You can see, bulletin-wise, that we're headed for Hebrews. And Hebrews has been the subject of study in all the prison chapels where I work for seven months in a row. We've been in Hebrews for seven months. We just finished. We're going to head on to Revelation. You think I'm ready for that? We'll find out tomorrow, as a matter of fact. We're headed on to the next thing. But we've been in for seven months. We're headed for chapter 2, verses 5 through 11, but I think you'll notice as we get in that we're touching broad themes, huge themes in the book as a whole. Borrowing from chapter 1, you'll see all of that as we go. In the opening of Hebrews, it's very evident that the inspired author is urgent with his readers. that they should understand that Christ is the Savior they need. He's so, so very urgent about that. And I think because of that, we may know that God wants us to know Christ as the Savior we need that way. The author doesn't want his readers to miss the hope that's in Christ. And there was pressure on them to turn away, turn back to the resting in what all the priests were doing, Law of Moses. There was pressure on them to do that, but he didn't want them to miss the hope of Christ. And so he warns them. Hebrews is full of warning, full of warning. Don't drift away. That's in our very chapter two. Don't drift away. I'm actually nearly 100% sure, see how I said nearly 100%? Nearly 100% sure that the initial readers, the first readers of Hebrews were from Jerusalem and Judea. We can talk about why I think that. But given, and there is a certain why that I'll mention, given just how much reference is made to the temple and what went on there with the priesthood, there's so much immediate reference to that. Also, Hebrews really has to have been written within 40 years of the Lord's resurrection. within 40 years of his resurrection, because one would never speak about the temple and the priest's activities like that if the temple were no longer standing, right? It's just gotta be, it's an early letter with all of its wonderful doctrine about who our Savior is, who is Jesus Christ. It's marvelous that way. Another thing that comes to mind is that In chapter 2 at verse 3, again we're headed for verse 5 and beyond, but in verse 3 it says about this salvation, it makes reference to this salvation, in other words this message that you've heard. It says it was declared first by the Lord, it was attested to us by those who heard. And God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles. That is like the the documented circumstance of Jerusalem when the Lord gave so many. Think of how many signs and wonders were done in Jerusalem. Even in the apostles' lives, not all seasons are just like that first one. You know, they're dragging people in from other cities to lay them in the streets just in case Peter would walk by. It was incredible confirmation by God through signs and wonders that Jesus was the Christ. and that these apostles were authentic witnesses of who he was. And so, with all of that to say, I really do think, nearly 100%, that the initial readers of this were from Jerusalem, Judea. And that's part of why it's very evident throughout Hebrews that they had heard the message really. They'd heard the real message, the real McCoy, as it were, of the gospel. They'd heard that. He doesn't want them to drift away. Again, so he warns them. In chapter 2, again, just in anticipation of the verses we'll read, he says, how would we escape if we were to neglect, ignore such a great salvation? In chapter 3, he says, see to it, brothers, that no one among you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. He's urgent with them. Chapters 6 and 10 in Hebrews have Warnings that are uncomfortably intense. Chapters 6 and 10 have both of that, have warnings that are uncomfortably intense. And he simply says to them, don't throw away confidence in Christ. You've heard the real thing. Don't throw away confidence and don't shrink back from this. Even though it's pressure, they were under persecution. And so like that. But at the same time, with all of that urgency, with all of that urgency and warning, Hebrews is portraying Christ as the Savior worth hoping in. And it's, you know, by way of volume of words, that's the heavy end, telling us so much about the nature of our Lord Jesus, who He is unto our salvation, whom we may trust, whom we may hope in. Jesus Christ, according to Hebrews, is exactly, personally, majestically, hearteningly the Savior we need. There's so much hope there. A little review of some of those marvels that are talked about, even in the first four verses of chapter one. See me doing the overview? The first four verses of chapter one, the characteristics that are described about Jesus' nature exceed our capacity for understanding. I'm not saying they're not understandable in any measure, but they exceeded. They are richer, deeper, higher than we can fully grasp. What does it mean that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who was here, that He upholds all things by the word of His power? What does that mean? He upholds everything. by the Word of His power. I remember it was fascinating just at the beginning when I was studying with the men, sort of to discover that when the author of Hebrews in chapter 1 mentioned that God the Father had appointed Jesus heir of all things, and through whom also He created the world, when he said that, the word translated world in some translations is universe, but it's like It's so big of a way, and it's original. It's like saying, through whom He created the ages. That's the original word, it's eons. He created the eons. It's a huge word. It's about as big a way as you can say, He created everything, and I honestly think it goes