Hebrews chapter 2. This hour,
the subject I would like to look at is a simple subject. But like
everything in scripture, although it may be simple to be said or
simple to hear, it's impossible to understand the depth of it
without the Lord causing us to see it. We need grace to understand. We need grace to believe the
truth. That's our hope is that he would cause us to believe
the truth this hour. Hebrews 2 verse five through
nine is our text. Let's read that together. For
unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come,
whereof we speak? But one in a certain place testified,
saying, what is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the son
of man that thou visitest him? Thou hast made him a little lower
than the angels. Thou crown'st him with glory
and honor and did set him over the works of thy hands. Thou
hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he
put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put
under him. But now we see not yet all things
put under him. But 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. I've titled this message, What
is Man? What is Man? The questions posed
And this is a quote from Psalm chapter eight, and we'll turn
there later on, but this is a direct quote from Psalm chapter eight.
Now, Paul, uh, the writer of Hebrews, and some people say,
Paul, some people say, Peter, I'm not going to split hairs
over that. I'm just going to say the writer of Hebrews is saying it's written
in some place, a certain place. The reason that it's posed that
way is because the writer to the Hebrews knew that these are
sayings that the Hebrews would commonly say. They would have
known the scriptures. They would have known the Psalms. They would
have set it together being religious. And so he said, you know, the
writer in one place said this. So it would have been just something
already known about. But he says these words in verse six, what
is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that
thou visitest him. Now we certainly know and we'll
see that this is actually talking about the Lord Jesus Christ,
but for the sake of this message, I want to pause on just that
simple statement, that simple question, what is man? What is
man? If asked to describe mankind,
if I was to ask you to describe mankind at his best, describe
mankind at his best state, what would man be at his best state?
Maybe we would think of men of power. We would think of scholars.
We would think of athletes. We would think of, you name it,
men of old, men that's alive now. We would think these are
the best of the best of mankind. But what is man? Regardless of
age, regardless of knowledge, regardless of physical wisdom,
regardless of strength, regardless of character, regardless of height,
regardless of weight, what is man? What is man? No matter the size, the intelligence
or ability, man was created for one purpose, for one purpose,
the glory, of God, the glory of God. Colossians 1.16 tells
us, for by him, the Lord Jesus Christ, for by him 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. What is man? Man is the creature created by
the Lord and for the Lord, for His purpose man was created,
for His pleasure. Revelation 4.11 says, Thou art
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou
hast created all things and for Thy pleasure They are and were
created. What is man? Man is the created
creature for the Lord's purpose and for the Lord's pleasure.
Earthen vessels. Earthen vessels that will age,
that will decay, that will fall away, that will pass away. Earthen
vessels that will die. That's what man is. That's what
all men are. Turn with me to Genesis chapter
one, when the Lord created man. We'll see that. Genesis chapter one, verse 26.
And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the
cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own
image. In the image of God created he
him. Male and female created he them.
And God blessed them. And God said unto them, be fruitful
and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it. Have dominion
over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and
over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Look in
chapter two, verse seven. And the Lord God formed man of
the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life And man became a living soul. What is man? Man is but dust. Man was formed
out of the dust of the ground, earthen vessels. Earthen vessels
fitted for the master's purpose according to the determinant
counsel, according to his good pleasure, according to his will,
men and women are created. He gets all the glory. Isaiah
42, eight says, I am the Lord. That is my name. I am the Lord. That is my name and my glory. Will I not share? Will I not
give to another? I will not give it to another. Man cannot threaten God. Man
cannot challenge God. Man cannot do anything to make
God do something or prevent God from doing something because
man is but dust, but dust. Romans 9 tells us, hath not the
potter power over the clay to make one lump of honor and another
of dishonor? It's amazing the Lord chose to make a vessel,
an earthen vessel of honor according for his purpose, according to
his glory. If we're all but dust, we're
all but vessels according to his good pleasure and will, but
he chose in mercy to make some unto honor, to make some unto
his honor. Hath not the potter power over
the clay? It's a rhetorical question, isn't
it? How much power does the clay have? You ever seen a potter
on the wheel? Some of you maybe? You ever painted
something? It's the same concept, isn't
it? You can paint whatever you want
to paint, whatever color, you pick it. How much power does
the paintbrush have? How much power does the color
blue have over the color red? How much power does the clay
have over the potter? None. None. This is what man is. How much authority does the clay
have? How much will does the clay exercise against the potter? Clay is saying, you're gonna
make me like this. I'm gonna let you make me like this. I'm
gonna let, does the clay do that? No, that's what man is. So what
is man that the Lord would be mindful of him." What is man? We are but feeble creatures of
dust, born after our father Adam's nature. Once he fell, we fell
in him. Once he died, we died in him. The scripture says death passed
upon all for all have sinned and come short of the glory of
God. We're born in sin. We're shaping an iniquity. Not
only are we just but dust, but we're sinful dust. Sinful dust. We're cursed, sin-cursed
creatures. Cursed dust. Why in the world
would the Lord choose to save you and I. Well, it can't be
because we're sinful dust. That wouldn't merit our salvation,
would it? It's according to his good pleasure.
