1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,600 Praise the Lord, if you have a Bible with you, would you turn 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:06,080 with me please for our Scripture reading to the Epistle to the 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:12,240 Hebrews and chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2, and we're 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,520 just going to read the first 9 verses of this chapter. 5 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:21,200 Hebrews chapter 2 commencing to read at verse one. 6 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,840 The Apostle says, therefore, we ought to give the more earnest 7 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:32,840 heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we 8 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,800 should let them slip. For if the words spoken by 9 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:42,520 angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience 10 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:48,640 received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape, if 11 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:53,600 we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be 12 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:59,280 spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that 13 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,480 heard Him? God also, bearing them witness, 14 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:09,840 both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles and gifts 15 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,640 of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will. 16 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,720 For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to 17 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:23,720 come, Whereof we speak that one in a certain place testified, 18 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:29,360 saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him, or the Son 19 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:34,080 of man, that thy visitest him? Thy amazed him a little lower 20 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:39,520 than the angels, Thy crownest him with glory and honour, and 21 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,280 that set him over the works of thy hands. 22 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:47,040 Thy hast put all things in subjection under His feet. 23 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,080 For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left 24 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:53,320 nothing that is not put under Him. 25 00:01:54,200 --> 00:02:00,840 But now we see not yet all things put under him, but we see 26 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:06,400 Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the 27 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:13,960 suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that He by the 28 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:18,720 grace of God, should taste death for every man. 29 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,800 Amen. May the Lord bless to us the 30 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,080 public reading of His own inspired and His infallible Word 31 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,640 of Allah. Now we're turning again to the 32 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:34,680 Epistle to the Hebrews and the Hebrews and chapter 2, and I 33 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:38,080 want to draw your attention particularly to verse 9, the 34 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:44,000 last verse that we read in that chapter this morning throughout 35 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,640 the events of the week that has gone by into eternity with the 36 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:53,560 assassination of that dear man, Charlie Kirk, in the United 37 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:58,320 States of America. And we think about God's people 38 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:03,960 in many parts of the world where there is great persecution and 39 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,200 hardship and difficulty, and those who would seek to name the 40 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:15,080 name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many have been imprisoned and 41 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:20,000 others have given their lives for the cause of Christ. 42 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:27,120 But persecution and opposition has always been the lot of the 43 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:31,360 children of God. And the apostle writes to the 44 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:36,440 people who are described as the Hebrew Christians, men and 45 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:41,280 women, young people, boys and girls who were Jewish, who had 46 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,160 received the Lord Jesus Christ as their own and personal 47 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:49,280 Saviour. But now much opposition was 48 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,360 taking place, and the apostle says here in verse one. 49 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:57,120 Therefore we ought to give them more earnesteed to the things 50 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:01,640 which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 51 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,720 In the opening chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Paul 52 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:10,240 gives a number of warnings Lest the people of God should let the 53 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,120 things of God and the word of God, and their faith and their 54 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:19,279 profession of faith in Christ, lest they should let them slip 55 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:25,160 and go back into the beggarly elements of this world, and to 56 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,760 encourage them. As he writes these words, he 57 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:33,600 says in verse 9. But we see Jesus, who was made a 58 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,920 little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned 59 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:43,320 with glory and honour, that he by the grace of God should taste 60 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,560 death for every man. And the apostle is writing to 61 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:52,920 the people of God, and he says, we, we need a fresh to see our 62 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:58,560 Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to think of him and what he 63 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:03,520 has done and what he has accomplished, and how he left 64 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:09,480 the heavenly glory and committed this world, and was made in the 65 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,920 likeness of sinful men, and was made a little lower than the 66 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,080 angels. And that who was who would 67 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:20,880 suffer death on the old rugged cross of Calgary, but now is 68 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,880 crowned with glory and honour. And the apostle is telling us to 69 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:29,000 look to Jesus, as he says in another verse, lest ye be 70 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:34,880 wearied and faint in your minds. You know, the apostle could tell 71 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,440 the people that we have something they, they, they were 72 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,160 well used to persecution and opposition. 