Sermon: When You are Afraid, Look to Jesus, Hebrews 2:9-18

I have the privilege of preaching occasionally at Forest Community Church in Forest, VA. Almost two years ago I started a series on Hebrews entitled "Keep Your Eyes on Jesus." I decided to post the links to the videos for any who would like to watch these sermons. This sermon covers Hebrews 2:9-18 and is entitled "When Your are Afraid, Look to Jesus." I'll post the notes below (be aware that the video may not exactly follow these notes!), but here is the link for the video: Hebrews 2:9-18. The sermon starts around the 2:30 mark. 

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus Series

 When You are Afraid, Look to Jesus:  Hebrews 2:9-18

 

Intro: God uses hard times to develop godly character. Think of Daniel in the Lion Den or the three young men in the fiery furnace. As one of my pastor friends said, “Things may get awkward before they get awesome.” Suffering and pain can be a part of God’s shaping you into the character of Jesus. 

The letter to the Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians facing a crisis (both a crisis of faith and perhaps a physical challenge). Since coming to Christ, life had not gotten better for many in the audience hearing this letter. It actually seemed to get more challenging. They may have even faced some sort of persecution from Rome. These Christians, like many of us, were facing frightening circumstances. They felt hopeless, frightened, abandoned. The author of Hebrews writes to encourage them to focus on Jesus who is superior to all others. The problem faced by Hebrews’ author is how does one reassure others in a time of trial when God seems absent? 

The author’s response is to give a word of encouragement by noting that God is not silent, he has spoken in Jesus. God is not absent, he is present with his people even in times of suffering. He has not abandoned his people. Jesus and his crucifixion are God’s expression of love and a reminder of his continued presence even in our worst situations. 

We sometimes face some frightening possibilities, don’t we? Life goes wrong, that diagnosis doesn't go as we wish, or a relationship falls apart, or jobs don’t come thru. Life plans often simply fall apart. We often find ourselves in frightening circumstances. What do we do when we are afraid?  When we are afraid, we need to see Jesus.  

Read Hebrews 2:9-18. Hebrews 2 gives us four points to remember when things get scary; 1) Jesus is our Pioneer; 2) Jesus is not ashamed of us; 3) Jesus shares our situation; 4) Jesus is our Provision. We need to Look to Jesus!

 

2:9-10—Look to Jesus: Jesus is Our Pioneer. The word "pioneer" here can mean “Leader” or “Champion” or “Source.” Glory Lost and Regained: The Bible tells a story of image bearers and glory lost, and in the story of Christ glory is regained. God’s intention for the human family was for the world to be subject to the one who has God’s image. Human rebellion in Eden caused a problem for that intention. Jesus comes to fulfill it, however, and in Christ humanity can realize its vocation and God’s intention (Col. 1:27—Christ in you the hope of glory; Psalm 8—crowned with glory and honor; Rom 5:1-2; Rom 8:18-21). Jesus tasted death for everyone so that he could restore to us the Life that was lost. Jesus’ death is not just for heaven, but it is to help us regain what was lost to Satan. 

Lower than angels, yet Lord over all; Jesus shared the human condition to die for us all. He suffered, and by doing so he is our source to persevere through suffering. Exalted to a position of authority; Able to bring us through suffering to glory; Jesus was “made perfect” through his suffering. The language speaks of being made fit as a high priest. Jesus was already perfect, so this refers to Jesus’ suffering on our behalf as our Mediator and Priest. Jesus matured through suffering, so also should we!

It was fitting—this was God’s plan, not an accident! Things that may bring fear are not necessarily accidents. God uses them to bring us to glory. Things will get awkward before they get awesome. Bill Lane says—”The exalted Son of God made the human condition, and especially its liability to death, his own in order to achieve for them the glorious destiny designed by God.” 

When you are afraid, look to Jesus; He has gone before you, and he will bring you through your trial. Look to Jesus!

