The Shape of Humanity Ps 26; Job 1:1; 2:1-10; Mark 10:2-16; Heb 1:1-4; 2:5-12

Introduction https://youtu.be/TRJYybe1xE0

Both Job and the psalmist lived with a tension never fully resolved under the old covenant and which still stirs up many hearts today. Why doesn’t God visibly uphold the integrity of righteous people, whilst the wicked seem to prosper. The state of the world always seems to go from bad to worse with some people being mean and cruel just because they can be[1]. In Job, Satan appears to attack this man’s righteous character for no evident reason (Job 2:3).  The poor man’s suffering intensifies until his nearest and dearest, his wife, tells him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”” (2:9). Then his “friends” turn up and instead of offering true comfort indicate he must be a sinner otherwise he wouldn’t be suffering like this. Only at the end of the book does Job receive an answer about the reason for his trials and how it has all been worthwhile (Job 38ff.). Today we thank God that we are in the position of looking at all the sufferings and hopes of humanity through the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus whose life illuminates the meaning of all that has and will ever happen to us.

The Measure of the Stature of Christ Heb 1:1-4

Hebrews [has some of the most exalted teaching about Christ in the Bible[2] and whose] grand perspective on Jesus’ identity is launched from the letter’s very beginning[3]. In words which both resonate with and challenge his Jewish audience the author proclaims, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”

The God of the Bible is essentially a speaking God. “Long ago” means that from time immemorial God has been communicating[4] in all sorts of prophetic ways[5]. The prophets uttered oracles, did miracles, saw dreams and visions and acted out prophetic gestures[6]. God continues to speak to us in these modes today. Even this week a parishioner spoke to me about a dream in which the Lord shared his will with her, such revelatory experiences continue because “the last days” applies from the time of Jesus first coming, through Pentecost (Acts 2:17), until he comes back[7]. In these “last days”, that is, the time in which we live[8] God has spoken to us through no one less than “his Son”. What was once partial and diverse is now single and unified. The title “Son”, without anything added[9], is a distinctive of Hebrews (1:5, 8; 2:6, 8; 3:6; 5:8) and is particularly powerful because it brings to mind the authority of God the Father[10], and it allows] the writer fills out the dignity of Jesus in his own terms.

Christ is first of all “appointed the heir of all things[11], through whom also he created the world.” (v.2). As the one through whom and for whom all things were made (Col 1:16), Jesus is the sole origin and destiny of humanity by the Father’s appointment. So when we sing a song something like, “Jesus, all for Jesus, all I am and have and ever hope to be”, which we do regularly on a Sunday night we know we are abiding in the will of God. For years I was deeply disturbed about why I had ever come into existence, until I had a revelation that it never was about my story, even my story with a place for God, but it is Christ’s story with a place for me. Since the text literally says the “ages” were created through Jesus.[12] This means there will never be a future time when Jesus will not be at the centre of everything; he will forever be my companion. PTL.

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

Translators struggle to interpret the first part of this verse as either the “reflection of the glory of God”, like the moon reflects the sun, or “the radiance of the glory of God”[13] as the sun is a radiator of heat and light. We should see this as a way of saying that everything that can be communicated/shine forth[14] about God’s deepest being has been made visible in Christ. As the “exact imprint” of the divine nature, to see Jesus is to see the Father as he is. This raises an important point. From time to time I ask people a peculiar question, “Which of the Persons of the Godhead do you find easiest to relate to?” The answer is almost always “Jesus” and almost never “the Father”[15]. Remember what Jesus said, and apparently is still saying, ““Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9). The character of the Father is Jesus[16]. We need the revelation of the Spirit into our hearts to indelibly know this (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5). If Jesus “upholds the universe by the word of his power” means everything that has and will happen to us is in the hands of Jesus, the crucified hands[17], of someone who loves us perfectly. Why then are people in trauma that a virus might kill them, or that a vaccine might place them in the hands of the antichrist?[18] Even better things about the Lord are yet to come.

