Made to Glorify Christ | Hebrews 2:5-12 | Dr. Casey A Butner

Devotional

Day 1: Made to Glorify Christ, Not Ourselves

Who are you? Not the center, not the owner, not the end goal—made by God and for God. A right view of ourselves begins with a right view of Him: we are sinners by nature, yet marvelously pursued by grace, saved, and being sanctified to reflect His glory. Your dignity is not in autonomy or achievement but in Christ in you, the hope of glory. Lay down the boast of “I deserve” and receive the joy of “I’m His.” Your worth is wrapped up in His worth. [01:37]

Hebrews 2:5–9
God has not placed the coming world under angelic rule. Scripture asks, “What is a human that You notice him?” For a brief time, the Son stepped below angels; through suffering and death He was crowned with glory and honor, so that by God’s grace He would taste death on behalf of all who would be His.

Reflection: Where have you recently felt entitled before God, and what specific act of surrender could realign your heart to live for His glory rather than your own?

Day 2: The Cup and the Taste of Death

“Tasting death” means Jesus entered the full agony of dying—body, mind, and soul—so that sinners could be brought to life. In Gethsemane He faced the cup of suffering with a heart laid bare, asking if it could pass, yet yielding to the Father’s will. Consider the bitterness He drank so you could know the sweetness of forgiveness. Let this soften any pride, hush your self-justifying thoughts, and draw you to worship. He bore what we deserved; we receive what He earned. [06:10]

Matthew 26:38–39
Deeply grieved, Jesus told His friends His soul was overwhelmed to the edge of death. Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “Father, if there’s any other way, let this cup pass; yet I submit to Your will, not Mine.”

Reflection: Sit quietly with the image of Jesus’ cup—what particular sin or burden do you need to bring into the light and confess to Him today in response?

Day 3: Your Value Is to Reflect the Maker

Stars and people are both made of simple elements, yet when God arranges them, glory appears. The heavens preach without words, pointing past themselves to the wisdom, power, and beauty of their Maker—and so should we. Your skin, strength, intellect, and talents are not your value; your value is found in being formed, sustained, saved, and sanctified to mirror Christ. Worldly measures—appearance, wealth, applause—are shallow and fading. In Jesus, you are owned, operated, and sent for the praise of His name. [23:32]

Psalm 8:3–6
When I look up and see Your skies—crafted by Your own fingers—the moon and the stars set in place, I ask, “Why would You care for humans at all?” Yet You granted mankind a role beneath heavenly beings, crowned with honor, and entrusted with Your works under their feet.

Reflection: What is one concrete practice this week—at work, home, or school—through which you can intentionally reflect Christ’s character rather than seek personal spotlight?

Day 4: Embrace Suffering as a Means to Serve

Jesus shows that the path of glory runs through the cross, not around it. Scripture calls you to arm yourself with the same purpose: to see suffering as a tool in God’s hand to purify your heart, shape your love, and spread His fame. This reframes complaints into prayers, resistance into obedience, and self-advancement into self-denial. You can do hard things by grace, and you can do them without grumbling. Take up your cross today—not to earn salvation, but to follow your Savior. [35:52]

1 Peter 4:1–2, 7–9
Since Christ suffered in His body, prepare your mind with the same readiness, so you won’t live for human cravings but for God’s will. The end is drawing near; therefore be steady and prayerful, keep loving one another earnestly, open your homes and hearts to each other, and do it without complaining.

Reflection: Name one current hardship. How could you receive it this week as God’s instrument for your sanctification, and what is one grumble you will replace with prayer?