beyond simply the material, stuff of a planet. It touches really the unfolding of time and events. Christ, what does He uphold by the power of His Word? Everything. And the unfolding of history itself coming to promised ends. Christ Jesus Himself upholds that. And He's the One in chapter 1 who is the ultimate Word of God to us for our salvation. He is the salvation. If we don't hear Jesus, there's nobody else to wait for that way. And Jesus is to us the substance of the nature of God Himself manifest to us, not just something sort of like it, but really the substance of God's nature brought to us. He is God, brought to us that way, the express image of God. And so our author wants us to hope, and I want you and we together want one another to hope in Jesus Christ. He's real, he's actual, he is alive in that way. Make sure I'm on the right page here. Also, for those first readers, for those first, again, Hebrew, first century readers within 40 years of Christ's resurrection, for those readers, he wanted them to know that Jesus is fulfillment. He's fulfillment of everything that had been revealed so far about the idea of human beings being reconciled to God. If you read the whole of the Old Testament, the story of need for reconciliation is everywhere. And Jesus is everything that was revealed about reconciliation. Restoration to God, cleansing from sin, atoning sacrifice, a mediator to bring sacrifice to the Father, for us to be received at the throne. welcomed, received in peace with God. And that Jesus was everything that was forecast. It's forecast over and over again. How shall we be received through sacrifice and everything? But Jesus is that. It all points directly to Him. So there's three more encouragements that come at chapter 2, verses 5 through 11. And I could summarize those simply because in verse 5 you hear this mention of a world to come. That's hope. A world to come is there. Verse 10 mentions bringing many sons to glory. And verse 10 also mentions Christ being made perfect through suffering. It's the way in which he brings us to glory. So basically tonight, with that kind of introduction, that's really where we're headed is those three things, the world to come, bringing many sons to glory and Christ perfect through suffering. Let me read then Hebrews 2 verses 5 through 11. It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come of which we're speaking. It's been testified somewhere what is man. that you're mindful of Him, or the Son of Man, that you care for Him. You made Him, for a little while, lower than the angels. You have crowned Him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under His feet. Now, in putting everything in subjection to Him, He left nothing outside of His control. that present we do not yet see everything in subjecting to Him, but we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that He for whom and by whom all things exist in bringing many sons to glory should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source, and that's why he's not ashamed to call them brothers. The subject matter goes on right there. We could keep going, but that's where we'll stop with verse 11. It's been very striking to me across this book, Hebrews, to see how much of it shows what God in Christ has done for our sake. Again, in chapter one, we hear the words that the father had appointed Christ heir of all things. But I thought when I saw that, didn't he already own all things? He's the creator. But it's specific in this book. He was appointed heir in his capacity as our Savior. That's the plan. He's heir of all things with a goal for the sake of his people. And that's why he entered into humanity, to redeem humanity into inheritance. to redeem us into inheritance. And I think that's the way it speaks, or that's why it speaks as it does. It's interesting when the author mentioned the world to come, he mentioned it as something of which he'd already been talking, right? The world to come, of which we speak, like he's already been talking about that. You kind of scratch your head and say, where was he talking in chapter one in the beginning? Where was he talking about that? But there are places when you think about it. First of all, Christ is called the heir of all things. Chapter one also says that his throne will last forever. But chapter one also says the heavens and the earth as we now know them will not last forever. So if his throne lasts forever, and there is a world to come, he's already been speaking of it in that way. There will be that. Christ will have a world to come to be over. And again, as it says, he didn't put angels in charge of this place. And so that's what he's been speaking of there. Think about it too, and this is again touching all kinds of places in Hebrews, but Abraham himself, even 2,000 years prior to Christ, had, though he had promises that were very earthly tangible, land, location, borders, and those kinds of things, even Abraham, according to Hebrews, knew that those promises, the earthly ones, represented something greater. He knew that, and it's on record then. Hebrews 11 says, He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with Him of the same promise. For He was looking forward to a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Verse 13 goes on in that same chapter to say, These all died. in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. They were assured of them, embracing them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth. Those who say such things declare plainly that they're seeking a homeland. And verse 16 says, they desire a better heavenly country. So even that far back, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, there is a revealed knowledge that the promised land promises were not