Hebrews 2. I'd like to look at one verse
of Scripture tonight, verse 16. Hebrews 2.16 says this, For verily, he took not on himself the nature
of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. I was looking at that verse of
Scripture and I just, the words that are italicized, you know
this, they're added to help with the understanding. But, you know,
I want you to just listen. Let's read them without those
words that were added. For verily he took not on angels. but he took on the seed of Abraham. I would like to speak tonight on
the subject of those that Christ took hold of. You know that in the everlasting
covenant counsel of Almighty God, there has always been an elect. God has always had a people.
You know that. A people loved, chosen, set apart,
sanctified. He set them apart for holy use. Sanctified. Those elect were born into this
world, flesh and blood, frail creatures subject to death. Therefore, the Scripture says,
since the children, verse 14, are partakers of flesh and blood,
He also likewise took part of the same, that through death
He might destroy them 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. Death has a sting to it. But
you know, for a believer, that sting, it's there. I know it's there. But I'm telling
you the grace of God that teaches His people, I'll never leave
you. And I'm telling you, in the hour
of our death, He promised, I'll never leave you. He Himself, flesh and blood, He was pleased to save His people. Now, tonight I want to deal for
a few minutes with this scripture right here. He took not on Him
the nature of angels. But He took on him the seed of
Abraham. And I want to deal with somewhat
of those that He didn't take on in redemption, and then those
that He did. And I want to say a few things
concerning those that He didn't take their nature. And I want
to deal with it in light of what Scripture deals with so that
we might learn, that we might know. I remember Brother Don
Fortner told me something one time that I've always remembered
about this. He said, don't ever be ashamed
to deal with something that the Scriptures deals with. I thought
that's good advice, whatever it is. Don't ever be ashamed
to deal with what Scripture deals with. Whatever we deal with,
though, we want to make sure that we deal with it in light
of the glory of God in Christ. You separate the glory of the
Lord Jesus Christ from whatever you're dealing with, and you've
missed the gospel. The gospel is concerning Jesus
Christ. That's what the Scripture says.
God's Son. That's the good news. And deal
with anything you want to deal with, and you deal with it not
in light of Christ. And you miss the Gospel. The Spirit of God doesn't bless
that which doesn't honor the Son. of angels, but He took on Him
the seed of Abraham." Now, considering those that He did not take on
their nature, the angels, I want us to just look for a
few minutes at what the Scripture has to say concerning angels. I know this. I know that not all angels fell
in rebellion. Those that the Lord Jesus Christ
did not take their nature, not all of them fell. Some of them
did fall. Jude says this, Jude verse 6,
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left
their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains
under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." Angels. Now, concerning these
angels, they are of the same family as
man in that they were created. Colossians chapter 1. I'm going
to have you turn to a few scriptures tonight, so I want you to get
your Bibles ready. Turn to Colossians. Colossians chapter 1, verse 16. For by Him, Colossians 1, 16,
were all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him
and for Him. All things, heaven and earth,
created. So in the sense of angels that
He did not take on their nature and the seed of Abraham that
He did, they are in the same family in the sense of being
Created. Ephesians 3, 14, 15 says, For
this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. Creatures. Created. You remember when John, in Revelation
22, 9, John was being taught some things by an angel. He was
an angel. And I know that it was a created
angel because of what happened whenever John was going to bow
down and worship Him. And the angel said, See thou
do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren,
the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book.