Day 5: Be Saved and Continue in the Word

Jesus did not die to make salvation a vague possibility; He came to bring many sons to glory. True conversion produces godly sorrow that turns to repentance, and repentance produces a new direction—submitting to Jesus as both Lord and Savior. Those He sanctifies keep His word, learn to deny themselves, and grow in joyful obedience over time. This is not easy-believism; it is a new heart and a new Master. Come to Him, and keep coming—His grace saves, sanctifies, and will glorify. [48:59]

Hebrews 2:10–13
It perfectly fit the God for whom and through whom all things exist to lead many sons to glory by making the pioneer of their salvation complete through sufferings. The One who makes holy and those being made holy are of the same family; therefore He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will declare Your name to My brothers,” and, “Here am I with the children God has given Me.”

Reflection: If you say you believe, where do you see a growing desire to deny yourself and continue in Jesus’ word—and where do you need to repent and begin today?

Sermon Summary

Humanity is made by God for God, created to reflect His glory rather than to exalt self. Hebrews 2:5–12 places Christ at the center: the Son willingly descended “a little lower than the angels,” tasted death fully, and is now crowned with glory and honor. The recurring question, “What is man?” is answered not by inflating human esteem, but by contrasting man’s depravity with the majesty of God’s works. Drawing from Psalm 8, the heavens—mere elements arranged by the Creator’s fingers—display God’s glory. In the same way, man’s value is not intrinsic in bodily composition or achievements but in being formed, sustained, redeemed, and used by Christ to reflect divine splendor.

The exposition highlights why Scripture is cited as God’s Word rather than a human’s opinion. The Hebrew practice of quoting without naming the human author kept attention on divine authorship, modeling a God-centered approach to truth. From there, a sober doctrine of man is set against modern positivity: we are not essentially good people needing tweaks; we are sinners needing a complete salvation by a Savior who completely died. Christ’s “tasting death” is a Jewish idiom meaning He experienced the whole process of dying—the bitterness, separation, and curse—so that He might bring “many sons to glory.”

Because Christ’s path was suffering unto glory, His people embrace the same paradoxical way. Suffering becomes a sanctifying tool and a means to spread God’s glory. Instead of complaint, believers arm themselves with Christ’s purpose, take up their cross, and die daily. This is not asceticism for its own sake; it is the Spirit’s way of conforming believers to Christ and displaying His worth.

Finally, a clear call is given: be saved. Not all who say they believe are Christ’s; true believers are those the Father gives to the Son, who continue in His Word. Easy believism produces false assurance, but godly sorrow leads to repentance, and repentance issues in a transformed life under the authority of Scripture. The passage ultimately magnifies Christ—His descent, His death, His exaltation—and locates human dignity in union with Him: Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Key Takeaways

1. Man’s worth reflects God’s glory Our bodies and abilities have no lasting meaning apart from the One who formed and sustains them. Like the heavens, our purpose is to point beyond ourselves to the Maker. The more a life is aligned to reflect His wisdom and ways, the more true value it bears. Glory borrowed from God outlives beauty borrowed from the world. [22:55]
2. Christ fully tasted death for many “Tasting death” means He endured the entire dying process, the curse and separation we deserved. His descent was not symbolic but substitutionary, securing salvation for those the Father gives Him. The crown came by the cross; glory came through grief. This changes how we measure love, justice, and hope. [41:27]
3. Embrace suffering as sanctifying service Christ’s people arm themselves with His purpose: to lose life to find it. Suffering becomes the chisel that removes what doesn’t resemble Jesus, turning pain into praise. Refusing complaint, believers treat hardship as God’s assignment to purify motives and proclaim the gospel with credibility. [35:52]
4. Beware man-centered readings of Scripture Hebrews 2 is not an ode to human elevation below angels; it is a Christ-centered confession of His supremacy. Reading Scripture to flatter self distorts both context and application. Let every text lead to Christ’s person, work, and reign—and to our humble participation in His glory. [31:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - Who are you? Right estimation
[01:37] - Hebrews 2:5–12 read
[03:59] - Gethsemane and the cup
[06:10] - “Tasting death” explained
[08:33] - What is man? Our purpose
[09:52] - How chapters and verses arose
[12:08] - Stressing divine authorship of Scripture
[14:03] - Villainy of man versus glory
[18:23] - Psalm 8: heavens and man
[22:55] - Man’s value is in Christ
[26:50] - Made to glorify Christ alone
[31:10] - Christ-centered reading of Hebrews 2
[35:52] - Arm yourselves to suffer (1 Peter 4)
[40:47] - Be saved: many sons to glory

