Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast.
If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you.
Thank you for joining us today.
We're gonna look at Hebrews chapter
2.
What tremendous worship that was. I'm just so
so grateful to God that he has
brought so many just not only gifted musicians, but tender hearts humble hearts that love
Worshiping the Lord and and as I we're just here singing and praising
Realizing that there's only three members to a band up here
And yet it was so full and your your voices were just filling those melodies, you know, praise the Lord
It was so great worshiping the Lord. Amen
He really is worthy of it all, isn't he? Praise the Lord
So as we dive into Hebrews chapter 2 just to do a brief recap as we started Hebrews
We talked about how significant this book is and how
Unusual the book is because it really connects us
from the Old Testament to the new
Because you know the covenant of the law
Was all pointing to Jesus and
Hebrews now brings this crystal clear how Jesus did fulfill all the covenants of the Old Testament
And now we're living in the new covenant of grace. Amen
It's not what we do that satisfies God
It's who who chose us who lives in us who we belong to
Right and so as we consider this message about how we are his family it really matters, you know
In fact, you know that old saying it's not what you know, it's
Who you know, right and in life. I never really knew the right people
But I knew the right God, you know, I always wish I had someone that would just hook me up
You know with the right job and hooked me up with but I never knew that person. Okay
But I knew God when I found him or actually, you know
He always knew where I was, but I found him and I received him. I
Knew the right person in Jesus Christ. I mean he really did set me up for success
and he wants to do that for all of us, amen and
As we started Hebrews we talked a little bit about angels and they're gonna come into play here and how significant they were in
God's
Messaging to his people remember he sent messages through these
Celestial creatures that were magnificent to see and people were always awestruck
But sometimes they even appeared as normal people, you know that they thought they were just a normal human
and so he brought these messages through these creatures that he created and
then last two weeks we talked about signs and wonders miracles and
Gifts of the Holy Spirit and how the Lord Jesus
when he spoke
He garnished his messages with these signs wonders miracles and gifts of the Spirit
So that when people would see these amazing things happen right in front of them
They would say if he can do that. I believe everything he tells me. I believe it is so
I think we even sang a song this morning about that that I you know, whatever you say
I believe because I've seen it happen, you know, and so he did these things
But then if you can recall he actually empowered his disciples to do the same things and he sent them out
right to do those very things so
You would think okay. Well, that's where it stops
But it doesn't because before he ascended to heaven
He said be prepared because I will empower you to do all these same things and even more
So that they will believe your message
so now we are his ambassadors of this great power and authority and when of course the Holy Spirit fell at
Pentecost ever since then we have been his ambassadors his messengers
When you think about it the Old Testament he sent these creatures from heaven and he spoke through the prophets
But now we these hybrids on earth
We are humans
We are flesh and bones and yet we are the tabernacle the temple of the Holy Spirit
He chooses to speak through us
To dispatch these wonderful
Messages to the world that he indeed saves he provides eternal salvation
He rescues us from our own old natures. He's everything Jesus Christ
and so now we're gonna step into this as
the Lord, you know compares us to
Angels and to himself to make it crystal clear what our role is because we are his family
We belong to him and he cares for family. Amen
All right. So let's dive in here and start with Hebrews chapter 2 verse 5
Okay
For he has not put the world to come of which we speak in
subjection to angels
But one testified in a certain place saying what is man that you are mindful of him
Or the Son of man that you take care of him
You have made him a little lower than the angels
you have crowned him with glory and honor and
Set him over the works of your hands
You have put all things in
subjection under his feet
For in that he put all in
Subjection under him meaning man. He left nothing that is not put under him. So let's just stop there for a minute
He made us a little lower than the angels. I mean, what does that mean? Right?
You know, he created angels right in the beginning and these were celestial beings and they were pretty magnificent
I mean just think of these these creatures. Okay have the ability to
appear physically in form and
Yet they can also be invisible right? So that's something man can't do right?
Angels can't die
We have a shelf life on earth, right? They have no shelf life
They just go on and on and on that's not good for some of them. Okay, we might talk about them later
But because they're gonna live on in their misery
But like we have a shelf life in the physical form, but angels don't right?
They don't die and they can't die and they see the face of
The Lord in heaven we can't if we did see him face to face, right? The word says that we would die
Okay, but we will see him someday face to face, right?
And so angels are pretty impressive and they're mighty and strong, right?
I mean they they can accomplish great things and that's why when people would see them
They're just so enamored and blown away
Like these things are bright and these things are overwhelming and they're huge and even have wings, you know
And so it was magnificent to see them. So in a sense they could seem
Greater than man, right? They're so powerful. Look the the fallen angels they
They were actually capable of contaminating almost the entire human race
Right through violent through violent sexual assault of women
possibly possession all this caused the the
complete corruption of mankind
right
Around the world through these angels. That's how strong these things are, right?
