Jesus - Brother and Redeemer

Well, we'll turn back to our reading in Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

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,

Isaiah 8:17

verse 17 and verse 18.

And the quote in verse 12

is from Psalm 22,

Psalms 22:22

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,

Isaiah 8:18

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

Mark 8 · chapter mention

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

Romans 8 · chapter mention

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

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

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