It's according to his will, and it's according to this one precious
word that we hold to, grace. Grace. Look what he tells Adam whenever
he curses, tells him what the curse is for his disobedience.
Look in chapter three, or in Genesis, chapter three, verse
19, he tells him, in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread
till thou return into the ground, for out of it was thou taken,
for thus thou art, unto dust shalt thou return. We're just
sin-cursed dirt heading back towards the dust. Heading back
towards the dirt, aren't we? That's what we are by nature.
What's man at his best state? Vanity. What's man at his best
state? Dust. That's it. That's it. Psalm 39, five says, behold,
thou hast made my days as an hand breath, and mine age is
as nothing before thee. How long is a hand's breath compared
to eternity? Not very long, is it? Man at his best states altogether
vanity. That word vanity means a vapor.
James 4.14 tells us, whereas you know not what shall be on
the morrow, for what is your life? We're asking the question,
what is man? Well, what is a man's life? What
is your life? It is a vapor. that appeareth
for a little time, then vanisheth away. You ever seen a pot of
boiling water with the vapor that's coming off of it? How
fast does that disappear as it gets higher and higher? It's
quick, isn't it? That's our life. That's our life. Unless God intervenes,
we will die, and our sinful state is nothing but sinful dust, but
we have hope. We have hope in two words, but
God. But it's the interjection of
the gospel. We see what we are now. We see that we're nothing
but dust. We see that no good in me, in my flesh is no good
thing, and none seek after God. We know these things to be true.
So what is our hope? But God, who is rich in mercy. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us. I go back to our
text, Hebrews chapter two. It's the same message we've heard
in the past, message of accept Jesus or accept Jesus. You accept
Him with an A or you accept Him with an E. That's the best way
I can put it. It's the E, accept the Lord Jesus
Christ. Accept the Lord leaves a remnant,
but God who is rich in mercy. It's not us, not unto us, but
unto Him. Let's read this again here. Hebrews chapter two, verse
six, but one, In a certain place testified saying, what is man
that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man that thou
visitest him? When compared to God, what is
man? When compared to God, what is
man? When compared to eternity, what is man? The only hope that
we have is found in two words of this text. Those two words
are found in verse six. The words mindful and visitist. Mindful and visitist. That he
would be mindful unto us. That he would think unto us. He said in a place, for I know
my thoughts. The thoughts that I have towards
you. Jeremiah 29, 11. I know my thoughts that I have
towards you. He thinks upon his people. He
thinks upon not in wrath. He doesn't visit them in wrath.
The other word here is visit, but he visits in mercy. He visits
in mercy. How can God visit us in mercy,
seeing that we are but dust, seeing that we are but sinful
vanity? He says, I know my thoughts,
what I think towards you, saith the Lord. Thoughts of peace and
not evil. Thoughts of peace and not evil
that to give you an expected end. How can the vilest of sinner,
how can the vilest of sinner, of sinners have peace with God?
