Sermon
Hebrews 2:5-9 • Jesus = True Human • Joel McCarty
Publisher transcript
Transcript
-
We're going to continue in Hebrews.
-
Chapter 2, verses 5 through 9 for he is not subjected to
-
Angels the world to come that we are talking about.
-
But someone somewhere testified what is man that you remember
-
him, the son of man that you care for him, you made him lower
-
than the angels for a short time.
-
You crowned him with glory and honor and subjected everything
-
under his feet for in subjecting, everything to him,
-
you left nothing that is not subject to him.
-
As it is, we do not see everything subjected to him, but
-
we do see Jesus made lower than the angels for a short time.
-
So that by God's grace, he might taste death for everyone,
-
crowned, with Glory and Honor because he suffered death.
-
This is the word of God. Good morning church.
-
It is a joy together with you all as I say that every week.
-
But I mean, it, thank you for Gathering here and making this a
-
priority in your week, especially if you're visiting
-
with us, this Morning, I want to applaud you.
-
I know that stepping into a new place can be intimidating
-
sometimes. And so thank you for having the
-
courage to step out. If I haven't got the chance to
-
meet you, I would love to do that.
-
And so I'm going to try to get better at like hanging out in
-
the back. I don't know if you ever maybe
-
growing up, your pastor would stand in the back and always
-
felt like he was making me feel guilty for something.
-
I don't know why, but I thought well that's not a bad idea to
-
just kind of hang out in the back and get to say bye to
-
people. So if I'm doing that, I'm not
-
trying to make you feel guilty about anything.
-
There's all my baggage coming out, so But yeah.
-
So as you can see, we are continuing our Series today
-
through the book of Hebrews. And we are working our way
-
through it. Just passage by passage at a
-
time. You just heard read.
-
Today, we're going to be in Hebrews chapter 2 and verses 5
Hebrews 2 chapter mention
-
through 9. So, a little less of a chunk
-
than we took on. Last week, we are going to be
-
using the csb version primarily. If you want to follow along and
-
make your way there, either on your device or in your Bibles,
-
however, you want. We'll also have versus on the
-
screen as we make our way through it.
-
So we've said this for a couple weeks now, This is, I think our
-
third week in Hebrews, and every week, we're reminding ourselves
-
that this was most likely meant to be consumed.
-
In one hole sitting as a sermon and I say that because it's
-
helpful and there's context, we're going to see as the
-
preacher of this. Sermon makes his way through the
-
book. You're going to see a flow and
-
his main thing he's doing. Remember Jesus is better.
-
He is making his case for the supremacy of Christ, over all
-
things. And so he's kind of using a lot
-
of the Historical narrative that the people would have been
-
familiar with because he sees Jesus and this is right.
-
He sees it rightly he sees Jesus and the work of the Cross.
-
His life death Brown, Resurrection as the culmination
-
of all Bible stories and themes, there's a lot of themes
-
throughout scripture and Jesus is the point of it all.
-
And so our preacher is taking different ideas.
-
He's talked about angels last week this week's he's going to
-
talk about humanity and he's showing us explicitly, how they
-
Find their fulfillment in Christ.
-
And like I said, today, our text is looking at this, through the
-
lens of humanity, humans, man, men and women.
-
And so what our preacher wants us to do to get the point he's
-
making is to do what's called biblical theology.
-
That means we zoom out a little bit and look at the Historical
-
narrative Arc of scripture as it pertains to humans and we're
-
going to do that a little bit through our time together and
-
what he's going to do because we need that Foundation, he's going
-
to help us. See that?
-
That ultimately, Jesus became human, and that's a beautiful
-
thing. I don't really have any major
-
points for us. We're going to kind of just work
-
through our passage and let it lead us to the beauty of Jesus
-
as What's called the true and better Adam.
