Instruction
Scripture: Hebrews 2:1-18
The Letter to the Hebrews is full of quotations from
Scripture (the Old Testament) and presents Jesus as the fulfillment of those
Scriptures. We do not know who wrote Hebrews, but it does claim the authority
of an apostle in 2:3, and it has been cherished by the church over the
centuries. This section urges the reader to pay close attention to the message
of salvation, and presents Jesus as the savior given by God who, although He is
God and has all authority, became fully human to stand with His people and to
rescue them from death and the devil. The message is meant to comfort us by
showing us how great Jesus’ work was and how well He understands when we suffer
temptation.
Teaching
The reading begins with a warning that, “we must pay much
closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” This
reminds us that there are false teachings and false teachers in our world who
would lead us away from Jesus, the true source of salvation. It also highlights
how important it is for us to speak rightly of who Jesus is and His great
salvation.
God has put everything in subjection to Jesus. He is greater
than the angels, but He became lower than them for a time. He suffered death,
to taste death for us all. He makes us holy. He is flesh and blood, and His
flesh and blood served as the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our
sins.
Life
Temptation can be a terrible thing. It “can be” because we
are not all tempted the same way, one may be tempted by gluttony but not by gossip;
or by pornography but not by drunkenness; or, again, by greed but not by pride.
Part of Jesus’ humanity was to face temptation, just like we do, and yet to do
so without falling into sin. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine what it
would be like to stand up under the temptation that you’ve cracked under so
many times? Jesus understands how hard it is for you. He stood under that
temptation for you, He bore your sin in His body to the cross, and He helps you.
Prayer
O Holy Spirit, You teach us that Jesus is both truly God and
fully human. While we may struggle in our minds with how that can possibly be,
we confess this truth and cling to it because the Son of God became one of us
to taste death – the consequence of sin – for us and to defeat death and the
devil.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for this amazing work You have done.
Thank You for dying on our behalf. We praise You for willingly leaving Your
glory to become one of us in our frailty so that You were even tempted as we
are. Thank You for helping us in our temptation.
Father in Heaven, we confess that we so easily give in to
temptation. Not only do we give in to the temptations of the devil, but
sometimes as we talk about Your salvation, we do not do so correctly, leaving
people with the impression that there must be something else that is necessary
to be saved.
O Holy Trinity, please continue to work in our lives to draw
us to You that we might live victoriously in the victory over death and the
power of the devil. Guide all Your people to speak rightly about Your salvation
so that more people may receive freedom from slavery to sin. Amen.
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