Worship God. No, no, no, no. Don't worship
me. Don't. No. I am not the object of worship. Any person, any intelligent,
wise, unfallen angel that has any spiritual sense at all, and
he did, he knows this. No, I'm not deserving of any
of your worship. No, no, no. I'm a fellow servant
just like you are. That's all I am, an angel. I'm a fellow servant of you and
the prophets. But the great difference between
the elect angels and the elect of humanity, the great difference,
they're the same in creation, but there's one great difference
between the created angels and the creatures of humanity, us. chosen in the Lord Jesus Christ. Angels are servants. We're servants. That's what Paul says. Paul,
a servant of God. A servant of Jesus Christ. A
servant. Do you love that title? That's
a blessed title. Who are you? I'm a servant of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is called to be an apostle,
a servant. Marvin Stoniker, a servant of
Jesus Christ, called to pastor at Katie Baptist Church. Who
are you? I'm a servant. That's what we
know that we are. Servants. We're servants. They're servants right now. that
they'll always be servants. But for the elect, objects of
God's mercy and redemption and in regeneration, humanity, those
that are chosen out of every kindred and nation and tribe
and tongue, here's the great difference. 1 John 3, 2, Beloved,
now are we the sons of God. And it doth not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we shall
be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." The ministering
spirits, the angels, they are ministers sent to minister
to all who shall be heirs of eternal salvation. Ministers. They minister to us. Now, the glorious calling of
these angels that the Lord Jesus Christ did not take on their
nature. He's not married to them. They're not part of His... They're
not His bride. They're not His elect. They're
not His chosen in the sense of God's people of humanity, the
seed of Abraham. But they are obedient. And in
their obedience, just as they are ministering spirits sent
to minister to all of God's elect who shall be heirs of salvation,
I want you to consider their ministry concerning the Lord
Jesus Christ when He came into this world Now, we'll delve into
some things that are so wonderfully mysterious that we bow to them. We know they're so. We don't
question. Let God be true. Let every man
a liar. You got a question about some
Scripture? Well, just admit this. God's
true. Whatever I don't understand,
whatever I can't Grasp the depth of. Let God be true. And every man is a liar. Whenever the Lord Jesus Christ
was incarnate, incarnated, the Spirit of God took and moved
upon this virgin. And he told her, he said, that
which is this holy thing, as I've said before, who would ever
use that terminology save the Spirit of God uses it. And it's
right to quote what the Spirit of God quotes. It's right to
say it the way the Spirit of God says it. However Almighty
God says it, that's the way you say it. He came to a virgin and he told
her, he said, that this holy thing should be called the Son
of God. Here she was. She never knew
a man conceived by God Himself. And she bore the Lamb of God according to
the Scriptures, according to the prophecy. a virgin self-conceived. And nine months later, he was
born just like you and I were born. He was made flesh and blood. A perfect representative. He had a divine nature. He's God. And a human nature. I want to deal with it in a minute
as he speaks and how here he was as our perfect representative. This was the God-man mediator. This is the Lord Jesus Christ.
God and man. Perfect. Perfect man. Deity Himself. Turn with me to
Luke 2. Here is the Lord Jesus Christ.
And these ministering spirits, while they spoke to the shepherds
in that vicinity, Luke 2, verse 8, there were in the same
country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over
their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about
them. And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them,
Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. that shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto
you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God, saying, Glory to God in
the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men." Note the
burden of those angels' message. those that the Lord did not take,
their nature, servants of the Most High God. This was the burden
of their message. Glory to God in the highest.
And on earth, peace and goodwill toward men. God the Father glorified
the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ with messengers. or with the Lord Jesus Christ
in His temptation in the wilderness. Turn to Matthew 4.11. Matthew
4.11. Forty days He fasted. Now, you know that. That's a
matter of record. He fasted. Forty days. Tempted
of the devil. Hadn't eaten in forty days. The Scripture says, Matthew 4,
verse 11, after his temptation, it says, verse 11, Then the devil
leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. I looked that word up. You know
what it means? A waiter. A waiter. He had not eaten in 40 days. Turn to Matthew 6. Matthew 6,
verse 30. They came to the Lord Jesus Christ. The word is they ministered.
Same word for a waiter that would wait on you if you would sit
down to eat. and supply you with something
to eat." That's the Word. They ministered to Him. Now listen,
here is our representative believing God, believing his Father. Perfect
man. The man, the Son of Man. Son
of God. Forty days he believed his Father. As our representative, he waited
on God. By faith, 40 days he didn't eat. Tempted of
the devil. Satan knew he was hungry. I want you to turn these stones
to bread. Hungry. Tempted to not believe God. How many times are you and I
tempted to not believe God? Listen to Matthew 6, verse 30. Wherefore, if God so clothed
the grass of the field which today is, tomorrow is cast into
the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying,
What shall we eat, or what shall we drink? Or wherewithal shall
we be clothed? For after all these things do
the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth
that you have need of all these things, but seek ye first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be
added unto you." The Father supplied His needs.
