Hebrews 2:5-18

Great if you could open up your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 2, page 1002 if you're using one of those black church Bibles.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

I wonder what Christmas means to you.

I mean for many of us it means a time of busyness, a time of spending money, a time of remembering the last things we haven't done, a time of wishing we could get some rest when we can't.

And yet actually underneath all that there is something very very big going on isn't there?

We're not celebrating as the world celebrates, we're celebrating something deeper, something bigger than we could ever imagine.

There's a great line in the last battle, the last of the Narnia Chronicles, where Lisi the Valiant says that once on our earth a stable held something bigger than the whole world.

That's true isn't it?

And yet we can be so occupied with children's nativities and stables and donkeys and all that stuff, not to mind presents and turkeys,

that we actually forget what the incarnation is all about, what the Son of God taking on human flesh, what God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man, means for us.

That's why these two weeks we've been looking at Hebrews chapter 2, last week, and picking up again in verse 10 this week.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

And these verses we get three pictures of what the Lord Jesus was able to do for us, what the Son of God incarnate in flesh was able to do for us.

Three pictures of his work on our behalf.

We're going to look at them briefly this morning.

He is the champion who rescues us, verse 10 and verses 14 to 16.

He is the brother who identifies with us, verses 11 to 13.

And he's the priest who represents us, verses 17 to 18.

So we can look at those briefly.

We see the idea of Jesus being our champion there in verse 10.

The word used actually is founder.

We'll see that in a second.

Verse 10.

It was fitting that he, that is God, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

That word founder is translated in many different ways in English versions of the Bible.

It can mean author.

It can mean founder, like the one who establishes a city or a school.

Leader.

Let's use that way in Acts chapter 5, 31.

Acts 5 · chapter mention

Or pioneer.

Or captain.

But as we read through what Jesus does as our founder, we see he's really our champion.

The one who fights for us.

The one who swings into action to rescue us.

He does it in two ways.

He leads us to glory.

And he liberates us from slavery.

He leads us to glory.

That's actually what the writer has been talking about in the previous verses.

He talks about Jesus as the one who the father uses to bring many sons to glory.

First 10.

So Jesus is the one who leads us there.

Like the pioneer who establishes a way.

He goes first so that others can join him.

And where's he leading us to?

It's to the restored humanity.

It's been described in verses 5 to 9.

To the glory God originally intended.

But from which Adam and Eve fell by rebelling against God.

Jesus is already there.

He's now crowned with glory and honour.

He has risen again.

He is the beginning of the new creation.

And he's leading us there.

He's the one who leads us.

But as we look at verse 10, aren't there a couple of questions that come to our minds straight away?

How is it fitting that Jesus should be made perfect through suffering?

And hang on.

How can Jesus be made perfect?

Isn't that what the author is saying there?

It's fitting that he, God, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory,

should make the founder of their salvation, Jesus, perfect through suffering.

Now does that bring a question to you?

How can the eternal Son of God be made perfect?

There is no sin in him.

In fact, the writer will say later on over the page there, chapter 4, verse 15, that Jesus, as a man, had no sin.

Tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

He was perfect.

So what does this mean?

That Jesus was made perfect.

It cannot mean moral perfection.

So what does it mean?

I'm sure many of us have been to job interviews in our lives where, in a sense, we had perfect qualifications,

and yet didn't get the job.

Why?

Oh, you don't have the experience, they say.

Well, think of a young person applying to go to veterinary school for university.

They've got straight A's all the way through their school life, straight A's predicted for their A-levels,

really good report on the UCAS form from their teachers,

and yet they don't get the offer.

Why not?

They haven't got the experience, they haven't spent their holidays going lambing in the Easter holidays,

working in a vet practice during the summers,

looking after animals wherever they could.

They don't have the experience to be the complete candidate.

And that's the sense of the word perfect here, the sense of being complete.

That Jesus, through the physical experience of being a human being,

of obeying his Father in every situation,

becomes the complete saviour, the one who is equipped in every way,

who has the experience to come alongside us,

to rescue us, to liberate us.

If you look over to, just across the page there,

chapter 5, verses 8 and 9,

the writer says a similar thing there that helps us to understand,

I think.

Although he was a son, chapter 5, verse 8,

he learned obedience through what he suffered.

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation,

to all who obey him.

So Jesus had to learn obedience, not just as a theory,

but in practice, as a human being.

