Why Jesus Became One of Us (Hebrews 2:5–18)

Introduction

We’re continuing our series in the book of Hebrews. Today, we’ll be in Hebrews 2:5-18 and look at the question: Why did Jesus become one of us? It’s an interesting question. For the Son of God to take on human flesh is kind of like a human being volunteering to become a tiny bug and get stepped on. There is no comparison to what Jesus did for us. Why did Jesus become one of us?

Especially when being one of us is so difficult. Some of us are hard to get along with. (Don’t look at anybody.) Life is hard! Even getting to church is difficult. You’re trying to get everyone together in the morning and prepare the kids. You may have argued. You didn’t have a proper breakfast. It would have been easier to sleep in. You’re already thinking, “How long will Pastor Jason preach because I want to get lunch?” Being a human is complicated.

Humans are messy, but God chose to love us anyway, even in the middle of our mess. Jesus came for difficult and messy people. Today, we will look at why Jesus became one of us. Open your Bibles to Hebrews 2:5-18.

Scripture Reading

Hebrews 2:5–18 CSB

For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. But someone somewhere has testified: What is man that you remember him, or the son of man that you care for him? You made him lower than the angels for a short time; you crowned him with glory and honor and subjected everything under his feet. For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him. But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death. For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying: I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters; I will sing hymns to you in the congregation. Again, I will trust in him. And again, Here I am with the children God gave me. Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Pray

Why did Jesus become one of us? The first reason why Jesus became one of us is this,

Transition

I. Our Crown Was Lost—But Jesus Restores It

Hebrews 2:5–9

A. God’s Original Design for Humanity (Psalm 8)

This text in Hebrews 2 both looks back and looks ahead. It starts by looking ahead in Hebrews 2:5 at “the world to come.” This would be a natural statement for the writer of Hebrews because he has just quoted to us a few verses back in Hebrews 1:13 from Psalm 110:1, a verse that says, “This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.'”

We read and prayed through Psalm 110 this past Wednesday at our Prayer Refresh meeting. Psalm 110 is a Psalm that speaks about Jesus and focuses on what we would describe as his second coming, seen in the book of Revelation, where in the future, in “the world to come,” when Jesus returns, he will return as a conquering King in judgment upon the earth. A great verse on this is Revelation 11:15, where it says,

Revelation 11:15 CSB

The seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.

We are currently in the midst of the church age, and there is a world to come where the kingdoms of this world will be crushed in judgment, the enemies of the Lord will be his footstool, and King Jesus will reign forever and ever.

But to understand the world to come and why everything is being made right under Christ, we need to look back and see where everything went wrong. To do this, the writer of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 8. In Psalm 8:3–6, it says,

Psalm 8:3–6 CSB

When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him? You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:

This verse describes the initial purpose of humanity. Humanity was placed on this earth to rule over it. We were meant to rule. Genesis 1:26 says,

Genesis 1:26 CSB

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

We were meant to rule the creation on this earth. It was like God placed a royal crown on Adam's head and commanded him to rule the world. But Adam, and through Adam, us, we messed up. Sin damaged the purpose for which we were created.

B. Jesus, the True Adam, Reclaims Our Destiny

But Hebrews 2:8-9 transitions us to understand that Jesus is now the fulfillment of Psalm 8:4-6. He is the true ruler of creation, and everything will be under his feet. Jesus, in his humanity, is the only human perfect enough and worthy enough to wear the crown. Jesus, in his divine humanity, is the one “crowned (him) with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5).

Look at how the Bible describes Jesus in Hebrews 2:9,

Hebrews 2:9 CSB

But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

Jesus being “made lower than the angels for a short time” refers to the incarnation, God taking on human flesh. He was made lower because his human flesh, like us, was susceptible to death. God’s grace refers to the fact that the Son of God came into this world not because he needed to but because he wanted to. His human flesh enabled him to taste death for everyone, and in this way, he could reign as both God and man.

In other words, the Son of God came to claim the kingdom lost to the world because of sin. God’s destiny for humanity was fulfilled in Jesus.

If you are a fan of classical music, you might know a composer named Franz Schubert. In 1822, he began composing Symphony No. 8. It is known as the unfinished symphony because he never finished it. The symphony consists of two completed movements, but the third was incomplete. Modern classical scholars are puzzled because the first two movements are so beautiful, but it was never finished.[1] In other words, it never completed its purpose or its destiny as a complete symphony.

Now, imagine if a composer came generations later, the perfect composer, who not only finishes the work but fulfills its true purpose. He perfectly brings the composition together and makes it the masterpiece it was meant to be.

That’s what Jesus did. Humanity was created for God’s purpose: to rule and reign according to his will. Sin damaged humanity and left God’s purpose unfinished, but through Jesus Christ, God restored what was lost and fulfilled the destiny of humanity in him.