These angels ministered unto Him. They ministered to Him just
like their ministering spirits sent forth to minister. You say, well, he was the Lord
Jesus Christ. That's exactly right. Our representative. And I'm telling you, just as
they ministered to him, they ministered to God's people. In his agony in the garden. Turn with me to Luke 22. When
he was in the garden Here the Holy Spirit
opens to our understanding and eyes the humanity of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Here is our representative. Now
you, here again, now rest assured we're dealing with some things
that are the secret things of God that
are secret to God or gods. But there are some things that
are revealed. But even in the revelation of what we know, oh,
the depth. Listen to the words of our Lord as He, as our representative. You and I know very little about
suffering. I don't know a whole lot about
it. Oh, we say we do. You know, you
say, well, you've been through some stuff. Not according to Him. Not according
to His sufferings. Oh, the mercy of God that has
kept me and you. But listen to our representative. And here is the man, Christ Jesus. Luke 22, verse 41, And he was withdrawn from them
about a stone's cast, and he kneeled down and prayed, saying,
Father, if Thou be willing, remove this
cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but
Thine, be done. If you look at the If your Bible
has a margin, mine has the Greek. It says, if you be willing to
remove. You say, surely the Lord Jesus
Christ? Let me ask you this. Have you
ever found yourself praying, Lord, if it be your will, would
you remove this from me? But a believer, will always pray,
nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." You see, I can't seem to grasp
hold of the depth of His prayer right here. We'll then bow to
it. And here is the Lord Jesus Christ
bowing to the will of His Father. The Scripture says, And there
appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly,
and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling
down to the ground. Here he was praying unto the
Father. Here is our representative. Here
is the submissiveness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, if
Thou be willing, remove this cup from me nevertheless. Here he is bearing the guilt,
sins, frailties of his people. bearing in His body the frailty
and weaknesses, a man acquainted with grief, a man of sorrows. And here He is in the garden
about to suffer the absolute forsaking of His
Father. My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? You know the words that he said. Father, if it be your will, would
you remove this cup from me? Nevertheless, I bow. I bow. Oh, the submissiveness
of our representative. There's the issue right there.
But I want you to look at the mercy of God. He who said, I'll
never leave you. I'll never forsake you. I'll
never forsake you. He sent an angel. He sent an
angel to the Lord Jesus Christ. It says, there appeared an angel
unto Him from heaven. Strengthening Him. Listen to this Scripture. Let
me read this to you. Matthew 11, 28. Come unto Me,
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Rest. Here He was. He was praying to His Father. If thou be willing, remove this
cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but
thine, be done." In the moment of His need, in the moment of
His need, in the moment of His need, the
Father sent an angel. There appeared an angel unto
Him from heaven, strengthening Him. Let me read something to you.
Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest." I looked the word rest up. Listen
to the definition. To cause or permit one to cease
from any movement or labor in order to recover and collect
his strength. In the moment of His need, our
representative, Father, if You be willing, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless,
not my will, but Thine. And the Father that knew His
Son, covenant God, the Word made flesh, As he poured his heart
out before his Father and asked Him, Lord, if You be willing.
Father, if You be willing. And the Father sent an angel
and strengthened him for his need that he needed. And look
at the next verse. And being in agony, he prayed
more earnestly. Can you imagine? I can't. What
was happening right here? The Father that knew His need
in that moment, how many times has the Father sent the ministering
spirits to strengthen us? That's how He's chosen to do
it. That's how He strengthened the Lord Jesus Christ. Can you
imagine? One that He created sent to strengthen Him, to cause
Him to recover and collect His strength. Being in an agony,
He prayed more earnestly and His sweat was as it were great
drops of blood falling down. The Father knew what He was going
through. There was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Bearing the weight of our guilt, the Father strengthened Him.
At His resurrection, the Father magnified the Lord Jesus. Turn
with me to Matthew 28. Magnified the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you noticed we're talking
about the nature that the Lord did not take upon Himself, but
look at the submissiveness of those that He kept, the elect
angels. Look at their bowing to Him.
