Better Than Angels Part 2

Why did Jesus have to come? Open with us to Hebrews chapter 2 as we consider that question and the answers given from this book. Good morning. Would you mind being seated for just a minute? I’ll make you stand up again.

I wanted to share a couple of things with you before we get into the Scriptures this morning. We have a special guest here with us that I want to introduce you to. Even if you’ve been here for many years, you may have never had a chance to meet this gentleman because this is his first time here in the U.S. Back in 1988, our church sent a family to establish a church in Cebu City, Philippines. Jeff and Helen Jackson and their family went to the Philippines to establish that church. They were there from 1988 until the early 1990s when Jeff raised up a pastor to take over that church by the name of Pastor Bong Bellaro.

So, Pastor Bong is here for the first time, and I wanted to introduce him to you, pray for him, and give him a chance to come up and share a little bit. In fact, Jeff’s daughter Jody is still a part of our church, and she was there in the Philippines. So, Pastor Bong, would you come on up? Welcome with me, Bong Bellaro. Bong is a son of our church, even though he is many time zones away. Welcome! We’re glad that you’re here.

Good morning. I’m glad to be here. Actually, during my five years in pastoral ministry, Pastor Pat Kinney and Jeff Jackson invited me to come over. But two weeks before the invitation, I heard from the Lord in my devotion to strengthen first that which has been left, to at least strengthen the church. Then, two weeks after that, the invitation came, and I said, “Lord, did I hear right from you?”

Anyway, I pushed through with the application. However, at the U.S. Embassy, the consul said, “Sir, I’m sorry, you need to establish yourself first.” In his mind, to establish yourself first meant you should have a big reason to come back—maybe wealth, work, or whatever business.

But then, when He spoke that word, I established myself first. What I heard is actually from the Lord: establish His church first. I mean, very clearly there on that window, I said, "Wow. So I was right the first time."

Then, 19 or 20 years after that, I did not apply because my sister had a petition for me in 2004 to come over. My sister and I were the only two siblings, and my mom wanted us to be together. If you have a petition, you would not be given even a tourist visa. When the invitation came, my sister was in a state of emergency; my mother was very serious, suffering from congestive heart failure, almost at 100% failure. So I said, "Then I should apply and try." I asked some friends, and they said it was impossible because I had a petition.

However, another brother, a Filipino American citizen, said, "Pastor, just try. Maybe you have a slim chance to go." That morning, after breakfast on February 14, I asked the Lord, "You have not spoken to me. You spoke to me a long time ago, but you have not spoken to me this time. Is this Your will?" I opened my Bible application and read the word that I was about to teach, 1 John, for that coming Sunday. There, the link said, "Whatever is your heart's desire, it shall be done." I said, "Lord, You're approving me."

So when I went to the consul, the consul said, "Okay, you can go." Now, I am here. I would say my mom's condition was just a blessing for me to come over, given a multiple visa for 10 years. I'm very close to my mom, and I'm sorry for that.

Anyway, there are two things I want you to pray for: the Lord's ministry and my health, and second, my mom. I told the Lord, "You gave Sigaya 15 years. I ask for five more years for my mom to come over to the Philippines. If she dies, she dies over there. She could not travel anymore."

I'm sorry, but that is my preference. However, I want the Lord's will, so please pray for the Lord's will. I don't want to impose my desires. If the Lord gives her a second life, five years, that I hope for, I pray that it will be without all these inconveniences of sickness and disease, and that she will be healthy enough to travel back to the Philippines. So, that's my prayer. Thank you. Amen.

We want to pray for Pastor Bong and for the church in Cebu, especially for his mother. She is living with his sister up in Buena Park, and he will be flying out again in just a little over a week, right? If anyone wants to come up, we would like to pray for Pastor Bong.

