Not Ashamed To Call Them Brethren
- Details
- Sunday Morning Service
- Jeremy Richards
- Copalis Community Church
- 07 June 2026
- Hebrews 2:12-14
We are going to go right into Hebrews. Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 2, verse 11. I'll read. And we're going to look at 11 and 12. 11, 12 and 13.
So we're going to start in verse 10, chapter 2, verse 10. And I'm going to read through 14. Hebrews 2, 10, 10, 14. For it was fitting for him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all one.
For which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you. And again I will put my trust in him. And again, here I am. And the children whom God has given me.
Inasmuch then, as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil. So here we see what we're talking about. The work in which the captain of our salvation does for those who are being sanctified. This captain, like any captain, has a responsibility, has a job to do. A good captain is worth its weight in gold.
A bad captain leads to disaster for the crew. Here we see that the captain of our salvation, the way in which he is enabled or made fit to do his work, is through suffering. He went through the requirements that were necessary to make him a fit captain. Now, I'm not sure if it would be a good idea or not, but I heard that airline pilots are in very short supply today, that the World War II pilots are all retiring and leaving a huge vacuum. The Catholic Church ran into this problem at one time, and they thought, you know, what we should do?
Do? Instead of putting making all these priests go through this laborious exercise of learning, how about we just offer up the priesthood and bishops to whoever can pay the most money? That'd be a wonderful idea. And therefore we fulfill all these positions and the Church makes money. The FAA was considering this too.
They thought, you know, we're short of pilots. You know, a lot of people want to be pilots, but what prevents them from being pilots is it's so much worse work to be a pilot. Let's just say whoever wants to pay to be a pilot can be a pilot. That way we'll make money and we'll fulfill all the positions. But the problem is, is not everyone wanted to get on the plane.
With people who paid for their license and didn't earn it. I didn't understand.
In a similar way, it is absolutely necessary that the captain of our salvation who has to handle the souls of people has to be made perfect and go through that time of suffering. He needed to prove himself legally that he could take men's souls and not lose one. It was necessary to make him perfect for his suffering. But this captain of our salvation is doing a work in the lives of people, and we're going to look at that. In verse 11, it says, for both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all one.
This captain, in a work of sanctification performed on individuals who are being sanctified by accomplishes something in their life. He is able to do something in the lives of people he is sanctifying which was not available to them before the captain took them on his ship. Okay? This work that the captain of our salvation does is a work which he does independently in the lives of people who. Who are being sanctified.
Everyone gets on a jet and, you know, there's hundreds of people on there. They just sit down, they get a drink, they're comfortable. And then in front of this huge display of instruments and dials and levers, one individual decides to push some to make that plane go. What he is deciding has an absolute effect on everyone who was in his plane. Good decisions have good consequences for that airplane.
There were some pilots not too long ago in 2011 who decided they wanted to pilot it in a different direction than their original pilots. And they directed those things right towards some high buildings in New York. Everyone on board suffered the consequences of the new pilot who took control of that airplane.
The consequences of the captain of our salvation on the individuals who he is transporting through this work of sanctification are impacted. Yes, it is something. We are the passive recipients of a work that the active participant is doing in our lives. And if you are on that plane, you are affected by that captain's decision for your life. This takes a degree of humility to accept.
Everyone wants to be the captain of your own ship for a little bit. Everyone track with me. Everyone wants to drive the plane. Everyone wants to steer the ship. My kids get in the car, you know, they're like, let me drive.
You're three years old, you can't drive yet. They're like, please, let me drive. They want to drive until they hit the rocky thing, until they drive over the cliff. And then they're like, oh, no, I didn't really want to drive. Everyone wants to handle their own soul for a little while.
Everyone wants to direct their own paths. But if you understood the destination of your ship and. And what it took to make it through the process of death, you would not want to be the one steering everyone. Hear what I'm saying that there is something that an excellent individual can do in your life, a captain can do that you cannot do for yourself. I hope in your heart there's a desire to say, I need a captain to save me.
That. That thing which I am going through. I need someone with a skill, ability that I do not possess. This captain is doing a sanctifying work which enables something to happen. It says, for both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified, the active and the passive are both 1.
1. He makes those who are being sanctified the same as the one who is sanctifying. In Colossians, a scripture that Isaiah brought to me but has been ministering to me a lot is chapter one of Colossians, verse 19 through.
We'll start in verse 19. For it pleased the Father that in him all the fullness should dwell, and by him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on in heaven or things, excuse me, things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross, and you who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy, blameless, above reproach in his sight. How is it possible that an individual who is an alien, an enemy who practices wicked works in their mind, and they come out through his flesh? How is it possible that an individual so stained could be viewed with such favor? How is it possible that the one who sanctifies could make the individuals who are being sanctified viewed in the same way in which he himself is viewed?