But who gets all the glory in this? The Lord Jesus. At His resurrection, Matthew
28, verse 1, In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn
toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary to see the sepulcher. And behold, there was a great
earthquake. For the angel of the Lord descended
from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door
and sat upon it. And his countenance was like lightning, and his raiment
white as snow. And for fear of him, the keepers
did shake and became as dead men." I thought to myself, they
pass out from fear? This was at the angel. How about
the Lord of the angel in judgment? Oh, how little men consider Him
now. And the angel answered and said
unto the women, Fear not, ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus
which was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen,
as He said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly
and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead. And behold,
He goeth before you into Galilee. There shall you see Him. I've
told you. The greatest announcement of
hope for a sinner that was ever made was made in a graveyard. He's risen from the dead. He's
not here. The resurrection is the glorious
assurance of our hope. was raised from the dead. He
came out of that grave, the same body that He went in. Glorified? What does that mean? I don't know. I don't know. Scripture is silent on some things. But I do know this, as He went
into the grave and came out risen, He is the firstfruits of all
those that are sanctified, set apart. As He came out, that's the promise
that we're coming out to, Pat. As I said before, this flesh is sown in corruption, raised
in incorruption. It will be a resurrection, not
a new creation. A resurrection. Resurrection
means that whatever went in comes out. Men say, how can that be? If
it all goes back to the dust, God says He will. That just settles
it right there. We don't have to debate it, Mike.
You believe that? Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Resurrection. First Corinthians. 15, speaking of the resurrection. I was talking about the greatest
announcement of hope for a sinner, the resurrection. Yes, 1 Corinthians
15, starting in verse 12, if Christ be preached. Now, if Christ
be preached, the reason He's preached is because it's in the
Scriptures. If Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how
say some among you that there's no resurrection of the dead?
If the Scripture says that there is, how can you say there's not? But if there be no resurrection
of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ be not risen,
then our preaching vain and your faith is vain also. Also vain. Yea, and we have found false
witnesses of God because we've testified of God that He raised
up Christ whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise
not. Or if the dead rise not, then
is not Christ raised? And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain, yet in your sins. And they also which are
fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have
hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is
Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them
that slept. Is there a resurrection? Yes,
there is a resurrection. And the angels God sent to glorify
His resurrection. These ministering spirits sent
to announce the resurrection of the Lord. Angels said, I know
who you're seeking. He's not here. He's risen. Look where they laid Him. He's
not here. The angel told John on the Isle
of Patmos, he said, don't bow. I'm your fellow servant. I want
you to read a verse of Scripture in Mark 16. Isn't that just tender? You know, so often we talk about
angels and here's the Lord. The Scriptures deal with them.
I'm just trying to set forth a few Scriptures concerning how
they glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, which is all we strive to do. We must glorify our Lord as these
angels did. We talk of angels and somehow
we just kind of speak of them. These are ministering spirits,
but they're not really close. I mean, how close are they? How close are they to us? Look at Mark 16, verse 5. Here's
Mark's account of the resurrection and the angel when he spoke.
Mark 16, verse 5, and entering into the sepulcher, they saw
a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white
garment, and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not
affrighted. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which
was crucified. He is risen. He's not here. Behold the place where they laid
Him. Now listen to what He tells them and ask yourself how familiar
are these ministering spirits with God's people. But go your
way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into
Galilee. There shall you see Him as He
said unto you. Here was a ministering spirit,
an angel sent from God. I'm sure at this time, Peter
had spent three long nights thinking about it. He wept bitterly.
He had betrayed the Lord. He swore that he didn't know
Him. Cursed. I don't know Him. Oh, your speech
betrays you. Cursed with an oath. I don't
know the man. The cock crowed for the second
time. And he remembered the words of
the Lord. How much sleep do you think he got? He went out and wept bitterly.
bitterly. And these ladies came to the
sepulcher. And the angel said, Go your way
and tell his disciples and tell Peter that he goeth before you into
Galilee. Can you imagine the first time how the Lord... Remember when Peter saw Him for
the first time? He was fishing. The Lord was on the seashore
there. And Peter saw Him. And one of
them said, it's the Lord. And Peter dove in the water.
And the Lord asked him. He said, Peter, lovest thou Me
more than these? I said, Lord, You know all things. You know that I love You. Oh,
the tenderness of Him that knows us, loves us. It is the ascension
You remember those angels that were standing there, two men.
You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing into the heavens?
This same Jesus that you see ascending shall in like manner
return. At His return, His second return,
the Scripture says, for the Son of Man shall come in the glory
of His Father with His angels, and He shall reward every man
according to his works. Angels. ministering spirits,
those that didn't fall, submissive, vowing. Some did. Some fell. But He didn't redeem
them. But here with all the Scriptures
revealed concerning these angels, here is the wonder of God's mercy. But He took on Him the seed of
Abraham. As I've said before, not the
seed of Adam, the seed of Abraham. The seed according to promise.
