well turn back to Hebrews chapter
2 Hebrews chapter 2 now we started looking at this
a few weeks ago the epistle to the Hebrews and in this epistle
I believe it's the Apostle Paul that wrote it even though it
doesn't say specifically but I think the weight of evidence
is that way but that's not something to die in a ditch over. It's just my own personal view.
But the argument is based on Old Testament scripture throughout. This is what the writer does.
Paul, I believe, does. He presents scriptures. He's
not trying to persuade flesh to believe the gospel, but he's
presenting For the children of God, a rationale, it's a reasonable,
when the Holy Spirit has given that new man within, it's a reasonable
thing to the child of God, to hear these things of the gospel
of God's grace and know them. oh the blessedness of knowing
these things of knowing these truths and this was always Paul's
style if you read in Acts 17 the second and third verses it
talks there about him in a particular place for three Sabbath days
what did he do he reasoned with them out of the scriptures that
Jesus is the Christ who had to suffer and to rise again from
the dead. That was his approach. Where
did he get his argument from? The scriptures. He reasoned out
of the scriptures. And this you'll have to accept
is there have been so many quotes from the Old Testament scriptures
in chapters 1 and 2 just again and again Paul is saying because
the Old Testament says this, this is how we apply it. And
he's going to go on and go through so much more of the Old Testament
types, all of the Old Testament priesthood and the lawgiver and
the sacrifices and the temple and all of those things and he's
going to say now this is what it means and this is how it applies
to us today. Now last week We saw how God
the Son saved his people by becoming one with them, by unity with
them. He who was infinite God became
finite man, in this respect, for a little lower than the angels,
or for a little while lower than the angels. He confined himself
to limited space and time. Didn't he? Although he knew all
things still because he was God, nevertheless, he confined himself
to the body of a man for a while. He wasn't, when he was in Capernaum,
he wasn't in Jerusalem. When he was in Judea, he wasn't
in Galilee. You know, he confined himself
to one place in space and time so that he could be united with
men and women, so that he could be united with his people. made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death that
he might save his people from their sins and that's what I
want to do this week is to continue that same theme how did God the
Son save his people for eternity so I want to look at the people
Who are the people that we're talking about? He saved his people.
He shall save his people from their sins. Who's he talking
about? The people. What's the bondage or the situation
from which he's going to save them or has saved them? And then
finally, what's the release that he's accomplished that has saved
them? So those three things, the people,
their bondage, their release. The people, the people. Whom
did God the Son come to save? God the Son came. The Christmas
hype is going to get going any day now. In actual fact, back
in August, on a rainy day in London, we had to divert rapidly
into Fortnum and Mason to get out of the pouring rain and to
also see if there were any samples on offer so that somebody could
get her blood sugar back up to reasonable levels. And would
you believe it, Christmas stuff. August, Christmas stuff was there
in Fortnum and Mason, in Piccadilly, in London. The hype is going
to get going pretty soon. All this about Jesus coming and
the choirs will sing, etc, etc. But whom did God, the Son, come
to save? Oh, they'll say, oh, the whole
of humanity, if only the whole of humanity will let him. Was
it the whole of humanity? If it was, And you know what
it says about the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ? He shall
not fail. He said on the cross, it is finished.
He rose triumphant over death. God raised him from the dead,
declared him to be his son with power in that he raised him from
the dead. If he accomplished everything he set out to do,
and he came to save the whole of humanity, then the whole of
humanity is saved, isn't it? It's logical. Stands to reason.
If he came to save the whole of humanity, his infinite God
become man. He's still infinite God. He saved
the whole of humanity, if that's the case. And so, what's the
consequence of that? Well, there's no hell. Why would
you need a hell? If the whole of humanity is saved,
why would you need hell? There's no hell. And think about
it. The worst unrepentant sinner
inherits eternal bliss. Hold on, you say, that's not
fair. That can't be right. No, it isn't right. It isn't
right. Jesus spoke more about hell than
he did about heaven. No, hell is a reality. What's
all that in the scriptures about the sheep on the right hand being
told to come and inherit the glory that has been reserved
for them from the beginning of time? What's that about those
on the left hand? Depart from me, I never knew
you. Depart into damnation. What's all that about? No, he
didn't come to save the whole of humanity. Maybe then, some
would object this, some religious folks would say, well, maybe
he came to save those who would accept him. Okay, who would accept
him? Who from fallen humanity is going
to accept him? You see, who has got the ability
to accept him? You know what the scripture says,
quite rightly, in its judgment of man? Romans 3, 10 and 11,
etc., quoting the Old Testament, there is none righteous, no,
not one. There's none that understands.