Obviously, it cannot be dependent upon what the individual who is being sanctified does. We're looking at this as part of a family, and we're headed there. But if you are an individual, we have in our culture what's called adoption, in which the individual who is adopted into a family possesses the same rights as the individual who are natural born in that family. But if there were conditions based on that and say, hey, okay, you have all the rights of a family member until and once you break those things, you are no longer a family member, how would you view that status? It would not be good.
There would be a fear associated with that. As soon as I Act out of line, I'm rejected. That's not what it's based on if this oneness is not based on the One being sanctified, but it is based on the One who sanctifies. This oneness is being viewed in the same way that God views the One who sanctifies. It is important to note that the Father looks upon the Son in a certain way that God the Father has for eternity in absolute fellowship with the Son, enjoyed his presence eternally.
There has never been any discrepancy, any blip, any inharmony. Never. Always in perpetual peace and joy, they have enjoyed fellowship as one. This is saying that that work which the One who Sanctifies is doing in the life of the sanctified brings that nature of oneness and places it upon those who are being sanctified. This is not dependent upon what people do, but upon a work that this individual does for us.
They are one, it says, as a result of this oneness, it says he is not ashamed to call them brethren because they possess this distinct characteristic of having been sanctified by the Captain of their salvation. He is not ashamed to have them as a part of his family. They possess the distinct requirements, a son by nature. Something that the Sanctifier did to them, gave them the ability to operate within the family as a son, not based on their own works, but what he did for them. This is astonishing.
Some of us exist in a family. My son, my honest son, one of my honest sons said, you know, I was talking to another son, and we feel that you are not satisfied with us, but we don't know what it takes for you to be happy with us. We don't know what we need to do. I was like, oh, that's not necessarily the picture that we should be displaying in our home. Right?
That is based on what you do here. We see that this oneness is based on some legal requirements that we're gonna be talking about a work that the Sanctifier does. He says he is not ashamed to call them brethren, perfect members, wholly acceptable in God's family without any display of conditional ability that they have within the family to remain there. He is not ashamed to call them brethren. But what I wanna talk to you about today, and we're going to be to that work which the Sanctifier does in the life of the sanctified.
But what I do want to tell you, if you are a member of the family made so by the work of the Captain of your salvation, that as a member of that family, you possess Certain legal rights, they belong to you if you're a member of that family. Just as in America and other countries. An adopted child possesses certain legal rights in that family. So in God's family, those who come to faith through the captain of their salvation possess certain rights. These rights are only accredited to us because of our being adopted into that family and our association.
It says, being made like them, being made like their brethren. We have been made like Jesus Christ as members in his family. So in verse 12, we're going to look at these two of these four things. Starting in verse 12, it says, I will declare your name to my brethren. That benefit that you and I receive as being part of a family are different, right?
In our family, if you are blessed to be in our family, one of the benefits is. Is you get to work a lot with the cows and garden and construction business. And keep the church lawn up. And there's just certain benefits that come from being part of the Richards family, right? In your family, there's probably also benefits that come to the individuals that are members of your family.
Every family has benefits from being a part of. Some maybe aren't so quickly seen as others. But there are benefits here. Being a part of God's family enables us to participate in certain benefits. Which those who are outside the family cannot participate in.
They are rights and privileges that don't belong to anyone except the family. The first one, it says, I will declare your name to my brethren. As a result of our captain of our salvation, we get to know the name of the Lord.
Like I was hoping for a car or something. Well, there are certain physical benefits that you and I desire. But what could be more important than knowing the head of the family? What could be more important than coming into a relationship with the individual who governs that family? Isn't a relationship more important than anything else?
Jer went to Iceland and Norway. And he come back with almost the same thing as I do. Yeah, all the rocks and seigniors are nice, but I just really wanted to talk to somebody. I just really wanted to communicate with somebody. But no one would talk to me.
In a family, it's even. It's so much important. What would you think of a family? Of a father who ignored you completely. But gave you everything you wanted?
It's not a family you want to be a part of. You want to be part of a family of a father who possesses all things. Who wants to share who he is with you. Paul said, I want to know him. I want to know him the most Valuable thing in this world is not possession the most valuable thing?
That is an opportunity for people who live on this earth is an opportunity to know God. There is nothing of more value. Tell me what it is. Who can tell me? I ate a lot, I drove, I did something, but none of it really has any value.
Some people who sleep on the floor sleep better than you do on your soft bed. Some people who walk get more out of their journey than you do in your car. Some people with less accomplish more in life than all you do with all your stuff. What is important is not things, but a relationship with the Father. We have been given apart as a member of a family.
I get to know God. Moses said, in the wilderness after seeing so many things that says, I want to see his glory. The Lord then proclaimed his name. This is who I am. The first and primary benefit of being a child of God is you get to know the Father.