73 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,960 God's people, his ancient people, people of Israel all 74 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,960 down through time have been persecuted and hounded and 75 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:52,320 haunted. But here's people, and now, not 76 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:56,480 only because they were the Israel of God, but now because 77 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,960 they are redeemed by precious blood and their professing faith 78 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:03,080 in Christ, then there's more opposition coming to them. 79 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,200 And so the apostles trying to encourage them in their walk 80 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,880 with God and in their faith day by day, lest they become tired 81 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:16,920 and weary, As I said, he quotes that verb in their minds. 82 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,160 He says so consider the Lord Jesus Christ and through one of 83 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,640 the keywords, of course, in the Epistle to the Hebrews is the 84 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,320 word better. And as the apostle writes to 85 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:33,760 them, he, he tells them how much better the gospel is and that 86 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,600 Christ is even than the, the, the, the foreshadowings of that. 87 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:43,760 We, we have a better than the rituals that they went through 88 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,520 in the Tabernacle and then in the temple. 89 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,200 We have the Redeemer himself, our Saviour. 90 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,480 We have something that's far better even than the altar of 91 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:58,680 the Tabernacle or the temple. We have the one who is the 92 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:03,720 Almighty, the Christ of God who came into the world and bore our 93 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:05,800 sins and his own body on the tree. 94 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,720 We have more than all the sacrifices that were offered and 95 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,040 all the sacrifices of the old, hymn says. 96 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:17,000 Not all the blood of beasts on Jewish altars slain could give 97 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,160 the guilty conscience peace or wipe away the stain. 98 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:24,240 But Christ the Lamb of God, we have something better than all 99 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,560 the sacrifice. We have the Son of God himself 100 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,920 and this man, the Lord Jesus, the Son of God. 101 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:35,800 After he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, he 102 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:40,360 could say it is finished and the work is complete and the price 103 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:45,320 has been paid once and for all. The old Gospel hymn says once 104 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:50,040 and for all, O Sinner, receive it once and for all. 105 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:54,400 O brother, believe it, Cling to the cross, your burden will 106 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:59,800 fall, for Christ hath redeemed us once for all. 107 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:03,600 We have something even better than the veil, the veil of the 108 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,840 temple. You remember on that day when 109 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,680 our Saviour died upon the cross, the veil of the temple was rent 110 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,320 and twain from the top to the bottom. 111 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,760 God, as it were, tore it apart. But we have the one who is the 112 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:22,520 victor of Calvary and the one who rose triumphant over sin and 113 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,680 death and hell and the grave. We have something better even 114 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,080 than the Testament. We have the one who is called 115 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:33,840 the testator himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who 116 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,760 accomplished it all at the place called Calvary. 117 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,400 And so the apostle is encouraging the people. 118 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:49,560 He says we see Jesus. He wants them to look to the 119 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:53,800 Lord Jesus Christ. You remember those people, They 120 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:58,040 were Greeks. And when the apostles were with 121 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:02,000 the Lord Jesus and Jesus was teaching, the people came and 122 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:09,560 they said to the disciples, Sirs, we would see Jesus. 123 00:09:09,560 --> 00:09:11,880 And that's the great prayer of our heart. 124 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:16,000 Sunday by Sunday prayer meeting, night by prayer meeting night 125 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:22,640 Bible study by Bible study that we would see Jesus. 