 

2:11-13—Look to Jesus: He is not Ashamed of You. Jesus is our older brother—He is Family. In the movie, A River Runs Through It, the older brother couldn’t save the younger, but our story has a different ending. Jesus (our older brother) came into our situation. He became one of us, so that he could rescue us! He is family, and family stands together in adversity and trouble. Jesus accepts us as we are, but he loves us too much to leave us there. Yes, God will expose our sin, but he will not leave it graceless. He uses our circumstances to bring us to glory. Trials are often the means he uses to produce Jesus’ glorious character in us. The goal is to bring people to an experience of holiness (2:11) and to a reflection of Jesus’ character, and in pursuing that goal Jesus stands in solidarity with humanity who, in turn, stand under the call of God to be holy in Christ. 

When you are afraid, look to Jesus. He knows your situation, and he is not ashamed to be your brother. He is not ashamed to stand with you and for you. Look to Jesus!

 

2:14-16—Look to Jesus: Jesus Shared our Situation/He is one of us. He shared our fragile humanity. He came as a baby, he lived through teenage years, he experienced rejection, suffering, even death. He has been where you are/have been. He is not a stranger to your problems and trials. By his death, he destroyed the devil and the fear of death. Jesus’ death was not the result of human rebellion, but of his consecration to do God’s will. As a result, his death (and resurrection) rendered the devil’s power of death ineffective. 

When you are afraid, look to Jesus. He identifies with you. He shares our situation. As our champion Jesus comes to our aid (God is depicted in the OT as a warrior defending Israel: Isaiah 42:13; 49:24-26; 59:15-20). His death provides a means to freedom. Jesus is our champion who comes to our aid against our oppressor. Jesus became human to overcome death and give freedom to humans who are enslaved to death. Jesus shared our situation so that by his death he might destroy our adversary, Satan, who held the power of death; the reason for Jesus’ incarnation then is to overcome death and give freedom to humans who are enslaved to death. Jesus’ death destroyed the power of death, so we have nothing to fear (1 Cor 15:54-58 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.) Look to Jesus!

 

2:17-18—Look to Jesus: Jesus is our Provision/He is our Priest. Jesus is our high priest. As priest, he shares the following with the image of Jesus as a champion: 1) Representation—He represents us (Champion—battle; Priest—before God); 2) He is one of us—both the champion and the high priest are chosen from among the people. He is like us in every respect, except for sin. In fact, it was necessary for him to be like us. The necessity of the Incarnation required for Jesus to be like the rest of us “in every respect.” Only by standing with us in human solidarity could the exalted Son of God be qualified to participate in the life of the people as a merciful and faithful high priest. Only by standing with us in human solidarity could the exalted Son of God provide atonement for his people. Jesus’ Incarnation was the appropriate and necessary means of delivering God’s people from the devil’s tyranny and the fear of death. In doing so, he is our Salvation/Rescue. Jesus is our encouragement because he suffers with and for us—he shares our situation and gives us what we need in the midst of it (Road to Damascus—”Paul, why do you persecute me?”).

Jesus is our encouragement; he shares our situation and gives us what we need in it. When you are afraid, look to Jesus! He shares our situation; He is the source of Rescue/Salvation. Look to Jesus!

 

Conclusion:  Remember: “We must trust to be rescued, but at the same time trust doesn’t guarantee rescue.” 

The mountain of vision is won by no other road than the one covered by thorns. If Jesus suffered, we will no doubt face situations that bring fear. When we face situations that make us afraid, we need to remember that God has provided a pioneer, a brother, a champion, and a rescue in Jesus.

We do not Face these things Alone. Through Jesus we can face any circumstance with the promise that God will work his glory in us. The Goal is Christ like Character (“Christ in you, the Hope of Glory”). Will we trust him?  What does that look like?