Here is where this matters: Many times, people get depressed because they feel they lack purpose. They’re told their purpose is to be successful, have a career, and fulfill their dreams. When that doesn’t happen, they feel like life is meaningless. The Bible tells us that meaning and purpose are not found in you. It is found in Christ. Jesus has fulfilled our purpose, and as children of God, through Jesus, he gives us meaning. The purpose of humanity is to follow Jesus.

Jesus became one of us to restore what we lost in Adam. The second reason Jesus became one of us,

Transition

II. Our Salvation Was Impossible—But Jesus Cleared the Way

Hebrews 2:10-13

A. Jesus’ Suffering Perfected Him as Our Savior

To explain why the Son of God became one of us, Hebrews 2:10 starts to describe for us the purpose of Jesus Christ’s suffering. It says in Hebrews 2:10,

Hebrews 2:10 CSB

For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

According to the Holy Spirit-inspired writer of Hebrews, Jesus suffered to:

Bring many sons and daughters to glory

To be perfected through suffering

The first part is a little clearer. God desires to bring people to him, but due to his perfection, man cannot stand before God and enter his glory. Therefore, Jesus came to provide a way to bring “many sons and daughters to glory.” This is why he is called “The Way” in John 14:6.

But the second part is not as clear. What does it mean that Jesus was made “perfect through suffering”? We can start by stating what it does not mean. Being made “perfect through suffering” does not mean that Jesus was, in some way, morally imperfect. The Bible consistently says that Jesus was morally perfect, entirely without sin, and obedient to the Father. The author of Hebrews himself says this in Hebrews 4:15,

Hebrews 4:15 CSB

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Many other verses speak of Jesus’ moral perfection, such as 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:22, John 8:46, and many others.

If being “made perfect through suffering” does not mean moral perfection, what does it mean? We are not talking about morality in Hebrews 2:10. We are talking about experience. Charles Spurgeon describes it this way: for Jesus to “be a sympathetic Ruler over His people, He must experience sufferings like those of His subjects.”[2] In other words, Jesus’ sufferings were necessary to fulfill his role as our perfect representative.

The Son of God was “made perfect through suffering,” not because he lacked anything in his divine nature. He willingly took on human suffering upon himself to become the faithful and perfect high priest who stands in the gap for us. He did it because of his great love for you.

B. Jesus Calls Us His Brothers and Sisters

The great love of Jesus Christ is shown in his desire to be one with us. In John 17, Jesus gives an incredible prayer, which many call his high priestly prayer. In this prayer, he prays for himself, his disciples, and for us, all believers.

When he prays for all believers, he prays for an incredible oneness. He says this in John 17:20-23,

John 17:20–23 CSB

“I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.

Jesus wants his people to have a complete oneness with him. It is a oneness so that the world may know that the Father has sent the Son. In other words, there is a distinction within Christians that unifies them with Jesus and separates them from the world.

What is that distinction? Hebrews 2:11 points out that Christians are sanctified in Jesus Christ, and therefore, “Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” As a child of God, you are so unified with Jesus Christ that you are his brother or sister. You are his family.

When we stand before the Lord, we are coming home. When we see Jesus, we are coming home to family.

Maybe you’ve experienced this, where you’ve not seen family for a long time. And then, the time comes when you finally reunite with family members, and it is incredible. You feel an oneness with them because they are your flesh and blood, your family.

Your family will ask you, “How are you doing?” Perhaps you were suffering but haven’t told anyone. But your family is there, and you feel safe to open up. They hug you and say, “I’m here for you. You’re my family.”

It’s one thing if you’re suffering and a family member says, “I’m here for you.” It’s another thing if a family member takes on your suffering in your place so you can come home. Jesus became one of us so that you would be a part of his family, and he would welcome you home.

Jesus suffered for us to bring us back to God. A third reason why Jesus became one of us,

Transition

III. Our Fear Was Crushing—But Jesus Broke the Chains

Hebrews 2:14-16

A. The Chains of Death Enslaved Us

Hebrews 2:14-15 gets into the aspect of our death, describing humans as people who live under the fear of death. It says in Hebrews 2:14-15,

Hebrews 2:14–15 CSB

Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.

The fear of death is described as a form of slavery. Without Christ, humans are enslaved to a crushing fear that is impossible to get away from. When humans are confronted with death, it creates desperate anxiety in the soul.

David described the fear of death as a terror in Psalm 55:4-5,

Psalm 55:4–5 CSB

My heart shudders within me; terrors of death sweep over me. Fear and trembling grip me; horror has overwhelmed me.

Death has preoccupied the minds of every civilization. From Egyptian tombs to Buddhist reincarnation, every civilization has attempted to develop rituals and traditions around death to try to appease it somehow.

Modern psychology acknowledges that the fear of death is a major driver of human behavior. Ernest Becker, a cultural anthropologist who had a significant influence on modern psychology, wrote this about death in his book:

“The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else; it is a mainspring of human acitivity - activity designed largely to avoid the fatality of death, to overcome it by denying it in some way that it is the final destiny for man.” [3]

Death is a power over the human soul, a power the devil uses as control over humans. It was a power the devil had in keeping humans separated from God until Jesus came.