I hope in your heart that there's a desire that says, I want to know you. I want to know you more than I want to get stuff from you.
Some people, unfortunately are just waiting for their parents to die so they can get their thing.
And the Father just wants one thing. I want to have a relationship with you. That should be our heart. The second thing, the second benefit that comes from being a part of God's family is. And Also in verse 12, in the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you.
The second most powerful benefit that being a member of God's family can attribute to those who are a part of his family is you get to worship God.
The angels never get tired of it. They could sing there for eternity. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. They don't wish for a switch in position. You know, if I gave up my position here now worshiping at the feet of God, I could go to earth and get McDonald's every day.
They're not looking for a trade in responsibilities. They recognize their position near to the throne of God is one of unique blessing. There's going to be no one in heaven after having participated in a nearness to his position that ever going to regret the physical things that you left behind.
The benefits. The singular and amazing benefit that those family members have within the kingdom of God is they get to worship God. You and I are trained to think that worship is something that is accoutrement of instruments and beautiful voices. While that can lead to true worship, now it should encourage true worship. True worship is those individuals who recognize the emptiness of their position through sin, through difficulty through hardship, still choose to look at the face of the Father and worship him for the beauty of his person.
Sinful people worship best.
Ugly people worship better. Those people who, in the frailty of their condition, look up and see a radiant face shining upon them worship well. We have a position within God's family to worship him. One that I pray we will all continue for eternity. The third benefit we get in verse 13 is the ability to trust Him.
Because of our relationship, because of our association with the Captain of our salvation, we are put into a position where we can trust God. Ouch. That hurts. Some people think that that's a beautiful thing to the flesh, but it's really not to see the lowliness of your condition and to see its emptiness in providing for your own resources and having to trust God. But I want to say that God uniquely places people in difficult position for the opportunity it gives them to trust in resources that are better than what you can possess here on earth.
God designs situations. He engineers them. It smiles on his face when he places people in a low enough position that they have to turn to him and call out for help. Don't we love to do that to our children? Isn't it a blessing of being a part of a family that someone doesn't just give us everything we want when we cry, but we make them trust in the Father, and by that we get to see his goodness and provision.
Children don't have to worry about where their bread comes when they've learned to trust their Father. And the position that we're in is one of trusting God. Thank you, God, for enabling me to be able to trust in you, even when it hurts. The last one. Here I am, and the children whom God has given me.
As a result of our association with Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation, we are able to present ourselves before the Father. This says that Jesus says, I do not say that you should pray to me, but you can go to the Father. As a member of the family, you have access to the Father's presence by which you might bring your requests to him and know of certainty that he hears those requests and is going to act upon them in some way. You and I know that Jesus used the parable as what Father, when his son asks for an egg, is going to give him a serpent? What Father, when his son asks for bread, is going to give him a scorpion, right?
As a member of a family, you have the ability of understanding. Because of my Father's nature, when I have needs, I can go to that individual. I can Be a part of that individual's presence and present my request to him as a member of God's family. Because of that sanctifying work of Jesus Christ. That the captain of your salvation has done something for you.
That you have the right to enter God's presence, the holy place. That which in old times was only accessible by a person who was decorated down to his underwear with all sorts of fancy stones and shoulders and hats and turbans and blood sprinkled and special water. They could only access it one time a year and that which fear. But you and I are given the unique privilege to come boldly into the throne room of God and present our petitions to a father who cares about us. Because our captain was willing to convey us into a family.
I hope you appreciate that it's a beautiful thing to be part of the family of God. When you hit these bumps in the road and you feel that, hey, I would rather be part of the Joneses family because they give their kids cars and designer clothes. My dad, ouch, not so much. He makes me work all the time.
God loves his family. He cares for his family and he knows what's best for them. And he offers these unique gifts to his family because he recognizes that that which comes from them is going to produce a spiritually beautiful work in your life which you will not regret.
Please remember this week I want to know God. I want to worship God. I want to trust God and I want to be able to present my request to God. I want to be a part of God's family more than anything else. And I believe that you'll see the Father's face respond to you.
Look to him. It's the captain of your salvation who makes you a part of that family, not what you have done. Please remember it's his conveyance and his skillful hands that bring people legally into God's family, gives them life and passes on the benefits that only belong to him by right.
We're going to pray and then take communion.
Let's pray together. Father, we come to you from your perspective. That work which Jesus did for us is the most important thing that has ever happened to humanity. Lord, help us to view it from the same perspective, Lord, as we look at these elements, Lord, our decision, our cry of our heart to follow you, Lord, through your death, Lord. Having that tractor plucked off of us, Lord, and through that cup which gives us life.
To have your spirit breathed into us, Lord. We approach it with fear, but also with great joy. Please make it be something in our lives that produces spiritual fruit. We ask in Jesus name.