 

Application: Hebrews 3:1—Fix your eyes on Jesus

C. S. Lewis memorably portrayed the growing Christian’s experience of an ever-enlarging Christ in his Chronicles of Narnia. Lucy, caught up in her spiritual quest, saw the lion Aslan—Christ—shining white and huge in the moonlight. In a burst of emotion Lucy rushed to him, burying her face in the rich silkiness of his mane, whereupon the great beast rolled over on his side so that Lucy fell, half-sitting and half-lying between his front paws. He bent forward and touched her nose with his tongue. His warm breath was all around her. She gazed up into the large, wise face. “Welcome, child,” he said.  “Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”  “That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.  “Not because you are?”  “I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”  His largeness overcomes your trouble; in His suffering and death He secured your victory.

 

This week: 1) Take a hard look at your situation—where are you “suffering”? What are your trials? When the scary situations come along, focus on what Christ has done and is doing. Instead of trusting your circumstances, trust God and his Word.  Rely on him. 

2) Pay attention to God’s Word—it is a mirror to reflect who we are; are we reflecting Jesus? If not, where can we repent? How can we change our focus? (read 2 Kings 2; Psalm 16; Matthew 10; Galatians 5). 

3) Rely on family.  The body of Christ is an extension of our Lord. When in crisis, do not forsake their embrace. Be open, transparent, and ask for help. Do not hide. 

 

Have we caught the excitement and grandeur of this provision for our lives?  Are we living “inglorious” lives in spite of our glorious calling? How enthralled are we at the depth of God’s love and caring for us in providing this “glory”? 

 

Where are we being exposed to testing or trial? When we experience these, how can we remain quiet in Christ’s provision?  How does Jesus as our champion provide encouragement and peace?

 

How can we appropriate the reality of the Incarnation to deal with this fear? Do we really believe that Jesus destroyed the devil’s ability to enslave us to the fear of death? Can anyone tell by looking at how we live?

 

How can you respond to those times in light of this passage? How do you respond when you feel that “no one understands my situation”? How can you allow the reality of Jesus’ flesh and blood experience to explode your consciousness with the confidence created by your Champion and High Priest?

 

Prayer for the Hurting

I was listening to some old music lately, and a group named Allies (made up of some former members of Sweet Comfort Band) sang a song entitled "A Prayer for the Children."  It is a haunting tune full of sympathy and anguish for those who hurt and are broken in this world.  In light of current events that continue to happen in this fallen and broken world--people being shot in public places, women being sold into sexual slavery, children being abandoned or turned into soldiers--I wanted to offer these lyrics (with some minor changes) as a prayer for those who are hurting.

We may never completely understand the pain that some face due to the wicked and violent actions of others, but we know sorrow and brokenness when we see it.  We come to realize (sometimes later than we hoped) that this world is not always what we expect, and the story that we hope will end with "happily ever after" sometimes simply ends with no happy or positive resolution in this world.

If you are facing hurt or pain or some kind of situation that has broken you or caused you harm, this prayer is for you.  May we all find healing for our brokenness, and may the Restorer and Healer of broken hearts hear our prayer.   Here are the lyrics to the song:

I see the children on the TV, asking, "Have you seen me?"
More little faces every day; they don't go away,
Torn from their world and out on their own, you can hear them calling,
Taken from home unto the unknown, so lost and alone.

Hear our voice, hear our cry,
Say a prayer for the children,
Heal the pain, heal our world,
Say a prayer for the children.

Suffering hearts bear all of the pain while the world is watching,
The innocent die and nothing is changed; it's always the same.

Hear our voice, hear our cry,
Say a prayer for the hurting,
Heal the pain, heal this world,
Say a prayer for the broken.

We pray for the broken, their voices are crying,
The hurt and the pain is too much for a wounded heart to bear,
We don't hold the answers, we can't find the reasons,
My God, can you hear us? - Please let us know that you're there.

Hear our voice, hear our cry, (hear our voice, hear our cry)
Say a prayer, (for the children)
Heal the pain, heal this world, (heal this world)
Say a prayer, (say a prayer for the broken)
Hear our voice, hear our cry, (hear our voice, hear our cry)
Say a prayer, (for the children)
Heal the pain, heal this world, (heal the pain, heal this world)
Say a prayer. (for the hurting)

Heal the pain, heal this world.

