R674 What a Man Pt.2

We all could use some encouragement, and we'll find it together today in the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton, here on The Encouraging Word. In just a moment, we'll provide the completion of the message we began yesterday. If you missed it, that's okay.

Don't worry about it. Dr. Don will catch you up in just a minute. But of course, you can see any of these messages online in audio or video portion, or join the podcast family at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org. It's also the place you'll find this wonderful message that right now, more than any, is speaking to us about this simple question, Is This The End? As we continue to pray for our world, for our country, for one another, it's a powerful message.

You'll discover more online at www.tewonline.org. A message from Dr. Wilton called Is This The End? Now let's open God's Word together.

This is Dr. Don Wilton. The cosmos refers to the stars and to the galaxies. It refers to space. It refers to the magnificence of all of God's creation. Well, God doesn't use the word cosmos here. He's not talking about all of creation. Another word that we find in the Greek text is the word eon or ion, which literally means the unfolding of all of God's creation, according to the chronology and the dispensation of God's grace. Here the Lord is not using the word cosmos. He's not talking about all the galaxies. He's not talking about the unfolding of God's grace according to His timetable.

No. What God is doing here, He uses the word oikumene, which literally means the inhabited earth. Now, folks, listen carefully. What God is doing here is He is about to tell us something concerning this earth, this inhabited earth. And what God is about to tell us is that this inhabited earth, while it is inhabited today, while man dwells upon it, is going to be inhabited after the dispensation of God's grace, according to the book of Revelation. Now, there's something very interesting here.

There is something very, very interesting. If you go back into the book of Genesis, the Bible says, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. You ever wondered why the Lord didn't say in the beginning God created the heavens and Mercury and Venus and Mars and Jupiter and Saturn and the stars and earth? How come God talks about the heavens and the earth?

Haaretz. In Genesis and in the book of Revelation in chapter 21, he talks about the new heaven and the new earth, not the cosmos, but the oikumene, the inhabited earth. Now, friends, I want you to listen today because we're going to come up on a question in a moment. What is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the sons of man that you would take the trouble to visit upon them and pour out your concern and your grace and your care upon them? But here in verse five, he establishes something.

It's a negative statement. The Spirit of God says it is not to angels that God will be subjecting the world to come about which we have been speaking concerning Jesus Christ. See, God has an order. God, the angels, man.

Well, if you look at it with me, how do we know this? He tells us here quoting from Psalms and from some other passages. He says in verse seven, you made him a little lower than the angels. By the way, who is the son of man or who are the sons of man? Ezekiel uses that phrase. I've heard some theologians say that that is a reference to Jesus Christ.

No, it is not. And the reason we know that it is not is because what we find here is the word anthropos. Here we find a direct reference to man who has been created by the hand of God from the dust of the earth.

Every time that Jesus Christ, the son of man, is referred to as the son of man, there is no reference to creation because Jesus Christ was never created because he is God and he was God and he always will be God. But in this instance, God is telling us that man that God is concerned about was created from the dust of the earth. And he was created to be a little lower than angels.

I'm going to talk about that in a minute. And when he was created a little lower than the angels, God crowned him with glory and honor. Why did God crown him with glory and honor? Because when God created man, he looked upon man and he said, it is good. God never attributes goodness to that which he does not crown with glory and with honor. That is why God was able to crown the son of God, who himself became a little lower than the angels.

Why? Because what Jesus Christ did was good. And when you talk about good in relation to the heart of Almighty God, you're talking about the righteousness of Christ Jesus. And when you talk about his goodness, you're talking about righteous goodness and righteous goodness warrants the crowning of God's glory. And so it is that he tells us everything was put under his feet in verse 8. How did that happen?

Go back to the Genesis account. When God created man, everything was put in subjection under man. Man had dominion. The word there in the Hebrew text is he had dominion. He had authority. He had power. He had dominion over the beast of the field. And in putting everything under him, God left nothing that was not subject to him. Yet at this present time, we do not see everything subject to him.