I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I am the merciful God according
to my will and my purpose and my choice and my counsel. The God of Abraham. Here is the
distinguishing grace of God, election. Divinely merciful,
compassionate to whomsoever He will. God's people, humanity, those
made a little lower than the angels. We are susceptible to
death, to disease, frailty. This body is God. Not the angels,
but He took not on Him the nature of angels. Why? Because He chose not to. He took
not on Him the nature of angels. Some of them fell. All of us
fell. Some of them fell. None of them
were redeemed. All of us fell and some of us
were redeemed. And He did that according to
His own will and purpose. The elect of God and Christ are
in union with Him. We are His body, His bride. And the Spirit of God teaches
us concerning the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father
will send in My name. He shall teach you all things
all things He remembers whatsoever I've told you, He was compassionate
upon the fallen nature of humanity. For God so loved the order of
man. God loved the world. He loved
the order, the arrangement. He loved humanity. And it was humanity that He took
the nature of flesh and blood. Not the nature of angels. Humanity. And these angels that hear the
glorious gospel of free grace, these angels that never fail,
the elect angels that have always seen Him and beheld Him. I've said before, they learn.
concerning redemption. And they watched Him. They watched
Him come into this world. They were sent by the Father
to announce His birth. They did it. They did it. They
did it. His resurrection. Sent by the Father to minister
to Him. Sent by the Father to strengthen Him. They did it.
They did it. At His bidding. They're ministering
spirits. But concerning redemption. Election. Concerning regeneration by the
Spirit of God. Turn to Ephesians 3. They learn
just like we learn. You know, when Paul says, I'm
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, the gospel of God, it's
the power of God and salvation. I'm not ashamed of it. That's
how anyone, Mike, men or angels, that's how they learn. Paul said,
I'm not ashamed of that. That's the message. That's the
message that we preach. How do angels, just like the
elect learn spiritually what God's purpose by the hearing
of the gospel, this is how angels know too. God did not set them
down. I'll read you this in Scripture. I'll show you. He didn't set
them down and tell them everything. They learn just like we learn.
Ephesians 3.8 unto me. who am less than the least of
all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the
Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men
see what is the fellowship of the mystery which is from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things
by Jesus Christ, to the intent that now, under the principalities
and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church,
The manifold wisdom of God. How do they learn? They hear
preachers. They hear preachers. The prophets have inquired and
searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come
unto you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of
Christ, which was in them, did signify when it testified beforehand
the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow
unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto
us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you
by them. that have preached the gospel
unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which
things the angels desire to look into." The one that they beheld came into this world. They watched
Him. Made of a woman. Made under the
law. A man. He took flesh and blood. made a little lower than themselves.
Can you imagine? They watched Him. They heard
Him preached. They learned. They desired to
look into these things. Watched Him. They knew who He
was. Oh, the demons knew who He was. Angels. Watched Him spit on. Can you imagine? Had his beard plucked out and
whipped him. Can you imagine that? Do you know who that is? Here he was praying in the garden
to his father. The father sent that angel. Right there. Here he was, hadn't
eaten in 40 days. Right there. Ministering spirits. Learn by the Gospel. Now, here
we in regenerating power and grace hear the truth. And we
rejoice in what God Almighty is pleased to do in mercy toward
us. But I tell you this, we're not
the only ones rejoicing. Luke 15, 10 says, Likewise, I
say unto you, there's joy in the presence of the angels of
God over one sinner that repents. They rejoice in what God Almighty
has been pleased to do in the redemption of His church. Oh, consider you that's been
given eyes to see and ears to hear the wonder of God's grace. The highest dignity and honor
has been given unto all that He's everlastingly loved. The Son of God has betrothed
Himself to the sons of men. Made Himself just like them,
yet without sin. And right now, there He is. We've said before, in closing,
there He is sitting on the throne of God. A man. He who took not on Him the nature
of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. And there
is the Son of Man, our High Priest. One who is able
to touch both God and men. The one in whom the Father is
well pleased. and the one in whom the saints are indescribably thankful. He took not on Him. He was set
up, we looked at last week in Proverbs, He was set up from
everlasting. Everlastingly the Father's delight,
and He says in His delights, were with the sons of men. Oh, blessed be the name of Him
who has shown mercy to His people. Job says with these eyes, I'm
going to see Him. Life is but a vapor. Oh, but
He who will never leave nor forsake us has been pleased to teach
us of Himself. May God be the glory for the
Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen. Gary.