Of course, as the eternal son of God, he always obeyed his Father.

The very incarnation shows that.

His coming into the world was in obedience to the Father's plan.

But then as a man, he had to learn obedience too.

As a human being like you and I,

he had to learn obedience from the inside.

He had to learn it from the weakness of being human.

He had to learn to obey when it was costly,

even when it meant going to the cross.

He had to learn to obey when it required faith,

trusting that his Father would do what he had promised.

He had to learn to obey the same way you and I have to learn to obey.

In all the weakness of our flesh,

in tiredness,

in hunger,

with pressure on us.

He had to learn to obey when it was costly,

when it meant trusting.

And so he's the complete saviour,

the perfect saviour for us.

Because he's been a man like us.

So that's what it means when he was made perfect through suffering.

Of course, his obedience cost him his life.

So how is it fitting,

going back to chapter 2, verse 10 for a moment,

how is it fitting for God to make Jesus perfect,

complete through suffering?

See, some people will say it's not fitting, is it?

Some people will say,

I don't like the idea of a God,

who has to require someone else to die,

to forgive other people.

That's not very loving.

That's just cruel.

And even those who call themselves evangelical Christians,

will say that the idea of

the Son of God suffering in our place,

is nothing more than cosmic child abuse.

There's not a fitting way to talk of a God of love.

Well, that is not what the scriptures say.

The scriptures say it is fitting

that God our Father in heaven

should make his Son

obedient to death,

even death on a cross.

That was fitting to achieve our salvation.

Why?

Because it's fitting,

in keeping with the very character of God himself.

The God who revealed himself on Sinai

as being the one who keeps steadfast love for thousands,

forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,

and yet,

in Exodus 34, verse 5,

Exodus 34:5

will by no means clear the guilty.

It is fitting for a God who is loving and will forgive,

and yet holy,

and will not just overlook sin.

The only fitting way to resolve that tension

was for the Son of God

to take on human flesh

and die to become the perfect rescuer for his people,

so that God's justice could be satisfied

and God's love gratified.

It was fitting for only death could bring forgiveness.

It's entirely in keeping with God's character.

So here is Jesus,

the champion of our salvation,

who leads us to glory,

because he has suffered for us,

because he was a human

and tasted death for us,

as verse 9 put it.

Yeah, that carol we sing every Christmas,

once in Royal David's City,

has it absolutely right, doesn't he?

And he leads his children on

to the place where he has gone.

Yes, that's right.

Jesus is our champion.

He leads us.

Not just to the place he's gone,

but to the state he has attained,

to the glory of restored humanity.

He's in glory kneels

to fix what is torn,

as we just sung in that last song.

So as our champion,

he leads us to glory.

But also as our champion,

he liberates us from slavery.

Look down to verse 14, will you?

Since then,

the children share in flesh and blood.

He, Jesus himself,

partook of the same things,

the same flesh and blood,

like you and I have,

that through death,

he might destroy the one

who has the power of death.

That is the devil.

Jesus took on flesh,

became a human being like us,

to die,

to destroy the one

who has the power of death.

Now, does that strike you

as a funny name for the devil,

a funny title for the devil?

The one who has the power of death.

Seems strange, doesn't it?

We need to understand

that the devil does not naturally

have the power of death.

It's not his by right.

It's not his inherent right.

Why does death come to the world?

Death comes as a result of our sin.

Death is God's judgment

on human sin.

So the devil does not naturally

have the power of death,

but the basis for his power over us

is not his natural authority,

but our sin,

our guilt.

It's like his weapon in blackmail.

How do people,

he gets gangs who extort money

from folk, don't they?

Blackmailing them.

How do they do it?

It's because they entice them

into some sort of misdemeanor,

or misdoing,

or get some photograph,

evidence of a politician

or a celebrity

doing something

they shouldn't be doing.

And then they exploit that

and blackmail them.

And so they have this power

over the person

they're exploiting,

not because it's naturally

held power,

but because of the guilt

of the other person.

Because they've enticed them

to do something

they shouldn't do.

And that's exactly

how the devil works,

doesn't it?

He seduces humanity

into revolt against God.

So death enters the world

as God's punishment

on our sin.

And the devil uses that,

he exploits it

to hold us as slaves.

Just as a criminal gang

will blackmail people.

So the devil exploits us,

but it's not his own

natural power.

He uses that fear then

to enslave us.