There's none that seeks after God. Do you know who that includes? That's you and me. We're included
in that by nature. None of us would seek after God.
But what about, they would object, what about whosoever will? Whosoever
will. You come with your election doctrines
and I say whosoever will. The scripture says whosoever
will. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have
everlasting life. Yes, but whosoever will. Whosoever
will. You see, the ones who will are
the ones that Psalm 110 verse 3 tells us he makes willing in
the day of his power. God says he makes his people
willing to believe him in the day of his power. He makes those
who by nature are unwilling to believe him, willing to believe
him. So even the whosoever will is
of the sovereign grace of God. Whosoever will, those he makes
willing in the day of his power are those who will to believe
him. who decide to believe him. They
seek the Lord, but afterward they know it's not them seeking
him, he moved their souls. He made them willing in the day
of his power. Now how are they described here?
Now look at these verses with me here. This is the people.
Who is it, the people, that he's talking about? Verses 9 and 10. We see Jesus, who was made a
little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste
death for every man. For it became him for whom are
all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons
unto glory. to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings. Sons, they're described as sons. That doesn't mean the male of
the species, it means children, sons. In accordance with grace,
look, end of verse nine, that he by the grace of God, why did
he do it? By the grace of God. That was
his motivation, that was his reason, to bring many sons to
glory. There's a number of people, many
sons, and by his grace, which is utterly undeserved, favour
shown by God for no other reason than he is God and he's sovereign
over all things, by the grace of God, he brings many sons to
glory. Sons in accordance with grace,
not of works, It's unmerited, sovereign grace. Ephesians 2,
8 to 10. You are saved by grace, for by
grace are you saved through faith. Oh, wasn't I good? I exercised
faith. All these people, they didn't
exercise faith, but I did. No, faith, that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God. Not of works, not of anything
you might do or think or decide. Why not? Because you'll boast
about it, You'll say, I was more deserving, they had an opportunity
and they chose not to, but I had an opportunity and I, it's of
works and I boast about it. He says, for we are his workmanship. His work, God's workmanship.
God's done the work in bringing his people to glory, in bringing
his many sons to glory. He does the work, we're his workmanship.
Not of works, lest any man should boast. Sons then, right. Look at verses 11. And 12, for both he that sanctifyeth
and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he
is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name
unto my brethren in the midst of the church will I sing praise
to you. Verse 17, wherefore in all things it behoved him to
be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and
faithful high priest. Brethren. These people, what
are they called? They're called sons, they're
called brethren. They're brethren who are sanctified,
it says in verse 11. Sanctified, set apart, made holy,
made for the use of God, for the service of God. Sanctified
brethren. He calls these people these many
sons whom he came to bring to glory he calls them brethren
brothers brothers, particular tie with brothers, I had a sister
I never had any brothers but there's something in this band
of brothers, this brothers in arms, this unity of brethren
he identifies with his people as if he's a brother as if he's
the older brother of other brethren, his brethren In John 20 and verse
17 that first Sunday that he rose from the dead and in the
garden you know Mary Magdalene's gone to the tomb and she thinks
he's the gardener and there he is and you know what he says
to her? Go to my brethren and tell them this I ascend to my
father And because he's my father and we're brethren, I ascend
to your father. And to my God, and because he's
my God and your God, I ascend to your God too. Brethren. And if you're brethren, you're
joint heirs. my sons are going to share in
this enormous great estate and wealth that is mine and they're
joint heirs together because they're brethren together well
we're joint heirs with Christ it says Romans 8 17 joint heirs
with Christ why because we're brethren with him we inherit
all that God has purposed for his people and these people who
he's come for are called sons and they're called brethren then
the next in verse 12 In the midst of the church will I sing praise
unto thee. In the midst of the church, it's
the church that is this many sons that he came to bring to
glory. The church, the church, a specific
people. The church is known as the bride
of Christ. If you read Ephesians 5, which
we haven't got time to do now, but it says that Christ loved
the church like a husband loves his wife and gave himself for
it that he might make it holy and perfect it's a specific particular
redemption we read in Psalm 45 the psalm we read last week and
in verse 13, about the king's daughter being all glorious within. The king's daughter is the church,
the bride of Christ, coming prepared as a bride, perfectly adorned
for her husband. It's a picture of that unity
of the son of God and his people, his bride, his church. This is
who the people are. You see, it's restrictive. It's
particular. It's limited, but it's glorious.
