Well, we'll turn back to our reading in Hebrews chapter 2.
We're going to look together this evening, verse 10 down to verse 15.
That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers.
And then down at verse 15, he is, as it says here, the deliverer of all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
He is a deliverer.
We're looking this evening at Jesus as he's presented to us in this passage, and in particular in these two ways.
As we see in verse 11, how he's not ashamed to call them brothers.
We see Jesus as a brother here.
And then in verse 15, we see Jesus as a deliverer or a redeemer there.
But it's in the midst, too, of the one who is at work as well.
Here we see the devil at work there in verse 14 as well.
So we have Jesus there in the midst of this battle.
And in many ways, that's the battle that Jesus has fought for us.
As we think of coming to approach another time of communion in our midst.
As we think of remembering the Lord's death until he come.
We see here in this passage how he has come to conquer death itself.
Death is a great fear for many people.
And it certainly was in the case of the Hebrews, as the writer was here outlining for us.
Verse 15 makes that clear for us that death was what they were subject to, lifelong slavery.
It was a fear of death that they had.
And that was because they were living in the midst.
He was writing.
These were mainly Jews.
So they were people who understood who God was.
They understood the Old Testament.
But to come and put their trust in Jesus was a huge step for them.
Because it would lead to persecution.
It would lead to rejection.
It could even lead to death.
That's what that verse is making clear for us.
They were living in that fear of death.
And yet, in the midst of this, Jesus is seen as being the one who comes alongside them.
The one who fulfills that promise to his people.
That never will he leave them.
Never will he forsake them.
And we see that in a wonderful way, how he is a brother and a redeemer.
So these people, they had a fear of living in a Christian way.
What's our greatest fear today?
What's your greatest fear in life?
Or do you feel yourself as if you are free to live your life the way that you wanted?
We can often think of other places in the world where freedom is not as prevalent as we have it.
We think of places like North Korea, for example.
One you often find on the World Watch list as it is, where persecution is prevalent.
Where we see North Korea as very often that number one nation.
Where persecution against the Christian faith is so intense.
And therefore, there isn't that freedom to live the Christian life.
And it's true in other places in the world as well.
The World Watch list, as it's called, highlights the hundred most persecuted countries in the world.
Places where to live as a Christian is a fearful thing.
And especially that fear of your very life being taken from you.
But it's something where we maybe feel, well, that's not our experience.
We have that freedom to live.
But there are still things in our life that have a sense of control over us.
There are many things that we think that we're free to live.
And yet, many things directing the way we go and the way we live.
What we believe and what we do.
For example, in our nation, materialism, secularism.
These are two things that are very prevalent as well.
They come through in all aspects of life.
More and more, people would say, with that sense of a materialistic lifestyle is the goal for many.
Or secularism taking over from the Christian faith.
Where all forms of Christian faith are being pushed aside.
Whether it's among our schools, our education system.
Just our governments.
The way we live.
The way things are ordered.
Everything is being pushed out.
And so are we free to live?
Or are we in some ways being controlled in that sense?
Because behind all of these things, whether it's nations that are persecuting the Christian faith.
Materialism, secularism.
Behind all of these things is a desire to have God put out.
God put away.
And if we put God away, what replaces him?
Well, it's our own ways, our own ideas, and our own thoughts.
And so are we free to live?
Well, in a spiritual sense, we have to think about that as well.
Do we feel that freedom to be a Christian in our nation?
Do we feel that freedom to be a Christian in our community?
Do we feel that freedom to be a Christian in our home, among our friends, among our family?
Because in the midst of that, there can also be a sense of fear.
Because it's not the fear the same way as the Hebrews had it here.
That fear of persecution and death.
But it's a fear that we can often have that holds us back and leads us to live in the wrong way.
To follow the ways of the world.
The ideas of the people around us.
Instead of faithfully following the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fear cripples us so often.
And we're afraid to live the Christian life.
And when you think about it, the Hebrews here, they were afraid for a much more serious thing.