-
The last Adam, as Paul talks about it, the son of man as
-
Jesus called himself and I think by the end of our time together,
-
maybe those phrases will take on new meaning and what they mean
-
for Christ. So remember last week our
-
preacher was making the case that Jesus is better than
-
Angels. Okay, and that was where we
-
flowed last week. A part of his argument that
-
Jesus is better than Angels. Was that Angels were simply
-
created to serve God's ultimate purposes of salvation of
-
humanity through Christ. And so naturally, his flow of
-
thought, leads him to start talking a little bit about the
-
dignity and Glory of humans. So as he begins to transition to
-
talk about humans, And he starts in verse 5, have you.
-
As you just heard, read by saying that the world to come
-
will not be subjected to angels. And so by context, we understand
-
that there will be those who the world to come the final
-
creation. There are those who will rule
-
and reign in the Eternal kingdom of God, but it will not be
-
Angels. It will be humans.
-
And he kind of uses this to introduce this idea of humanity.
-
He does this by quoting one of the seminal passages in the Old
-
Testament that teach us about God's care for Humanity and the
-
value that he places on them. Again, what you see in bold is
-
quotes from the Old Testament. So if you're in our scripture
-
notebook, again, most of our passage is in bold and so he's
-
quoting Psalm chapter 8. Now, you might remember in the
Psalms 8 chapter mention
-
summer, Blake, preached on Psalm 8, and he went through the psalm
-
and I think you actually went to this and Hebrews is a part of
-
it. And so Blake taught in this
-
passage. But it is this passage that
-
talks about how magnificent and Majestic, God's name is isn't
-
all the Earth O Lord O Lord. How Majestic is your name in all
-
the Earth but then the psalmist moves from that.
-
All the things he created and he says, what is man that you are
-
mindful of him and he starts talking about the beauty of
-
humans and how God has created humans to reflect and image him
-
in the world. It's the King David.
-
Who is pinning? This Psalm and as he does it,
-
he's moved to all and wonder that this all powerful all.
-
God would care and create humans.
-
And so, for us to understand the preachers flow of thought, and
-
Hebrews for us to see the bigness of Jesus.
-
We have to first lay this foundation and understand a few
-
things about humans that we learn from, and is quoting of
-
Hebrews 8 in verse 6. He starts and he says, someone
-
somewhere has testified. I love that.
-
So, if you forget where the passenger quoting is just borrow
-
that and say, someone Somewhere has testified right?
-
I do that a lot of like I've no idea where it was.
-
We have Google nowadays, I should get better at learning
-
the references but some commentators think it's more of
-
almost like a little bit. I don't know if sarcasm is the
-
best word, but it was such an obvious passage.
-
It was very rooted in the Jewish story and so it was like Yeah
-
someone somewhere. You know how that said,
-
obviously. Everyone knew it was a passage
-
of scripture. Cool.
-
Someone just sorry, my Apple just ask that.
-
One of you wanted to get on the Wi-Fi.
-
I The way sorry I should have let you do it.
-
You know who you are. I won't call you out.
-
I didn't realize I didn't think about that.
-
So sorry, I am. So okay.
-
Yeah, quoted part of the passage someone somewhere has testified
-
and this is what he says, right? He says what is man verse 6 that
-
you remember him or the son of man that you care for him.
-
So the first thing we see about humans from this passage is that
-
humans were created It with care.
-
The idea is that, and this is important for our theology.
-
God notes and takes care of humans.
-
They are not accidents. We can probably see this most
-
clearly if we go back to the original creation story, and you
-
remember that, God is creating all these works of Nature and
-
the animal kingdom. And then at the Apex on the
-
sixth day of creation, we see God, create humans and there is
-
something special. Shal about this, everything.
-
All the days before were simply creating this beautiful dwelling
-
place for God and Humanity to commune together.
-
Commentators have pointed out, it's very similar to the way,
-
the temple was set up. This Dwelling Place of God and
-
Humanity, except us like this big scale.
-
And we see this Union between God and humans.
-
You see the very Breath of God breathe into the first man and
-
woman Adam and Eve and they are intimately fashion to be in
-
Union with Christ and then to reflect that Union to the world.
-
God and Humanity walking in the cool of the day together.