It's glorious in its intent. No, not the whole of humanity,
not those who will in their own selves because they can't, but
those who are sons in accordance with grace, those who are brethren,
those who are the church and the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And then verses 13 and 14. And again, I will put my trust
in him. And again, behold, I and the
children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then, verse 14,
then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Children,
children. We read in Psalm 24, about the
lord of hosts he is the king of glory the lord of hosts he
is the king of glory he comes first of all he's the lord mighty
in battle when he came and bound satan in all that he did as the
savior of his people he bound satan he was the lord mighty
in battle and then it says again lift up your heads oh ye gates
and be ye lift up your everlasting doors for the king of glory shall
come in Who is the King of Glory? Ah, this time he's the Lord of
Hosts, because triumphantly he's leading that great tribe of his
children into glory. The children. Which children?
Those that the Father has given him. In Isaiah chapter 8 and
verse 18 we read what is quoted here. Behold I and the children
which God hath given me. This is the Lord Jesus Christ.
What did he say was his purpose in coming to earth? In John 6
he said that he should not lose any of all that the father had
given to him. The children which he's given
me. It's the children which the father gave to the son. Behold
I and the children which God has given me. He'd given him
a people before the beginning of time in the covenant of grace
and Christ in that covenant of grace covenanted to do all that
was necessary, that that people, though they be sinners, though
they be deserving of the judgment of God, he would do everything
to set the record straight, to satisfy the judgment of God,
that they might be brought to glory, and they might go in in
that glorious train, behold I and the children which God hath given
me. Those who give the impression that the return of Christ is
going to be in any way a time of regret over loss as believers
because you're not going to have such a big crown in glory. How
can that be? This is a picture of rejoicing. He is the King of glory. He's
the Lord of hosts. Behold I and the children which
God has given me who I'm now going to give a good spanking
to because of all their deficiencies. He doesn't say that. In that
day, no, it's glorious. He's going to say, welcome, come
in, inherit all that is prepared for you. No, he's the Lord of
hosts. He's the one who leads those
children that the Father gave to him into glory. We read in
Ephesians 1 verses 4 and 5, you know that well-known verse about
being chosen in him before the foundation of the world, chosen
in Christ. And then it says, predestinated to the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ. Predestinated to the adoption
of children. All in accordance with the good
pleasure of his will. His will. This is who they are,
sons, brethren, the church, children. Now look at verse 16. For verily
he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him
the seed of Abraham. Now you'll see this quite a bit
in italics. Him the nature of and him are words in italics
which the translators have put in to try and help the understanding,
but read the marginal, if you've got a marginal reference Bible,
read the margin for verily he taketh not hold of angels but
of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold it's the same idea, you
see the words in italics are not an unreasonable rendering
of the sense he taketh not hold of angels but of the seed of
Abraham he taketh hold, what's this talking about? It's talking
about those whom he came to save, those who are the many sons,
those who are the children, those who are the brethren, those which
is the church. It's the seed of Abraham. Now
note this, it doesn't say the seed of Adam. You know he's talked
about how much better than the angels Christ is, how the angels
are ministering spirits, but when it comes to salvation, There
were those that were created unto obedience, to obey God in
all things, and there were those who were left to their devices
and they fell. Satan's hordes. Those who were left to their
devices. There was no Savior for them. There was never any
Savior for them. There was never, because the
Savior, the Son of God, didn't take on Him the nature of angels,
He didn't come to save fallen angels, He came But, hold on,
shouldn't it say the seed of Adam that he came to save mankind? It doesn't say that, it says
the seed of Abraham. Why doesn't it say the seed of
Adam? Why does it say the seed of Abraham? It's because, again, it's particular
redemption. It's sovereign grace. He says
it's the seed of Abraham that he came to take the nature of,
that he might save, that he might bring those sons to glory, because
that was his eternal purpose. those who are the seed of Abraham
are those to whom he gives that same precious faith as Abraham
was given Abraham was an idolater in Ur of the Chaldees along with
all his family they were idolaters like all their neighbors were
but God spoke to Abraham and said get you out of this land
and go to a land that I'll show you and I'll make of you a great
nation this is what he was talking about the nation of faith the
descendants of faith look at Romans 4 Just look up some text
with me now, Romans 4 and verse 16. Therefore it is of faith that
it might be by grace to the end that the promise might be sure
to all the seed not to that only which is of the law, not to those
of the Jews but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham
who is the father of us all. See that? It's the faith of Abraham.