Look at verse 15.

Jesus comes to deliver

all those who through

fear of death

are subject to

lifelong slavery.

Now for the people

who read this letter first,

they really did live

in fear of death

for following Jesus.

In chapter 10

we discover that

many of them

had been arrested,

been thrown into prison,

had had their property

confiscated,

all for following

Jesus Christ.

And of course

they have brothers and

sisters around the world

for whom that is

a reality today.

So the fear of death

was a reason for them,

for thinking about

giving up on the

Christian faith

and just going back

to Judaism

which was so much

simpler as far

as they were concerned.

Now very few of us

in this room

experience the fear

of death like that,

do we?

And yet the devil

does use the fear

of death

to get us to do

things we shouldn't

be doing.

It's just a bit more

subtle, isn't it?

He makes us think,

he tempts us to believe

that actually we need

to live for now.

That actually all

there is is now.

So why hold on

to our money

and not invest

in kingdom work?

Well it's because

the devil is tempting

us to think that

actually this life

is all there is.

Why are we tempted

not to stand for Christ

now in our schools

or in our workplaces?

It's because we're

tempted to think

our reputation now,

our friendships now

are the most

important thing.

But actually that's

the fear of death,

the fear that there

is nothing beyond

this life.

So the devil uses

it to enslave us.

Well why give in

to sexual temptation

or seeking pleasure

through material gain

or just going

travelling for the

buzz it gives us?

It's because we think

that this life now

is all there is.

That's just the other

side of the coin

from the fear of death,

isn't it?

The fear there's

nothing beyond life now.

So the devil uses

these things to

enslave us.

So what do we need?

When people are

enslaved, what do

they need?

Those people held

hostage in the

cafe Lint last

Monday in Sydney,

what do they need?

They need someone

to come in to

disarm the terrorists

holding them captive

and to lead them

out into liberty

again.

And that's exactly

what Jesus does.

Look at verses

14 to 16

describe.

Verse 14

In his death

Jesus defeats

the devil.

Verse 14

He himself likewise

partook of the

same things that

through death

he might destroy

the one who has

the power of death.

Through Jesus'

death and

resurrection

Satan is defeated.

He no longer

has the power

of death over us.

And Jesus

delivers us

from slavery.

Delivers us

from the

disarms of the

devil.

Takes away that

fear of death

through his

resurrection.

We cannot be

enslaved to that

fear anymore.

And then he

leads us to

safety.

Verse 16

For surely

it is not

angels that he

helps

but he

helps

literally

takes hold

of to help

the offspring

of Abraham.

For that word

is used in the

Greek version

of the Old

Testament

in Isaiah

41.

It's for God

taking hold

of his people

who are in

exile around

the nations

taking hold

of them

to bring them

back into

liberty and

salvation.

And that's

what Jesus

does.

He takes hold

of us

to lead us

to liberty.

Like a

superhero

sweeping in

to get the

damsel in

distress.

Defeating

the baddie

leading her

out

taking hold

of her.

Superman

swinging

him

taking hold

of her

to fly

her away

to safety.

It's what

Jesus does

as our

champion

come to

liberate us.

He leads

us to

safety.

And who

are these

offspring of

Abraham?

That's not

the Israelites

not those

genetically

descended from

Abraham.

But it's

those who

share the

same faith

as Abraham.

That's what

Paul tells

us in

Galatians 3

Galatians 3:7

verse 7.

It is those

of faith

who are the

sons of

Abraham.

If we

trust these

great promises

we're the

ones who

know Jesus

is our

champion.

The one

who leads

us to

glory and

who liberates

us from

slavery.

And that's

why he

became a

man.

So he

could do

that.

And isn't

glory what

everybody really

wants?

We don't use

those words.

But isn't

it the

ache of

every human

heart to

get rid of

the pain?

To live in

a world where

our teenage

sons don't

suffer sickle

cell and end

up in

hospital so

suddenly?

To live in a

world where

there is no

more death,

mourning,

crying or

pain?

Isn't that

the glory we

all want?

It will not

come through

politics.

It will not

come through

our hard work

as we

accumulate

enough money

to comfort

us and

to soften

the blows

of life.

It will

only come

through the

saviour who

leads us

to glory.

Isn't

freedom what

we all

want?

Isn't

freedom what

we all

want?

You may

not have a

six-year-old

daughter so

you may not

have watched

the film

Frozen.