And yet we're gonna read that we're actually greater than them
We're actually greater than them. In fact, someday we will even judge them. In fact, I have a verse 1st Corinthians 6 3
When he
Spoke to the Church of Corinth and they were busy suing each other over every little thing and they were busy grumbling about the smallest things and
So competitive, you know churches can be like that even today
I'm sure it would surprise you to know that but people could be so nitpicky about little things, right?
And so they were nitpicking and taking each other to court and all these things and he said
Do you not know that we are to judge the angels how much more than matters pertaining to this life?
So there's gonna be a time when the saints have really significant roles to play in the kingdom of God
Right more so than the angels the angels are actually our ministers. They they support us
I don't know if we're gonna have a letter above our heads and they're gonna be ascending and decent
I don't know about that, but they are here to support us, right?
They're the supply channel in a sense while we're down here. And so this is you know, this is we're very
significant and important to God and
I know even Peter talks about even the angels are like longing to look in this they don't get it
They're like scratching their wings and why does he love these people? They keep sinning even after they're saved
They keep failing. Look at us
Look at us. I'm not just really being a little silly
But it says they're baffled at how much God loves us
because we're special we're made in his image and
He knows he sees what we were at home, man. What a train wreck, you know
And yet I know what I'm bringing them into I know what I'm going to do with their lives
You know those he foreknew he predestined right? He knows what he's gonna do in our lives. So that's
He sees all of that and he sees how special
Mankind is we're so special to him and he has put all of the things that he's created
Under our stewardship, right?
In fact, even there's a space in Scripture that even says even creation itself is just longing for the sons
the sons of creation to come alive and really be good stewards of everything that God has created, you know,
and so we're very special to God and
He
Says here that he put everything under our feet everything in subjection
under our feet now think about that like
that means
Wherever we go
We bring the kingdom as you know, that's that's our mission statement for this church and I really believe it
I was talking to Jill the other week. I'm like
you know, I I I do believe this am I always like
Believing that wherever I go like anything can happen in Jesus's name
Because I am a new creation. I am his temple his tabernacle
I carry him wherever I go. We all do right and remembering that is so
significant and
Wherever we step he has put everything under subjection under our feet in order reminded me of is
Joshua and
The Lord when he was guiding Israel finally after 40 years of meandering and dying in the wilderness
He finally gives him brings him to the Jordan River and he says we're gonna cross this thing
I know it looks like it's flooding right now and
Most sounds like it's in light of what's going on in Texas, but it's flooding but watch what happens
Watch what happens and he said be strong and
Courageous and then he says this in Joshua 1 3 says wherever you step that land I have given you
That's yours. That's you my people's land and you know
in
the word the promised land for the Israelites is an easy analogy metaphor to
a
Christian's life
Because do you believe that the Lord when you got saved at the Red Sea
You came out of bondage from your Egypt and you went through that wilderness
Some of us went kicking and screaming and took more than 40 years to cross the wilderness
I didn't take that long but you know, it took a while, right?
But finally when I got to that Jordan River, I can remember just saying yes Lord. I'm going
I'm going I'm not going back. You know those leaks and onions in Egypt weren't that good
Okay, kept making bricks with no straw. No, thanks. I'm not going back to that
Finally, this is the land that he is bringing us into and Joshua and Caleb always knew it, of course
But this is the land and it's an easy analogy to a Christian stepping into our promised life
It's gonna be great over there. Will you have enemies?
Absolutely, but guess who's gonna squash them underneath your feet. I am Yahweh, right?
And for the believer the same thing when we step into that promised life, there's enemies everywhere
Of course there is but the Lord will crush Satan beneath our feet in due time, right? I love what he said to
His disciples in Luke 10 19. He said behold I've given you authority to tread on
Serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you. That's you
Put your name in there Anthony. Put your name right in that verse. I
have given Anthony
authority to tread on serpents and
Scorpions nothing should that is us. We we can know God has our back
We sang about glory, but glory is our rear guard righteousness goes before us
We are surrounded by a great company of angels. We are just we are insulated
I believe that we're invincible in the spiritual realm, right? And so that's what the Lord is saying to us
But there's a little hook here and we're about to read it
But now
We do not see all things put under him meaning humans
But we see Jesus
Who was made a little lower than the angels look at this the the wording of this is exactly what he said about mankind
But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than angels
For the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor same thing
That he by the grace of God might taste death
for everyone
you know
We may not see the reality all the time of who we are in Christ
You might be saying
Why do I still?
struggle
with this sin
Why do I if I really have
Dominion over all these things of the enemy. Why do I still fail? Why do I still fall?
