Born for a Purpose
Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 33:48
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· 34 viewsBased on Hebrews 2:9-18. Jesus ws born with a purpose and humility. Together we learn why jesus became less than angels and what that means for the living of our lives.
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#270 Wonderful Words of Life
Holy is Our God
#435 What A Friend We Have in Jesus
Word of God - Hebrews 2:9-18 [Mary Brooks]
Message: “Born for a Purpose”
It’s hard to believe that we are only a week and a half from the beginning of the Easter season
Ash Wednesday is March 2 which begins our journey toward the gift of the empty tomb
This is a FAR more important time of year than Christmas
Because, it is the empty tomb that give us proof of the promises of God
That there absolutely is a RISEN Christ
I encourage everyone to join us for special services of Lent in order to fain in understanding
Ash Wednesday
Holy Week
Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter
Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter
Easter Sunday we have the SonRise service at 7am and the regular service at 10:30
As you might have guessed, the fact that Jesus was “Born for a Purpose” folds very well into the coming celebration of Resurrection Sunday
I don’t want to get ahead of myself, so let’s talk about “Born for a Purpose”
We began our core text today with the same verse we ended with last week, Hebrews 2:9
9 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.
I want you to hold on to this as we go through the passage today
The suffering and death of Jesus was a gift to us
A gift freely given by the grace of God
and the purpose of all this has to do EACH one of us
Many of us have heard, or said, “A loving God would NEVER let this or that happen”
A community wiped out in a earthquake or flood
Someone who dies before their time”
Or a child who dies a painful death
Clearly God has person experience with these
God has “been there, done that”
Takeaways
1. God Knows the Purpose
For each tragedy, there is a purpose
I have never seen the community around New Braunfels any stronger than after a disaster
When the floods came and people came out of the woodwork
Bringing by sandwiches
Helping to scrub the mud and kill the mold
Knocking down sheet rock and rewiring houses
Help came from and went to the wealthy neighborhoods JUST LIKE it went to and from the struggling
In those times we instinctively “come along side” those in need
Isn’t that what God did by sending Jesus to “come along side us”?
Leaving the heavenly realm to walk with mere humans
Even having to experience watching His Son, Jesus, die a painful death on the cross
In fact, let’s look at Hebrews 2:10 again
10 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.
God the Father could have done this any way He wanted
but God ALWAYS follows His Word and the prophecy told the story of exactly how Jesus would come an die
It’s foreshadowing of what is to come, right?
The suffering Jesus went through was NOT the purpose of Jesus’ life
But suffering was a required component of life standing between Jesus and the purpose for which He was born
Takeaways
1. God Knows the Purpose
2. Trials Can Lead to Good
I know, if YOU were god, there would be no trials
No bad medical diagnosis
No financial crisis
Children would never cry
My favorite book is the book of James
it’s short, easy to understand and by living those principles you will get MUCH closer to God
Look at the great reminder in James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
We will all have trials and we will be tested
Greater than all the pain of the crisis is our response to problems
I often counsel that we need to RESPOND to problems, not react to them
Remember that “react” is what your body does if you are allergic to something
It’s a negative when I react to peanuts
It might even be deadly
Once you know more, then you can RESPOND
I respond to the fact that I am allergic to peanuts by avoiding them
I carry an Epi-pen
I know what to do if something happens
which is a result of learning and training
And it is your reading and understanding God’s Word
That allows you to go from being tested to becoming perfected
As Hebrews 2:10 reminded us
Even Jesus was perfected by suffering
If suffering was good enough for Jesus
Why should we expect anything else?
Even more importantly is how we see ourselves in Hebrews 2:11
11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
This is one of those times when I believe we must truly approach the text more academically
We must understand what the words mean in context and in that time
The word that is often misunderstood or overlooked is Greek word (hagiazō)
We read that word as “sanctified”
Lexham Theological Wordbook (ἁγιάζω)
ἁγιάζω (hagiazō). vb. To consecrate, to make holy, sanctify, hallow, treat as holy. Describes the divine act of setting aside as sacred. Can also refer to a human attitude of reverence shown to divine things.