May the God of all grace grant healing and restoration to those who are broken and may the broken and resurrected life of Jesus be a balm to us.  He suffered, he lives, and he suffers with us in our brokenness.  May we soon realize his resurrection life and restoration as well.

If you know someone who is hurting, go to them, call on them, show them love.  Don't wait.  Help someone near you.  The world is broken enough, act in a way that would promote healing.

Isaiah 61:1-3 speaks volumes.  May the people of God be a people who announce his good news, who act in ways that resemble his Son, who embody the justice and grace of God.  Even so, Lord Jesus, come.

Thank you for reading!

Where is God when it Hurts? God's Response to Suffering

On May 27, I had the honor of addressing the fine congregation at Salem Baptist Church in Dobson, NC. The topic of my sermon was "Where is God when it Hurts? God's Response to Suffering", and my texts were Psalm 137 and Mark 15:33-39. The link below will take you to a video of the 10:45 broadcast of the sermon. I hope it is a blessing to you. Thank you for watching!

Salem Baptist May 27 Service

Where do we need Help? Romans 8:26-39

In July I had the privilege of preaching at Woodlawn Baptist Church. My text was Romans 8:26-39 (and Psalm 121), and my title was "Where do we need Help?" Below are the notes from that sermon.

Where do we need help? Romans 8:26-39 (Psalm 121)

Intro—Help. Anybody here ever need help? We all need it. Maybe we need help with our computers. Maybe we need help with security. Maybe we need help getting up (I’ve fallen . . . ). Maybe we just need help getting something off of a tall shelf, or getting groceries to the care, or taking care of the yard, or with our homework, or with a project. 

Songs about “help” are everywhere. The Beatles had two: “Help!” and “With a little help from my friends”. The Beach Boys wanted help from Rhonda. The Four Tops couldn’t help themselves. Elvis couldn’t help falling in love. Billy Swan said, “I can help.” And even Stevie Wonder crooned “Heaven Help Us All.” Where do we need help?

Help is a very scriptural idea. Adam needed help and received from God a helper suitable to him named Eve. The Jews cried out to God in their captivity in Egypt and received help in the form of Moses. God sent Joshua to help the Jews to conquer the promised land. The Judges helped the people against oppression. God sent David to help the people defeat their enemies. Job cried out for God’s help. The Psalms are full of such hope (read 46 and 121). The prophets encouraged the people to turn to God for help and to avoid relying on the support of others or horses and chariots or governments etc. Where do we need help?

Luke 1:54—Mary sees Jesus as the “help” of Israel, and the Holy Spirit is described as Helper in John 14-16. Our passage today from Paul’s letter to the Romans offers us some “help” as well. Read Romans 8:26-39.

“Nearly every sentence is a new way of stating the promise that God has not abandoned ‘us,’ and is in fact working--across the past, present, and future--on our behalf. (While the first person plural verbs originally referred to Paul and those he calls "brothers and sisters" in 8:12, succeeding generations of Christians have of course understood themselves, also, to be directly addressed by the words.) The text has three units, and any one of them could be the basis of a sermon. Together, they offer a look into the way God's love bursts forth into help for us over time.” Commentary on Romans

Here we see three areas God offers us help: 1) words, 2) witness, and 3) warfare. Where do we need help? 

We Need Help With Words/Prayer vv. 26-27—"In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness," Paul begins in Romans 8:26-27. The language of these first two verses has more in common with the earlier verses of chapter 8 than those that follow them. As the Spirit had helped us to cry, "Abba, Father," (Romans 8:16), so also the Spirit helps us pray when we do not know what to pray.

William Willimon tells the following story about a hospital visit to a man who was diagnosed with cancer:  

Willimon admits that he entered the hospital room with apprehension. His friend George had gotten a bad diagnosis the day before. Cancer. Things didn’t look good. 

“George, how’s it going?”

“Preacher, I am glad that you are here. I need some help.”

“What kind of help?”