Why? Because of the sin of Adam. Folks, when Adam fell, when Adam and Eve sinned, that relationship with God, God's order was ruptured.

It burst open. Man was laid asunder. Prior to that time, death was not even in the scheme of things. But from the time that Adam died, you read right throughout Scripture, he died, she died, he died, she died, he died, she died. No wonder in verse 9, we see Jesus Christ who tasted death so that everybody can once again have life. I wonder this passage concerns the superiority of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, without whom we are nothing. And then we come to that climactic moment in verse 9. Surely verse 9 is one of the most magnificent of all passages. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels. Hold on a minute. I thought God made man a little lower than the angels.

That's exactly right. So my friends, at this Christmas time, what do you think happened to Jesus? What are we celebrating? Yes, we are celebrating the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became man. If man was created to be a little lower than the angels, and Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem's manger and became the God-man, this is the divinity of Jesus Christ, the God-man. He became sin for us, even though he himself knew no sin. Jesus Christ, the superior one, was made a little lower than the angels.

He identified with man in every single point, yet without sin. Now he is crowned with glory and honour. Why is Jesus Christ crowned with glory and honour?

There it is. Because he suffered death. What is death? Death is the penalty for sin. It is the consequence of my sin, so that by the grace of God. What is the grace of God? For God so loved the world that he gave.

That's the grace of God, so that by the grace of God, Jesus Christ might be the one who has tasted death on my behalf. And on your behalf, here's our question. What then is man, that you are mindful of him?

Or the sons and daughters of men, that you would care for them like this? How do we understand what God is trying to say to us? There are four things I want to give to you, albeit briefly this morning. Number one, if we're going to understand our position as man, there is a present world to consider. This world, this accumulation, this inhabited earth, this planet, this place called Spartanburg, South Carolina. There are three things about this world that the Bible tells us. Number one, it is led by the prince of this world. Jesus told us that in John chapter 12 and verse 31 and John chapter 14 and verse 30 and on and on it goes. It is led by the prince of this world and his name is Satan.

Number two, we're going to consider this present world. We've got to understand that this present world is under demonic influence. Ephesians chapter six and verse 12. Principalities and powers, darkness, wicked things in heavenly places. The Bible tells us that this present world is not only led by the prince of this world, but it is under demonic influence. And number three, it is ministered to by holy angels. Go back to chapter one and verse 14.

Are not all angels ministering spirits, sent to serve those who are inheriting salvation? Well, how do you like that? Please forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the rest of today's message, What a Man, from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment. But Dr. Don wants you to know that we're available for you. Our phone number 866-899-WORD is answered 24 hours a day.

You'll always connect with one of us happy to talk or listen or pray or connect with resources that will help you grow. Jot the number down, store it in your cell. It's 866-899-9673. We're also connecting on our website, TEWONLINE.ORG.

That's TEWONLINE.ORG. It's also the back part of Dr. Don's email address, Don at TEWONLINE.ORG. Every day we receive emails from friends that are telling us how God is working in the ministry of the encouraging word. And if God's stirring in your life, you need to know Dr. Don loves to read these emails and to pray over them.

We would love to pray for you. He would love to hear from you. Again, his email is Don at TEWONLINE.ORG. Again, that's Don at TEWONLINE.ORG. And he would love to hear from you. Now let's dive back into today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton.

The message is called, What a Man. That's not what I call common conversation. If someone were to come up to me the best of times and say to me, Don Wilton, describe your present world. I would say, just look at me. I'm a brilliant man. I've invented motor cars and computers. I can send spaceships up into the orbit. I can write books.

Just look at man. Let me describe to you this present world. I'm the centre of my own universe. I can make decisions. I can even invent machines that try to defy gravity. I can make great statements and speeches. I can run countries and preach sermons.

Just look at me. That's how I would describe this present world. When I describe this present world, I would turn everything and point it toward myself.

I would become the centre of my own magnificence. It's no surprise that when we begin to unfold the unsearchable riches of God in Christ Jesus, we find three things concerning this present world. It is led by the prince of this world.