God, we thank you so much for our brother and for the work that You have been doing in and through him in Cebu for a couple of decades and a half now. We pray that You would continue to strengthen him by Your strength and might. Lord, we know that in our weakness, Your strength is perfected. As he has asked for prayer for his own health, we lift him into Your hands. We ask, God, that You continue to give him and his wife, Edna, the leadership of the church, Your strength by Your Spirit to minister to the people that You have called them to.

We pray especially for his mom, Lord. We commit her into Your hands and pray that You would touch her body. We thank You so much that the visa approval came in so that Bong could be with his mom and his sister during this time. We ask that it would be a sweet time of visit for them. We lift them into Your hands and thank You for the work that You are doing through him in the Philippines, which is an extension of this church. What a blessing it is to be a part of that work! We commit him into Your hands and thank You that he is here with us this morning. Would You bless him in Jesus' name? Amen. God bless you, Bong. Thank you so much. Amen.

Would you mind standing with me and opening your Bibles to the book of Hebrews? If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. We are in Hebrews chapter 2, and we will begin there in the first verse. Hebrews is near the end of your Bible, right before the book of James.

The small book of Philemon and Hebrews chapter 2, verse 1, provide important insights. There, the author writes, "Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard, lest we drift away."

For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him? God also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels, but one testified in a certain place, saying, "What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels. You have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet."

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to be called their brethren, saying, "I will declare Your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to You."

And again, "I will put my trust in Him." And again, "Here am I and the children whom God has given me."

Inasmuch then, as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

For indeed, He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things, He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Father, we sang just a few minutes ago, "Holy Spirit, you're welcome here." I pray that you would meet us here. You promised that wherever two or more are gathered in your name, there you are in their midst. So we ask that you would be here and that you would teach us by your Spirit. Give us insight into the things of Scripture, that we would not only understand them intellectually, but that we would apply them practically.

The things we consider here in Hebrews chapter two today would, in some way, affect and impact our lives this afternoon and the rest of this week. We desire to show and display your glory, your good and perfect will in our lives, so that people would see you transforming us and bringing forth the evidence of your presence in our lives. God, do work in us. We ask this in Jesus' name. And all those that agreed said, "Amen." You can be seated.

iPhones are better than Android smartphones. That's a little better response than in the first service. Chick-fil-A is better than KFC. There's only one downside: they're not open on Sunday, which is kind of a good thing, but also kind of a bad thing. Target is better than Walmart. Oh, goodness. All right, this is going to get me in trouble. Chevy is better than Ford. Oh, that was way better than the first service. Apple is better than Microsoft. Oh, pity you all. Home Depot is better than Lowe's. The New King James Version is better than the English Standard Version. Oh, there are some people.

My mom is better than... never mind. There are a number of things I know when I start in that way, or when someone, myself or someone else, makes strong declarative statements like that. I know that I may have made some new friends, maybe, but I also know that I've probably lost more friends than I've made, and I might have made some of you angry.

Maybe I'll get some emails; who knows? There are a few things I know that some of you are thinking when I or someone else makes strong statements like that. You may be thinking, "Gosh, that guy is very opinionated." Some of you might be thinking, "That guy doesn't know what he's talking about." Others might be thinking, "That guy is a complete idiot" as you go through those kinds of statements.

However, there are a few things that I think we would probably agree upon when we hear someone make strong declarative statements like that. We know that every one of those statements is an opinion. We understand that those are the opinions held by some. It tells you a little bit about the individual you're hearing from when you hear someone make strong declarative statements that reflect opinions like that. We know that each one of those statements can maybe be disproven. By using different scales or different measures, you might be able to put forth other information. They are objective statements, but they are subjective realities. They represent issues of preference when someone makes strong statements like that.

Now, making strong statements like that isn't necessarily a good way to make friends. For the record, I don't necessarily believe all those things that I just said. I won't tell you which ones I do believe. I do believe the one about iPhones and Apple, but we won't go any further than that.

