Eternity The superior Son of God | Incarnation Now also the Son of Man | Now & forever Merciful & faithful priest |
Radiant with God’s glory | Made lower than the angels for a little while | Crowned with glory and honour |
Exact representation of God's being | Suffered death & tasted it for all | Brought many sons and daughters to glory |
Creator and sustainer of the universe | Pioneered our salvation | Makes his people holy |
Heir of all things | Made perfect through suffering | Calls us family, brothers and sisters |
Couldn't die/suffer/be tempted | Shared in their humanity | Free those held in slavery to fear of death |
Couldn't have us as brothers & sisters | Broke the power of the Devil | Helps humans, not angels |
Couldn't pioneer salvation | Made like us, fully human in every way | Make atonement for our sins |
Couldn't be our high priest | Suffered when he was tempted | Able to help those who are being tempted |
The superior Son shared our humanity and became our perfect priest
to free his family from fear
& save his siblings from sin
Brief and powerless is man’s life; on him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark. Blind to good and evil, reckless of destruction, omnipotent matter rolls on its relentless way; for man, condemned today to lose his dearest, tomorrow himself to pass through the gate of darkness, it remains only to cherish, ere yet the blow falls, the lofty thoughts that ennoble his little day.
Bertrand Russell, A Free Man's Worship
The superior Son shared our humanity and became our perfect priest
to free his family from fear
& save his siblings from sin
Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens,
Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless
O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim,
its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not,
abide with me.
I need thy presence every passing hour;
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide
and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine,
O abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and
tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting?
Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me
W. H. Monk�A Songs of Fellowship Worship Resource�CCL Licence number: 5811
Reveal thyself before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom,
and point me to the skies,
Heaven’s morning breaks,
and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.