Assurance of Faith and the Founder of Salvation

Verse 10. Hebrews 2 at verse 10.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by all things exist,

! bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

! And so on down through the following verses.

Experts in education will remind us that if we get the order wrong as far as skill and knowledge is concerned,

then that we reap what we sow and we end up with those who are badly informed and who are not equipped to work or to serve.

In other words, they will tell us that we must lay the emphasis on knowledge before we lay emphasis on skill,

because knowledge is the basis for skill.

And it seems as we read this letter that the writer understood that well,

because here was a people struggling with their faith,

struggling with the assurance of faith,

and struggling with the opposition that they faced in the world.

And the writer well understood that the way to address that was to increase their knowledge of the Lord Jesus as their saviour,

and having done so, to apply that to them and to give them a better understanding of how that not only changes their lives,

but sets their lives in motion.

And we want to think about that as we look at these verses together this evening.

The importance and the centrality of Jesus in our lives.

And of course, we are Christians who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and who do follow him.

But we do want to think of what that means in the light of what Jesus has done.

And as we do read through these verses, it seems there is a clear sense of the background of two things.

First of all, there is the sense of the world to come in verse five.

It's important that we have that perspective, that there is a better world to come.

And along that, as we shall see, there is underlying these verses also the mission of God.

And the Bible, of course, is about the mission of God.

And from these verses this evening, we want to think of the assurance of faith and the founder of salvation,

which we have in verse number 10.

I want to see, first of all, the mission of God and redemption.

And when we read through these words in verse number five, six, down to verse number eight,

and we come into the second half of verse number eight,

the writer speaks about subjection.

And that subjection is in the context of the verses that he quotes from Psalm number eight.

And subjection is about subordination.

It's about willingness to be under control of.

And particularly in this Psalm, it speaks of the way in which God created man in his own image

and after his own likeness in order to have dominion over everything in the world,

to subdue creation and have dominion over everything that moves.

And when we read back into Genesis chapter one,

that's where we see the mission of God set out for Adam at the point of his creation.

And we can summarize the mission of God given to Adam in two different ways.

First of all, he is to fill the creation of God with the image of God.

His children, his offspring, are going to be the image of God.

And secondly, he is going to spread the garden conditions to cover the whole of creation.

So the paradise that is confined to the garden of Eden is a paradise which will cover the whole of creation.

That's the mission of God, simply put.

And Adam is set out into this creation to begin that extension of the garden conditions

and to fill the world with people who are in the image of God.

And the writer here says in Roshnabarit,

we don't yet see everything in subjection to him.

In other words, something has gone wrong.

Not that the mission of God has failed,

but there has been a failure on the part of Adam who was going to fulfill that commission.

And we know the story in Genesis 2 and Genesis 3,

if ye to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,

you shall surely die.

And we read through the account in Genesis 3,

and that's exactly what happened.

Where are you, says God?

Have ye eaten of the tree that I told you not to eat of it?

And the outcome is that Adam is sent out of the garden

because of the way in which he has failed God and broken God's covenant.

There is a great failure.

And once we think of that,

humanly speaking,

there's such an impasse that there is no possibility

of the mission of God ever now being accomplished.

That is until we begin to see that there is redemption.

And that's what the writer here wants them to notice.

We don't see everything yet in subjection to him,

but we see him.

We see Jesus,

who was made a little lower than the angels for a little while.

We're going to understand the mission of God,

with a focus on the passion of the Son of God,

as the passion has come to work out a way of redemption,

to rescue humankind from the way in which Adam has led us into death

because of his sin,

to rescue us from that.

But God prepares a way of redemption.

And we see Jesus.

He is the focus of our faith.

He is the center of our salvation.

And here he is,

for a little time,

made lower than the angels.

As I mentioned,

he was born in the manger,

the Son of God came into the world.

He was brought up on his mother's breast.

He is Jesus,

made lower than the angels for a little while.

for the great purpose of redemption.

So that by the grace of God,

he might taste death for everyone.

The movement of God's heart

for the salvation of his own people

and for the purpose of his own mission,

that he sent his Son

to taste death for,

on behalf of,

as a substitute for everyone.

And tasting in the sense of

experiencing all that death meant.

And in the work of redemption,

to think of the death that he did taste.

And we can describe death

in so many different ways

as we are familiar with it.

But unless the death that he tasted

is the same death

that Adam endured

in the Garden of Eden

when he was sent out of it,

then there is no redemption.

So when I see Jesus on the cross

dying for my sin,

dying for the sins of the world,

I need to be sure

that my understanding of his death

corresponds

to the failure of Adam

in the Garden of Eden.