The author of the Book of Hebrews is making the point that Jesus is better than whatever it may be. It is a very strong declarative statement that Jesus is better. I think we would probably agree that in making that statement in the 21st century, it is rather politically incorrect to say that Jesus is better. But understand that 2,000 years ago, when the author of this book made the statement that Jesus is better, it was not very politically correct then either. He is writing this very letter from prison. He was in chains because of his strong position on this view about Jesus.

These kinds of polemical propositions, when someone makes strong statements like this, are not necessarily the kind of "drop the mic" moments. I won't do it because our sound guys would kill me, but they're not the drop the mic sort of thing that you say and it's done. You're out, and everybody agrees, and it's all good, and you've said your piece. When someone makes a statement like those, there is the expectation that you're going to need to back that up.

You're going to need to give a reason for why you hold that view or position. When someone provides a reason for their beliefs, we call that an apologetic. You're not making an apology; you're giving a defense, a reason. It's similar to what a lawyer would do when arguing a case. They present their defense on why they believe the evidence and testimony point to a specific conclusion.

The author of the Book of Hebrews is doing that here in this passage of Scripture. He has made the statement that Jesus is better in the first chapter. Jesus is better than angels. He will elaborate on this as we progress into chapters three, four, and five over the next several weeks. He will point out that Jesus is better than Moses, better than Abraham, and better than the priesthood. Jesus is superior to many other aspects that emerged from Judaism. This letter was written to Christians who came out of Judaism, so the apologetic, the defense, is oriented towards those who held a particular worldview—Judaism.

If we were writing a similar book for our day, it would look different. We would recognize that a significant segment of our population in the Western world, especially in the United States, Canada, and Europe, adheres to a materialistic, humanistic worldview. Therefore, we would orient our arguments towards that materialistic or humanistic perspective. Many authors and books have been written on this subject, providing an apologetic for our time. If you're interested in that, I recommend Timothy Keller's book, The Reason for God, or Ravi Zacharias' book, Can Man Live Without God, or Jesus Against All Other Secular Gods. There are numerous excellent books in that area.

Even looking back at some of C.S. Lewis' writings, those authors were essentially doing what the author of Hebrews is doing. They were establishing an apologetic for a specific segment of people. The claim made in Hebrews chapter 1 is that Jesus is better than angels. That is the propositional statement he has made. He then goes back to prove that argument, which, for the audience he is addressing, is supported by the holy Scriptures that they all understood and held to, which shaped their entire worldview. He states, "Jesus is better than angels," and he begins at ground level.

He doesn't immediately go to the idea that Jesus is better than Abraham because he understands that this group of people has a very strong view of Abraham. So, he builds to that, but he starts with a more accessible point: Jesus is better than angels. He proves this from the Scriptures, which declare that Jesus is the eternal, uncreated Creator who came down from heaven as a man to the earth. That is why he is called the Son of God. He is called the Son of God because he is God in human flesh. "God incarnate" is the term used here so that we can behold the glory of God among us.

However, the author emphasizes that Jesus is greater than angels. He is not just a man; he is greater than a man. As we come into chapter two, the author states, "Therefore, because of that, there are certain things that should be applied or changed in our lives." If it is true that Jesus is greater than angels, and if it is true that the Scriptures point to the fact that he is the eternal, uncreated Creator, the Son of God come down to earth, what does that mean for us?

Every apologetic must reach the point where we ask the question, "What does that mean?" If you argue that Jesus is God, if you argue that he is greater than angels, then what does that practically mean for my life? The author tells us here in Hebrews chapter two, verse one: "Therefore, because of that, we must give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard, lest we drift away." The Scriptures show that Jesus is objectively better than angels.

Point number one on your outline: We must hear and obey Jesus. If Jesus is better than angels, we must hear and obey him. Another translation states that we must pay much closer attention to him. If he is greater than angels, we should pay much closer attention to him. The Jews who would have been reading this, these Christians who came out of Judaism, had a high regard for angels and for the message delivered by angels.

Look at chapter two, verse two: "For if the word spoken through angels proves steadfast..." The Jewish readers of this would have understood that this was significant.