“I can’t figure out what to pray for. I mean, do I pray for healing? Surely God knows that I want to be healed. But why should I be healed, and not everybody else in this hospital? What makes me so special? A lot of people my age get cancer. Why should I think that my cancer is any different from their’s and why should God give me some special dispensation?

“On the other hand, I really do want to be healed. If I am healed, think of all the good things I could do. I could continue the work that I’m doing in the church, the work for others. But maybe I’m just being self-deceptive. Just like a frightened kid, who’ll promise God anything. 

"And who am I not to be coming to God asking for all of this? I have a lousy prayer life, don't give God the time of day on most days. So here I've come like a blathering idiot, begging, wheeling and dealing, who am I to be making such prayers?"

Paul reminds us that we do not know how to pray, and he includes himself in that! The spiritual giant who wrote 13 of the NT books admits here that he is with us in not always knowing what to pray. Maybe he is referring to times when we are overwhelmed beyond words (like the man in the story above). 

James Dunn points out that Paul's syntax in verse 26 defines the problem differently than we sometimes think of it. The problem is not that we know what we need and merely lack the right words for requesting it. As Dunn puts it, we "do not know what to want," let alone how to ask for it. In the midst of this confusion, the Spirit intercedes, aligning prayer on our behalf to the will of God for us. The Spirit intercedes for us with unspoken groanings or groanings too deep for words. God helps us pray by praying for and through us with words we just can’t “get out”.

No matter how we read this section, we have to see it in the context of the rest of Romans 8. Paul reminds us in verses 21-23 that creation “groans” in anticipation of God revealing his work in his people. Creation groans in the pain of childbirth until God gives it freedom by finally and decisively making his children the free heirs of all his promises. In the meantime, the church remains puzzled about how to pray, thus the need for the Spirit's assistance. 

Paul challenges us to enter into deeper wrestling with the pain of the world. From the environmental to rundown communities to the devastation of humankind, all of God's creation groans in pain. We need help in our words, we need help praying. We need God’s help to groan with creation over its present state of decay. We need the Spirit’s help to groan with God over the present state of fallen humanity. We need Jesus’ help to groan with the church as it longs for God's ultimate redemption. We need help to pray as we ought.

Just think of it. According to Paul, God’s Spirit is praying through us! Prayer is one vehicle for spiritual maturity, yet prayer as a spiritual discipline remains grossly underused even though we have access to the greatest prayer teacher, the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, the best prayer instruction generally occurs in the midst of severe hardship and suffering that can leave us floundering and overwhelmed. It is then that the Spirit prays in and through us with groans that are too deep for words. We need the Spirit’s help to learn to pray—especially when words fail us. Where do we need the Spirit’s help with words today? Where are we incapable of finding the right words to even ask for God’s help? That is where we need help!

But prayer is usually a private thing, and we need help not only privately but publicly. Here Paul reminds us that God provides help with our witness.

We Need Help With Our Witness/Being Like Jesus vv. 28-30—this section contains a favorite verse for many people, but it also contains some theologically charged words that cause tons of discussion and controversy. Reading some of the discussions of these verses may make us cry out for help from theologians! 

At any rate, I want to focus on one main aspect here tucked away in these verses— In verses 28-30, Paul continues his discussion of salvation and our need for help. It is not just that we need the Spirit to help us by interceding for us in the present. The past tells the same story of God's intention for Christ to be "firstborn within a large family" (8:29), a family that includes us. God’s desire is to include a variety of people (not only Jews) in this plan. It is not an ethnic plan, it is a spiritual plan addressing a very spiritual need. 

Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, but their sin resulting in their fall created a problem for all humans. We still bear something of God’s image, but it is marred, blurred, or in some sense unclear. What Adam and Eve were supposed to be was damaged by their disobedience, and every human is affected by that fall. We need God’s help to be the people he intended us to be. We need Jesus to be the image of God as God originally intended. We need help!

Paul here points to God always having had something beyond wrath in mind for sinners and the decaying creation of which we are all a part. With Jesus’ help, we are brought into a family with brothers and sisters and obligations: we're to love one another and serve one another. Romans 8:29 seems to echo the creation story again when it speaks of recipients of God's call being "conformed to the image of his Son." 