-
Conversing planning laughing relating working together for
-
the spread of his glory among the entire Earth humans are at
-
the Apex of God's creation before there was ever original
-
sin. And we have to talk about Sin in
-
the fall. Genesis 3, we're going to get
-
there in a minute but there's Genesis 1 and 2 and there is
-
original glory and beauty and every single human there is care
-
for them. And this changes the way or
-
should, if we begin to believe this the way we treat others,
-
one of our core truths here at new Eden.
-
Is this every human has inherent dignity and worth because they
-
are created in the image of God. That is why we unequivocally
-
affirm the value of every single human, all the way from the womb
-
to the tomb. It is why we send missionaries
-
to places where the gospel has not yet taken root.
-
It is why we celebrate and we Ethnic social and generational
-
diversity in our midst. It's actually a good thing that
-
people are different than you. It is why we are engaged in both
-
individual and societal both private and public acts of mercy
-
and Justice in the world. These are not just like optional
-
add-on or pragmatic things that we do.
-
So we can reach more people like it is foundational to our
-
display of the Gospel. If we really begin to understand
-
what Jesus has we just song about Jesus would die for the
-
world. Then it changes the way we treat
-
other people. Even the people that look
-
Sounder act different than you do.
-
Every single human was intimately formed in their
-
mother's womb, created to display God's glory.
-
And we'll talk about the rejection of that in a second.
-
But it changes the way we talked about or joke or mock others,
-
right? And I have to be, I'm convicted
-
of this a lot, just because someone is on the other side of
-
the political aisle or the opposing Or team or a different
-
theological tribe does not mean we have freedom to cast aside
-
their god-given dignity and demean them.
-
Call them names. Mock them.
-
You can disagree. That's not what I'm saying we
-
can disagree, but we don't strip someone's dignity away in the
-
process, okay? And so if we find ourselves
-
doing that, my point is not to shame you.
-
It's hopefully that that we would then ask the spirit to
-
help us believe and see them through the way God sees them
-
through his eyes and we need the spirit to do that, right?
-
And so, we begin to see that humans were created with care
-
with intimacy. Not only that, our preacher
-
tells us that humans, Has were created for a purpose, okay?
-
And this is a little more. We have to dig a little bit
-
deeper but in verse 7 he says that humans were created lower
-
than the angels for a short time.
-
Some translations say created a little lower than the Angels.
-
The point here is not really even getting into who has more
-
value angels are humans. In fact our author makes it out
-
that humans will actually have more Authority than angels in
-
the new creation. Okay, Paul says, humans will
-
judge angels In the world to come.
-
So we're not talking about value here.
-
This is an idea that there is a place and a purpose and an order
-
for the existence of humanity. Humans aren't just an
-
afterthought in God's plan there at the Forefront of it when he
-
says a little lower the context is like can you believe that
-
that humans have that role in the plan of God?
-
One of the prominent ideas of creation is a God that brings
-
order from chaos when he's placing birds in the sky it's
-
not just this arbitrary thing. NG he is giving Birds a home and
-
saying this is your purpose, this is your place.
-
When he plays certain animals on the land and certain animals in
-
the in the sea and then he's gives the sun to Rule the Day
-
and the moon to rule the night. It is this idea of order from
-
chaos where things are just formless and no void and
-
everybody's just floating and now there is order and he says
-
humans have an amazing part in this.
-
You have purpose And he says that humans is where we see the
-
language of be fruitful and multiply, that is not just
-
having biological kids, okay? That includes that, that's a
-
piece of that, but it's bigger than that.
-
It is multiplying image Bears to spread and reflect God's glory
-
to the world. That is the purpose.
-
Created with purpose, that purpose has not changed.
-
Even today, I would argue that none of us can completely be
-
fulfilled outside of our purpose of, first of all Union with God.
-
So I'll call that sitting with God and then spreading that
-
reflecting that Union to the world and inviting others into
-
that. I'll call that being sent by
-
God. Right?
-
So both Union that's identity and then Mission, as it flows
-
from that Created with care, created for purpose.
-
And the next we see that humans were created for Beauty at the
-
end of our 7. We read that humans were crowned
-
with Glory and Honor mankind, crowned, with Glory and Honor.
