Hebrews 2:6-13 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, 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. 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 perfect
through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being
sanctified are all of
one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the
assembly I 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.”
Continuing
from the last post on Pastor JJ Sunday Sermon series “God of the Underdogs”. It
was Inspector (Dirty Harry) Callahan that said: “A man has got to know his
limitations.” Nobody’s perfect. We are average and ordinary, doing the best
that we can, but called to do what God designed us to be and do; not just “good
enough” morally, ethically, industrious, godly and holy, though we are no
different than others. Don’t settle at “measuring up” using the wrong standard
and scale, just God’s matters. Our perfection is not found in cloning others,
but in growing into the likeness of Christ. For us to assume that we don’t have
to seek and find God by His holy Word, Will and Way is a flawed ideology, as
much as following other flawed people as a life pattern is a flawed
ideology.
Hebrews 2:1-3 “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we
have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and
every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we
escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be
spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him."
God choose, by His grace, His
redemptive work on the world, for a purpose. It’s not about “I’m trying the
best I can” or “I messed up once or twice, but I want to do better and will try
harder”, in a self-sufficient society. The true issue is that we cannot do it
all, but can’t neglect God’s work for the sake of our own work and
accomplishments here at God’s expense. Are we saying: “My Will be done, not Thy
Will be done?” It is not about glory be to me, but the glory of God. We tend to
neglect our own spiritual life, forgetting that nothing is done without God
(John 15:5). We cannot press on by ourselves; we were not designed to. What do
we get by continually trying harder and longer by human effort, excluding the
Lord? It is God who brings the glory to His creation and creators.
Psalm 69:30-34 “I will praise the name of God with a song,
and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall
please the Lord better than
an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves. The humble shall see this and be glad; and
you who seek God, your hearts shall live. For
the Lord hears the
poor, and does not despise His prisoners. Let
heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them."
Maturity comes
by being open to the Holy Spirit of God’s leading. Everything else is “sure”
frustration and can lead to “bitter” frustration. We are His people; the sheep
of His pasture. We are called to completeness in Christ. But do we see Jesus
and His sacrifice for us or are we distracted? Seek Him, Trust Him, and obey
Him for it is in Christ that we find our completeness and perfection will come.
In Jesus Christ everything changes to glory. There is blood, sweat and tears in
His redeeming death on that cross in our place. It starts there. We do not see how
our life may go or be, but we can, and do, wee Jesus when we look. All that we
can hope to be, made perfect in His suffering to make us children of God.
Hebrews 2:14-18 “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and
blood, 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, 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 for the sins of the people. For in that
He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are
tempted."
Look at the cross of Calvary for His glorious love, which we were unworthy by
our sinful rebellious thoughts, words and deeds, by what we have done and by
what we have left undone against our Just and Holy God. I cannot make it on my
own. I’m not perfect, but God is! The cross has spoken mercy unto us. We have a
Redeemer Savior that is perfect. Let us pray: “Lord God expose those areas of
my heart that are not pleasing in Your eyes and need to change, to become more
and more like you. Not to live a life “just getting through”, but living the
abundant life in Christ (John 10:10-11) with meaning and purpose, being the
person that You created me to be, complete and mature.” Amen. Allow God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) to
change us. Worship and Praise Him, for He is worthy.
In Christ, Brian
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