Because they were afraid for their very lives.
Now, we don't have that.
But we have a fear ourselves.
And right from the outset of this book, and as we look at it this evening,
I want us to see that as we see Jesus,
that he is the one who doesn't take these situations away.
He doesn't take the situation away for the Hebrews here where that persecution was going to be no more.
That fear of death was going to be no more.
But he gives them an assurance that he is with them.
And the same is true for us.
That whatever our fears, whatever the things that are crippling us,
and even is so paralyzed by fear,
that the Lord is able to assure us that he is with us.
That he will not leave his people.
That's what we want to see this evening.
This Jesus who is a brother.
This Jesus who is a redeemer.
Right from the outset of this book,
there's a real sense of the reality of who Jesus is.
The first chapter is a wonderful chapter in terms of,
if you look at the first heading in the ESV Bible,
the supremacy of God's Son,
the supremacy of Jesus Christ,
how he is over all.
And it's quoting there from the Old Testament,
many different quotes.
And he sent his Son
that we might have that salvation
as it comes to the end of chapter 1.
But then into chapter 2,
it's reminding us and all of God's people,
we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard,
lest we drift away from it.
For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable,
and every transgression and disobedience
received a just retribution,
how shall we escape
if we neglect such a great salvation?
There is this great salvation available to us,
and we're almost afraid.
In our fear, we're neglecting,
we're rejecting this great salvation.
So the writer to the Hebrews is writing
to encourage the people and ourselves
to put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ
and to know the salvation that he offers to his people
and to see it in the midst of all the challenges
that this world presents to us,
the temptations,
the powers of evil that are at work,
as you see in verse 14,
how the devil is mentioned there
in the sense that he is prowling always around
to tempt us away,
to take us away from this salvation.
But as we fix our eyes on Jesus,
we can say,
he is my Lord,
he is my God,
and he is the one who I will look to.
And who do we have as we look to Jesus then?
Well, the first thing we see here is
Jesus as a brother.
We see this in verse 11.
For he who sanctifies
and those who are sanctified
all have one origin.
That is why he is not ashamed
to call them brothers.
It's a wonderful thought that Jesus
would call us brothers and sisters.
Because there are a number of people in this world
who we would find it very difficult
to be comfortable in their presence.
You think of people in positions of authority.
You think of being with royalty.
You think of being with politicians,
presidents, billionaires,
all kinds of people
who we would be very uncomfortable
in their presence.
We wouldn't know what to say.
We would be so out with our comforts.
So how can we relate
to these kinds of people?
We know nothing of what they are like
and they know nothing of what we are like.
And so we're just not on the same page.
And I guess the same could be said of them as well,
that they are not comfortable
as much in our presence either
when they're dealing with us.
They cannot relate to the normal human being,
as it were,
those who experience day-to-day trials
that they've never experienced themselves.
And you see it sometimes
when these kinds of people,
they try and mix in places
that they're not used to
and they're very uncomfortable.
In the same way as we would be uncomfortable
and afraid going into Buckingham Palace,
for example,
if we were ever invited there,
if we invited royalty into our homes,
how comfortable would they be?
A fish out of water,
there would be an awkwardness with it.
And isn't it then remarkable
how you read these words in verse 11 here?
He's not ashamed to call them brothers.
Who is this?
This is Jesus.
This is Jesus speaking to his people then
and as he speaks to his people today.
Not ashamed to call them brothers.
The King of Kings.
The Lord of Lords.
And yet he is there to come
alongside his people.
And the amazing thing is
that he calls his brothers here.
And the very people
who are the cause
of his going to the cross.
Because of our sin,
he came into this world.
Because of our sin,
he died on the cross.
And yet here he is saying,
I'm not ashamed to be called
to call them brothers.
And when you look at verse 3,
chapter 1, verse 3,
you see a little there of who it is.
He is the radiance of the glory of God
and the exact imprint of his nature.
And he upholds the universe
by the word of his power.
This is who it is.
The exact radiance of the glory of God.
