Our sermon text this morning is Hebrews 2, verses 17 and 18. And the sermon title is, Made Like His Brethren. Made Like His Brethren. Now very often we appreciate someone when we come to know more of him or her as a person and more of what he or she has done for us. When I was 13 years old, my mother wrote a little book entitled Footprints in the Snow which was basically her biography or life story up until that point in her life was published by our church in those days. But somehow I didn't get down to reading that book until several years later and it was quite embarrassing at times when some of our friends and brethren would speak to me about things in my mother's life and even in my own life that I was not aware of. But then one evening, when I was about 18 years old, my mother was overseas for a trip, and I was sitting down in my room, thinking about her, and I saw the book lying on my table. I picked it up, I read it from cover to cover, and I discovered some very interesting things about my parents and my grandparents on my mother's side, and even about my sister and myself. And I enjoyed reading it very much. And overall, that experience of that evening left me much more appreciative of my loved ones especially my mother and my grandmother, for who they were and for what they had done for us. One of the purposes of this morning's sermon is that we may come to have a better appreciation for the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially as we come to prepare ourselves for the Lord's table and the Lord's supper. Christ took on our nature, He suffered, He was tempted at all points like as we are, in order that he might be our sympathetic high priest, that he may give us the help that we need. Not only did he not plead to be excused from all those things, but he went through those trials without sin. He did it for our sakes, and he's able to help us in our trials. But before we consider our text, let's consider something of the background and the wider context of Hebrews Chapter 2. The Book of Hebrews, as many of you would know, was written to 1st century believers, most of whom were converts from Judaism, so these were Jewish Christians. The main purpose of the book was to warn and to exhort these Christians not to turn away from the faith, the Christian faith, and to return to Judaism in order to avoid Roman persecution of the Christians. And the author bases his exaltation on the solid fact that Christ is far superior to everyone and to everything in the Old Covenant. In fact, he is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant. Now the main doctrine that Hebrews teaches is thus the superiority of Christ in all things, while the main duty that the book enjoins is perseverance and constancy in the faith. And so the book begins with really the superiority of Christ to the Old Testament prophets. We see that in verses 1 to 3 of chapter 1. And then in verse 4 of chapter 1 onwards to the end of chapter 2, the author focuses on the superiority of Christ over the angels as well as the inferiority of the angels to Christ. Now, the reason why the author moves from Christ's superiority over the prophets to his superiority over the angels is due to the fact that angels, who are God's messengers, who dwell in his immediate presence, had an important role to play in the revelation of the Old Covenant, especially the Old Covenant law. We see that in many passages in Deuteronomy 33.2, Psalm 68.17, Acts 7.53, and so on. Angels played an important role in the revelation of the law. However, the revelation of the New Covenant had not been introduced with the same display of angelic ministration. And so some might argue that the Old Testament revelation is superior to the New, but the author of Hebrews shows us that that is not so. Why? Because the medium of the New Testament revelation, namely the Lord Jesus, is far superior to the angels. And so he goes on to demonstrate this truth in a number of different ways. For example, he tells us that angels are called to worship Christ. He tells us angels are created beings, whereas Christ is the creator of the heavens and the earth. Angels are but ministering spirits, whereas Christ alone is seated at the right hand of God in that place of highest dignity and power. Now an objection to this truth of Christ's superiority to the angels might be raised at this point and it is based on the fact that Christ was a mortal man with all the limitations and the weaknesses of humanity he actually suffered and he died how can such a person be greater than the angels and so the author of Hebrews helps us to answer this objection from the verses 5 to 18 of chapter 2 Here he speaks particularly on the subject of Christ and his people. He begins by telling us that God has not subjected the world to come, referring to the age of the Messiah. He has not subjected the world to angels. Angels will not rule in that age. Instead, men will rule. But then, how can fallen men rule the world? Well, he will do so only through the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who took to Himself the nature of mortal man and was thus made lower than the angels for a little season, but then, having suffered and died, He was crowned with glory and honor and made the King over all things. All who are in Christ will come, will enjoy immortality and will have all things subjected to them. the dominion mandate that we read of in Genesis chapter 1 that was given to Adam originally it became impossible because of the four but in Christ it will once again be fulfilled by man through the Lord Jesus the God-man the plan of God for man to have dominion over the earth is regained and realized At present, we do not see all things put under man, but we see Jesus exalted on high, so that God's plan for man has not been fully accomplished, but it has already begun. As commentator John Brown writes, though the body is yet in a state of humiliation, the head is already exalted. But in order to bring the sons of God to glory, Christ, the Son of God, had to undergo the sufferings of death. And in order for him to