The law that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai is recorded in the book of Exodus. After the children of Israel had come out of Egypt, they arrived at Mount Sinai. Moses went up on top of the mountain, and God delivered to him the law, the Ten Commandments, but not just the Ten Commandments; it was the whole of the law. Jewish tradition holds that it was the angels who delivered that message from God to Moses.

The scripture states that if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, strong, and trustworthy, and if every transgression and disobedience against that law received a just reward or punishment, then, if Jesus is God and greater than the angels, we should pay attention to the message that He spoke. We should listen to what He has to say.

In acknowledging that truth, we all recognize that we live in a world with a million competing voices. We are constantly bombarded by so many different views and opinions, perhaps more now than at any other time in history, because we can easily interact cross-culturally with people from all over the world. We are inundated with various perspectives, especially regarding the purpose, meaning, and value of life.

We live in a nation that, culturally and traditionally, has been very much focused over the last hundred years on a humanistic, naturalistic, and materialistic worldview. However, that is not the only worldview around us. In San Diego County, for instance, there are 3.2 million people, and 110 different languages are spoken. Each of those languages represents a different belief and a different worldview.

You go to school with, work with, and live next door to people who speak differently, look differently, and have a different frame of reference regarding the meaning, value, and purpose of life. As you interact with these individuals, you hear all these different views, and we are often told that we need to recognize that all of those views are equal and ultimately the same. This is the position that our culture constantly promotes today.

Yet, here comes an individual who asserts that Jesus is better. Amidst all the competing voices and the multitude of ideas being expressed, we are called to consider this claim.

Some may be familiar, and some may be enticing, more attractive than others. But in the chaos of these competing voices, we need to give the more earnest hearing; we need to pay closer attention to the voice of Jesus. That's a pretty strong statement. There are a lot of worldviews, and we are confronted with them every single day. The Scriptures tell us that if you believe the Scriptures, then you believe that Jesus's view, what He says, is better and more important and should be heeded above all other views. That's a very strong perspective, and of course, it is not highly regarded by a growing populace in our nation.

There is a wonderful story presented in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Jesus is with three of His disciples, Peter, James, and John, and they are on a mountaintop somewhere in Israel. It seems from the Scriptures that they were there to pray. As night came, as you might expect, Peter, James, and John fell asleep on the job. It's good to know that the apostles sometimes fell asleep praying, isn't it?

In the middle of the night, they were shocked and startled, awoken by something phenomenal. Jesus, the Scriptures say, was transfigured before them. He became bright and shining, His clothes whiter than any launderer could have made them. As He was there, transfigured before Peter, James, and John, in their stunned shock, they saw two individuals speaking with Him, who the Scriptures tell us were Moses, the representative of the Law, and Elijah, the representative of the Prophets.

As Moses and Elijah were speaking with Jesus, Peter, overcome with the situation, interjected a thought. Hard to imagine, but he did. He said, "Lord, it's good for us to be here. Let us build three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." In the midst of this, the Scriptures say that they were overshadowed by a bright cloud. From the midst of the cloud, a voice came and said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Hear him. I think that's good counsel. Among the competing voices—legal voices, prophetic voices, apostolic voices—amidst all these competing voices, we must heed this counsel: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him. It is imperative that we do so.

Why is it imperative that we listen? Notice what the author of the Book of Hebrews says in chapter 2, verse 1. He states, "Therefore, since Jesus is the eternal, uncreated creator of all things, the Son of God come down to you, greater than angels, we must give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard, lest we drift away." The implication here is that if we drift away, we risk experiencing judgment.

For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward—a judgment—how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which began to be spoken first by the Lord? If we neglect the word that He speaks, we face serious consequences.