We are to allow ourselves to be made holy by the touch of Jesus
We are to be “set aside” from our OLD self and become a new and sacred being
To show reverence to God always
Becoming holy and Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Takeaways
1. God Knows the Purpose
2. Trials Can Lead to Good
3. Jesus is the Source of Our Holiness
Part of Jesus’ purpose was, and is, to be our source of Holiness
But, Jesus was not the ONE source alone,
No, God the Father was and is the source for Jesus
Just as Jesus is now the source for us
But we are tied back to God the Father
Making us all “brothers” [and sisters] in and through Christ
This is key to our understanding of how to deal with each other
Look at Matthew 25:40
40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
We are only holy when we treat ALL others as we would treat Jesus
Let that sink in for a minute
What makes us Brothers and Sisters in Christ
is our ACTIVITY of loving others as Christ loves us
It is our ability and willingness to sacrifice that others may come to see Christ in US
It is our the of singing the praises to Jesus regardless of who else is around
It is our willingness to put our trust in Jesus
Trust in Jesus in spite of our circumstances
Act in love, regardless of how lovable, or not, a person is
TAG, your it!
Don’t you hate it when someone looks down on you and tells you what to do
The boss who couldn’t do your job to save his life
That is NOT the case for Jesus
Jesus “came along side”
To live with mere humans
To show us the way to live
Recall Hebrews 2:17
17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
The Son of God became man
To show us what holiness looks and acts like
By demonstration, then, Jesus gathers us to Him
That we might become more holy
AND that we might gather others to Jesus by demonstrating holiness to them
Then we, by our very actions and speech, demonstrate holiness
Because we are the “hands and feet of Jesus”
Because we refuse to judge others
Instead, offering grace, mercy and peace when it seems least likely
That’s what being in the “Brotherhood of Believers” is all about
That we all are united in bringing Jesus’ holiness to those around us
Kids
Have you ever played the game “tag”
One person starts and is “IT”
They chase others around and touch them
When they are “touched”, then they become “it”
and their job is to tag others
That’s what Christians are called to do
Jesus was “It” first
Jesus touches our heart by loving us unconditionally
then we go and love others unconditionally in Jesus’ name
The only people who don’t win in this game are the ones who refused to be touched by Jesus or the Holy Spirit
Through us, or whatever other means
Takeaways
1. God Knows the Purpose
2. Trials Can Lead to Good
3. Jesus is the Source of Our Holiness
4. Jesus was Born for a Purpose
What is the purpose?
Well A purpose is clear in Hebrews 2:14
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
Jesus’ purpose was to destroy the power of death
He does that for EVERY single one of us who choose to believe in Him
How?
As Hebrews 2:15 says we are given the chance for delivery, or removed from lifelong slavery
15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Jesus showed us His willingness to do whatever it takes to offer deliverance,
to offer Salvation to everyone
Even directly to you
But, He will not force you to accept this gift
So what?
Were we saved just for the fun of it? NO!
We were saved for a purpose as well
Just as in the game of “Tag”
Those who have accepted Jesus have been “tagged ‘it’”
Now it’s our job to “tag” others
Let them know you too, have been tempted and you have even fallen
Even so, Jesus is there for you
Jesus is HERE for you
Let others see in you someone who perseveres in their faith
***Closing
Let this message me remind us, as we approach Easter season, that Jesus suffered, died and was risen from the grave for everyone
The image I want us all to have through Resurrection Sunday is this, and it comes from John 12:32.
This is Jesus speaking
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
The purpose of Jesus’ birth was that He would draw ALL people to Him
My prayer for each of you is that we ALL decide to
set aside our fears and anxiety
set aside our prejudice
set aside our self-righteousness
Takeaways
1. God Knows the Purpose
2. Trials Can Lead to Good
3. Jesus is the Source of Our Holiness
4. Jesus was Born for a Purpose
5. We Were Born for a Purpose
We each were Born for a purpose
To be drawn to Jesus,
AND to draw others to Jesus by letting others see Jesus in each of us
All Glory and Honor to Jesus!
AMEN
Closing Hymn/Invitation:
#101 His Name is Wonderful
Pastoral prayer/Benediction