-
We've looked at the Dignity of humans, but this is taken even
-
further. We don't understand honor shame
-
that much in our culture, but this culture did.
-
And, and to be crowned with glory and honor, it was
-
displaced of Of dignity. And no one could strip it away
-
when God gives you your honor and your dignity.
-
No matter what others say about you that can't be taken away.
-
This isn't a stealing God's glory.
-
It is a good gift from God and he's placing his glory and honor
-
and says, I am where your value comes from?
-
And it's true. If you think about it, humans
-
are remarkable Creations, right? We just trying to survive and go
-
about our life, but sometimes you sit back and you think about
-
the things that humans, Able to do and it's crazy.
-
There is nothing in all the world quite like humans.
-
We were in Gatlinburg for a couple nights over Christmas
-
break. And we went to the aquarium
-
there. And so we're walking through.
-
And you have these just really weird like different shapes and
-
sizes. All these little creatures that
-
they found in the bottom of the deepest oceans ride, and you're
-
just looking at them. There's like some that are like,
-
lighting up like bright LED lights and I'm like, man, this
-
thing has existed forever. Like humans are just now
-
learning how to like, make LED color lights, right?
-
It's just crazy. And that's just the things we've
-
discovered. There Are Places and creatures
-
that We've never even begun to explore and that's just like the
-
Animal Kingdom on top of that. Look at nature.
-
If you've been to the Grand Canyon or the Niagara Falls or
-
Monte Santo Mountain, that's a joke.
-
I'm seeing if you're paying attention.
-
All right, there we go. But seriously like even in our
-
context, right? A little Alabama, if you've ever
-
just seen a good Sunset it's gorgeous like.
-
Well my kids will sometimes, tell me, come look at the sky.
-
Looks like cotton candy and it's just there at like there's a
-
summer camp. Some of our students go to and
-
Pisgah Alabama. And sometimes we go to this
-
Ridge. That's overlooking a Sunset.
-
And we're like singing songs there and it's it's beautiful.
-
But one time one of our leaders pointed this out and I love
-
this. He said, hey as beautiful as all
-
that is and it's amazing. We're all like staring at it.
-
He's like that is nothing compared to this group of
-
humans. Like when I look at you, I see
-
beauty. All of nature is nothing in
-
comparison to the beauty of humans.
-
If we have eyes to see the intricacies of the human mind,
-
the diversities of the human body, the emotions the humor,
-
the ideas, and the creations of both art and very functional
-
machines. It is all incredibly beautiful
-
and it's not to bring glory to humans.
-
It's ultimately to reflect the original Creator, the glory and
-
the beauty of God. Every human carries with it that
-
beauty, and that glory and that honor.
-
Yesterday I was working on this sermon actually in Scarlet.
-
They like to come in my office is off the garage and I've got a
-
whiteboard there, so they love to come out and just drawn it.
-
So she's just drawn on it and I pick her up.
-
She's my five-year-old and I set her on my lap.
-
And I'm just looking at her like, right in her face, like,
-
really close, you know, and she's just smiling and I'm
-
looking at her eyes and her various features on her face.
-
And I just tell her Scarlet, you are so beautiful.
-
And I asked her, I do this all the time, and I say Scarlett,
-
why are you so beautiful? And she knows the answer and she
-
said, because God created me and I say, that's exactly right.
-
Not because God created me this way or that way or to look like
-
period because God created you, you are beautiful.
-
And I tell them, if other people, don't think you're
-
beautiful or they call you ugly, that says more about them than
-
you. And, and that tells Them that
-
that tells us that they're not having eyes to see like God does
-
and we are finite, right? We all see certain things as
-
beautiful now but God sees all humans as beautiful because
-
humans are created for Glory and Honor and beauty.
-
And the last thing our passage points out is that humans are
-
created for Dominion. Look at verse 8 again, It says
-
that all things were subjected everything under his feet for in
-
subjecting, everything to him. Humans, he left nothing that is
-
not subject to him or mankind. Our preacher quote Psalm 8 and
-
then begins to expand on it by saying that there is nothing on
-
earth. That is not subject to humanity.
