WE SEE JESUS!

HEBREWS 2:5-9: “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. [6] 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? [7] 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. [8] You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. [9] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”

OBSERVATION:  Why is the world in such a mess?  Man knows intrinsically that he is created for dominion and success but never seems to be able to achieve such.  There is always something that keeps man from reaching his full potential.  The promises of a brighter day, a more prosperous future, and peace – always seem out of reach.

God did not create the world for angels.He created the world for man.  He gave man a position just under the angels but also gave man something much more than the angels.  He crowned man with His glory and honor and set man over all the works of His hands.  Angels could but observe this glory.  Satan would envy this glory and devise a way to steal it and try to ruin God’s plan.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden they forfeited the glory and standing they had with their Creator.  Their fellowship with God was broken and their calling with God became a struggle and an unobtainable call.  Deep within mankind, they yearned for their creative purpose yet century after century, kingdom after kingdom, this calling and desire for the utopia God had created for them slipped further and further away.

Enter Jesus.God in human flesh.  Begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of a woman. Like Adam, Jesus was made a litter lower than the angels as He entered this earth.  God Himself came not only to fulfill the Father’s original intent for man but also to redeem man and break the power of sin and death that kept man separated from God and forever disconnected him from his creative purpose.  Through Jesus’ substitutionary death and victorious resurrection, men and women can now be forgiven and restored to a full relationship with God as sons and daughters. 

Not only can they be restored but they once again become partakers of God’s glory.

As one who is redeemed by the blood of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, clothed in His righteousness, and being transformed into His image from glory to glory, I still wonder – Why is the world in such a mess?  Why is what my heart longs for seem so far out of reach?  Will I ever experience the hope of God’s creative purposes for all of mankind and His creation?  How can I walk with the assurance that God is in control and what He has promised will truly come to pass?

The answer is not found in anything or anyone but in – CHRIST ALONE!

The writer to the Hebrews speaks very plainly when he writes,

“For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”

BUT…WE SEE JESUS! 

Jesus is not only our promise of salvation, He is also the promise of our full redemption and the redemption of God’s creation.  The world is a mess.  Yet, this same Jesus, who humbled Himself and came in the form of a man, who took our place on the cross bearing our sin, who rose victoriously from the dead conquering sin and death, this same Jesus will fulfill all of God’s creative purpose and restore man to his original place of glory and dominion.  Jesus will do this when He returns, defeats every enemy, and ushers in the New Heavens and the New Earth.

So what do we do in the meantime?  How do we keep our hearts encouraged in the midst of a world that continues to slip further and further away from God?  How do we reconcile what we see with what has been promised and proclaimed in the Word of God?

WE SEE JESUS!

WE TRUST JESUS!

WE WORSHIP JESUS!

WE PROCLAIM JESUS!

We are not left alone in this fallen world.  We have a Savior, an Advocate, a Friend who understands and empathizes with all of our struggles and weaknesses.  He has walked the way to the cross for us and He will walk the way to glory with us too!  We can run to Him each and every day in our time of need. 

Hebrews 2:17-18: “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 for the sins of the people. [18] For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

While the world grasps empty promises of peace and utopia, we are anchored in the peace that passes all human understanding.  We are anchored in Jesus Christ and the hope of the full redemption of our creative purpose.  There is a new world coming.  As we wait for it…

WE SEE JESUS!

In Jesus’ Name!