Some of us

have done

many times.

But it's

actually a great

film in many

ways.

And yet the

big song,

the song that

is so popular

in that film,

Let It Go,

sings the

heroine Elsa.

And it

is this great

line,

no right,

no right,

no wrong,

no more

rules for me,

I'm free.

And that's

what people

want,

they want to

be free.

And people

think that

the way to

freedom is

no more

rules,

no more

responsibilities,

no more

right or

wrong.

And yet

that's not

true.

In fact

another song

in the film,

Elsa then

sings,

I'm such a

fool,

I cannot

be free.

And it's

true,

the only

one who

liberates

us is

Jesus,

who liberates

us from

the ultimate

slavery,

which is

not the

rules that

help us

to find

him,

but the

sin and

the devil

and death

which ensnare

us all.

So Jesus

is the

champion,

becomes a

man to

lead us

and to

liberate

us.

So that's

the first

picture we

get of

what he

does.

But there's

another

surprising

picture,

I think,

down in

verses 11

to 13.

What words

do we

normally use

to describe

Jesus?

We think

of him as

our saviour,

don't we?

Perhaps we

think of him as

our priest,

our shepherd,

our king,

our Lord.

He is all

those things.

How does

he speak of

us?

Look at the

end of

verse 11

there.

He who

sanctifies,

that is

Jesus,

who sets

us apart.

Those who

are sanctified,

that's us,

who have been

set apart for

God's purposes,

all have one

source,

God the

Father,

whose plan of

salvation,

all this is,

that the

Son executes,

and that

is why

he,

Jesus,

is not ashamed

to call them

brothers.

He calls us

brothers.

Isn't that

amazing?

I give

Jesus

countless

reasons

every day

to be ashamed

of me.

Don't you?

And yet

he is not

ashamed

to call us

brothers

to his

heavenly

Father and

to one

another.

Did you

ever have

an elder

brother at

school?

I don't

know if

you did.

I didn't.

My brothers

are so much

older,

they both

left school

by the time

I got

there.

So actually

all I

got was

the,

ah,

you're

John

Cashman's

brother,

and trouble

as a result.

But I

can imagine

it could be

either really

good or

really terrible

to have a

big brother

at school.

It could

be really

good if

he's the

sort of

big brother

who helps

you out

when you're

stuck,

who helps

you understand

how the

different

teachers

work,

and how

you can

learn well

from them.

The sort

of brother

who will

defend you

if others

want to

bully you,

and he's

so big

they wouldn't

dare to

do that.

It would

be great

to have a

big brother

who,

when you're

confused about

things,

can say,

don't worry,

I've been

there too,

let me show

you,

let me help

you.

That would

be a great

big brother

to have,

wouldn't it?

On the

other hand,

your school

life could

be miserable

if you had

this sort

of big

brother who

was just

too cool,

too trendy,

to want to

have a little

brother lower

down the

school who

would damage

his credibility

and his

reputation,

and who

therefore was

ashamed of

you.

You see

what sort

of big

brother Jesus

is?

He's not

the latter,

but the

former.

And that's

our big

brother,

what does

he do?

He sings

with us,

and he

stands with

us.

Look at

verse 12,

he sings

with us.

Paul mentioned

this a few

weeks ago in

our series on

worship.

This is

Jesus.

He is not

ashamed to

call them

brothers,

saying,

I will

tell of

your names,

my brothers,

and in

the congregation

I will

sing your

praise.

This is

taken from

Psalm 22,

the psalm

Jesus quoted

on the

cross.

The psalm

begins,

My God,

my God,

why have

you forsaken

me?

And that

psalm ends

in triumph.

So why

does Jesus

sing this

psalm with

us?

Because that

is a pattern

of the

Christian life.

He stands

with us,

singing this.

Jesus is not

only singing

to us,

he's sharing

his experience

with us,

if you like.

The first

line of

verse 12,

I will

tell your

name to

my brothers.

What is

the Lord's

name?

The name

in the

Bible is

the very

character of

God.

God's

name to

God.

It's as

if Jesus

is coming

alongside us

saying,

I know you

don't feel

like singing

this morning.

I know you

feel like God

doesn't care.

I know there

is sadness

in your life,

your dreams

are broken,

there are

things you

don't even

want to share

with people

around you.

You wonder

if God

still hears

and answers

prayers.

Let me

tell you

our

Father's

name.