If you've got the same faith of Abraham, now look at chapter
9 and verses 6 to 8 chapter 9 of Romans verses 6 to 8 not as though
the word of God hath taken none effect for they are not all Israel
which are of Israel they're not all the seed of Abraham which
are Jews is how you might put that neither because they are
the seed of Abraham physically you might add in there are they
all children but in Isaac you see Abraham had Isaac and Ishmael
and others, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called that is, they
which are the children of the flesh by physical descent, these
are not the children of God that the children of the promise account.
What's the promise? The promise of faith. This is
the word of promise, at that time I will come and Sarah shall
have a son. It was the promise of faith.
It was the promise of faith in the one who would come to save
his people from their sins. Look at Galatians chapter 3 Galatians
chapter 3 and verse 7 where it's as explicit as it
can be. Know ye therefore that they which
are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And verses
13 to 16 of that same chapter, Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law being made a curse for us, for it's written, cursed
is everyone that hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham,
that's faith, might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.
That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. we'll leave it at that point,
that quotation and Philippians 3 Philippians 3 again makes it
absolutely clear Philippians 3 and verse 3 he's talking about
who are the true people of God who are the true descendants
of Abraham effectively although he doesn't use the name Abraham
but he says we are the circumcision We are the true Jews, if you
like. We are the true Jews. Which do
what? Worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh. Not physical lineage or descent. It's the seed of Abraham that
he came. to take the nature of that he
might bring many sons, many brethren, his church, many children, the
seed of Abraham to glory. In other words, it's the elect
of God, the elect of God, whom the Holy Spirit regenerates so
that they believe the gospel of grace and they trust the Lord
Jesus Christ with their eternal souls. You see, It can only be
this way. Effectual salvation, salvation
that works, salvation that accomplishes its purpose, can only ever have
a particular people as its object. You think about it. Just apply
some spirit-enlightened logic to it. It can only ever be a
particular people. Just like debt payment is only
ever effectual for a specific debt. You don't go and say, oh,
you know, wouldn't it be good if there was some huge great
benefactor with loads and loads of wherewithal that would say
all the enormous debts in all the banks of the world, which
are absolutely colossal, because this is a generation that has
lived way beyond its means, and now hasn't the wherewithal to
pay. They're just all taken care of. Sorry, it doesn't work like
that. doesn't work, look what they're
doing, they're printing money and it's causing problems like
confidence, you know, is this really worth anything? You know,
it just pulls the rug from underneath the system. No. Must be specific. Must be particular. If you want
a debt paying, you want your particular debt paying. And you
want to see the bill cancelled, debt cleared, paid in full. So
it is. This is who he came to save.
