THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION

HEBREWS 2:1

A. FOR IT BECAME HIM FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, AND BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, IN BRINGING MANY SONS UNTO GLORY, TO MAKE THE CAPTAIN OF THEIR SALVATION PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING" 1. When we compare chapters one and two of the book of Hebrews, we note:
  1. That in chapter one, Paul dwells upon the Divinity of the Son of God
  2. And in chapter two he deals with the humanity of our Saviour
  3. Thus we see clearly that Jesus Christ is the true God and also a true and perfect man
  • The significance of this truth:
    1. As the Divine Son of God, Christ took hold of the throne of God
    2. And as the Son of man He lifted humanity and carried it to the highest heaven B. THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION
  • Jesus Christ the Son of man is:
    1. The Captain of our salvation
    2. "For there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" Acts 4:12
    3. "Thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins" - Matt. 1:21
    4. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in His shall not perish, but have everlasting life,' - John 3:16
  • It was needful for God to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect through suffering:
    1. This does not have reference to the character of the Son of God; for He was the express image of the glory and majesty of the Father - Heb. 1:3; John 14:9
    2. It applies to the priesthood and sacrifice of the Son of man
    3. For to be a sympathetic and helpful priest He had to assume the nature of the seed of Abraham - Heb. 2:9-17
    4. For Him to bring man back to God, He had to assume a penalty of sin and suffer and die as our propitiation for sin - Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10 C. THE GREAT COMFORTING TRUTH OF OUR OPENING TEXT
  • That Jesus Christ the Son of God is also the Son of man:
    1. Is the captain of our salvation, in that He suffered and endured temptation and affliction as all His children do
    2. This is a comforting truth to remember when we suffer and die
    3. Note these Divine statements - "In all their affliction He was afflicted" - Is. 63:9; "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" Is. 53:3; "For in that He suffered being tempted He is able to succour them that are tempted" Heb. 2:18
    4. "For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind" - Heb. 12:1-3
  • This explains human suffering:
    1. It is not intended to punish for sin
    2. But it is intended to bring to perfection examples - The man Job was a good and upright man before he suffered; but he became better and more helpful to God's suffering children after he had stood the test - after he was glorified. That was true of Joseph, of Daniel, of Jeremiah and the martyrs of Christ all through the ages.
  • Note some statements in the Bible with regard to trials, suffering and their purpose:
    1. "Behold thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" - Is. 48-.10
    2. "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He shall purify the sons of Levi" - Mal. 3:1-3
    3. Experience shows conclusively that trials and suffering, when taken patiently will produce nobility of character as nothing else can
  • Thus we find the words of our opening text of great comfort even at such A time as this:
    1. It points us to Jesus Christ as our Divine example, in enduring the cross, despising the shame; who is now at the right hand of God as our great high priest fully representing our cases before God the Father
    2. That the end of the purpose of our experience is to remove out of our life the imperfections and prepare us for eternal glory.


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