126 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:27,160 Remember the words of the apostle John in the book of the 127 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,400 Revelation when he had that glorious vision of the Lord 128 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,640 Jesus Christ. And he turned, he said, to see 129 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:39,360 the one who spoke with him. And he said, I fell at his feet, 130 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,240 as if they had. Isaiah could say that in the 131 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:50,200 year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and lifted up. 132 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:55,720 What must it have been for our first parents, Adam and Eve, to 133 00:09:55,720 --> 00:10:02,960 walk with God, to talk with him in the beautiful paradise of 134 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:09,960 Eden, to see him? It's our prayer that even as we 135 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,800 think about this verse for a moment or two, that we might see 136 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:17,560 afresh the Lord Jesus as He has revealed in the world. 137 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:20,920 I want you to notice that we have here the obedient or the 138 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,880 observance of Christ is encouraged. 139 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:31,160 Paul is encouraging them to look to the Lord Jesus Christ. 140 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:36,160 He is the one who came into the world in his wonderful 141 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,920 incarnation. He says we see Jesus who was 142 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,320 made a little lower than the angels. 143 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,360 Now when you read in the 1st chapter of this Epistle to the 144 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,880 Hebrews, we have a wonderful exposition of the the Person of 145 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:52,880 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 146 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:57,200 And the Bible says that God in verse one, who at sundry times 147 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:01,200 in diverse manners speak in time passed unto the fathers by the 148 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,560 prophets, hath on his last days spoken unto us by his Son. 149 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,200 Listen, And his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all 150 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:14,240 things, whom he hath appointed, who also he made the world's. 151 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:19,040 And verse 3 says, who being in the brightness of his glory, and 152 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:23,800 the express image of his person. And verse 4 says, being made so 153 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:28,560 much better than the angels. And we're reminded that the Lord 154 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:34,920 Jesus Christ is God the Son, the Son of God, Co equal, Co eternal 155 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:39,080 with the Father. He is so much being made so much 156 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:43,400 better than the angels. And he he hasn't obtained a more 157 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,120 excellent name than the his name. 158 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:48,920 The name of the Lord Jesus is more excellent. 159 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:57,360 The angels are created beings, their existence depends on the 160 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:02,080 will and the word of God. But the Lord Jesus Christ, he is 161 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:07,320 Co equal and Co eternal, very God of very God. 162 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,560 And so as you read down that chapter, the Bible says in verse 163 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:14,840 6, let all the angels of God worship him. 164 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,840 And the apostle says, you're just imagine the Lord Jesus 165 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:23,800 Christ, his name, his person, everything about it is better 166 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:28,360 even than the angels, because God never said to the angels in 167 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:33,000 verse 8, but unto the Son he saith, thy throne, O God, is 168 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,640 forever and ever. A sceptre of righteousness is 169 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:44,640 the sceptre of thy Kingdom. Verse 13 of chapter 1. 170 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:49,520 But to which of the angels said he at any time Sit on my right 171 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,000 hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 172 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:57,200 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister 173 00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,800 for them who shall be heirs of salvation? 174 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:07,640 And the apostle Paul says Christ the Son of God, who is greater 175 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:15,520 than the angels in his incarnation, in his humiliation 176 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:21,040 he was made a little lower than the angels. 177 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:25,800 Verse 16 of chapter 2 reminds us, for verily he took not on 178 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:32,560 him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 179 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:37,520 And so we see the Lord Jesus Christ, and round about the 180 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,080 Christmas season we often sing about the little town of 181 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:44,000 Bethlehem. We think about the one who was 182 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,800 born and wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in the feeding 183 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:52,360 truck in the Manger, and hire the angels of God sang at his 184 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,640 birth, and our the shepherds came and worshipped at his feet 185 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,320 the Lord Jesus Christ and His incarnation. 186 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:06,040 He was made a little lower than the angels, and he took upon 187 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:10,840 himself a body formed in fashion like a man, but yet without sin. 188 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:15,280 And in that incarnation he came in to the world. 