B. Jesus’ Resurrection Conquered the Grave

Jesus came to be one of us to destroy the power of death. Jesus came to destroy the devil’s power and release us from the fear of death. This is why the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57,

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 CSB

When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

In other words, when you see the resurrection of Jesus Christ, when you see his power over death, you see victory. Jesus came to be one of us to have victory over death, and his victory over death is now our victory. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Our situation was like an inmate locked in a prison cell without any hope of parole. There were chains on our hands and feet, and our future was dark.

It’s like if you’ve ever been in a very deep depression. There is a kind of depression where life feels so heavy that you don’t want to get out of bed. You stare off of into the depression without any kind of hope, feeling like life is always going to be this way, and the only escape from it is death, but that is a dark place, too.

But then someone comes and does the impossible. They walk into the prison cell, the depression of your life, and somehow they take on that darkness for you. They lift the crushing depression off you, they brake the chains, and for the first time in your life, there is light in your life, a freedom you’ve never experienced, and an incredible future.

Jesus broke the chains for you. Here the takeaway: Sometimes we can fall back into fear and anxiety. We can get caught up in the pressure of this world. Remember, Jesus has taken away our greatest fear. We don’t fear death. His resurrection is our resurrection. God has given us the victory through Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we have already won!

Jesus became one of us to destroy the power of death and the devil. The last reason Jesus became one of us,

IV. Our Struggles Are Real—But Jesus Understands

Hebrews 2:17-18

Hebrews 2:17-18 gives us another look into why Jesus became one of us. It says,

Hebrews 2:17–18 CSB

Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

These two verses speak about Jesus being with us in our struggles. Jesus knows what it’s like to be one of us because he became one of us.

A. Jesus, Our Merciful High Priest, Intercedes for Us

It says he became like us “so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest.”

Jesus is merciful. What is mercy like?

Mercy is like seeing your child learning to walk and falling on the ground. You could sit back up and say, “Tough, get back up, kid.” But that’s not what you do. You lift your child, wipe their tears, and help them walk again.

Mercy is like a doctor on a battlefield. The battle is raging, and the enemy has fallen to the ground. Even though it’s the enemy, the medic is on the field, kneeling beside him, bandaging his wounds.

Jesus became one of us to be with us in our struggles. Not only was he merciful, but he was also faithful in dying on the cross for people who were his enemies. That’s why it says in Romans 5:8,

Romans 5:8 CSB

But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus became one of us to become a merciful and faithful high priest who “makes atonement for the sins of the people.” Because Jesus knows our struggles and has stood in our place, he is the perfect sacrifice for our sins to bring us salvation.

B. Jesus Helps Us in Temptation

A final reason why Jesus became one of us is that he helps us in temptation. Anytime you face temptation, you are never alone. The Bible says that Jesus “is able to help those who are tempted.” Jesus suffered when tempted and remained sinless as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

His suffering allowed him to understand our struggles against temptation. We learn something interesting about temptation in 1 Corinthians 10:13, where it says,

1 Corinthians 10:13 CSB

No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

Jesus is merciful and faithful, providing the way out in himself. Because you have victory in your life through Jesus, you also have power in your life through Jesus over temptation. The answer to temptation and trials is Jesus Christ.

Jesus became one of us to walk with us in every step of our journey on our way home to glory.

Life is like a dangerous path that can have many pitfalls. There are dangers along the pathways, places you slip and fall, and things that want to drag you down. If you walk the path alone, you won’t make it.

Jesus knows people alone can’t make it on this path. He became like one of us to walk in our place and carry us along the journey.

Are you resting today in Jesus Christ? Jesus became fully human to help us in our struggles and temptations. When temptations and trials arrive, are you turning to Jesus?

Conclusion

Jesus came to be one of us so we would not be alone on the journey. You are not alone in your life. Whatever battles you face, whether temptation, suffering, grief, or fear, Jesus is there for you. Trust him today.

Prayer

Communion

We will have communion, remembering Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Meditate on the Lord and where your heart is with him.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!

YouTube, “Schubert: Symphony No. 8 ‘Unfinished' - An Analysis,” https://youtu.be/hutzLpIJrmY?si=Z8MLaZcyKGtnG6G5

Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon Commentary: Hebrews, ed. Elliot Ritzema and Jessi Strong, Spurgeon Commentary Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014), 37.

YouTube, “The Denial of Death | Part 1 - Fear of Death, Repression, Heroism” https://youtu.be/Z8c_Sg5T6q4?si=jfJq-31xK8AuEZ1Q

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Sermon Reflection Questions

What is the central theme in Hebrews 2:5-18 regarding why Jesus became human?

How does the purpose of humanity connect to Jesus’ life and actions?

In what ways does Hebrews 2:5-18 illustrate the concept of Jesus being a merciful and faithful high priest?

How does the fear of death relate to the significance of Jesus’ resurrection?

Why should Christians turn to Jesus during struggles and temptations?