And when I capture that

and see the death

that I can see

through the lens

of the prophets

and of all the experience

of Moses and the children of Israel

through these lenses,

looking back to see

the death that Adam endured,

that here is Jesus

abolishing death.

At the end of this chapter,

that here is Jesus

who through death

destroy the one

who has the power of death.

He is our Redeemer.

And tonight,

we need to continue

to think more and more

about what the death

of Jesus meant.

Our salvation depends upon it.

We remember

the death of the Lord Jesus.

His blood is the new covenant.

But we remember

that his death

is at the center

of the redeeming work of God

because of the grand mission of God.

And the more my faith

engages with that,

and the more my faith

begins to see

the riches

of these connections,

then I begin to see

the purpose of God

for humankind.

So that my salvation

is not individualistic,

which it is,

and I may share,

but that especially,

it's part of the big thing

that God is doing

to rescue humankind.

So there is

the mission of God

and redemption.

Jesus died

for our sins.

Secondly,

there is

the mission of God

and realignment.

if something goes off track,

something needs to take place

in order to bring it back on track

and bring it back on course.

And so as surely as we see

the death of Jesus

redeeming us

from the penalty of death

and because of Adam's sin,

then we see the resurrection of Jesus

as the realignment

of the mission of God,

bringing it back firmly on course

so that what he purposed to do

in the Garden of Eden

will be realized

in the new heavens

and in the new earth.

And in verse 9,

the writer

goes on to speak

about the way in which

he is crowned

with glory

and honor.

Sit at my right hand.

We read in Psalm 110.

God made that same Jesus

you have crucified,

Lord and Christ,

in Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

He is crowned

with glory

and honor.

And part of that glory

is the glory

that Adam was promised

in the Garden of Eden.

There is that experience

of glory.

There is that place

of glory.

He is crowned

with personal glory

and honor.

But he enters

into the place

of glory.

glory.

And that's where

we see the realignment.

Because we are

reminded in this

verse 10,

it was fitting

that he for whom

and by whom

all things exist

in bringing

many

sons

to glory.

Here is the realignment.

Here is

what Adam failed to do

to bring the whole

of humankind

as posterity

into the paradise

of God

to be confirmed

in that place

of commune

with God.

Instead,

Adam led us

into the

death

and the darkness

of separation

from God.

But here is

this

Jesus.

He is the

founder

of our salvation.

That does mean

he's the pioneer

who goes

first.

that means

he's the

groundbreaker.

Nobody has

done this

before.

But being

the founder

also means

that he is

representing

others

and taking

others

with him.

Adam took

us into

death.

Jesus,

the son

of God,

leads us

into the

glory of God,

bringing many

sons to glory.

that's why

he says

in version

number 13,

behold,

I and the

children God

has given

me.

What will

Jesus say

at the end

when we're

all gathered

in glory

with Jesus?

Behold me

and the

children

that God

has given

to me.

At the

very beginning

I mentioned

the way

in which

the grace

of God

creates

motion in

the life

of the

Christian.

we're

not

static,

we're

not

sitting

in the

same

place

going

nowhere.

The

picture

clearly

is

that

since

the

day

that

Jesus

rose

and

since

the

day

we're

united

to him

is that

he is

leading us

on a

triumphant

journey

through

this world

until

at last

triumphantly

we enter

into

through

the gates

of glory

and there

to be

forever

more

with

Christ.