undergo sufferings and death, he first had to take on the nature of these sons, so that he can make an atonement for them, and he can become their merciful and faithful high priest, and to give them the help that they need in their time of temptation. That is, in essence, what our text is all about this morning. But I'd like to further reflect on these verses by considering three simple points. First, what the Son of God became for us. And secondly, what the Son of God has done for us. And third, what we as the sons of God have received and are receiving. So, what the Son of God became for us, what the Son of God has done for us, and what we, as the sons of God, receive from Him. Firstly, what the Son of God became for us. Verse 17 says, Wherefore, in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren. In other words, it behooved Him can be translated He had to. The word in the Greek speaks of obligation. It speaks of necessity. had to become or He had to be made like His brethren. There is no other way if the work of redemption is to be done. It is not just that it would be nice or fitting or appropriate for Him to be made like His brethren but it was absolutely necessary because having voluntarily undertaken for more eternity the work of redemption, the covenant of grace, the Lord Jesus was under divine obligation to be made like unto His brethren. Now this phrase, made like unto His brethren, is worth spending some time on. Quite clearly it speaks of the Lord's incarnation. It speaks of His full humanity. In the fullness of time, the Eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, took to Himself the nature of man, having a true body and a reasonable soul. This is truly a remarkable thing when you think about it that the infinite, eternal, unchangeable Son of God should be willing to be bound and limited both in space and time and to experience all of the vicissitudes and the variations of time. The author of Hebrews says that in all things He was made like His brethren, not in some things, not in many things, but in all things. full identification with his brethren was absolutely essential. Now this of course does not mean that Christ was made like unto his brethren in their depravity or their sin. The book of Hebrews makes it very very clear that Christ was sinless and thus he did not need to offer up any sacrifices for himself as the Aaronic priest who were sinners had to do. For example, in Hebrews 7 we read, verses 26, For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, who needeth not daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sin, and then for the people's. And again, that very familiar verse in Hebrews 4, we read, He was a high priest in all points, tempted like as we are, and yet without sin. So clearly the words all things in our text must not be taken absolutely or without qualification rather they must be interpreted in light of what the rest of the book and indeed the rest of scriptures teach. As an aside this is true of all the other all passages in scripture for example 1st Timothy 2 for who will have all men to be saved or John 12 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself. The word all in such verses cannot simply be taken universally and without exception, but it must be properly understood by comparing scripture with scripture. And so if you ever encounter someone who holds to some form of universalism or Arminianism and he challenges you with those all passages, then it might be appropriate for you to bring up Hebrews 2.17 which speaks of Christ being made like his brethren in all things and then you ask him how he would interpret that word all in that verse Christ was made like his brethren in all things with the exception of sin became like his brethren in all things, firstly in his body, in his physical aspect, he grew, he developed physically, he was hungry, thirsty, he was tired, at times overwhelmed with exhaustion, physical exhaustion, he slept, he was hurt, he felt physical pain, he could be in one place at one time only, and so on. But he was also made like unto his brethren in his mind or his soul, Christ had to learn things, he had to grow in knowledge and wisdom. He felt the full range of human emotions, affection, compassion, sorrow and grief and anger. He was surprised at times by the actions and the reactions of some people. Indeed, Christ took to himself a human nature in every sense of the word. He did not merely appear as a man, Neither did he merely take up a human body and replace the soul with a divine spirit. No, he was fully man in his body, in his mind, in his heart, and in his spirit. Christ exercised faith. He read the scriptures. He prayed, sometimes with remarkable intensity and sorrow. He sighed. He wept. He marveled. He felt overwhelmed. He feared. He suffered, He died, He rose again. But notice that Christ did not just take to Himself the nature of man in general. That's true. But more specifically we are told that Christ took to Himself the nature of His people. You see that in verse 16. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. In Ginnah text it says he was made like his brethren. It was for his people, the seed of Abraham, that Christ became a man. All the things he went through, he experienced in the days of his earthly life, he experienced it on behalf and with his people in mind. it's wonderful isn't it to think that we as his people are described as his brethren earlier in verse 11 of chapter 2 we read for both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he's not ashamed to call them brethren brothers unworthy and undeserving as we are Christ condescended to take on our nature of all of its frailties and weaknesses and to call us His brethren. But Christ could never become our brother or our elder brother if He was not first made in our likeness and if He did not first take on our nature. But He did. That's the wonder of God's grace. But now we move on to the second point of our sermon and ask what the Son of God has done for us. Not just what He became for us, but what the Son of God has done for us. Our text