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 1:3-4

Since Jesus has made “purification for sins”[19] anyone’s guilty conscience (Rom 3:20; 4:15; 5:13; 7:7; Heb 9:4, 9) can be cleansed from the burden of offending God (Heb 9:14; 10:22). Faith in the sacrificial blood of the cross makes the heart clean in God’s eyes (1 Pet 3:21; Ps 24:4; 51:10). This means we can enjoy what Jesus is now enjoying.” Having completed his priestly ministry of sacrifice (Heb 10:11-14). Since Jesus “sat down”[20] at the right hand of the Majesty on high, he is at rest. If the Son obeyed the Father in entering his rest, how about us? If Jesus work is essentially finished[21], we should not try to make things happen[22]. This is especially true as we think about the future of the parish. Since Christ is at “the right hand of Majesty” he enjoys the highest possible honour[23] far superior to the angels[24] having inherited the name of God himself[25]. All this means that a glorified human being is exalted above even the highest of heavenly beings. The great implications of this will become clearer as we consider Hebrews 2:5-12.

The Path to Glory

“5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,8             putting everything in subjection under his feet.””

God’s view of humanity is not dominated by unfallen Adam in Eden, nor fallen humanity in general nor Israel in her highs and lows, but how he is “impressed” by the total story of Jesus in its deepest lowliness and supreme exaltation[26].

The route to the human Jesus (1 Tim 2:5) being in control of everything (Heb 2:8), which includes humans and angelic powers, holy and unholy, is marked by suffering on behalf of others.

9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. (2:8-9)

The writer of Hebrews understands the way of the cross to be the supreme illustration of God’s wisdom, goodness and love:

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder[27] of their salvation perfect through suffering. (2:10)

In what sense was it “fitting” for the Son to suffer for the children of God?[28] Couldn’t God have saved us and made us his children without his own Son having to suffer so grievously[29]? The answer is emphatically “No!” because without the cross there could be no eternal glory in a new creation for any sort of creature at all. Which is why in the book of Revelation John sees the slaughtered and risen Lamb at the centre of everything (Rev 5:6; 22:1, 3) for the new creation exists solely “in Christ” (2 Cor 5:17)[30]. In other words, a glorified human being is the centre and circumference of all God’s final purposes (Eph 1:9-10). As Jesus gave all for the Father, so the Father has given him authority over all things (Matt 28:18). Likewise, to the degree we surrender all our earthly ambitions to Jesus, to that extent he can share his spiritual authority with us.  The suffering and glorification of Jesus is the full and final revelation of all of God’s purposes. I believe the reason why we are slow to see this comes out in what the writer says next.

11 For he who makes holy and those who are made holy are all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

When the writer says Jesus is the one who “makes holy”, and we are the ones “made holy”, he isn’t primarily thinking of moral perfection but of being completely set apart to God for his exclusive service. That Christ and us “have one source/origin/Father” means that Jesus came and shared our broken humanity as the will of the Father. His obedience means God has become a Father to us through grace as he is a Father to Jesus by nature[31].  That Jesus is “not ashamed” of sharing his Father with us is the highest possible honour and is much greater than anything the angels could ever share. In making us his brothers and sisters Jesus doesn’t suddenly become passive or silent, if “the congregation”[32]  is the Church on earth as well as heaven, he declares the praise of the Father for his infinitely wise plan by songs of adoration, prophecies, testimonies, inspired prayers and by sermons about his life story from the Bible. All of these involve us sharing in the process of the glorification of our humanity. Today Jesus reveals to us as his brothers and sisters what Job and the psalmist could never directly or fully understand: suffering according to the will of God to become like God in his suffering for us is the most majestic of all human callings[33]. Confusion, even resistance, to God ordained tribulation (Acts 14:22) is the greatest reason why the meaning of human life as a journey through suffering into glory is hidden from most of us.

Conclusion

The answer to the question of what it means to be human, or what is human integrity was hinted at when the Lord appeared and spoke to Job near the close of his book in a most direct way, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. (Job 38:2-3)[34] There is nothing more sobering, and more honourable, than to be spoken to directly by the Spirit of God concerning the purpose and conduct of your humanity. In Hebrews the Spirit of God speaks no longer through symbols and shadows[35] but in the life of the Son of God, a life marked by suffering as the way to glory[36]. Know for sure brothers and sisters, if you have chosen to belong to Jesus it is because he has chosen[37] to share the shape/pattern of his life with you in an unavoidable way. The only question is to what degree will we, like Jesus, submit to the Father’s immeasurable wisdom and prove to be true sons and daughters of God.