Point number two on your outline: The cost of defiance and disobedience to Jesus is dire. The author of the Book of Hebrews tells us that the cost of defiance and disobedience to the word of Jesus is severe. He is the eternal, uncreated creator, the Son of God, the preacher of the message of salvation, greater than any message delivered by angels. This message was accompanied and authenticated by miracles, the greatest of which was the resurrection of Jesus, which we will be celebrating in just about a month on Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday.

This message, spoken and accompanied by miracles, emphasizes the importance of heeding it. If we defy, disobey, or neglect that message of salvation and grace, how shall we escape? We face a judgment that the Scriptures show is eternal and complete, with no way to return from it. In Romans chapter 1, verse 18, the Apostle Paul states, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." One day, God's wrath will come.

It's a sobering reality, and I think that if any of us were to receive even just a fraction of a second of a vision of what that wrath would look like, it would radically transform the way we interact in the world we live in. The descriptions of it, though we probably have never experienced it and hopefully never will, are phenomenally terrible. They are terrifying.

So, we need to pay close attention to Jesus. Listen to Him. Why? Because He has a message of salvation—salvation from that coming day of wrath. The wrath of God will be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and Jesus has a word of salvation, a rescue from that.

Have you ever been in a crowded area with a lot of people, where everybody is talking all at once? The volume continues to increase as people try to speak and hear, and it just keeps going. Then, in the midst of that situation, you see someone across the room trying to get your attention. Maybe it's a friend or your spouse, and they're trying to get your attention. You key in and pay attention, discerning what they are telling you amidst all the competing voices.

That's what the author here says: amidst all the chaos, pay attention to Jesus. In Revelation chapters two and three, the words are repeated over and over again: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." At one point, Jesus, speaking to one of the churches, says in Revelation chapter three, verse twenty, "I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens, I will come in to him and dine with him." To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the church. We need to pay attention to Jesus, which brings a challenging, simple question: Are we? Are we paying attention to what Jesus has said? Are we taking it in?

The words of Jesus can be understood by reading or listening to His word. I commend you for being here to hear His word taught. However, there is a difference between listening and hearing. Every wife sadly knows this truth. Are you listening to me? Yes, I'm listening. But that isn't the right question. The real question is: Are you hearing me? If you have children, they might be listening, but are they hearing? Do we hear Him? He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says.

Why should we pay closer attention to Jesus? Look at Hebrews chapter 2, verse 5: "For He, God, has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels." The Jewish readers who were engaging with this apologetic, this defense of Jesus being better, had a high regard for angels. They esteemed them because, in creation, they are created higher than humans. In practical terms, they are in the very presence of God and are given the job of being His messengers, taking the message from Him to us.

However, the author of the book of Hebrews states that the world that is to come, prophetically that world which is not yet but will be, will not be put under the control or subjection to angels. In verse 6, it says, "One testified in a certain place, saying, 'What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him?'" For You, God, have made him a little lower than the angels. This is a quotation from Psalm 8, verses 4 through 6: "You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You set him over the works of Your hands, and You have put all things in subjection under his feet."

Phenomenally, the Psalms declare prophetically that God is going to place humanity, though they are created lower than angels, in a place of glory, from which they will rule. The passage continues in verse 8, stating that in putting all things in subjection under him, humanity, God left nothing not put under him. But now...

We do not yet see all things put under Him. Practically, we do not experience it, but we see it prophetically in the Scriptures. However, we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels. God became a man; He humbled Himself to stand in a human body. Jesus was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God might taste death for everyone.

We should pay close attention to Jesus because, point number three on your outline, Jesus is crowned with glory and honor and will rule over all creation for eternity. Why should we listen to Him? That's a good reason: He is going to rule and reign over everything for eternity. If that is true, and the author of the book of Hebrews is putting forth the defense of this truth from the Scriptures, then we would do well to pay close attention to what He has to say. He will sit and rule over all things.

As the author of the book of Hebrews does throughout the entire book, he keeps going back to this passage. He refers specifically to Psalm 8 and emphasizes that we should listen to and obey Jesus because it is not the angels who will rule in the world that is to come, that prophetic world that will be. Jesus will one day rule. Yes, in order and in rank and hierarchy, man is lower than angels. Yes, Jesus came as a man in a human body that is lower than angels.