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Hebrews 2:5–12

Observation questions

In Hebrews 2:8–9, what two things are placed side by side: “we do not yet see all things subjected to him,” and “but we do see Jesus”? What reasons are given for why Jesus is crowned with glory and honor?
The citation of Psalm 8 is introduced with, “one has testified somewhere” — what is unusual about this way of quoting, and what might it be emphasizing? “one has testified somewhere” [09:05]
What does the phrase “tasted death” in Hebrews 2:9 mean in its original setting? “tasted death” [06:10]
According to Hebrews 2:10, what is God doing “in bringing many sons to glory,” and through what means is the “author of their salvation” perfected?

Interpretation questions

How should “for everyone” in Hebrews 2:9 be understood when read alongside “bringing many sons to glory” in verse 10? What does that mean for assurance, evangelism, and prayer? “he might taste death for everyone” [41:27]
What does the anonymous way of citing Scripture (“one has testified somewhere”) teach about Scripture’s authorship and authority? How should that shape the way Christians speak about the Bible in everyday conversations? “one has testified somewhere” [09:05]
If Hebrews 2 is read as Christ-centered rather than man-centered, how does that change one’s view of human dignity, purpose, and identity? “a Christ centered text” [32:55]
Since Jesus’ path was “suffering unto glory,” how does “arm yourselves… with the same purpose” clarify the role of suffering in a believer’s sanctification? “arm yourselves also with the same purpose” [35:52]

Application questions

“Do you think too much of yourself, and do you think that you deserve more than what you have?” Let’s get honest: where does entitlement show up in your week (home, work, ministry)? What is one step to humble yourself before God in that exact place? [00:56]
“Man’s value is in Christ.” Where are you most tempted to chase worth through appearance, performance, or applause? What is one practical change this week that would aim your life to reflect Christ’s glory rather than your own? [22:20]
Jesus “tasted death” fully. When you measure God’s love by the cross, what fear, guilt, or bitterness needs to be surrendered today? Name one concrete act of obedience that flows from trusting His finished work. [41:27]
“Arm yourselves also with the same purpose.” What current hardship could you receive as an assignment from God to make you more like Jesus? What would it look like to lean in rather than run? [35:52]
“Without complaint.” In what situations do murmuring and grumbling come easiest to you? What will you put in place this week (Scripture, prayer, accountability) to turn complaint into praise? [38:54]
“I die daily.” Identify one area (time, money, comfort, reputation) where you will practice dying to self this week. How will you know you actually did it? [39:39]
Beware man-centered readings. Where do you tend to read the Bible to boost self rather than behold Christ? Choose one passage you’ll revisit this week; how will you let it lead you to Jesus’ person, work, and reign rather than self-flattery? [31:26]

Sermon Clips

``Certainly, it isn't about the garbage heap. It certainly isn't about the man. It is all about God. It's about the sender. Who would send an innocent king, a pure son to be found guilty of atrocities, things that he did not commit, and then be murdered for man, mere man? Who would send their son to suffer for those who are guilty? [00:33:31] (32 seconds) #GodIsTheSender

And if we would just simply know that we do not get what we deserve, we'll be better off. And so we know what we truly deserve as wretched men and women, born in sin, deserving of separation from God for eternity. Yet, by his grace, God has reached down to mere men to save and to sanctify and to glorify. This brings God glory, and so you have been made to glorify God. [00:01:10] (27 seconds) #SavedToGlorify

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Made to Glorify Christ | Hebrews 2:5-12 | Dr. Casey A Butner | 2026-01-04