It is under demonic influence and it is ministered to by holy angels. That is not ordinary conversation. What is man that God would be mindful of him? If I'm going to understand where I fit into the scheme of things, there is a present world to consider. Number two, there is a future world to come. There is a future world to come.

Three things about this future world. First of all, it will be an inhabited world. Here the Lord is not talking about cosmos, a system. Here the Lord is not talking about Aeon or the ages. He's talking about the Akumane, the inhabitant earth, the habitated earth. He's talking about this planet upon which we live. What he is telling us is that this earth will be different according to Zechariah.

What he's telling us is that people will be different according to Isaiah and 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and on and on. What he's telling us is that this inhabited earth to come in the future after Jesus Christ comes again, the animals will be different according to the book of Revelation. The lion will lie down alongside the lamb.

Friend, that's not ordinary. If a lamb were to lie down alongside a lion today, it would become another Thanksgiving dinner just like that. But the Bible says animals will be different. Plants and vegetation will be different. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, but it will be an inhabited world. Number two, it will be a future world. In chapter 5, the Bible very clearly says that this is the world to come.

I have tried to find some kind of loophole through that. I've tried to satisfy something deep within me that would allow me not to have to deal with little phrases like that, but I've become convinced in my heart according to the Scriptures that God here is talking about the inhabited earth, this place that he has given to us being a very integral part of our future world. And number three, and this is definitive, it will not be ruled by angels. And we're gonna talk about the future world to come.

It will be an inhabited world, it will be a future world, and it will not be ruled by angels. That's what he says in verse 5. It is not to angels that God has subjected the world to come. Later on, you can see in the second part of verse 8, he makes the statement about man. He says, in putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not, there's that word again, subject to him. You'd be interested to know that that word subject there is a military metaphor. It carries with it the idea of arranging soldiers in order under someone's command. God tells us that in this present life, this world is ordered under the command of his angels by the command of Jesus Christ, who is the son of God, our commander in chief, but not so in the world to come.

Even though it carries the idea of arranging soldiers in order under command, the angels' present reign is temporary. It's not going to go on forever and forever. Two things here we're trying to understand. The present world to consider, future world to come. There's a third thing that I want you to look at this morning. There is the current condition of man to contemplate.

Now folks, this is the focus of where we get to because right there in the middle of this, there is this incredible, extraordinary, mind-boggling question. What is man that you, O God, are mindful of him or the son of man that you care for him? Three things about the current condition of man according to Scripture.

Number one is no doubt about this. Man is lower than the angels. Man is lower than the angels in God's order of things. Some of you might say, well, pastor, what do you mean he's lower? Let me give you nine or ten reasons why he is lower. Some of you are going to say, pastor, my hand is about to break off writing all this down.

Well, that's not a bad thing to happen on a Sunday morning. All right, man is lower than the angels. Let me run these through very quickly. Why is man lower? Well, number one, man is physical. Angels are spiritual. That's why he's lower than angels. Number two, man is earthly. Angels are heavenly.

Any more questions? Number three, man is inferior temporarily. Angels are superior temporarily. This is what this passage is all about. Number four, man is confined. Angels are unrestricted.

Here's another one. Man comes to God through Jesus Christ. Angels have direct access to the throne of God around the clock.

Next one, man is made of the dust of the earth. Angels are spirit beings. Man is cursed because of the fall of Adam. Angels are eternally secured after the fall of Satan.

Man is subject to death. Angels are not the current condition of man. Number one, he is lower than the angels. Number two, he is restricted by sin. Right there, the last part of verse eight, the Bible says, for the time being, we do not see the world in subjection to man, the consequences of sin. And number three, man is to rule the world to come with Christ. That's very clear. God's Word tells us that in the world to come, man is going to rule and reign with Jesus Christ.

What an incredible privilege. You see, friends, that brings us to the climactic moment of all that is said. It's right there in verse nine. Not only a present world to consider, a future world to come, the condition of man to contemplate, but there is a savior to crown. There is a savior to crown.

Look at verse nine. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels when he was born and became man, now exalted, seated at the right hand of the Father, which is in heaven. He is crowned with glory and honor because he was willing to suffer death.