The exact imprint of his nature.
He upholds the universe
by the word of his power.
And yet at the same time,
he says he is not ashamed
to call them brothers.
The wonder of who we have
to come alongside us.
The wonder of Jesus
who came into this world
to associate with all.
The rich and the poor.
The sick, the lame,
the suffering.
How he associated with them all.
And he wasn't awkward in coming.
He was very much at home
among his people.
You see it again and again
throughout the scriptures.
How he relates to people.
How he comes alongside people.
How he comes alongside
the children,
the women,
the sick,
the grieving,
the sinners,
as they were called,
the tax collectors.
All of these people.
People who others would find
it very awkward
to be with.
Jesus was alongside them
all because he is not ashamed
to call his own brothers.
And yet he is in the radiance
and the glory
of God his Father.
It's an amazing thing
to think of that.
He's not ashamed
to call us brothers.
And you get a little insight
of this in the quotes
that you see
in verse 12 and 13.
We'll come back to the one
in verse 12 later on.
But the quotes in verse 13
are from Isaiah chapter 8,
verse 17 and verse 18.
And the quote in verse 12
is from Psalm 22,
verse 22.
But there in verse 13,
for example,
the second one,
Behold I
and the children
God has given me.
When you look at that
in the Old Testament
in Isaiah chapter 8,
verse 18,
it's talking about
Isaiah himself
and the children
that he has
alongside him.
And Isaiah is writing
there in the time
of great suffering
ahead for the people.
And yet he is writing
with that confidence
that God will be with them.
The children
that he has given him
in that day
are those reminders to him
that God
is going to be faithful.
If you look up Isaiah 8
later on,
you'll see it
for yourselves.
So there's that idea
of the nature of family
and God being with Isaiah
and the family there.
But here's applying
to Jesus.
And so what is it saying?
Behold I and the children
God has given me.
He is saying here
that God has given
to him his people.
And that he is the one
who is looking after
his people.
That he is the one
who is not ashamed
to call them brothers.
Here I am
and the children
that you have given me.
The people
that you have given
to me.
Tolstoy,
the great Russian writer,
said of him,
he was once passing
through a street
one day
and a beggar
stopped him
and pleaded with him
for some money.
And Tolstoy put his
hands in his pockets
and wasn't able
to find any money.
And so he said to him,
please don't be angry
with me on my brother,
but I have nothing
with me.
If I did,
I would give you
something.
And the beggar
looked up
with a face
that was suddenly
beaming.
And he said,
you've given me
more than I asked
for.
You have called me
brother.
That sense of
connection
was there.
That sense of
not just being
looked down
upon,
not just being
thought as
nothing
in this world,
just a poor beggar,
but to be
acknowledged
as a brother
made all the difference.
And what a difference
this makes to us
as we think of
everything that we
have to face up
to in this life.
All the fears
that we have.
Imagine it to the
people that
the Hebrews
that we're being
written to
in the fear
of persecution
and even death.
Here is Jesus
saying,
I'm not ashamed
to call you
brothers.
And for you
and for me
the same
is true.
But are we
ashamed
of him?
Are you
ashamed
of him
tonight?
That's the
other side
of the coin
here.
We looked
at this
last week
in Mark
chapter 8
in verse 38.
Whoever is
ashamed of me
and of my
words
in this
adulterous
and sinful
generation,
of him
will the
Son of Man
also be ashamed
when he comes
in the glory
of his Father
with the holy
angels.
We were
looking at it
last week,
that sense
of just
disassociating
ourselves
with him.
He is
not ashamed
to call
us
brothers.
The one
who,
as we see
there in
verse 3
of chapter 1,
is the
radiance
of the
glory
of God.
Are we
ashamed
of him?
What fear
do we have
most
in this
world?
Well,
the fear
of the
Lord
is the
beginning
of wisdom,
as it
says.
And that
is a
right
reverence
towards
God.
A
right
reverence
towards
Jesus,
the one
who is
not
ashamed
to
call
us
brothers.