-
This is a poetic way of saying that humans have dominion over
-
creation. This is not a New Concept.
-
Let's go back again to the creation story, right?
-
Right after being told to be fruitful and multiply humans
-
were told to have dominion on the earth.
-
Now when we think of dominion, the idea that comes to mind is a
-
little different than the biblical concept of dominion.
-
We have seen power abused. We've seen Dominion, people
-
taken advantage in subjugation, is what we've seen more than
-
Dominion. The biblical idea and we'll get
-
to that in a minute. The idea here, maybe a better
-
word for us is cultivation over. All humans are more gifted and
-
have more abilities than plants and animals.
-
And originally, before the fall humans were to Steward that
-
power That position well to cultivate life and Beauty among
-
the creation to. Yes, be in charge, it's not
-
inherently wrong to be in charge, but to be in charge, as
-
loving wise, leaders and Stewart's, to reflect the loving
-
and good Rule and reign of God. All this is in mind as our
-
author talks about the beauty and value of humans.
-
This is just a snapshot through Psalm 8, the care for humans,
-
their purpose in God's creation, their ability, and gift to
-
display Beauty, and their call to dominion and cultivation.
-
As the psalmist back in Psalm, 8, reflects on all of this, he
-
poetically references, all that God is doing with humanity and
-
it's a beautiful picture. Our preacher and Hebrews needs
-
us to have this picture in mind. That's why he's quoting this Old
-
Testament passage but Let's be honest for a second.
-
Okay we can talk in theory about the call for humans.
-
We can talk about the beauty of humanity.
-
But you guys know we're pretty honest here.
-
So if there's something that doesn't seem to line up, we'll
-
just admit it something seems off.
-
Let's think about the reality of humanity for a second.
-
Yes. Humans have been responsible for
-
some of the most amazing inventions and art and projects
-
that promote flourishing and life.
-
But I don't have to talk long for you to know that humans have
-
also been responsible for some of the most horrific and ugly
-
actions, the world has ever seen.
-
And it is led to division and death the opposite of God's
-
plan. From the Holocaust slavery, the
-
Coliseum games, the sacrifice of children, the list could go on
-
and on and on. As it is humans.
-
Largely use their power not to serve and cultivate life and to
-
spread God's kingdom and Glory. But rather to subjugate others
-
for their own purposes to amass, all the glory they can for
-
themselves and to build their own kingdom, even sometimes
-
under the guise of charity, no matter who it harms and who it
-
hurts that is the default position ever since the fall of
-
humans. And I love that the preacher of
-
Hebrews even acknowledges. This reality look at the end of
-
verse 8, he says, as it is, as it currently stands, let's be
-
real, we don't see everything subjected to him.
-
And I believe that him there is referring to humanity, primarily
-
some commentators interpret that as Jesus in like, this already,
-
not yet stage, but the next verse, I think, Reveal.
-
I think it primarily is talking about Humanity.
-
He quotes Psalms and shows us what Humanity's plan was, but
-
then he acknowledges that as it is, that's not what's actually
-
going on. And to understand this, we do a
-
little bit of biblical theology. We go back to The Narrative of
-
scripture, we talked about Genesis 1 and 2 original Glory
-
creation story but in Genesis 3, something Insidious and
-
devastating happens and it's what theologians typically refer
-
to as the fall. Adam and Eve the created in a
-
perfect place with Glory and Honor.
-
They reject their role as humans by rebelling against God.
-
It's what eating of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil was
-
that's not just arbitrarily not arbitrary knowledge.
-
You've heard me say this, it's not just well I can tell what's
-
good and evil. That idea of knowledge is the
-
determination of Good and Evil. When I say something good, it's
-
good. When I say something is evil,
-
it's evil and that's only reserved for God.
-
So, We try to push God off to throw to say no.
-
I want to decide that we are trying to become gods.
-
Instead of ruling over creation, they were ruled by it,
-
everything begins to flip. It's why we see the enemy.