His people, his elect. Now then, let's look at what
he's come to save them from. The people's bondage, verses
14 and 15. For as much then as the children
that he's come to save, the sons, the brethren, are partakers of
flesh and blood, you and me, you cut me, I bleed, I cut you,
you bleed, flesh and blood, he also himself, our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, God the Son, took part of the same flesh
and blood. Why? that through death through
him dying he might destroy him that had the power of death that
is the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were
all their lifetime subject to bondage bondage bondage to the
fear and power of death and to him that has the power of death
that is the devil in the sovereign and the permissive will of God
through the devil at the fall death entered you know man was
created immortal but death entered through the fall spirit in the
day said God to Adam and Eve in the day that you eat of it
you shall surely die the soul that sins it shall die is the
judgment of God a spiritual death now of course Adam didn't die
physically, he lived another 900 years or so after that fall,
but nevertheless spiritually he died in terms of his relationship
and communion with God, a sinless relationship, for he had sinned,
he fell, and in him all that came from him, you and me, all
of us, died in him, for, says Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, as
in Adam, all die. As in Adam, because we're in
Adam, and because he fell, we have that same sinful nature,
which means that we all die that same spiritual death. And spiritual
death entered through the fall. And we were made enemies with
God. And he cursed creation. And it passed on to all of Adam's
race, you and me. And by death, Satan rules. He rules now by death. he rules
over us in the fact that he tempts us and we have no will to resist
his temptations and we're guilty of sin every day there isn't
a moment in this flesh that we're not guilty of sin for all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags and he rules and he accuses
the accuser of the brethren brings just accusations that say look
at this sin is this not worthy of death and yes it is worthy
of death and 1 Corinthians 15, 55, 56 say this, O death, where
is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin, you know the thing that gives it
its power to rule and dominate man is sin because we're all
guilty of sin and therefore death is the obvious conclusion and
the strength of sin is the law for we've all broken the law
so therefore as we read in that passage in Isaiah 49 earlier
on this morning effectively the strength of sin is the law it
was a lawful a lawful captivity a lawful captivity he is the
prince of the power of the air says Ephesians 2 verse 2 all
humanity is in thrall to the devil because we're slaves of
sin by nature the bondage of the will it is called it's not
our own you don't do what you want to do even as believers
living in the flesh you have this constant battle the bondage
of the will, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
the pride of life, says John in his epistle. All of these
things, they keep us bound, and none of us, by nature, in our
own ability, can rise above it in our human strength. And with
death, with death Satan terrifies us. Verse 15, through the fear
of death were all their lifetimes subject to bondage. he terrifies
us with the prospect of death you think about it you think
you read in the news of situations where you know somebody knows
in a moment that somebody is either going to shoot them or
behead them or take their life away from them in that moment
and you think gosh if I was in that situation What a terrifying
situation that would be. Somebody is going to separate
my soul from my body now. Somebody is going to kill my
body. In minutes, those who can talk to me and get a response,
or see that I'm asleep and breathing, are going to look and there's
going to be a dead corpse lying there, with which you cannot
speak. And you can stick a pin in it and you'll get no response.
You can shout at it and you'll get no response. You can try
to feed it and it won't want food. It just is dead. And you
think, that could be me in a moment. That could be me. dramatize these things in a sense
but nevertheless it is shocking when you think about it it is
absolutely true through fear of death the only way mankind
copes with it is to make jokes about it and comedy about it
and trivialize it in all sorts of ways no it's a terrifying
thing and mankind through all his lifetime is subject to bondage
to the fear of death mortality separation of body and soul it's
an ever-present fear of the unknown and in eternity satan is the
final executioner effectively because his accusations stick
and there's the second death which is that final judgment
that second death that condemnation to that dreadful lost eternity
indeed satan has the power of death and with it All humanity,
including the elect of God in their natural state, are held
in bondage. All humanity. That's the bondage.
It's a bondage to the law, to sin, to the absolute judgment
of God. Now, who will effect the release
of the people that we saw in the first part of this message,
the sons, the brethren? the children, the church, the
seed of Abraham. Who will effect it? How will
it be effected? The people's release then is
the third point. In 1st John chapter 3 and verse
8 we read this, for this purpose the Son of God was manifested
that he might destroy the works of the devil. Get that? For this
purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works
of the devil. Look at verse 9 we see Jesus
who was made a little lower or for a little while lower than
the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and
honor that he by the grace of God should taste death for every
son I'm going to say because that's really what it should
say if you read verse 10 God the Son tasted death. He could say, not should taste
death for every man, but should taste every death for those sons
he's going to bring to glory. Taste every type of death. Infinite
God contracted to a span to taste every death. for his people. Your death. My death. Your death.
To taste every death for his people. He tasted that death
for every one of his people. The death due to every one of
his people. He tasted it. He imbibed it.