Why why am I still in this condition that I was in before and we might start to judge God according to that
You know, we have not none of us have arrived. We're just talking about that in the prayer room, you know
Sometimes we carry some sickness in us some things in our lives that aren't still quite right
But when we serve God in the condition we're in
He's still making us more and more
Purified sometimes serving him even in a quote-unquote failed condition. Guess what?
He does even greater things
Because none of us are perfect and yet he still chooses to use us
So when we see that like he he we don't see all of it put underneath our feet
But we see Jesus we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who?
for the sake of the cross
Despising the shame with great joy with great joy
He carried that cross and now see it at the right hand of the father. That's who we keep our eyes on
I know I'm a failure if I forget who Jesus is, but if I keep my eyes fixed on him
He's gonna point me to where to go. Amen
You know when the enemy Isaiah 59 19 it just remind me of this like keeping your feet on solid ground
You know, they cross the Red Sea on solid ground
They cross the Jordan River on solid ground, but sometimes it can make sometimes feel as though
You're being lifted up. The enemy just comes in like a flood you ever experienced that it just seems like man
the enemy is just like a
deluge just
Sweeping you away and he's carrying you away. It seems like am I drowning right now my
but the lure raises a standard above the enemy and
He's either gonna stop it like he did at the Red Sea or the Jordan River or he's gonna lift you above it
You know, I saw this story. I don't if you saw it was that ten days ago and
a five-year-old girl was on a Disney cruise and
She fell off the ship
Into the I mean, I don't even know how high that is. It's gotta be 40 50
Morphe hit the ocean and her dad
Jumped off into the water. What what you know, I know I would do it just with insanity saying
You know, it's just but the father jumps into the ocean and thank God they throw off some life preservers and
The only one reached them and he put her in it and Jill was reading more this was you saying that he's holding her up
In the winter the whole time and they were floating for hours
No 20 minutes, great
We have the snow up here
She's the truth barometer
She read this story I remembered wrong
Yeah, but ours seemed cooler Jill thanks for ruining the story
All right 20 minutes we gotta be true I'll tell you what treading water for 20 minutes in the ocean, you know
And holding her up, thank you, honey
But like but really I mean, can you imagine but he's keeping her up, you know, that's what the Lord does for us
When the enemy comes in like a flood, he's not just saying bye-bye, you know, and our feet are being low
No, he's I got you man. This is not a flood. We're not gonna get through
It's like Paul on his way to Rome, you know, and he's
Crashes into Malta the Lord had them
In fact Paul actually spent a day and a half in the ocean
You know, he was shipwrecked three times
Yeah, but the Lord has us we're never drowning because he has his eye on us and he's always
Protecting us the enemy can't drown us with with his attacks
Amen and when it's time to go we're gonna go according to God's design
Not the enemies he can't take us out the enemy brings us home when it's his timing, right?
That's right
so amen, but let's read on so
Verse 10 for it was fitting for him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in
Bringing many sons to glory
To make the captain of their salvation. I don't know how your version reads
I didn't look them all up, but I love that captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings for both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified and
Jesus by the way is the sanctifier and we are the sanctified are
All of one for which reason he is not ashamed to call them meaning you and me
brethren
Saying I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly
Will sing praise to you and again, I will put my trust in him
And again, here am I and the children whom God has given me
I love this triune nature of God of the Trinity how he speaks to himself
Isn't that like interesting, you know?
It one verse will flip like first Genesis 1 26
He's talking about himself being plural and then 27
It's singular again because he's three persons in one mind-boggling
There's no analogy you can ever compare it to the closest I ever
Found was maybe water ice and steam
But it still pales. It's God is three persons in one
And so here God is talking to himself saying look look dad father
God I am bringing all these children that you have chosen to safety, right in verse
14
Yes in as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood
Meaning us he himself likewise
Shared in the same that through death. He might destroy him
Who had the power of death that is the devil and release those who through fear of death
Were all their lifetime subject to bondage
For indeed he does not give aid to angels. You see that think about that
Like angels are one and done. Do you realize that?
Like that's probably one of the reasons why they're up there scratching their wings saying how come they get all these chances
70 times 7 you're gonna forgive them what you know, we got one shot
There's no records of grace give it being given to angels
Okay, when you fail you fall, right? And so we don't see that with angels
He does not give aid to it, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham
Therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren
That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation
Try saying that three times
Propitiation for the sins of the people, you know, it's perfect
Prepare you're glad you're not sitting up here right now Jill's catching all of it right now
Propitiation, but it's taking away, you know atoning is covering over right now
Depending on what what version you read about but in the Old Testament the blood of lambs goats rams
They cover it over right but Christ blood which we're gonna be
Remembering today washes away sins never to be remembered from the East to the West
He will remember them
No more have you forgiven yourself?