However, even though He occupied that human body, He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He humbled Himself to this place that you and I occupy, but He did so for a very specific purpose. What purpose? Again, look at verse 9. We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. Why did He come? Why did He occupy that lowest state?

Angels, who He created, the uncreated Creator, occupied a created body and made Himself humble in that created order. I don't think this is a story that humanity could make up because we like to put our gods, if we create them, higher than everything. Here, He humbles Himself. Even in coming to the earth, He didn't come as a king; He didn't come with authority, power, prestige, or money. How did He come?

Well, turn in your Bibles, if you would. You're in the book of Hebrews; turn to the left just a few books to the book of Philippians. Philippians chapter 2, right after the books of Galatians and Ephesians, then you have Philippians, right before the book of Colossians.

Philippians chapter 2, verse 5. Paul the Apostle, writing here, says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. But He made Himself of no reputation, taking on the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."

Therefore, because of this, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth. Every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.

Here, in this moment, in this time, in this realm, we do not yet see all things put under Him. But in the unseen realm, in a world that exists beyond this world that we cannot gauge or study with the instrumentation of this world, there in heaven, Jesus occupies a throne. We see it prophetically, not yet practically.

Yet we were instructed by Jesus, while He was here, to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." That's the prayer of the church: Your kingdom come, Your will be done here as it is there. And listen, that prayer will be answered. It hasn't come to pass yet, but it will be answered.

So, God came to the earth as a man. But why? Why did He come? Why was it necessary? The Jewish reader of this book may say...

Why did we even need Jesus to come? Listen, we have the law, we have Abraham, we have Moses, we have all of these things. Why would we need Jesus?

Well, Hebrews chapter 2, verse 10 states, "For it was fitting for him, it was necessary for him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all one. For this reason, he is not ashamed, saying, quoting again from the Old Testament, "I will declare your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I and the children that you have given to me."

The author of the book of Hebrews says, "Listen, Jesus had to come. It was fitting; it was necessary that the uncreated Creator of all things become like his creation so that he could be the perfect champion for our salvation." He had to become a human being in human flesh to confront the realities of sin, so that he could address the problem of sin. He had to be made like us so that he could atone for us, that he could pay the payment for our sin.

Then, the author of the book of Hebrews gives us one of the most beautiful statements of the entire Bible in Hebrews chapter 2, verses 14 and 15: "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

When you ask that question, and it has been posed by researchers in different cultures for many years, "What is the greatest fear that you have?" the list always gets whittled down to one thing: death. What is the fear that humanity has? Death.

Maybe you here today find yourself even going through that. You find yourself in the throes of that fear. Just yesterday, we had another memorial service here at the church, and there were a number of you.

At memorial services, we are confronted with the reality of death. Every single one of us takes stock of our lives and realizes how short this life is. It seems so long when you're young. I mean, you remember how it was when you were a kid. September came around, school started, and all you could think about was Christmas. It seemed like it would take forever to get here. Now, when September comes around, we all say, "Yes, they're back to school," and then we think, "Goodness, they're back off of school for Christmas." How quickly it goes! It gets faster and faster, and as the speed picks up, there is this nagging, reoccurring thought in the back of the minds of humanity: this life will end. We live under the fear of death.

So, why did Jesus come? He came that He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release us from the fear of death, under which our entire lives are lived in bondage.

Point number four in your outline: Jesus came to release us from the fear of death because of the bondage of sin. I honestly cannot think of any better news than that. The Dow Jones at 30,000 pales in comparison to the fact that Jesus came to release us from the fear of death. It can't even touch it. Your retirement account just went up; you could be set for the rest of your life. Yet, that pales in comparison to the truth that Jesus came to free us from the fear of death because of the bondage of sin.