And because he was willing to suffer death, by the grace of God, Jesus Christ has tasted death so that all of us may have life. Three things about the crowning of Jesus. Number one, he identified with man. Number two, he suffered death and was crowned with glory and with honor. And number three, he made salvation for all people. What a savior.

What is man? That you are mindful of him? Or the son of man that thou would visit upon him? That you would care for him? Lord, that you would be concerned about me?

That you would be mindful of me? Do you know what the Lord says? Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus.

He's the one. We see Jesus. Oh yes, God is the God of order. God, the angels, man.

When we get to heaven, it's going to be God and Jesus Christ with all of his saints surrounding his throne. God has an order, not only in this world, but in the world to come. Bottom line in all of this, look to Jesus.

Look to him. Here we come back to that great question. How are we going to escape? How are we going to escape if we neglect so great salvation? These are the things about which we are speaking. My question to you today is, do you know the Lord Jesus Christ?

Have you trusted him? I'm going to ask you to do what hundreds upon hundreds of people have been doing, folks. What I pray today, thousands upon thousands of people are doing all across the world, everywhere where the Word of God is preached and proclaimed, I'm going to invite you to come to Jesus. It's our prayer that you've not only received a fresh understanding of faith, as Dr. Don was talking about, but perhaps a fresh perspective on what you and I need to do next. Perhaps the Lord is stirring your heart to have some questions answered. We're here at 866-899-WORD to answer those questions or help discover them.

If we don't know them, we'll find them out from Dr. Don and get back with you at 866-899-9673 or online at tewonline.org, and we'd love to hear from you. Jot the numbers down, jot the website down, but perhaps right now, as Dr. Don steps into the studio, there's someone else you need to talk to, and it's God himself. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? I'm so happy to hear that. Why don't you pray this prayer with me today? Dear God, I know that you love me very, very much, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on a cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. Today, I repent of my sin. I confess my sin to you, and I invite you to come into my heart and into my life by faith. In Jesus' name, I pray. If you've prayed that prayer, let me be the first one to welcome you to the family of God.

This is wonderful. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important this is for me. Call us so that we can talk to you and connect you in the right place so you can begin this wonderful journey. If God has spoken to you in these last few moments with Dr. Wilton, perhaps you even prayed along with Dr. Don moments ago.

To give your life to Christ or rededicate your life, you need to know we want to join you in this. We want to celebrate with you, and we want to put some free resources Dr. Don has prepared for you to help you grow in your faith. Our phone number is 866-899-WORD. Call for your free resources.

It's 866-899-9673. If you gave your life to Christ today or rededicated your life, we want you to have these resources, and you'll discover those and more on our website as well, tewonline.org, and today in the world in which we live. Many of us are asking the question, is this the end?

Dr. Wilton has a wonderful resource that helps answer that question. Believers around the world are asking these questions. Is Jesus about to come back? Is this the end of the world? Join Dr. Wilton as he answers these questions straight from God's word in his message, Is This the End? Also, as a bonus, you will receive The King is Coming by Erwin Lutzer, renowned theologian and friend. Both of these ministry resources will greatly bless, motivate, and encourage you in anticipation of our Lord Jesus' return. Be assured, God has everything under control.

He is our living hope. Call us at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673, and request Is This the End?

In the bonus book, The King is Coming for yourself or your friend today. Thank you for listening, and thank you for supporting the encouraging word. Now, it's time to spread the gospel. Again, that's just one powerful resource among many on our website at TEWOnline.org.

That's TEWOnline.org. Many folks are still asking about the book Dr. Wilton wrote just recently about his time, his years of being the pastor of Dr. Billy Graham. We have that book available.

Many have seen him on television with TBN and other places the last few days. Just know that that book is still available, and you can get your copy right now at TEWOnline.org. Tomorrow, the next time we gather together, the message from Dr. Wilton is called The Tragedy of a Hardened Heart. I pray you'll not only join us, but bring a friend. That's tomorrow on The Encouraging Word. The Encouraging Word