Let me

share with

you my

experience.

I hung

on a

cross

forsaken

by the

Father

bearing

your sins

but my

Father,

our

Father

raised me

to life

again

because that

is what

he is

like.

He is

God who

is faithful

and just

and loves

his children

and he

loves you

too.

Just as

he raised

me up

through

suffering,

he is

merciful and

full of

steadfast love

and will

raise you

up as

well.

Come,

sing with

me as

I sing

his praises.

And Jesus'

perfect praise

covers over

and encourages

our faltering,

stumbling

praise.

He's a

brother who

sings with

us even

when we

do not

feel like

singing.

He shares

his experience.

Not only does

he sing with

us, he

stands with

us.

Look at

verse 13.

And again,

I will

put my

trust in

him.

And again,

behold I,

the children

God has

given me.

These are

words quoted

from Isaiah

Isaiah 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8.

In the context

there was a

time of

darkness for

the people

of Judah.

The king

was useless.

Jerusalem

was surrounded

by the Syrian

army and the

Israelite army

come to

attack Jerusalem

to get rid

of the king

and put a

new king

in place.

And God

had promised

that that

attack would

not be

successful.

But most

people ignored

God's

promise.

They trusted

in human

schemes to

try and

help them

instead.

They feared

the invasion,

trusted in

human schemes,

they looked

for comfort

in bogus

spirituality,

consulting

necromancers

and stuff

like this.

But in the

midst of that

darkness,

there was this

small band

of faithful

people,

Isaiah and

his family

and those

who believed

Isaiah's

message.

And they

clung to

God's word,

they said,

I will trust

in him.

Behold,

says Isaiah,

I and the

children God

has given

me.

And we

live in

similar times,

don't we?

Days when

people will

go for any

kind of

bogus

spirituality.

Look at

the horoscopes,

look at the

spiritual churches

around.

Or many

will just

rely on human

schemes,

look for the

government to

get to start

the economy,

look to the

NHS to

solve all

our health

issues,

and not go

to the

living God.

It can be

easy to

feel that

we're in a

very small

minority as

those who

believe God's

promises,

can't it?

It can be

easy to

think,

is it really

worth it?

Yet in

that,

as we

struggle to

trust the

living God,

Jesus stands

with us,

says,

look,

I trusted

him.

Behold,

Heavenly

Father,

I and the

children you

have given

me,

we will

trust you.

He stands

with us,

he identifies

with us as

a small

minority who

still trust in

the living

God.

He is a

brother who

identifies with

us,

singing with

us in our

suffering,

standing with

us as a

faithful few.

This is

our

Saviour.

This is

why he took

on human

flesh,

so he can

be the

champion who

rescues us,

and the

brother who

stands with

us,

and thirdly,

and quite

briefly,

the priest

who represents

us.

Look at

verse 17.

Therefore,

he had to

be made

like his

brothers in

every respect,

so that he

might become

a faithful

and merciful

high priest

in the

service of

God.

He was

made like

us in

every respect,

in every

respect,

born of

a mother.

He had to

grow and

learn.

He had to

feed his

mother's

breast.

He had to

learn to

walk.

He had

to learn

to talk.

He had

to learn

to make

tables.

The second

person of

the Trinity

made tables

for a

living.

He got

tired.

He got

cold.

He got

hungry.

He got

ill, I

presume.

Why?

So that he

might become

a merciful and

faithful high

priest in

the service

of God.

What does

a high

priest do?

He

represents

people to

God,

doesn't he?

That was the

job of the

high priest in

the Old

Testament.

He does

it in two

particular ways

we see here

in verses

17 and

18.

Firstly,

to make

propitiation

for the

sins of

the people.

Then verse

18,

because he

himself has

suffered when

tempted,

he's able to

help those

who have

been tempted.

So the

high priest

first, he

makes

propitiation.

What does

that mean?

Well,

propitiation is

the sacrifice

that turns

away God's

just anger

at our sin.

It doesn't

just cover

over our sin,

but turns

the whole

anger away.

So that

God will

not be

angry at

your sin

or my

sin again,

because it

has already

been punished.

That punishment

has been

taken by

the Lord

Jesus.

This is

precisely why

he had to

become a

man,

because it

is human

sin that

incurs God's

wrath.

But it's

also why he

had to be

divine, he

had to be

the eternal

son of

God,

because he

had to be

big enough,

infinite,

eternal,

to pay

for all

our sin.