goes on to say that, or in order that, He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in all things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of His people. Now this identification of Jesus as High Priest is really quite unique to the Book of Hebrews. In no other book in the New Testament do we find this truth being taught. And our text is the first time that the author of Hebrews describes the Lord Jesus as High Priest. He will go on of course to develop this doctrine more fully in the chapters to come. But here in verse 17, chapter 2, we are told that Christ was made like his brethren in order that he might take up the office and the duty of high priest. Now we know that a priest is one of three kinds of mediators in the old covenant, the other two being the prophet and the king. Whereas a prophet represents God to the people, the priest represents the people unto God. Priests are necessary because of the fall which results really in the enmity and hostility between God and man. The way into God's presence was shut tight because of sin. But God ordained another way for sinners to come into His presence and it is through the mediation of the priesthood. In the Old Covenant we are told there are many priests but only one High Priest and that high priest played a vitally important role in the religious life of the people. Once a year on the Day of Atonement the high priest is allowed to enter the most holy place in the temple or tabernacle in order to sprinkle blood upon the mercy seat to make atonement first for himself and then for the sins of the people. But the author of Hebrews later shows that The Lord Jesus is far superior to Aaron and to all the other high priests of the Old Covenant. Indeed, he is the very fulfillment of the Aaronic priesthood which served as a picture and shadow of Christ. In our text, the author uses two adjectives to describe the high priestly character of our Lord. He says, mercy and faithfulness. is made like his brethren in order to be a merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God. Mercy is related to all. If you like, mercy is directed towards men, whereas faithfulness is directed particularly towards God. Or if you like, mercy is manward, faithfulness is Godward. To be merciful is to be kind, it is to be compassionate and tender to those who are broken and who are afflicted and who are in great need. Mercy presupposes this great need and brokenness and affliction. Christ is indeed a very merciful high priest in his office towards his people. Isaiah describes something of the mercy of the Lord when he says, He shall feed his flock like a shepherd He shall gather the lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom. He shall gently lead those that are with young. And again Isaiah says, a bruised reed shall we not break, a smoking flax shall we not quench. Faithfulness, on the other hand, is directed to God in that he faithfully carries out all of his duties and task and responsibilities assigned by God to him. Jesus is a faithful High Priest in the things pertaining to God. He does not deviate in the least in his service of the Lord. Everything that is required of him, he does, and he does willingly and cheerfully. The author of Hebrews would go on in the very next chapter, in chapter 3. To develop this theme, we read in chapter 3 verse 1, Consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. Faithfulness, very very important. It is required especially because of the work of the high priest. It was an exceedingly difficult work. Without this quality, this attribute of faithfulness, the Lord Jesus would have given up on the work long ago. And so Christ was made like his brethren in order that he might serve as their merciful and their faithful High Priest. The final part of verse 17 explains one of the primary purposes and functions of High Priests, that is to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. The word reconciliation is probably better translated atonement or propitiation. Reconciliation is really one of the fruits and effects of the atonement and of propitiation. See, sin not only alienates man from God, but it alienates God from man. It results in the wrath of God being directed towards man. And so an atonement is needed to cover, to remove, to take away the sins from the sight of the Holy God. And only then can the offended God be reconciled to offending sinners. And our text tells us that this work of atonement and of reconciliation belongs to Christ alone. And this of course implies that All of the hundreds of high priests on those thousands of days of atonement in the Old Covenant did not and could not remove the sin of the people. They were but types of Christ and of His work. The sins of the people in the Old Covenant were removed only as they looked forward to Messiah and put their faith in Him. He who typified was typified by the Aaronic priests. But one of the great differences between the High Priest of the Old Covenant and the Lord Jesus Christ is that in the former, the priest and the sacrifice were separate, whereas in the latter, the two would join. The Aaronic priest and their sacrifices that they offered were distinct. They were separate. There was a priest here, and there was a sacrifice there. But in the case of Christ, the priest and the sacrifice were both one. Christ was both the priest and the sacrifice. He was both the offerer and the offering for sin. He laid upon the altar not the flesh of bulls and goats, but His own body. He sprinkled upon the blood the mercy seed, not the blood of lambs and goats, but the blood of the Lamb of God, His own blood, that takes away the sins of the world. The sacrifice of Christ upon the cross of Calvary was no less the act of the high priest on behalf of his people. Oh, the beauty and the glory of our Lord Jesus. Truly, there is none that can compare with him. One final comment on verse 17 before we move to verse 18. The phrase at the end of it, the sins of the people must really be understood as the sins of His people or His elect, not simply the sins of all the people without