The

realignment

they needed

to be

encouraged

to think

above what

was happening

around them

to think

above the

persecution

the suffering

all that

living the

life of

faith meant

they need

to think

above that

and not

just above

that but

beyond

that

so they

will see

that this

is what

their journey

really is

him leading

them

triumphantly

more than

conquerors

through him

who loved

them

until at

last he

brings

them

into

glory

and surely

tonight

that's a

huge

encouragement

for your

faith

and mine

in our

struggles

perhaps

today

itself

we all

have our

individual

struggles

our heads

go down

to think

of motion

that's

bringing us

closer to

glory

as perhaps

the furthest

thing in

our minds

but it

is in

these

moments

that the

Bible

that God

wants us

to remember

that as

Moses took

the children

of Israel

across

the Red

Sea

and the

people of

God

wondered

at the

majesty

of God

that we

should

never

lose

sight of

the fact

that we

are on

a similar

journey

but a

far greater

and significant

journey

to be with

Christ

in glory

and

tonight

no matter

where we

are

or what

we're

going

through

that's

the

journey

that we're

on

we're

on

together

we worship

together

we pray

together

we hear

what God

has to say

to us

together

because we

are on

this

journey

to certain

victory

to be

with Christ

in glory

the mission

of God

and the

realignment

God's

purposes

cannot fail

and he puts

everything in

place to

ensure

that his

mission will

be firmly

on

cush

and will

be

realised

and thirdly

we want to

think of

the mission

of God

and the

Redeemer

who is

this

passion

Jesus

what has

he actually

done

what has

he done

for us

what is

he doing

for us

now

the mission

of God

and the

Redeemer

and through

these verses

there's the

clear

picture

that he's

the perfect

Redeemer

we see

going back

to verse 10

it was

fitting

that he

for whom

and by

whom all

things

exist

the God

whose mission

it is

it was

suitable

and appropriate

for him

to make

the founder

of our

salvation

perfect

through

suffering

the plan

fitted

exactly

what is

required

in order

to keep

the mission

on cush

it was

fitting

God

in his

wisdom

has the

plan

no other

plan

would have

would have

helped the

situation

no other

plan

would have

rescued us

it was

fitting and

suitable and

right and

appropriate

in accordance

with God's

design

for his

design in

his mission

that the

person of

his son

would be

made

perfect

through

suffering

and

perfection

not in

the sense

that he

had any

imperfections

but made

perfect

fully equipped

to reach

the intended

goal

as somebody

who was

called

into

the mission

of God

himself

that he

was fully

equipped

to complete

the task

through

suffering

and we

read in

chapter 5

that he

learned

obedience

through what

he suffered

though he

was a son

he learned

obedience

and that

learning process

was discovering

every step

that he took

what obedience

meant

until he

looked into

the cup

in the garden

of Gethsemane

until he

was crucified

on Calvary's

cross

discovering

is this

what obedience

means

and the more

he suffered

the more

he discovered

yes

this is what

obedience

means

he was made

perfect

through

suffering

everything

that he

endured

was absolutely

necessary

every step

that he took

in life

suffering

at the hands

of others

tempted

by the devil

working day

by day

as the

perfect

holy

son of

God

he was

made

perfect

through

suffering

the mission

of God

and the

perfect

saviour

but I want us

to think as we

close of

the mission

of God

and the

perfect

priest

because

everything that

is introduced

in this

chapter

sets the

writer off

on a

marvellous

exposition

of Christ

Jesus

as our

great

high

priest

in this

in verse 17

here itself

therefore he

had to be

made like

his brothers

in every

respect

so that he

might become

a merciful

and faithful

high priest

in the

service

of God

he was

appointed

as God's

high

priest

and when

we think

of the

high

priest

in his

appointment

in the

Old Testament

we see

there is

a service

of

consecration

of

setting

apart

and of

anointing

and we

see that

in Exodus

Exodus 29 · chapter mention

chapter 29

and

the late

Professor

John L.