But that

is what

he's done.

Nothing

less than

one who

was fully

God and

fully man

could make

propitiation

for our

sin.

But Jesus

was fully

God, but

also fully

man, fully

flesh and

blood, so

that he

could make

propitiation,

take that

sin away

from us,

take God's

just punishment

for our sin

away from

us.

What's the

result now?

It means

that you

and I, as

we trust in

Jesus, are

perfectly

forgiven,

perfectly

loved,

perfectly

adopted as

children in

God's family.

Our sin will

not be punished

again, because

it has been

punished in

Jesus on the

cross.

So we are

safe.

Where do you

think your sins

are this morning?

We all come

here aware of

our sin,

don't we?

Yet we

confess it and

it is done as

we have heard

gloriously in

those words from

1 John earlier.

Jesus has

offered the

perfect sacrifice

to pay for

them.

Do you think

you've done

something that

is unforgivable?

What could

you possibly

have done that

is so big that

the eternal

Son of God

could not have

paid for it?

He has made

propitiation for

us.

As our high

priest, he

helps us in

temptation.

Look at verse

18.

Because he

himself has

suffered when

tempted, he's

able to help

those who are

being tempted.

It's worth

thinking about,

isn't it?

Part of

temptation is

always the

false hope of

release from

suffering, isn't

there?

it?

Why do we get

angry?

Because we

think we'll

feel better

when we've

just let it

all go.

Let's go back

to the frozen

thief for a

moment.

Why do we

give in to

those temptations?

We think we'll

be happy.

Why do we

go to the

temptation of

just spending

money on

ourselves,

buying something

ridiculous in

the sales?

It's sort of

comfort shopping,

isn't it?

It'll make me

feel better.

Jesus resisted

temptation, he

suffered temptation.

Temptation is

like a kind of

bungee rope,

isn't it?

The harder you

run from it,

the more it

will pull you

back.

Yet Jesus

resisted to

the uttermost,

even going to

the point of

death on a

cross.

He knows what

it is to

suffer when

tempted, and

so he's able

to help us in

that temptation.

Isn't that

amazing?

He doesn't

sit there and

go, you know

what, I've

done it, you

should do the

same.

Follow my

example.

Get over your

problems.

Rather, he

sympathises, he

helps us.

Years ago, I

used to go

climbing with a

friend of mine,

Billy, and I

don't have a

great head for

heights, and I'm

a bit of a

muppet when it

comes to

climbing, to be

honest.

I could never

see the hand

holds or the

footholds.

Billy was an

excellent natural

climber, but he

was incredibly

patient.

He'd show me the

way up, he'd

point out where

the footholds

were, he'd

point out where

the hand

holds are.

As he was

waiting on the

top with the

rope pulling me

up, he wouldn't

kind of go,

come on, can

she get a

move on, I'm

getting cold up

here.

He'd encourage

me.

And when, on

one particular

occasion in the

Lake District, I

was just tired and

exhausted, went

for a hand

hold and missed

and slipped and

fell, he still

had the rope.

And so he

pulled me up.

He didn't

lecture me.

He's pulled me

up, made sure I

was safe, gave

me a drink.

That's the kind

of high priest

Jesus is.

He knows our

weaknesses.

He knows what

it is to be

tired and yet

to remain

patient.

He knows what

it is to be

under pressure

from work.

After all, his

work was to be

the saviour of

the world.

None of us do

that as a day

job, do we?

And yet he

doesn't say, get

on with it.

He is faithful

to help us.

So when we're

tempted, we can

lean on him.

We can lean

on him because

he is merciful and

understands.

So what do we

celebrate at

Christmas?

Why is Christmas

good?

It's because the

Son of God took

on our flesh to

be our champion,

to liberate us,

to lead us to

glory, to be

our brother who

stands with us,

not ashamed of

us, sings with

us in our

suffering.

stands with

us as a

minority,

encouraging us

to be faithful

to our

heavenly father

and to be our

high priest,

to make

propitiation for

us, to help

us when tempted.

As Athanasius

put it back in

the fourth

century, Christ

became what we

are, that he

might make us

what he is.

That is the

good news of

Christmas.

The Son of God

took on flesh

to be our

complete

saviour.

So let us

lean on him

throughout our

lives, knowing

that one day

we will become

what he is, in

the glory he is

leading us to.

Let's pray.