The second
thing we
see here
is this
is written
in the
midst
of the
fear
of death
and the
one
who has
the power
of death,
as verse
14 says,
that is
the devil.
The
reality
of that
fear
in this
life
is seen
here.
And
since
therefore,
in verse
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
power of
death,
that is
the devil,
and deliver
all those
who through
fear of
death
were subject
to lifelong
slavery.
fear of
fear.
There is
this sense
of
acknowledgement,
what is
ahead
for us?
Who is
in control
in this
world?
In many
ways,
because of
the situation
that these
people were
finding themselves
in,
they couldn't
see that
God was
in control.
It was
almost like
evil was
in control.
And as we
look at our
own world
today,
that is
the fear
that we
can have
us
well,
that everywhere
we look,
there is
evil on
all corners
of the
globe.
There is
wickedness,
there is
so many
things that
are wrong,
there is
people dying,
there is
people suffering
all around
us.
And we
see that in
so many
ways,
but we see
it in our
own lives
too.
Do you see
it in your
own life?
Do you see
it in the
way that
your life
is going?
The way
things come
across your
path from
a day-to-day
experience,
you see it
in the
struggles that
you have
on a
daily basis,
the things
that you
hear,
the news
that comes
your way,
there is a
sense of
dismay so
often,
disarray in
all our
lives,
and it
seems like
evil is
just winning.
Satan is
the adversary
here,
but Jesus
has power
over him
as well.
Because he
came to
deliver all
those who
through fear
of death
were subject
to lifelong
slavery.
He came
to deliver.
We see
here our
weakness as
he speaks
of flesh
and blood
in verse
14.
When we
think of
that,
we often
think of
our own
lives.
we are
flesh and
blood.
Yes,
we are
made in
the image
of God,
but we
are still
a sinful
people.
We are
still sinners
in our
hearts.
And we
see that
in our
day-to-day
experience.
We know
it in how
we live,
in how
we behave,
in how
we act.
We know
it in so
many different
ways.
And we
see that
sin because
there's a
weakness
in us
all.
And we
may be
asked,
well,
but Jesus
knows
nothing of
this.
Jesus
doesn't
understand
my
sufferings.
Jesus
doesn't
understand
my
temptations.
But yet
here we
see that
he does.
We share
in flesh
and blood.
He himself,
in verse
14,
likewise,
partook of
the same
things,
that through
death he
might destroy
the one who
has power
of death.
he partook,
he took
on flesh
and blood
just as
we are.
He was
tempted
beyond
anything that
we've been
tempted
ourselves.
He knows
out every
experience,
he knows
how hard
it is.
And that
is how
he can
relate to
us as
brothers,
as sisters
in the
Lord.
You may
say to
yourself,
but he
knows
nothing
of my
struggle,
he knows
nothing of
my sin,
he knows
nothing of
the experiences
I've had
in my
life,
but he
knows it
all.
Psalm
139,
as we
sang together,
reminds us
of that,
there is
nothing
hidden
from him.
And so
in our
experience,
he knows.
He knows
our
temptations,
he knows
our weakness,
he knows
our suffering,
he knows
all of
these things,
and he
knows how
the devil
is the
one who
is active.
Thomas
Brooks,
a famous
writer,
once said,
Satan
promises
the best,
but pays
the worst.
He
promises
honor and
pays with
disgrace.
He
promises
pleasure and
pays with
pain.
He
promises
profit and
pays with
loss.
He
promises
life and
pays
with
death.
That's
the
promises
of
Satan.
But the
promises
of
Jesus
is that
he is
able to
deliver
those who
through
fear of
death
were
subject
to
lifelong
slavery.
To
deliver
and to
give
life.
That is
a promise
he gives
to us
through
scripture.
I
have
come
that
they
might
have
life
and
have
it
to
the
full
as
the
promise
of
Jesus.
So he
is the
destroyer
of the
one who
has
power of
death.
He
is the
destroyer
of
death
itself.
And that
is where
we have
hope as
well.