He suffered it. He bore it. Verse 10. The Son of God, in bringing many
sons to glory, by whom are all things in bringing many sons
to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings. How did he do it? Through death
as the captain of his people's salvation to make his people
the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings means
this that he suffered all that the law could ever require for
all the sin of all his people that's what he did that's how
the captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering
by suffering all that the law could ever require verse fourteen
for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood
he also himself likewise took part of the same flesh and blood
that through death as a man he might destroy him that had the
power of death that is the devil he was a perfect man but nevertheless
truly man he took on him flesh and blood like those children
of which we've been reading He had a real human body and soul
like you and I have. You know, there's that soul which
does all of that thinking. I just cannot believe that this
is just the result of a load of chemicals bumping into each
other. I just cannot believe that. There's too much consciousness
there. There's too much of an enormous
gap between man and even the sentient animals. There's too
much of a gap. There's too much there. a real
human body and soul, and he took upon him that very same thing. He was made in the likeness of
man. He was made in the likeness of
sinful flesh. He, as a man, a real man, was
tempted in all points as we are, but without sin. He's a sympathetic
high priest. We read in verse 17 at the bottom
of it that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest. in
all things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the
sins of the people for in that he himself has suffered being
tempted he's able to succor them that are tempted, he's sympathetic
he's empathetic he's been in the same situation that we're
in no, he's a sympathetic, empathetic high priest and dying as a man
for men in that same flesh that he partook he destroyed Satan's
power by bearing away sin. By bearing that sin and suffering
the full penalty of the law for it, he completely disarmed Satan's
accusations. This is how he destroyed him
who had the power of death. Who shall bring any charge, says
Paul in Romans 8.33, to God's elect? Christ's died. The penalty's
paid. There's nothing more to pay,
every sin that ever was committed by his people has been paid for.
Who shall bring any charge? Nobody can. Satan can't, he's
disarmed. And then he delivers from the
fear of death, having sanctified and justified his people. What
do I mean? He's made his people holy because he is the Lord our
righteousness and he's imputed that righteousness to his people
and he imparts a righteous nature a desire for the things of God
to his people and then he's justified his people in that before the
law of God he's done all that's necessary for sinners to be declared
righteous he's a just God and a saviour he saved his people
from their sins but having done that where death entered by Satan
Christ has abolished death we read that in 1 Timothy 1 verse
10 Christ has abolished death He's brought in life and immortality
to light through the gospel by putting away sin. Where Satan
ruled by fear, the fear of death and the bondage of the will,
Christ has established a kingdom of grace and peace. He's brought
in love. We read in John's epistle, 1
John 4, 18, love, perfect love drives out fear. There's no more
fear of death in what Christ has done. He's established a
kingdom of grace and peace. Where Satan, terrified with death,
all their lifetime subject to bondage through the fear of death,
Christ's blood to his people, to his sons, to his children,
to his brethren, speaks peace and acceptance. Doesn't it? It speaks peace and acceptance
to the soul. He came to declare liberty to
the captives, Isaiah 61. The opening of the prison to
them that are bound. He talks of a welcome in eternity. He talks again and again about
abundant life. He came that they might have
life and have it more abundantly, not death. the dread of the unknown
is taken away and for the child of God on the basis of what Christ
has done in the flesh there's anticipation of glory where Satan
drags down to the second death Christ says come ye blessed of
my father inherit the kingdom that is prepared for you then
in verse 17 he's made like his brethren it behoved him it was
necessary to be made like his brethren to be made like the
children to be made like the many sons to be made like his
church to be made like them in all things that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to
make reconciliation for the sins of the people he's made like
his brethren in all things interceding mediating how do I know that?
There is one mediator between God and man, not the many that
religious folks will tell you, one mediator between God and
man, the man, Christ Jesus. The man who is God, the God-man,
Christ Jesus. He's a sympathetic, empathetic
high priest. We're going to read that later
on in Hebrews 4 verse 15. A sympathetic, he's touched with
a feeling of our infirmities. Why? Because he's been a man.
He knows what it is. He's taken on him flesh and blood.
What a glorious salvation he has wrought by coming for his
people, by conquering and binding that and him, the devil who would
drag us down to hell, and accomplishing his people's release by taking
on flesh and blood that he might be made like his brethren in
all things, that he might save us from our sins. If the Son
shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.