189 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,680 I remember reading a quote by the great Charles Haddon 190 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:24,200 Spurgeon, the great English Baptist preacher, and Mr 191 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:28,400 Spurgeon said when he talked about Christ coming into the 192 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,520 world, and there are so many beautiful hymns that describe 193 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:33,160 it. I love that hymn that says out 194 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:36,520 of the ivory palaces into a world of woe. 195 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,680 Only his great eternal love could make my Saviour go. 196 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:47,440 But Mr Spurgeon said if you can think about a man with all his 197 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:55,520 faculties, in all his power, in all his prowess, he said if that 198 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:00,240 man could become a worm of the dust. 199 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:05,200 Spurgeon said that's what it was like for the Son of God, the 200 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:11,720 Lord Jesus Christ, to leave heaven's glory and to be formed 201 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:17,720 and fashioned as a man in this world, in his incarnation. 202 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:23,920 And Paul says we need to observe the Lord Jesus Christ, look to 203 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:28,640 the Lord, see the Lord Jesus Christ in his incarnation, think 204 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:32,400 about him in his great act of redemption. 205 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,880 It says there we see Jesus, who has made a little lower than the 206 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:41,080 angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and 207 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,240 honour, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every 208 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,080 man. We think about that great act of 209 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:52,800 redemption that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered, suffered death 210 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,880 upon the cross of Calvary. He didn't deserve to die, 211 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:04,280 because he who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might 212 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:05,960 be made the righteousness of God in it. 213 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,040 But the Lord Jesus had no sin of his own. 214 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:11,160 He never thought a wrong thought. 215 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,680 He never said a wrong word. He never performed a wrong deed. 216 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,920 He was the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 217 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:23,960 And yet thereupon the cross of Calvary, God Almighty had to 218 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,440 turn his face away. And Calvary was shrouded in 219 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,880 blackness and darkness. And the Lord Jesus cried out, My 220 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:35,440 God, my God, why hast thy first? Because God's Son. 221 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,240 And he was still God's only begotten Son. 222 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:40,920 He was still the darling of God's bosom. 223 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,440 He was still the apple of God's eye, But he took upon himself 224 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:55,400 your sin and my sin, and he bore our sins and his own body on the 225 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:57,640 tree. All our iniquities on him were 226 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:02,240 laid, says the hymn writer. He bore them all to the tree and 227 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,560 Jesus the death of our sins fully paid. 228 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:09,480 He paid the ransom for me and I create act of redemption when he 229 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,200 shed his precious blood to wash away our sins. 230 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:19,119 Thank God there's still power in Jesus blood to wash away every 231 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,079 sin and every stay. And the weak chorus says every 232 00:17:22,079 --> 00:17:27,920 sin had to go, the cleansing flow ruled away, ruled away, and 233 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:32,960 the burden my heart rolled away. And we think about how he 234 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:38,600 brought about reconciliation of sinful men to a holy God as he 235 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:43,760 died upon the cross of Calvary. And we think of course too about 236 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,400 his resurrection. We see Jesus who was made a 237 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,000 little lower than the Angel for the suffering and death crowned 238 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,360 with glory and honour. He did not remain in the tomb. 239 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:54,800 We were singing in the heaven. He could not. 240 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,720 Beholden of death. One day the stone rolled away 241 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:03,040 from the door, and he arose triumphant over sin and death 242 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:06,640 and hell and the grave. And thank God, he lives forever 243 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:11,680 in the power of an endless life. As reading recently there said, 244 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:16,160 there are 4300 religions in this world at least. 245 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,040 But beloved, there's only one way to heaven. 246 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,480 There's only one mediator between God and men. 247 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:28,120 There's only one saviour, there's only one door, the Lord 248 00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:32,280 Jesus Christ. And there's many religions and 249 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:37,320 rituals and rites and ceremonies and all the other things 250 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:42,440 associated with empty dead religion. 