Let me tell you something: your retirement account, even if you have tens of millions of dollars in net worth, is worthless when death comes. It means nothing when death arrives. God became a humble human being to release us and rescue us from sin and death.

In Hebrews chapter 2, verse 16, it states, "For indeed, He does not give aid to angels, but He gives aid to the seed of Abraham." He didn't come to save angels; He came to save humans. That's why He became a human. He didn't come in the form of an angel; He came as a man. Why? To save us, because we need saving. Therefore, verse 17...

And all things he had to be made like his brethren. Why did he have to come? Because he is saving us. He had to be made like us that he might be a merciful High Priest in the things pertaining to God, to make propitiation, that is, payment for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted.

Point number five in your outline: Jesus suffered the penalty, power, persistence, and presence of sin to free us from the same. For just a quick moment, let's think about what that actually means. The Son of God, in eternity past, the Holy Word of God, as he is called in John's Gospel, chapter one, verses one through four, existed as the eternal, uncreated Creator. He made everything, and in that place in eternity, he was never affected or touched by sin. He was completely holy, completely separate, consecrated from sin; no sin ever existed in his presence.

Then, two thousand years ago, he stepped down into the darkness, the muck, and the mire of this fallen world, and he suffered in the presence of sin. He came and was touched by that which you and I are touched by every single day: the presence of sin. Not only the presence of sin, but while he was here, he suffered the persistent temptation of sin. Yet, we see in Hebrews, chapter four, verse fifteen, that he was tempted in all points like as we are, yet he never sinned. He never succumbed to the temptation that you and I are bombarded with every single day—the persistent temptation of sin.

He suffered under the persistent temptation of sin, and then, two thousand years ago, his lifeless body was laid into a tomb because he experienced sin's power when he died, just like every single one of us will. You know what? In the same way that your human body, this nature, this flesh, fears death, his did too. He was there in the Garden of Gethsemane.

And he cried out, "If there's any other way, let this cup pass for me." Why? Because flesh fears death. He experienced the power of sin and death. Not only did he experience the power of sin, but he also experienced the penalty of sin there on the cross. You better be listening; you need Jesus.

He experienced the penalty of sin there on the cross so that you don't have to. Yes, you and I will experience sin's power. We will die every single day. We experience the persistent temptation of sin, and our entire lives have walked amidst the presence of sin. But because of what Jesus did on the cross, you don't have to experience its penalty. By faith in Jesus, you can be freed from its power through the resurrection and freed from its persistent presence in the glorification of being with Him in eternity.

As I said, I can't think of any better news. He says we must give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard—this message of salvation from Jesus. May it be that we not only hear it but also declare it. Amen.

Would you stand with me as we close in prayer? Lord Jesus, we ask for your grace. We ask that you'd meet us here this morning. We thank you, Jesus, for your goodness, for the love and grace you displayed towards us. While we were yet sinners, you came and lived here in the place where sin is present, where its persistent temptation comes against us, where its power is seen on a daily basis, and where we live under the fear of its penalty. We pray, Jesus, that you would increase.

Our joy is that we have been rescued from these things by Your grace. Lord, make us witnesses of Your grace to those we come in contact with in every place this week—on school campuses, at work sites, wherever we are.

It may be that as we stand here this morning, you realize for the first time your need for God's grace. You may live under the fear of death and want to be released from that fear. Jesus came to set us free as we put our trust in Him and our faith in Him.

If you'd like to receive His saving grace today, His forgiveness for your sins, I want to give you a chance to do that. Would you just lift up your hand high so I can see it? Anyone here this morning? God bless you in the back; I see you. Up here in the front, praise the Lord!

If that's you this morning, I want to give you a chance to receive His grace by asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Please pray with me a very simple prayer. Just pray with me where you're at, out loud:

"Dear Jesus, I recognize my need for You. I've sinned against You. Would You come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and help me to follow You by faith for the rest of my life?"

In Jesus' name, amen.

Let's sing together. Amen.