatement into God by the death of Jesus Christ and by no other way, not because Jesus Christ pleads, but because he died. It is not earned, but accepted... The atonement is a propitiation whereby God, through the death of Jesus, makes an unholy man holy.” This the power of the Cross, Christ became sin for us, took the shame, bore the wrath, we stand forgive
4. The benefit to us of the propitiation of our sin is that we don’t have to bear God’s wrath for our sin. Our finite minds cannot fathom what hell would be like under the wrath of God. Tell about the woman who said she had no teeth, after he quoted the weeping and gnashing of teeth verse, and he said, “ma’am, teeth will be provided.” You and I need wrath bearers in our lives, for eternity.
C. Defeating Death (v. 14)
1. The word means to render ineffective. Jesus has taken the power of death, and it’s sting away from Satan. And part of his goal is to liberate you from the fear of death.
2. Isa 25:8; Hos 13:14; 1 Cor 15:54-55; 2 Tim 1:10, John 16:11, 11:25, 5:24, Col 2:15, 2 Cor 4:8, Rev 12:11
3. Illustration: Mr. Bass speaking about death, his funeral, last wishes, just one time to return and tell em, “It’s real! It’s real!” thousands of martyrs have died because of this truth—death is not dying, it is life!
4. Know that Satan has no real power over you. Even if God allows him to destroy your earthly body, he has no power over your soul, not even the sting of death. It’s just a door to the other side. And I think that we are all a little uneasy about something like that. It looks bad. Sounds bad. Seems like it would hurt, but know that is all part of the lie of Satan that has built into the culture. We grow up from an early age fearing death as though it was the worst case scenario. Remember this life is only a vapor, and the life to come is eternal, more free, more full, more fulfilling, more complete, more joyful... Christ has defeated Satan, and death, and one day they will both meet their final end in the lake of fire.
A. Closing illustration: A man who dove in to attach a shark that attacked his dog,
B. Again the gospel is the driving force—incarnation, propitiation, exaltation (resurrection), and the goal was to bring many sons to glory, to sanctify them, liberate them, help them, make propitiation for them, intercede for them, and aid them in trial and tempation.
C. Invitation to commitment
If you want me to
The pathway is broken
And The signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to
Chorus:
Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will walk through the fire
If You want me to
It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone
So When the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the valley If You want me to