just dirt, not just springs and sheep and those kinds of things, but it represented a world to come, really. It represented a world to come. I'm always fascinated by Romans 4, 13. It does speak of Abraham, Romans 4, 13. And we know the main point of that is to say that Abraham received these things by promise. He received them by promise. But the interesting thing about verse 13 is what he would receive. The promise, you ready? the promise that he would be heir of the world. Abraham, heir of the world. That's Romans 4.13. There it is. And I think that begins to clue us in on some of our hope in Christ. The idea of a world to come, of many sons being brought to glory is the restoration into the inheritance of all creation. It's the new creation, but we're restored into it. Again, Hebrews 2.5 says, he's not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to angels. But one is testified in a certain place, what is man. That's Psalm 8. What is man that you are mindful of him? And I think Psalm 8 is quite a definite, very particular prophecy of Christ and His coming and what He will inherit. But it's not unrelated to the concept of being restored into inheritance as mankind. Right? What is man? that you're mindful of Him. And I think, again, I just think if someone were to ask you to describe what we're being redeemed to, what would you say? We know we're being redeemed from something. What would you say we're being redeemed to? I'll let you mull, you don't have to speak out loud. Mull it at least. What would you say? What are we being redeemed to? One way I would put it is that we are being restored to that for which we were created in the first place, entrusted with creation to rejoice in its bounty, to govern it, to rule it with a thankful rule, all in relationship to God as giver for the ever increasing discovery of His bounty. That's all been ruined in the fall, but it's being restored. And so the idea that to whom does the world to come, who's going to govern the world to come? Jesus Christ. It's not the angels, even though they had a high regard for angels. It's Jesus Christ. But we're, Jesus is the heir. He is the heir, but he has fellow heirs. He's not ashamed to call us brothers. Our redemption is into the fullness of what we were created for and to really reign and rule with Him. I think the way Revelation 22 talks, you know, where in the new world, there'll be no more curse, but the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it. His servants shall serve Him. That's 22.3 in Revelation. But 22.5 says they shall reign with Him forever. they shall reign with him. He is the heir. He has fellow heirs. all the bounty. He's restoring us to all the bounty of God toward us. And so we speak of a world to come. We speak of many sons being brought to glory. But in our passage, what did it take for Christ to bring us into that glory? It took the Incarnation. It took His bearing our sins even unto death itself. Did you hear the wording of one thing being the cause for another? Crowned with glory and honor. This is Hebrews 2.9, we read it. Crowned with glory and honor because. Crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death. It is right for him to receive the glory and honor and to govern all the new creation because of his atoning sacrifice. It is, it was somewhat bewildering to me to hear the part of the passage that says it was fitting, fitting that he be, how is the wording there? Be made perfect through suffering? You know, what is that? What's being communicated there? To do my best, I think it implies that the death on the cross was the necessary way in which this had to be done. Not necessary by any principle outside of God, but in God himself, Father, Son, and Spirit. This is how it had to be. It was fitting. that he enter in, in this way, and he does so voluntarily, willingness to enter, and he bears the offenses, and it actually makes the peace justly. Forgiveness could not happen without it, but forgiveness could happen without any offense to justice. So it's a fitting thing that it be this way. It had to happen this way. And because of that, because of His suffering of death, He's crowned with glory and honor. Our Lord Jesus is, you know, Hebrews says He sits now at the right hand of the Father, ruling all things, upholding all things by His powerful Word. Your Lord Jesus sits now at the right hand of the Father. He's ruling all things. I think Philippians 2.9 speaks the same way when it uses the word therefore. Philippians 2 speaks of Christ choosing to enter in, not grasping onto His equality with the Father as though it were something to be grasped. But He gave Himself up, took on the nature of a servant, even to the point of death on a cross, it says. And then it says this, therefore. Therefore God has also highly exalted him, and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and those on the earth and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. I realize we're only touching a few things from Hebrews, but when it mentions world to come, when it mentions you being brought to glory, many sons to glory, when it mentions His doing so by sacrifice and being crowned with glory and honor. I'm hoping that we can just take courage in all of that. He's the Savior we need. He is exactly, personally, hearteningly, majestically the Savior that you need. Let's pray. Lord, I pray that we would know you as you are. We could take heart if we just know you more. Lord Jesus, exalted at the right hand of God. Lord Jesus, who, because of your love for us, entered in. Father, Son, and Spirit, your plan for restoration, full restoration to new heavens and new earth with Christ, King and Lord. and we fellow heirs with him. I pray that we would take courage in Jesus' name. Amen.