251 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:51,360 But thank God, Jesus Christ, he conquered sin and death and hell 252 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,920 and the grave, and up from the grave heroes with a mighty 253 00:18:55,920 --> 00:19:00,400 triumph, or his foes. He's the only one who conceive 254 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:06,320 from sin. And of course his exaltation is 255 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:10,240 spoken of there. He's crowned with glory and 256 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,360 honour. So the apostle tells the people 257 00:19:13,360 --> 00:19:18,080 for your encouragement, he tells the the Hebrew Christians there 258 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:23,480 are some people, and he says they have not yet resisted unto 259 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:24,720 blood. In other words, there's a 260 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:29,000 possibility that some of these people to whom Paul was writing, 261 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,120 some of these people to whom he had preached that they could 262 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:38,280 suffer death on account of their faith in Christ, we say some of 263 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:40,080 you have not yet resisted unto blood. 264 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,360 They're other believers and they have resisted unto blood and 265 00:19:43,360 --> 00:19:48,080 they have stood fast even though they were martyred for the cause 266 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:53,400 of Christ. And so he says, we need to look 267 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,240 to the Lord Jesus. May God help us to look to Lord. 268 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,360 The observance of crisis and courage, you know the obedience 269 00:20:00,360 --> 00:20:04,320 of Christ is exhibited here. Says we see Jesus who was made a 270 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,000 little lower than the angels. When was he made a little lower 271 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:08,560 than the angels? As we have said in his 272 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:10,880 incarnation? And you remember the words of 273 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:14,520 the Apostle Paul there when he wrote to the church at Philippi 274 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:19,600 about our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but the one who was 275 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:24,640 equal with God and he thought it not robbery to be equal with God 276 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:29,760 in Philippines chapter 2 and verse five and six, he says, let 277 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:34,560 this mind be in you unless we should get above ourselves, as 278 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,760 they say, unless we should think more highly about ourselves. 279 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:42,200 And we ought to think we ought to have that spirit of 280 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:46,040 submission and willingness and yieldedness to God. 281 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:50,200 And there was problems in the church and people were trying to 282 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:54,040 score points over one another. But Paul says, let this mind be 283 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,360 in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 284 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,560 Verse 6 of chapter 2 of Philippines, who being in the 285 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:03,600 form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, 286 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,440 but made himself of no reputation took upon him. 287 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:11,360 The form of a servant was made in the likeness of man, and 288 00:21:11,360 --> 00:21:15,480 being found in fashion as a man, and he humbled himself and 289 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,440 became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 290 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:25,680 Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, Paul says. 291 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:31,560 Think of the poverty that he endured to to come out from the 292 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:36,280 the place where the streets are paved with gold, and come out of 293 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,440 the ivory palaces, and go through those. 294 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,680 Gates and. Walls of glory and come into 295 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:48,880 this world and to be rejected and despised among men. 296 00:21:50,360 --> 00:21:53,440 Became for the. Suffering of death. 297 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:59,200 And he humbled himself, and became obedient even on to the 298 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:03,280 death of the cross. Not just any death, but the 299 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:08,040 death of the cross. And the apostle says we ought to 300 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:13,720 see the Lord Jesus encourages the people to look to him, so 301 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:17,240 that in seeing Him we too might be obedient. 302 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:24,360 I always remember at some baptismal services we had in in 303 00:22:24,360 --> 00:22:28,320 Banbridge and used to sing and we chorus, when someone went 304 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:33,160 through the waters of baptism. And it was Be thy faithful unto 305 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:37,520 death, be thy faithful unto death. 306 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:42,480 Why, if we see the Lord Jesus Christ, like John on the Isle of 307 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:47,720 Patmos, when we see Jesus, he was able to endure the 308 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:51,360 persecution. He was able to endure being an 309 00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:53,720 exile. He was able to endure the 310 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:57,280 hardship and the difficulties, as the apostle writes to the 311 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:02,120 Hebrews as seeing him who is invisible. 312 00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:07,240 And then the apostle not only speaks here about observing 313 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,400 Christ, he encourages us to do that. 314 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:14,520 He says, look, the obedience of Christ is exhibited here, but 315 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:20,320 you'll notice there that the the offering of Christ is a factual 316 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:24,960 and is affected here. He for the suffering of death. 317 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:31,600 And then it says that he might taste death for every man what 318 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:36,120 Christ did upon the old rugged cross. 319 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:43,240 Is he factual? It works, It really works. 320 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:47,720 It saves men and women from their sin. 321 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:53,560 What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 322 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:57,600 What can make me holy here? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 323 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,240 And the Lord. Jesus came into the world. 324 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:05,200 He was born of the Virgin. He lived a perfect, sinless 325 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,160 life. He poured out his soul unto 326 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:12,200 death on the old rugged cross of Calvary, that he, by the grace 327 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,160 of God, should taste death for every man. 328 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,800 He suffered the awful agonies of Calvary. 329 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:22,480 He suffered the indignities he suffered the shame. 330 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,360 He suffered the spitting. He suffered, the mocking. 331 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,560 He suffered the the crown of thorns being beaten into his 332 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,360 brow. He suffered the his back being 333 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:33,480 like a ploughed field with the Roman whip. 334 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:37,120 He suffered the the kneels in his hands, the spear in his 335 00:24:37,120 --> 00:24:39,640 side. He died that we might be 336 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,200 forgiven. He died to make us good, that we 337 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,960 might go at last to heaven. See him by His precious blood 338 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,040 and and the offering of our Saviour is one word that the old 339 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:54,680 Puritan is used to use the oblation, the the sacrifice, the 340 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:59,880 the the the giving of oneself, the sacrifice of sin forever. 341 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:04,720 It was affected. It was real works. 342 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:10,560 It saves the soul and then you'll notice just in closing, 343 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:16,480 the apostle says the omnipotence of Christ is emphasised here. 344 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:22,880 He is now. Crowned with glory and honour. 345 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:28,880 We see Jesus who was made a little more than the angels. 346 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:34,160 We see Jesus who suffered in, bled and died at the cross of 347 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:38,800 Calvary. But we see Jesus, who is crowned 348 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:44,240 with glory and honour, as what the Apostle says, whereby God 349 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:48,800 hath given him an name that is higher than every other name, 350 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:53,840 that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow every tongue. 351 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:58,360 Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the 352 00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:04,200 Father. Kings and Queens and Princess 353 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:11,680 and potentates and presidents will all bow the knee to the 354 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:20,880 Lord Jesus Christ. Dictators, evil men and women, 355 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:27,760 those who have fought against the Gospel of Christ all down 356 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:32,920 through history, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall 357 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:35,920 confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 358 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:41,200 The Ayatollahs and the Buddhists, the Muhammad's this 359 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,720 world. The leaders of the. 360 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:47,480 Cults. And those who have? 361 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:50,680 Been against our God and his Christ. 362 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:58,760 Every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus 363 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:03,360 Christ as Lord. So the apostle says, beloved, 364 00:27:04,120 --> 00:27:08,680 don't be discouraged. Beloved, don't get downhearted. 365 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:15,040 Beloved, look to Jesus, the one who came into the world, who 366 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:18,960 died for our sin, who rose again, who has ascended to the 367 00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:20,960 right hand of the majesty on high. 368 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:25,440 And one day he's coming in power and in glory. 369 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:29,920 And the dead, small and great, and the nations of this world, 370 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:34,480 like the seas, will stand before him, and every knee will bow, 371 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,800 and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. 372 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,800 I love that week chorus. Maybe we'll sing it tonight. 373 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:46,880 He is Lord, He is Lord. He has risen from the dead, and 374 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,000 he is Lord. And thank God, we can say that 375 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:55,760 He's my Lord, He's my Lord. He has risen from the dead, and 376 00:27:56,120 --> 00:27:59,640 he is Lord. Wherefore he is able to keep 377 00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:04,240 that which I have committed unto him against that day. 378 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:07,080 What a wonderful Saviour we serve. 379 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:11,520 The old hymn says, I serve our risen Saviour. 380 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:17,800 Buddha's dead, Muhammad's dead, Confucius is dead, but Jesus 381 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:22,560 Christ is alive, and he's alive forever more. 382 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:27,800 So may the Lord help us to see Him afresh, to follow Him, to 383 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,560 look to Him, and to take encouragement in our 384 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:36,600 discouragement, to take soccer and help from Him in our 385 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:41,840 weakness, and to press on toward the mark of the high calling in 386 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:44,320 Christ Jesus. May the Lord bless these simple 387 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:48,000 thoughts from His Word to our heart for His namesake.