Look in verse 14. For as much 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
hath the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to
bondage, For verily he took not on him the nature of angels,
but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things
it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might
be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in
that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to
succor them that are tempted. How can the vilest of sinner
have peace with God? God had to become the dust that
we are, the dust that we are. He's not mindful because of us. He's mindful of one, his darling
son. He's the one that merited salvation. He's the one that the father
said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Not because of our doing, but
because of his, is he mindful? He's mindful of us because of
Christ, not mindful of us because of us. He's mindful of his people
because of Christ. He thinks peace upon us because
of the finished work of Christ. He visits his people in mercy
because of the finished work of Christ, not because that we're
dust. What good would that do? No, it's because of the Lord
Jesus Christ becoming dust. Galatians 4.4 says, but when
the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son made of
a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the
law that we might receive the adoption of sons. This is why
the world was created to redeem the Lord's people back to him. We can't fathom the condescension
of the Lord I need to preface even saying
he became dust. I don't, I say that reverently.
I say that fearfully, but that's what we are. That's what man
is. That's what he had to become in order to redeem us. How much
do you like dust? Think about that. I mean, we
spend our whole life trying to clean it up, don't we? We try
to wipe off shelves and yet he condescended to that level in
order to redeem a bunch of sinners. No, it certainly can't be that
he's mindful of me because of me. It has to be another. This
is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is man that thou
art mindful of him? Lord's not mindful of you and
I outside of Christ. But oh, he thinks peace upon
us. He thinks good things. He said you being evil know how
to give good gifts unto your children. How much more your
heavenly father. Lord will give good gift. What's the good gift? What is
it we cry out for? What is it we need the most?
Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner. I am but dust. I need a substitute. I need a substitute. I need the
Lord Jesus Christ. What is man? Man's dust. But in Christ, in Christ Jesus,
his people are made the very sons and daughters of God. First
John chapter three says, behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of
God. Brethren, now are we the sons
of God. Because Christ Jesus was made lower than the angels,
made sin for his people, he's given his people the same glory
he has, the same honor that he has. That's what he said in John
17. He glorified his people. no longer
sees a bunch of sinful dust, no longer sees a dead dog sinner,
no longer sees a wretched vile creature. He sees the very righteousness
of Jesus Christ, the son of God, the same righteousness, the very
holiness that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what he
sees when he sees his people. That's what the blood of Christ
accomplished on the cross of Calvary. He was the only one
that could touch the creator and not be destroyed and touch
the creature. and not be defiled. Our dust
didn't make him dirty, you understand that? We didn't pollute the sacrifice,
the perfect sacrifice. No, he put away those sin, all
that sin, purified his people by the sacrifice of himself,
the offering of his person, shedding his blood, washing them all away.
made us one with God, reconciled his people back to God, broken
down the middle wall of partition that was between us. We couldn't
get to God. Our sin had separated us. He
put away the sin. There's now no condemnation of
them which are in Christ Jesus. There's no middle wall of partition
anymore. The veil in the temple, written twain from top to bottom.
We see that we can enter boldly now to the throne of grace. Knowing
that we're but dust approaching that great throne, knowing that
we're but creatures approaching that great throne, crying out
for mercy. And it's not just that we're being invited, we're
being commanded, come. Whosoever will, let him come.
Take of the water of life freely. He by himself purged our sin,
every single sin of every single elect child of God. I've been
purged. He no longer views us as dust,
but he sees his darling son when he sees us. That's what Christ
accomplished. And I told us we were gonna turn
to Psalm chapter eight. Let's go there now. This is what
is also being described in Psalm eight, other than it being a
quote from this in Hebrews chapter two. Psalm chapter eight, let's read
verse one and two. Oh Lord, our Lord. I love that. Oh Lord, capital
L-O-R-D, that's Jehovah. Our Lord, that's the Lord Jesus
Christ. Oh Jehovah, our Lord Jesus Christ, how excellent is
thy name in all the earth, who has set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies,
that thou mightest steal the enemy and the avenger." Who is
the enemy? Who is the enemy? Well, Satan's
the enemy. The world's the enemy. Our flesh
is the enemy. Our flesh is the enemy. Who's
the avenger? That's the law, isn't it? That's
the law of the Lord demanding death because of what we are,
demanding death because we can't do one thing to fix our sin.
And yet what does he say here? That thou mightest steal the
enemy and the avenger because of the sacrifice of himself.
