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Keep Both Feet in the Stirrups

¹ We must pay attention to the truth we have heard. We must keep both feet in the stirrups or we will become lazy and fall off or drift away. ² If the old message that the angels delivered from God made all be held accountable for the things they did, ³ do you suppose we can ignore the message delivered by someone far greater, that being Jesus Christ himself? ⁴ God proved Jesus's message true by doing miraculous things and by giving the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who he's chosen.

Jesus Was a Man

⁵ In addition, let us not think it is the angels who are in control of the future. ⁶ The Good Book did say, "Why do you bother with mere cowboys and cowgirls? Why do you even glance their way? ⁷ You made them less than angels, but still they were given honor and glory. ⁸ You gave them authority over all things."

When God said "all things", he meant all things. But this hasn't come to pass yet. ⁹ But what has come to pass is that Jesus, who was a man and a little lower than the angels for a time, is now crowned with God's glory and honor. Jesus was God's grace for us by suffering the death that should have been ours. ¹⁰ God's plan all along was to bring his kids to him by the way of suffering. But it is not through our suffering that this plan of eternal life was enacted, but through the suffering of Christ—the perfect Boss.

¹¹ So now Jesus vouches for us before his Father. Jesus makes us holy and gives us the same Father he has. This is why Jesus calls us brothers and sisters. ¹² Jesus told his Dad, "I will tell my brothers and sisters who you are. I will worship you and my cowboys will do the same."

¹³ He also said, "My life is lived trusting in God. The cowboys God gives me will do the same."

¹⁴ Because God's kids are flesh and blood, Jesus was also made flesh and blood. Only as a human could Jesus suffer death. And only through dying could he defeat the devil, who has the power of death. ¹⁵ Jesus died for us and so has freed us from the power of fear of dying. No longer are we afraid to die because Jesus did it for us.

¹⁶ Make no mistake, Jesus didn't come and do all he did to save angels. He did it all to save us, the children of Abraham. ¹⁷ In every way Jesus was like us so he could represent us on the cross. He is our high priest vouching for us before the throne of God. It was only in this way could he offer up a sacrifice that would take our place and take away our sin once and for all. ¹⁸ Since he suffered everything we have and more, he is able to lead us through temptation.