Mackay

who was

a revered

Old Testament

lecturer

in Free Church

College

in my own

time

helpfully

explains

what

consecration

means

and it

means

at a

simple

level

filling

the

hands

of

someone

I

ask

somebody

to go

and do

something

and I

don't

equip

them

to do

that

thing

they're

not

going

to be

able

to do

it

I

need

to

fill

their

hands

with

the

things

that

enable

them

to

complete

that

task

and I

want us

to think

of

the

mission

of God

and the

Redeemer

and the

perfect

high priest

whose hands

were filled

by God

so that he

could complete

the whole

task

and to

think

of that

filling

of the

hands

of

the

perfect

high

priest

in

four

ways

just to

skim

over

and the

first

is

the

priest

needs

an

offering

and in

chapter

number

10

the

writer

putting

the words

as it

were

in the

mouth

of the

Lord

Jesus

in

verse

5

sacrifice

and

offerings

you have

not

desired

they have

no value

they can't

do the

work

what does

Jesus

say

a body

you have

prepared

for me

so when

I see

the son

of God

as Jesus

in the

manger

taking

our

nature

becoming

one of

us

becoming

like us

as the

writer

says

through

these

verses

I

think

of

God

filling

his

hands

with

a body

which he

was going

to

sacrifice

for

our sins

it's a

body

that he

gave

he

gave

himself

he

offered

himself

his

hands

were

filled

with

a

perfect

sacrifice

and

he

goes

to

Calvary's

cross

and

he

offers

himself

the

perfect

priest

with

a

perfect

sacrifice

with

which

God

filled

his

hands

the

second

thing

in the

way

in which

God

filled

his

hands

is

that

he

gave

him

the

help

of

his

Holy

Spirit

and

we

read

in

chapter

9

verse

number

14

how much

will

the

blood

of

Jesus

Christ

who

through

the

eternal

spirit

offered

himself

Jesus

could

not

offer

himself

without

the

support

of

God

and

as

surely

as

God

provided

for

the

high

priest

in

the

tabernacle

in

the

temple

in

the

Old

Testament

so

here

he

is

giving

his

Holy

Spirit

to

his

son

and

that's

why

John

says

in

John

John 3 · chapter mention

chapter

3

he

did

not

save

the

Spirit

without

measure

he

was

filled

with

the

Spirit

in

order

to

give

the

obedience

and

in

order

to

give

strength

to

sacrifice

himself

filling

of the

hands

body

for

sacrifice

filling

of the

hands

the

Holy

Spirit

for

strength

thirdly

filling

of the

hands

with

his

own

blood

in

the

presence

of

God

and

that

symbolic

way

again

in

chapter

number

9

he

enters

into

the

presence

of

God

for

us

with

his

own

blood

in

a

symbolic

way

when

Jesus

appears

before

God

to

intercede

for

us

he

goes

with

his

blood

in

his

hands

and

we

know

that

literally

that's

not

what

happens

but

in

the

symbolic

language

of

this

letter

itself

his

hands

are

filled

with

his

own

blood

and

so

when

he

intercedes

for

me

and

father

I

will

that

they

whom

you

have

given

me

be

with

me

where

I

am

keep

them

through

your

word

that

prayer

of

John

17

here

is

the

basis

on

which

it

is

prayed

his

hands

are

filled

with

his

own

blood

his

redeeming

blood

and

on

that

basis

he

is

the

perfect

priest

who

intercedes

for

us

finally

there

is

the

filling

of

his

hands

with

the

spirit

which

he

gives

to

us

and

that's

what

completes

the

realignment

he

promised

to

the

disciples

through

John

14

15

and

16

that

he

would

send

the

helper

the

Holy

Spirit

and

we

read

in

Acts

Acts 2 · chapter mention

chapter

2

that

he

received

from

the

Father

the

promised

Holy

Spirit

in

verse

33

and

he

has

poured

out

this

now

which

you

see

and

hear

that

changes

people

that

transformed

that

gathering

at

Pentecost

that

brought

people

to

repentance

and

to

forgiveness

of sin

that

brought

people

to

know the

power of

God

in their

own

lives

hearts

the

hands

of

Jesus

were

filled

the

moment

that

he

sat

on

his

throne

so

that

he

would

send

a

spirit

into

the

world

and

complete

the

realignment

by

changing

your

heart

and

changing

mine

but

being

about

by

reversing

all

of

the

ways

in

which

sin

has

destroyed

our

relationship

with

God

at

the

moment

that

the

Spirit

of

God

comes

to dwell

in

our

hearts

all

things

are

made

new

all

things

have

passed

away

we

are

a

new

creation

in

Christ

and

as

those

who

are

a

new

creation

in

Christ

we

are

on

our

way

to

the

new

heavens

and

to

the

new

earth

he

gives

us

of

his

spirit

and

as

we

close

is

that

not

what

fills

our

own

hands

that

God

gives

to

you

and

to

me

his

!

Spirit

to

equip

us

to

serve

him

we

cannot

do

it

without

him

but

we

can

certainly

do

it

because

he

has

given

us

his

spirit

my

grace

he

says

Paul

my

grace

is

sufficient

for

you

my

power

is

made

perfect

in

your

weakness

and

don't

let's

ever

consider

that

we

can

do

nothing

don't

let's

ever

consider

that

we

sit

back

and

wait

for

something

else

to

happen

or

somebody

else

to

do

it

let's

remember

that

he

has

filled

our

hearts

so

that

we

are

equipped

to

serve

him

and

that

spirit

is

the

spirit

of

obedience

the

spirit

of

holiness

the

spirit

of

love

the

spirit

of

sharing

it

is

the

spirit

that

enables

us

to

do

everything

that

God

requires

of us

and let's

rejoice

that

that is

the outcome

of all

that Jesus

did

and let's

rejoice

that

tonight

we are

part

of that

motion

picture

that takes

us from

here

to the

glory

of God

and that

as surely

as his

hands are

filled

with

the way

in which

he is

equipped

for the

task

that so

are

you

and mine

and why

should we

fear

why should

we fear

the world

temptation

why should

we fear

our own

sense of

feeling and

weakness

why should

we fear

because

God has

given us

the equipment

he has

given to

us

the power

of his

Holy Spirit

may God

bless these

thoughts to

us

so we're

now going to

sing in

Psalm number

132

in the

Scottish

Psalter

on page

423

and we're

singing