exception. And we know that from at least two angles or ways. First, verse 17 mentions His brethren. It is for the sins of His brethren that He made propitiation or atonement and then secondly understand the context of the book of Hebrews when the author of Hebrews uses the phrase the sins of the people he was thinking not just of any people but specifically of the covenant people see on the day of atonement the high priest would enter into the holiest place within on behalf of the congregation of Israel that was gathered outside the tabernacle. So he goes in for the people who are outside and who are waiting for the High Priest to return to bless them. And so just as the High Priest went in with the sins of the people of Israel in his mind, so the Lord Jesus goes to the cross on behalf of God's covenant people throughout the ages. Well, verse 18 goes on to say, for in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. And here is one final reason why Christ had to be made like his brethren. Not only did he give himself as a sacrifice to make atonement and reconciliation, he also endured and suffered temptation on their behalf. And Christ could not suffer temptation if he did not first take on human nature. The phrase suffered being tempted most probably means suffered when he was tempted. In other words, his suffering or his temptations were an aspect of his sufferings and perhaps an aspect that we don't often think about. Christ was tempted throughout his life, not just at certain points or times. He was tempted not just by Satan but by others as well, including the scribes and Pharisees and the crowd, Jewish crowds, and even by his own disciples. Remember how Simon Peter responded to the Lord's prediction of his impending death by saying, Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. And immediately the Lord turned to Peter and said, Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou art an offense, thou art a stumbling block unto me. For thou savest not the things of God, but those things that be of men. Now you might be asking, in what way did Christ suffer when he was tempted? Well, consider this, that a person who loves sin will not suffer when he's tempted. In fact, he would take pleasure in and delight in being tempted and in yielding to the temptation. But a person who is holy, who hates sin, will not enjoy any enticement to evil that comes his way. Indeed, just having to endure the temptation is a great suffering and a great pain to him. Now, without doubt, the greatest temptation which the Lord faced during His earthly life was the temptation to escape and to avoid the awful shame and suffering of the cross. That is really the essence of the third temptation which Satan hurled at him just as he entered his earthly ministry. Remember how we read in Matthew chapter 4 after bringing him to an exceeding high mountain and then showing him all the kingdoms of this world, the glory of them, that the devil presented his offer to Christ. All these things I give thee if thou would fall down and worship me. And Satan's offer was strikingly similar to what the Father had promised him. The big difference of course was that if Christ would take up Satan's offer that he would obtain all the kingdoms of the world and the glory thereof without having to endure the long and the bitter and humiliating, shameful road of the cross. Satan knew the tremendous struggle within the soul of Christ concerning the cross, and he tried to take advantage of it. And we see something of that intense struggle, especially at Gethsemane, don't we? Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt. And then Luke tells us, and being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground. Yes, it was bitter, intense struggle. To be sure, it was not a struggle that involved sin, but nevertheless a state of anguish and agony. And so for the Lord Jesus, this third temptation was indeed a very real and very great one. the intense sufferings of our Lord that He had to endure in this and in many other temptations during His earthly life. Well then, we have seen something of what the Son of God became for us and what the Son of God has done for us. But now let's move on to our third point, namely, what we as the sons of God have received and are receiving from Him. I'd like to draw our attention to three things that we have received as the sons of God. Three things. First, we receive union with Christ. We, as the sons of God, have been and are united to Christ. He is the head, we are the body. He is the vine, and we are the branches. He is the firstborn among many brethren, as Romans 8.29 says. Such a union is possible only because He at first taken to Himself our nature made like unto His brethren. In Christ we are told did not take on the nature of angels but He takes on the nature of man and in particular of the seed of Abraham. And this union between Christ and the believer involves both their bodies and their souls. Yes, even our bodies are united through Christ so that just as Christ arose from the dead, we shall someday arise from the dead at the day of the resurrection, body and soul. Indeed, Christ is the first fruits of them that slept, 1 Corinthians 15, for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death? Ask our Catechism. And it answers, the souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness and do immediately pass into glory. And their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their grace until the resurrection. And the wonderful thing about this union with Christ is that not only did Christ take on our natures and became like us, but someday when He comes again, we shall become like Him. We see that in 1 John 3, 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. What an amazing thought, isn't it? That Christ was made like unto us in order that someday we might be made like Him. So the first thing that we have received as the sons of God is this blessed union between Christ and His people. But the second thing that we have received is the forgiveness and the removal of all our sins. The forgiveness