It's time for us to forgive ourselves
Because Christ has forgiven us, you know when you start to look in the mirror James
It talks about looking in the mirror and like oh you you are so this so that you know
And what happens you meditate on your actions you walk away and you do the same thing anyway, right?
You're not gonna change beating yourself up. But the word says when you look in the law of Liberty
Who is Jesus Christ Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone who believes?
So when you see Jesus, you're like, I'm good because he's in here
I don't have to meditate on all my past failures or my weirdness or any of that
I have Christ. He's gonna do it in me. He who began a good work will complete it. Amen
So he's in you he's gonna do what he's going to do and you don't have to
struggle with your past
Let it go. Let it go
Where it belongs in the sea, right? And so
Where am I
18 thank you Jill
For in that he himself has suffered
Being tempted. He is able to aid those who are
Tempted now, we're gonna look a lot more into this in the future in Hebrews
Because it talks a lot about some things that we we saw today
even more so but
In the last few minutes. I'd like to just focus on the idea of family because if you can notice
There's been well first of all, I want to mention in the word
There's four primary biblical descriptors of the church
Did you ever notice that like in other words metaphors for who the church is?
One is bride. Of course every wedding we talk about that because the church is the bride of Christ
We see that again and again and Ephesians and in Revelation, you know, the the the wedding supper of the lamb
so we see this again throughout scripture because that first relationship between Adam and Eve was really a
Reflection of God's relationship with mankind, right and then a building, you know, we're living stones
He's the cornerstone. He's the firm foundation. We are of the household of God
so throughout scripture, we're also compared to a building a
body it talks about every body has its part the ligaments that the muscles the you know
The tongue everything has a special part in in the body of Christ because we're we're compared to a body
but in this case we were compared to a
Family, right because we are the family of God. In fact, we have that next slide
The reference is the family. He says we're sons of glory
He says that we are
Christ's brethren his brothers and sisters his family said at three times were the children of God
right, in fact
Many people say, you know, we're all children of God. We're all made in his image
But when we get saved we become true children of God
It's important for us to remember because you know
We can kind of group us all together and yet without Christ. We're not really part of his family yet
Do you know what I mean?
So we want to be part of his family, right and then we are the seed of Abraham
We are his family, you know when Jesus
Was you imagine growing up in a house with Jesus?
You know, he never did anything wrong. Okay. I live with Jill. So I have a little taste of that. Okay living with her
But um, I'm just kidding. Just kidding. I'm flattering her
But you know
Living with someone you see all the dirt
Okay, you see all the bad sides the good the bad the ugly all the mood swings and all that right?
Well, they lived with him and they saw none of that, but they just took it for granted
You know, he's the big brother. Of course, he's perfect
Right, you know, he's supposed to be right and then we don't know when Joseph probably
You know met his demise Joseph the carpenter
But we don't read about him at a certain point after he was I think 12 years old
I don't recall ever here and everyone just referred to Jesus as the son of Joseph because they assume maybe he was right
I mean Mary and Joseph but they lived in the household with Jesus and they didn't see him do all the same silly things
They were doing and making all those mistakes, right?
and
So at a certain point he started finally when he was empowered by the Holy Spirit in the Jordan River and he started doing
What he was called to do after being tempted 40 days in the wilderness. He went out there
He just started doing these things and they're like, wow, this is really happening
I'm paraphrasing or I guess imagining a little bit, but they're probably looking when it's actually happening
suddenly, it's like whoa, like
He's actually doing these things and he's gathering a lot of crowds and a lot of enemies
You know, there's a lot of enemies in those crowds, right?
And they saw these things happening and they were probably a little fearful. They're a little jealous
Remember when he said oh you go to the Jerusalem aren't you trying to great be a celebrity, you know
I'm paraphrasing, you know, and they're encouraging him even though he knew when he got there
They're gonna try to kill him and yet so they were encouraging him in a kind of
You know off-handed way and and yet where it was actually starting to happen
They were like wow, this is like we can't even get near him anymore because of these crowds
And so we read in Mark chapter 3 verse 21. It said but when his own people
Depending on the version of his family friends a lot of theologians assume this is his fat his own immediate family
But the people bless you closest to closest to him suddenly said wow
When they heard about this they went out to lay hand hold of him for they said he is out of his mind
Imagine, you know James Jude who actually later wrote the books of James and Jude the half brothers of Jesus, right?
