Scripture References: Psalm 8

III. The Lord’s Passion – Continued

From last lesson: You and I are not what we were meant to be. How, then, do we realize our potential? How do we fill the longing in our hearts? How do we deal with the inadequacies of our spirits? How do we realize the tremendous possibilities that lie within us? Only in and through Jesus Christ. That is the impact of Hebrews 2 and the intent of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration.

After writing about what God intended and how God created us, also how we do not yet see all things put under him, the psalmist turned to human failure. In spite of what mankind is, in spite of his abject failure, in spite of the fact man has not realized his full potential, and that man is not where God intended for him to be, “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” – Hebrews 2:9. It is not necessary for us to be separated from God, to spend eternity apart from God, to remain incomplete.

Jesus tasted death for all of us without exception. “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory.” Hebrews 2:10. That is magnificent. God is in the divine process of doing exactly that. He is bringing many children to glory, from all over the world, “every kindred, every tribe.” That is the whole purpose of the gospel. That is the redemptive nature of the Word of God. Those who come to Jesus Christ, He is now in the process of bringing to glory through His death on that cross. God said, “[I made you] a little lower than the angels” not a little higher than the animals. Perverted, incomplete human science calls us animals, and unregenerate people often live like vicious animals. What a degrading view of man! They claim that man is just an educated animal. God said, “No, you’re not just an efficient animal, but I have created you in My image, in My likeness. I created you for dominion, for authority. I created you to be a king.”

Humans spend their lives grabbing for the illusive dream, stretching toward “just one more high,” one more achievement, one more experience, and then they feel, “I’ll reach that satisfaction my heart longs for.” But that never happens. It reminds us of that old song, “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows.” Our goals are illusive and gone, and there is still an emptiness and uncertainty. Many spend their lives like someone throwing an empty bucket into an empty well and grow old drawing nothing up. That was never God’s intention. God intended for us to have dominion and authority, kings “crowned with glory and honor.” God comes to us, cares for us, and crowns us. And we are crowned, not through any human merit of our own, but we are crowned when we are possessed by the Lord and He makes out of our lives what we could never make of ourselves.

Then, as stated in the beginning of this teaching, the psalm ends with the Lord’s position.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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