A Better Deliverance

Happy Easter!! Welcome Online & Visitors

We exist to help those who are far from God draw near to Him by allowing him to build in us and through us a house of ministry, prayer, worship and healing.

Offering

Introduction

Main Text

Hebrews 2:5–18 ESV

For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

A couple of points to start.

The Divinity Of Christ - The Author starts in chapter 1 by talking about how Jesus was divine. He is the son of God and greater than the angels. He spends chapter 2 talking about how he is man and he was just like one of us. Why is this important? For us to really understand redemption, we have to understand that Jesus had to become man, in order to be their priestly representative before God.

This is deep theological ideas, but the gist of this goes back to the priesthood. The priests were dual representatives. They represented God to the people. So when you looked upon the priests, they were supposed to be the physical representation of God to the people they served. On the other side, they also represented the people before God. They offered sacrifices on behalf of the people and the author of Hebrews will get into why that matters later in the book, but for now, just know this, Jesus had to become man, so he could be our priest. He stands before God the Father, representing us. He offered a better sacrifice on the cross and now because he was like us, representing us, we are set free to live according to his ways.

What we learn from this passage though is this, Jesus’ death really mattered. Our text shows us three ways it mattered. Here they are…

His Death Defeats The Devil

Hebrews 2:14 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,”

This is not something we think of often, that Christ’s death defeats the devil. Partly because we don’t understand how…

The Devil’s Only Tool - What is really the only tool that the devil has in his arsenal?

His Death Delivers Us From Slavery

Hebrews 2:14–15 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

His Death Reconciles Us To God

Hebrews 2:16–18 “For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”