You know, of course Jesus his father is the Holy Spirit and God, you know
So that's who his father was but they were like saying he's in another version says he's beside himself
You ever hear somebody say that? Oh, he's just being silent
In other words, he's like he's a split personality doesn't even know what he's doing
We got to go rescue him right and there he is rescuing mankind and they think they have to rescue him
Right and so they went and they get to this house. They couldn't even get in
Right and they sent messages through it to the house and finally someone near Jesus said, you know
Your family's out there and then we read this in verse 32
To 35 a crowd was sitting around him and they said to him your mother and your brothers are outside
seeking you and he answered them who are my mother and my brothers and
Looking about at those who sat around him. He said here are my mother and my brothers
for whoever does the will of God
He is my brother and sister and mother
So this probably like would have amazed. I don't think carry that message back to them
Imagine Mary mother of God out there saying he's like, you know
He's saying you're no better than these people in here because those who do the will of my father. That's my family
That's who belongs to me now. Thank God. We know that Mary gave her life to Jesus, right?
We know that James and Jude did right because we read those books
They don't even call themselves the brother of Jesus. They call themselves bond servants of Jesus, right?
They didn't even want to be compared to Jesus now being enlightened as to who he really was but we are
His family, you know, it's actually reminding me a little bit. Remember King David
His brothers were a little jealous of them like yeah, you just want to be a hotshot, you know
But that slingshot are yours, right and and yet after he was chased out by King Saul
Okay, he's in the caves hiding all his brothers his whole family went out to be with him
Because they realized he's the real deal
Not to mention they might have been killed by King Saul as being a lineage of him
But that's besides the point they knew we got to follow this guy, you know
We need to know who we got to follow and it's our brother
our friend
our father
Our very essence. It's who we are. We have to follow God
He is our family member and he is the one who is setting us up for success
Amen as the worship team comes up. We're gonna have communion
And if the ushers can prepare that
Ushers
and
And
As they're getting the bread and water bread and wine bread and juice
Prepare for us and bring it up. I was thinking about this and you know in we just went through the book of Leviticus and
You can look back and watch and listen to it because it was phenomenal
tremendous teaching
but in Leviticus chapter 6 it talks about
the sin offering okay, and how
When it's offered up the priests and even in some cases the people are to eat
The sin offering okay that that innocent animal that died on behalf of their sins, okay
They are to eat it
Unless
They know of sin that is still going on in their life
if
The priests had sins
They were forbidden to eat the offering if the people had a great sin upon them
they were
They were forbidden to eat this offering. That's probably why Aaron's two sons, you know after they're consumed by
Profane fire they were lighting the Lord took them out and
Aaron probably was harboring a lot of stuff in them. God just killed my two oldest sons
And he refused to take that offering
And as I was pondering this Jesus
Presented himself as the offering and he said unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you
But what if I still have sinned am I unworthy to take communion and
And and Paul actually writes in in
First Corinthians 11 about like taking communion in an unworthy manner
Now does that mean so if I still have sin I just did this on the way here or I just did that last night
Or I just I have sinned me. I can't take communion
No, he's saying you're looking at the wrong sacrifice
Because Jesus Christ is the sinless one in this place right now
He's the one who is
righteous
So when Paul was saying don't take this in an unworthy manner
He means if you're not
Considering who you are partaken of and you think it's about you
Don't take it
Because we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, right?
He's the one who is worthy here
So I was wondering right now if we could maybe just sing that worthy of it all a little bit
You know just as we're preparing our hearts. That's okay. Sorry. I threw you off a little bit you tune it Tasha
Sorry about that, but let's just let's just sing this because he is worthy of it
Or we are keeping our eyes fixed on him. And if you don't know Jesus today, I'm telling don't take communion
Because it's unworthy
It's unworthy. Why not instead?
Make a commitment right here right now and say I want to give you my life Jesus
You are the only sinless one who's ever lived and
My righteousness is found in your life
Right now it's so easy. It's so simple. I'm telling I'm urging you
When I got saved, it's he changed my life down both down here and forever
Your life will change. I promise you
He will raise up a standard. He'll either lift you up or he'll separate the waters
He's going to do what he's said. He's gonna do his promises are always yes and amen. So right now
Why don't we sing a little bit?
Worthy of it all and I'm gonna ask you right now if you've never said yes to Jesus
Don't be a fool
And yes, I want to be offensive. You're a fool if you don't accept Jesus Christ right here right now today
He's the only one who could save you. So why don't we all stand up and let's let's sing out to the Lord
Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss his word
Don't forget to join us for worship lives Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube
Be blessed and have a great day