and removal of our sins. Christ took on a human nature in order to die for his people, to make atonement for their sins. And as a result, all of their sins, past, present, future, they're all covered. They're all taken away as far as the East is from the West. And we are reconciled to Almighty God. What a joy is it to know the lifting of the great burden of sin and to be able to go on in life without that burden weighing down upon us. During my time as an active soldier in the Singapore Armed Forces, I was trained as a combat medic and posted to one of the infantry battalions known as the Spartans. And whenever we moved out for combat training, the medics would have to cross-link their rifle on one side, their medical pouch on the other side, and worst of all, the four-fold stretcher had to be placed on the back, and I found that especially a great burden when we had to walk long distances. And when we were finally at our objective, after many hours of walking, and I could finally take off that stretcher, together with all the other pieces of equipment, the sense of relief and respite was just unforgettable. There were times in my training that I would be reminded of Pilgrim, Christian, in Pilgrim's Progress, when he came to the cross, His burden loosed from off his shoulders and fell off his back and what gladness and joy Christian felt after that. But is there anyone here this morning who is still labouring under the immense burden, under the crushing load of sin? Oh, would you not go to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith? Would you not find relief for your sin-laden soul. Seek the Lord Jesus. Only in Him can we find forgiveness of sins and reconciliation. With God in the same is true not just for unbelievers but for believers as well. Sometimes the load of sin comes crushing upon our shoulders. Look to Christ and find that relief from our sins. So union with Christ, forgiveness of sins, But the third thing that we, as sons of God, receive is the help and the sympathy of our High Priests. The help and sympathy of our High Priests, especially in those times of temptation and trial. Because Christ was made like to His brethren, He could be tempted, and because He was indeed tempted, He is able to succour or to help His brethren in their temptation. Remember again the context of the book of Hebrews, the first century Jewish Christians were being persecuted for their faith and they faced a tremendous temptation to apostatize, to return to Judaism which was still a legal religion in the Roman Empire at the time. The Lord well understood what they were going through. As we saw earlier, He was tempted on several occasions in His life to give up the cross for an easier alternative and so he's well able to help these first century Christians who were being persecuted, who were being afflicted for their faith. But the same is true of all of us today. Christ was tempted at all points like as we are and he experienced the full intensity of all those temptations without once giving in to them. If you like, he took each temptation to its extreme limit and he was victorious over all those temptations. The phrase in our text, he is able to help, speaks then both of his ability as well as his willingness to help. He is both competent and ready to give the help that his people so desperately need. and their hour of need and temptation. But here's the amazing thing to consider that the ability of Christ to help comes not merely from the fact that he is God and thus able to do all things but rather his ability to help his people comes from the fact that he's truly man and that as man he has experienced all the trials and sorrows and temptations that are common to His people. And so all of us as His people may go to Him in the time of our need and expect nothing less than full sympathy, perfect understanding and abundant help from our great High Priest. My grace, He says, is sufficient for you. Do you believe those words? Oh, how often we read and we hear them, and yet how frequently we fail to lay hold upon them and to claim the promise of Christ that His sufficient grace will carry us through. How often we try to face the temptations and the trials of life in our own strength, in our own resources, and we forget to turn to our sympathetic high priest, our elder brother, and to draw on His unlimited resources and riches and strengths. May we be reminded again and again that without Christ we can do nothing and certainly we cannot face the temptations alone. Surely we would fail and we would fall but thank God that we do not need to face temptations alone. We have such a great Saviour who is both the Almighty God as well as the all-tender and compassionate man and high priest. One of the ways that we come to Christ and to receive His strength is through the Lord's Supper. The Larger Catechism says in Question 168 that worthy recipients of the Supper feed upon His body and blood to their spiritual nourishment and their growth in grace. May that indeed be true for all of us here who are partaking of the supper in a short while. And so this morning we've considered the person and the work of Christ and also of the benefits that the people of God receive and are receiving from Him. It may be that we leave this sermon and leave this service with a deeper appreciation for who Christ is and for what He has done for us. And may we be greatly encouraged to go to Him constantly for the grace to keep pressing on in our journey to the heavenly city. Let's read the words of our text again. Wherefore, in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. Amen. Let's turn to Psalm 22 and be saying the verses 22 to 26. Again this is a Psalm that is quoted in Hebrews chapter 2. Verse 22, I will show forth thy name unto those that my brethren are. Here we have the words of Christ my brethren amidst the congregation thy praise I will declare and then verse 25 within the congregation great my praise shall be of thee my vows before them that in fear shall be performed by me. Psalm 22 we sing this seated the verses 22 to 26 to the tune Praetorus