For Sure

September 29, 2013 Evening:

Title: Father Abraham had many sons...

Old Testament Passage: Psalm 32 – Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven

Gospel Passage: Mark 13:3-13 – You will be hated by all for my name's sake

Sermon Text: Hebrews 2:16 … He helps the offspring of Abraham

Sermon Point: The Lord's covenant promises to Abraham find their fulfillment in Christ and the true children of the promise who receive His daily help.

[16] For surely

The first century Mediterranean world was the site of a great religious controversy. At first it was very easily ignored, particularly if you did not have any connection with Jews. It was within Judaism and starting in Jerusalem that the battle was raging.

What kind of Messiah did the Hebrew Scriptures proclaim? What kind of kingdom was He supposed to bring? Even the remaining eleven disciples were confused. Within a generation of that initial confusion, the Christian church knew what it was about. Some Jews had believed their report, and a massive number of Gentiles had received Jesus, the King of the Jews who died on a cross, as their Savior. Their numbers dwarfed not only the number of Jewish Christians, but very soon, the number of all Jews.

What had at first seemed to be very debatable was suddenly known by many to be very sure. This change came by the work of the Holy Spirit. He repairs damaged, doubting, humble sinners, and makes them able to receive certain truths as certain.

it is not angels that he helps,

One of those truths is the meaning of the death of Christ. This death was at the center of the controversy between what would become the Jewish and Christian positions. Not that there was a controversy concerning the factual reality of the death, but more about whether God would send His Son to win a resurrection victory through first dying on a sinner's cross.

For Jews that rejected Jesus, this crucified King was nonsense. For Christians, both Jews and Gentiles, it was certainty and power. The Christians had come to see that the death of Christ was the death of a Man for humanity. He was not an angel, nor did He die for angels. That would make no sense. Angels do not die as men, and a man cannot pay the price that God's justice demands for sinful angels. There is no redemption for angels that have rebelled against God.

but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

But there is help for those who have been counted as the offspring of Abraham. Abraham was one of the great forefathers of the Jews. In Romans 4, Paul makes the case that this same Abraham is the father of all those who follow him in faith. Abraham trusted God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

But God still demanded the fulfillment of righteousness which He provided in Jesus. Here was the gift of a Man to help humanity. Through faith in Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles could be counted as the offspring of Abraham and as children of God. Through the death of Jesus, Jews and Gentiles could be delivered from death. So now, father Abraham has many sons. For sure.