Again,
you think
of the
Hebrews
he was
writing
to.
When
they hear
these
things,
he has
come
to
destroy
the
one
who
has
power
over
death.
What
relief,
what
hope
they
had.
Do
you
have
that
hope
for
yourself?
Do
you
have
that
hope
and
the
fear
of
death
in
your
own
life?
We
know
it's
coming.
We
don't
know
when.
And
what
can
help
us
in
it
is
to
know
the
one
who
is
the
destroyer
of
death.
Jesus
who
came.
The
third
and
final
thing
we
see
here
is
Jesus
as
redeemer.
And
that
is
in
verse
15.
Deliverer.
That
is a
word
there
we
can
take
as
redeemer.
And
deliver
all
those
who
through
fear
of
death
were
subject
to
lifelong
slavery.
There's
never
a
time
when
Jesus
is
not
enough.
And
yet
the
world
will
tell
us
you
don't
need
him.
You
can
manage
without
him.
You
can
live
your
life
as
you
want.
You
don't
need
Jesus.
But
we
do.
Because
he
is the
only
way
to
salvation.
He
is
the
one
who
has
all
supremacy
as
chapter
one
makes
clear
for
us.
The
exact
imprint
of
the
nature
of
God,
the
one
who
upholds
the
universe
by
the
word
of
his
power.
He
is
the
one
who
came
to
save
us
from
our
sins,
to
deliver
us
from
the
power
of
death.
He
is
a
redeemer.
And
he
is
the
one
who
we
need.
And
Jesus
came.
He
came
like
us
in
every
way.
And
yet
was
without
sin.
But
he
gave
his
life.
He
laid
down
his
life.
That
is what
we
will
come
to
remember
in a
few
weeks
time.
That
he
gave
his
life
for
our
sins.
That
he
rose
again
on the
third
day
that
we
might
have
life
through
him.
And
you
look
at
that
as
I
said
in
verse
12
the
quote
from
Psalm
22.
Psalm
22
is
one
we
often
associate
with
the
death
of
Jesus.
It
outlines
it
to
us
how
he
suffered,
how
he
was
forsaken,
all
of
these
things.
But
in
verse
12
there's
a
quote
from
verse
22
of
that
psalm.
I
will
tell
of
your
name
to
my
brothers
in the
midst
of the
congregation.
I
will
sing
your
praise.
What
do we
see
here?
We
see
here
Jesus
who
is
victorious
at
the
cross.
We
see
Jesus
here
who
as
Isaiah
says
he
will
see
of
the
travel
of
his
soul
and
be
satisfied.
He
will
look
on
his
people.
He
will
look
on
his
brothers
as
it
says
here
in
the
midst
of
the
congregation
and
he
will
sing
praise
because
he
is
victorious
at
the
cross.
He
is
the
redeemer
of
his
people.
You
think
of
that
and
all
that
Jesus
has
done.
Psalm
22
takes
us
all
the
way
through
that
experience.
My
God,
my
God,
why
have
you
forsaken
me?
All
of
his
suffering,
all
of
his
experiences
that
he
went
through
and
yet
he
is
able
to
come
to
that
point
where
in
the
midst
of
the
congregation,
he
will
sing
your
praise.
The
praises
of
his
people,
the
praises
of
those
who
are
his
brothers
and
sisters.
He
came
for
his
people.