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, conquered Satan, conquered
the world, conquered flesh, conquered death, hell, and the grave, satisfied
the law's demands for his people, broke the curse of sin, and removed
the strength of the law. Now his people have been made
one with him. Let's read the rest of this, verse three through
nine. When I consider thy heavens, Oftentimes we look at heaven,
we look up in the sky, we look at the stars, we just see them
as stars, we just see them as heavens. But what's said here,
and it made me think of this, it's his stars, it's his heaven,
it's his earth. If I could enter into that more
and more, I mean, there's so much rest in that. It's his air
that I'm breathing right now. It's all about him. And he says,
when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the
moon and the stars which thou hast ordained? What is man that
thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest
him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned
him with glory and honor. Thou hast made him to have dominion
over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under
his feet, all sheep and oxen, yea, the beasts of the field,
the fowl of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth
through the paths of the seas. Oh Lord, our Lord, how excellent
is thy name in all of the earth. What is man? What is man? When we see all of creation,
when we see our form, when we see our sinful state, what is
man? It's not that he sees us, that
he's mindful of us for, it's that he sees his darling son.
It's not that he visits us in mercy because of what we do and
because of what we don't do. It's not that we are getting
better. And so he visits us in mercy. He visits us in mercy because
we've been made the very righteousness of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the only way that we can
be visited in mercy. Our text said, but we see Jesus,
who was made a little lower than the angels. That's who we see.
We don't look at man anymore, do we? We don't examine self
anymore, do we? I'm not looking to see if I'm
getting better. I'm not looking to see if my works are good works,
where God would be pleased with me. Looking to the works of Christ,
begging that he would cause me to do that which is good in his
sight. We're not making excuses to,
well, whatever's gonna happen's gonna happen. No, we approach
him in love and say, Lord, I want to serve you. I desire that,
but in me that's in my flesh, well, it's no good thing. The
things which I would do, I cannot, but that which I would never
do, that's what I find myself doing every single moment of
every single day. Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner. He's the only way we can be visited
in mercy. Now in closing, turn with me
to Philippians, Philippians chapter two. In order for us to be visited
in mercy, in order for the Lord to thank peace, On us, when he
thinks of us, we must be found in Christ. We must be given the
confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. Now there's a difference.
There's a difference in believing in whom, in believing in the
Lord Jesus Christ and believing whom the Lord Jesus Christ is
and actually confessing. actually confessing the Lord
Jesus Christ as all your hope of eternal life. You remember
whenever the maniac of Gadara ran up to the Lord, and they
begin to ask, are you here to torment us before the time? What
would you have for us? What would you have for us to
do, Jesus, son of David, Jesus of Nazareth? Demons knew exactly
who he was. We can know who he is. and not
know him in spirit and in truth. We can have a knowledge in our
head of understanding. I know I'm dust. I know I'm a
sinner and I know I need a savior. But there's a difference in knowing
and crying out. He has to give the ability to
cry out. Lord, give me that ability. Cause
me to cry out. Don't allow me to be presumptuous.
Cause me to cry out. There's a difference in believing
in him, a difference in believing who he is and confessing him
as all your righteousness before God. There's a difference in
knowing that he died on the cross and actually pleading for the
blood that was shed on the cross as your hope. There's a difference
in confessing that he is Jesus and being made to confess that
he is the Lord Jesus Christ, the successful savior of his
people. Philippians 2 verse 5 through 11. Let this mind be in you,
which is also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself
of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and
was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath also, God
also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the
earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord to the glory of God the Father. What is man? What is man that God would choose
to slay his own son to redeem us back to him? When I examine myself, when I
examine myself, I cannot see how God the just could ever save
me. But when I see the Lord Jesus
Christ and what was accomplished on the cross of Calvary, If He
chose to save me, I don't see what could have stopped Him,
nothing. I don't see how He could have failed. If He shed His precious
blood for me, what was accomplished on the cross? When I examine
myself, I can't see how He could save me. When I see the Lord
Jesus Christ, I don't see how He could not, how He could not
if I'm in Him. Oh, for the grace, the grace
we need to confess Jesus Christ as Lord right now, because we're
but dust. We're but dust. And when I see
the dust that I am. Doesn't give me any hope. But
when I see the sacrifice made by the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's
Hill, I have hope. Because he said he came to save
his people. From their sin. That's our hope,
isn't it? Let's pray. Father calls us to
confess that you are Lord now in our heart through faith. Let
us not presume that we've done that before. This confession
is ongoing. Make us confess always, in Christ's
name, amen. Let's take a break.