-
The devil presented as a serpent, the same beings, they
-
were called to have dominion over turn around and deceive
-
them. And from then on human seek to
-
find their own fulfillment and beauty and purpose apart from
-
God. And this fractured relationship
-
leads to disaster immediately. You see, two brothers ones
-
killing the other murder, deceit, Strife, evil read the
-
whole Old Testament. Keep reading it gets bad.
-
The rest of the scriptures is essentially, here's the
-
Brokenness of Humanity on display.
-
Even the the good guys, As in the story are really jacked up
-
and that's the whole story of scripture.
-
But also we see the patience of God as he refuses to give up on
-
the project of humanity. Those created in His image.
-
And so Adam, who is the first man?
-
He becomes this prototype as he reveals, what we all do.
-
None of us are better. I've said this before and I've
-
heard other people say, I wish I was in the garden.
-
Adam. Really Jack this up.
-
Guess what? Like newsflash you would have to
-
You proved it by your life. I proved it by my life.
-
So he is this prototype as we choose our own way over God's
-
when we reject our purpose and calling Divine calling to live
-
in in favor of lesser things. And it might seem Innocent but
-
it's Insidious and like it doesn't take long for you to
-
look at your life and the world around us and know that leads to
-
destruction. We are caught in this vicious
-
Loop of sin destroying everything.
-
Both in our own hearts and in the world around us.
-
Small ways big ways and the preacher acknowledges.
-
This reality things are not as they are supposed to be as it
-
is. It's not like it was supposed to
-
be But he doesn't leave us there.
-
Look at verse 9 in contrast to the failure of humans in
-
contrast to the rejection of their purpose, we do see Jesus,
-
but we do see Jesus made lower than the angels for a short
-
time. Do you see how he's repurposing
-
this song now so that by God's grace he might taste death for
-
everyone crown with And honor because he suffered death.
-
You know, this is actually the first time that the name Jesus
-
is mentioned in the book of Hebrews.
-
He's reference Jesus, we've seen it very clearly, but I love that
-
he's building up to this moment when he talks about humanity and
-
the first atom and then he presents to us.
-
Jesus the true and better human the last.
-
Adam We've seen already in Hebrews, how Jesus Is, God he's
-
there at creation but the one who created the Fallen humans
-
that were talking about is also the one who himself becomes
-
human to fix the mass that we created rather than abandoning
-
his Covenant commitment to humanity.
-
He says fine, you can't keep it, I will and he enters into the
-
world and he takes on flesh himself.
-
It's like a parent who finally just steps in to clean the room,
-
because the kids just keep making it worse, but God does it
-
in love and patience. Not frustration, like you do or
-
like I do, right and find, you're just making it worse.
-
Just let me do it. We looked for a while that
-
humanity and now our preacher presents for us.
-
True Humanity, Jesus himself. Every human ever born has
-
rejected their god-given purpose and design, except for one.
-
Jesus Emmanuel God With Us word. Made flesh was born.
-
And like if we could grasp this though he was God of the
-
universe, though. He created the Angels himself.
-
In a sense, he willingly became lower than them.
-
Philippians 2. We see it in our passage and he
-
takes on humanity and I love this because Psalm 8 was not a
-
Messianic. Psalm it was not a Psalm that
-
they said hey, that's a song about the coming Messiah.
-
But he says, it's still about Jesus and he applies it to the
-
coming Messiah and shows us that this lower than the angels that
-
this crowned with glory and honor is ultimately fulfilled in
-
Christ, he's the truly faithful, human, the better Adam with his
-
life. He knew he existed to serve
-
God's purposes. God's Kingdom.
-
You might remember the story of him being tempted just like the
-
first Adam, the enemy comes to him and tries to tempt him.
-
Tempt him into taking God's glory for his own.
-
But Jesus refused sin will not rule over him.
-
He is the true and better human Who Remain steadfast in the face
-
of evil because he holds all power.
-
But unlike humans, he doesn't use that power to subjugate and
-
Lord over. What does he do with this power?
-
He bends down and he washes the feet of his disciples including
-
the one who is about to betray him.
-
What it doesn't make sense. And all of this this giving up
-
of his power. And living his life in the way
-
he did, it was leading him to death.