He
took
on
flesh
and
blood
to be
like
us
and
he
partook
of
the
same
things
as
it
says
there
in
verse
14
the
same
experience
that
you
and
I
have
but
he
did
it
that
through
death
he
might
destroy
the
one
who
has
power
over
death
and
because
of
what
he
has
done
it
means
that
you
and
I
can
know
that
salvation
in
him
that
wonderful
passage
in
Romans
chapter
8
where
it
speaks
of
what
shall
separate
us
from
the
love
of
God
well
it
says
nothing
will
separate
us
from
the
love
of
God
that
is
in
Christ
Jesus
our
Lord
not
even
death
that
is
the
comfort
for
the
Hebrews
is
it
your
comfort
tonight
is
it
the
comfort
that
you
lean
upon
in
the
midst
of
this
world
and
all
that
comes
our
way
when
we
are
afraid
of
so
many
things
do we
have
the
comfort
of
Jesus
our
brother
and our
redeemer
Richard
Baxter
he once
said
we paid
nothing
for God's
eternal
love
and nothing
for the
son
of his
love
and nothing
for his
spirit
and our
grace
and faith
and nothing
for our
eternal
rest
we paid
nothing
for any
of these
things
but he
goes on
to say
what an
astonishing
thought
it will
be
to think
of
the
unmeasurable
difference
between
our
deservings
and our
receivings
oh how
free was
all this
love
and how
free
is this
enjoyed
glory
we paid
nothing
for it
what a
difference
between
our
deservings
what do
we
deserve
we
deserve
nothing
and our
receivings
what do
we receive
by grace
the salvation
that is
offered
through him
the free
gift
through the
one who
came
as our
redeemer
Jonathan
Edwards
another famous
writer
speaking about
all that we
have
from God
he said
wisdom
we have
wisdom
the pardon
of sin
deliverance
acceptance
in God's
favor
grace
holiness
through
comfort
and happiness
eternal
life
and glory
and he
says yes
God is
both the
purchaser
and the
price for
all of
these things
for Christ
who is
God
purchased
these
blessings
by offering
himself
as the
price
of our
salvation
he
is
our
redeemer
but is
he
are you
afraid
this
evening
to give
yourself
to him
are you
afraid
that he
will not
be able
to keep
you
are you
afraid
that he
will not
be enough
the Hebrews
were
because they
didn't
understand
who Jesus
was
that is
what the
writer
is doing
for them
here
he is
showing them
his
supremacy
he is
showing them
his power
and he is
showing them
his love
he is
not ashamed
to call
them
brothers
because he
is a
redeemer
for his
people
is he
your
redeemer
is he
your
brother
do not
be ashamed
to call
him
brother
because he
is not
ashamed
to call
his people
my brothers
my sisters
who I
have
redeemed
who I
have
bought
with a
price
let us
pray
Lord our
gracious
God
we do
bless you
for your
mercies
to us
we deserve
nothing from
you and
yet we
receive
everything
through
Jesus
Christ
and we
thank you
for all
that he
has done
for us
for all
that we
could not
do or
achieve
for
ourselves
we thank
you that
he came
to destroy
and to
deliver
his people
and destroy
the one
who has
the power
of death
we thank
you Lord
that it
has been
done
for us
and may
we not
be ashamed
of him
who calls
us
brothers
Lord hear
our prayers
go before
us
pardon
our sins
in Jesus
name
Amen
we're going
to conclude
by singing
in Psalm
46
the Scottish
Psalter
version
Psalm 46
we'll sing
from verse
1 to
verse
5
page 271
of the
psalm books
God is
our refuge
and our
strength
and straits
of present
day
therefore
although the
earth we
move we
will not
be afraid
we'll sing
from verse
1 to 5
the tune
of Stroud
Water
we stand
to sing
to God's
praise
God is
our refuge
and our
strength
in
straits
of
present
day
therefore
although
the
earth
rain
we
will
not
be
afraid
though
hills
amidst
the
seas
be
cast
though
waters
roaring
make
and
tram
be
yet
though
the
hills
by
swelling
seas
to
shake
our
river
earth
streams
to
glad
city
of
!
city
of
our
God
the
holy
place
where
in
the
Lord
most
high
hath
is
abode
God
in
the
midst
of
her
doth
dwell
nothing
shall
her
remove
the
Lord
to
and
help
her
will
and
that
bright
early
blue
after the
benediction
I'll go to the
main door
we'll close
with the
benediction
now may
grace
mercy
and peace
from God
Father
Son
and Holy
Spirit
rest upon
and abide
with you
all
now and
forevermore
Amen
that