-
A preacher says, and I love the way he phrases is that Jesus,
-
tasted death for everyone? See when humans rebelled against
-
God, it wasn't just a bad idea that you got a slap on the wrist
-
for like, the Rebellion against God, fractures the relationship,
-
and it breaks the system, God created it, so that we were
-
designed to have life connected to the Life Source, God himself.
-
And so when we reject that it leads to death, that is the
-
result of our sin, the wages, the payment of sin is death
-
death to ourselves and everything.
-
Around us. No matter who you are, no matter
-
how great of a person you are, no matter the amazing things
-
you've done in your life. All of us are headed for death,
-
because of the fall things deteriorate.
-
I knew. I shouldn't try to say that
-
word. That's hard to say, things,
-
cease to exist, right? Things break down, death is a
-
brutal part of life. But it was never meant to be
-
that way. So when Jesus becomes human and
-
he enters into our mess, he knew he was giving himself over to
-
death, the results of our sin was destructions and to save
-
humans to deal with sin. It had to be dealt with Jesus
-
had to die. So even though he's the perfect
-
human, he's still willingly taste death for everyone.
-
And you know what's interesting, when you read this phrase that
-
he might taste death and By God's grace.
-
What it is? God's grace that Jesus is dying.
-
Yes, it is Grace for you because it is by his death that we
-
receive hope and deliverance. There is not another human that
-
could beat Death by dying, that could stomp out the evil one by
-
letting his own life be taken. But this is what Jesus does.
-
But we know the story because we rehearse it every week, he
-
doesn't stay dead. Because if he had as Paul says,
-
in Romans, this is a joke, this is useless.
-
But he doesn't stay dad and in the resurrection and the
-
Ascension he is crowned with Glory and Honor.
-
Jesus is the Fulfillment of Psalm 8.
-
He beats sin and death and he shows us up close and personal.
-
How suffering will ultimately work Glory Just as the first
-
Adam brought sin and death so the second and true Adam the
-
true son of man, brings healing and life so when you hear that
-
Jesus is the last Adam are the true and better.
-
Adam it's not just some random phrase, it has meaning and
-
depth. It's why Jesus, you know, the
-
phrase that he used to talk about himself the most often the
-
son of man, He is true, human. True Humanity.
-
Who redeems, everyone. He perfectly ruled and reigned
-
and cultivated life. And he offers his life from
-
death for all, who would believe he taste death for everyone.
-
And so what he's doing here is as he takes death, he is, he is
-
inviting all of you. He is setting the table for you
-
to come and in exchange for your death, that he tasted.
-
He is inviting you to Feast on life.
-
He's saying come no matter who you are.
-
Everyone come taste and see his goodness.
-
That's the invitation. If you don't know, Jesus is to
-
repent of all like trying to reject that god-given purpose,
-
and there's something better and it is Christ.
-
And Trust his life death burial, Resurrection.
-
No matter how much you try, you're just like the kid who
-
spilled the milk and now just start spreading it out.
-
You can't fix your life and that's actually good news like
-
I'm not I know I look mad probably I'm just passionate you
-
can't do it. And that's okay because Jesus
-
did. This is what he offers us.
-
And when we receive this, we actually become more fully
-
human, not less. We are made a new creation,
-
Paul. Explores this idea of us
-
following Jesus into this and First Corinthians 15:20 on the
-
screen, he says, but as it is similar phrase, love it Christ.
-
Has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of all those
-
who have fallen asleep which implies there's more to come for
-
since death came through a man the resurrection of the Dead
-
also comes through a man for just as an them all die.
-
So also in Christ will be will all be made alive.
-
All who trust in Jesus even though death is in the future
-
and it is Our Fate, it is nothing more than a speed bump
-
on the way to eternal life. When we receive Christ in the
-
new creation, as a new creation, scuse me what are we told
-
happens? We are breathe into the breath
-
of the spirit. We saw that in creation, right?
-
When humans are first created and now we see it.
-
As we are made a new creation. We are breathing to the spirit
-
of God. It is his heart that beats in
-
us. It is his life that flows
-
through our veins and he changes us the fruit of the spirit.
-
That is born is love, joy, peace, patience.
-
Long suffering, gentleness, and that worked at the spirit is
-
doing in this. I know it feels like a long work
-
and it's like this sometimes, but there is hope because that
-
work will be complete one day. The Last Enemy to be destroyed
-
is death and it will be abolished forever and all things
-
will be put under the feet of God, all Injustice, big and
-
small all corrupt system systems, the insidiousness of
-
sin including in your own heart will all be cast outside the
-
kingdom. No more vicious cycle of sin,
-
and he invites you into the story.
-
As God's people because we will become fully human perfectly.
-
And completely, we will rule and reign with Christ.
-
We saw Humanity, we saw true humanity, and now we see new
-
Humanity. This is what happens.
-
Jesus doesn't just do this on his own.
-
He invites all people into this. We become new humans.
-
And so this Vision we're kind of in the already, not yet, like,
-
it's absolutely true in one sense and then we look at her
-
lives or like I wish I was a new human.
-
Like, I see this Brokenness or I see this.
-
Sin and this temptation. But there's this hope this
-
already has happened but not yet completely consummated, but that
-
vision is what keeps us going in the here and now, through
-
Temptation, through suffering, through death?
-
Because we know that just as Resurrection followed the cross
-
for Jesus, so does life follow our suffering?
-
And as the spirit causes us to take root in our hearts, it
-
transforms us. This spirit that was breathing
-
as we can't stay the same and it's not a bunch of trying
-
harder. And doing more in a bunch of
-
rules, it is a new life that flows from within.
-
We actually begin to live like the new humans.
-
We already are You are transformed by the spirit.
-
Bringing you to believe what God has already done in you.
-
It is Dawn, he will complete the work.
-
It's like, I tell my daughter who struggles with the seat, I
-
won't say which one, but it's the oldest one.
-
She likes to be deceitful, and of course, I'm trying to deal
-
with that. We're talking about Sin, and
-
consequences and all these things, and then I'm like, have
-
like here's the thing, I believe she's a Believer, she's trusted
-
in Christ, she confesses that he lived.
-
I buried and rose again and I said, Everly, look at me, you
-
are a daughter of Truth. You are not a daughter of Lies,
-
there is a father of Lies, but you are not his, you are a
-
daughter of the father of Truth and so your lips were created
-
and designed and recreated in the cross Resurrection to speak
-
truth because of what God has already made you to be.
-
So I the other day, she told another.
-
I was asking the girls who did this as she looked at scar that
-
she said, just tell the truth. Scarlett, you're a daughter of
-
Truth and I'm like, let's frickin go now, tell me who did
-
it? Still?
-
Didn't get the answer, but, whatever, Mike, speak, truth for
-
those who are in Christ. I wanted to go to don't have
-
time, but Romans sin. No longer has dominion over.
-
You you are not enslaved to that.
-
You are bound to Christ and his righteousness.
-
And so, as we are transformed, we begin to reflect God's Beauty
-
to the world, in a midst of a society that clamors and Liz for
-
power and control and getting there's we can give selflessly
-
and love others. Even our enemies like Christ
-
loved us. Weekend, as the new Humanity,
-
welcome, and others into this, even those that are different
-
than us. The outcast, the poor The
-
Foreigner we say, come on, like, Feast at the table, there is
-
room. We are even willing to take
-
suffering and Death on behalf of others, because we know that in
-
Christ, all that will somehow work a greater glory in the end.
-
So my prayer for us at new Eden Is that we would be able to by
-
God's grace display to the world, what Jesus has done for
-
us and that collectively with our lives, we could show a
-
beautiful picture to the world of the new Humanity, as we are
-
connected to the true and better human Jesus himself.
-
But we do see Jesus. Is that we would be able to by
-
God's grace display to the world, what Jesus has done for
-
us and that collectively with our lives, we could show a
-
beautiful picture to the world of the new Humanity, as we are
-
connected to the true and better human Jesus himself.
-
But we do see Jesus.