Humans had been made "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27), so now God is working out the plan by which humans are recreated in that image which has been perfectly reflected in God's Son, Jesus. All the doctrinal words here may be summed up in the work of redemption brought about by the blood of Jesus. The goal towards which “all things work together” for God’s people is to make them like Jesus. Where do we need to be like Jesus? Do we need help in living a holy life? How are we doing in obeying God’s command? Do we need help to represent Jesus properly to the world around us? Paul reminds us that we have the Spirit’s help to be all that God intended. We have the help we need to be conformed to the image of Christ—we can serve in humility, we can live sacrificially, and we can be a help to point others to the One who can help them! And we need help to do it!

But witness is only one aspect of public life for Christ. As we pursue Christ-likeness we will find ourselves sometime facing hard times. When we face hardship, Paul reminds us that God provides help in our warfare.

We Need Help With Warfare/Persevering in trials vv. 31-39—Our passage ends with a divine hymn that boasts of God's incredible and invincible love. Nothing can separate us from the love of God found in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul begins this section with some questions about the situation of Christians. In verses 31-34, Paul essentially claims that the people who put their faith in Christ have found their need for acceptance met. The need for belonging is met in the body of Christ. In fact, the answer to the questions Paul asks is “No one but Jesus!” Paul seems to be saying that what we need is found in the redeeming love of Christ, in his death and resurrection. By giving us Jesus, God has provided all we need, and Jesus (like the Spirit) even helps us in prayer. Paul reminds us that the world may be a scary place, but God has us in his hand and has provided a place of refuge and rest. We need help, and that help is found in Christ.

In biblical times, people feared many apparent "powers," including angels and astrology. Paul addresses some of these things in this hymn, but the specifics aren’t as important as the conclusion—we need help to win in spiritual warfare. God has provided us that help in Jesus. Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead is the means by which we overcome the stuff the world throws at us. In fact, Paul says that nothing the world throws at us can separate us from God’s great grace. Paul says that we are "more than conquerors." 

Suffering is not something to be feared. Rather, as Gorman reminds us, "Believers do not ignore suffering because it has no effect on the true self, but rather they see in the suffering of Christ the full involvement of the self of God and of Christ in and for the world" (Cruciformity, 329). In other words, God and Christ are fully involved in suffering and involved in it "in and for the world."

What's more, because of God's faithfulness in raising Jesus from the dead, both the present experience of suffering and what we can expect of the future are transformed. We not only know God's solidarity with us now but also anticipate a time when even the worst that the powers of Sin and Death have to offer will be shown to be a "slight momentary affliction" (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:17) when compared with the "glory about to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). What do we need? Why are we afraid?

What stands in the way of us enjoying God's love? Paul offers a laundry list of challenges resident in his time. What challenges do we face in which we need God’s help? Are we allowing something to separate us from God's love today? If so, what is it? Fear of sex offenders in the neighborhood? Concern over violent crimes? Alarm over terrorism? The inability to control one's life and circumstances? Fear of the future? What might happen if we fully commit? What do we need? 

We need God’s help to recognize that NONE of these things can separate us from his great love. Many distractions attempt to sever our attention from God. Each distraction claims to be more powerful, important, or influential than God. But God’s love and God’s grace are ours in Christ. There is one word that describes the relationship between God's love for God's redeemed: inseparable. We need that kind of relationship!

Conclusion—Now what?

How do we respond to this word?

Pray—even when we don’t have words—pray. This week identify specific areas where we need the Spirit’s help, and then let him help. Groan before him. Groan for the state of the world. Groan for the lost who do not know the love of Christ. Groan for the state of the church and its lack of love. Groan for those areas where we are not yet free but long for liberty. Spend at least 5 minutes a day in God’s presence this week, and just groan for the needs around you.  

Witness—seek opportunities to share and to discuss the great kindness that God has shown us. Look for broken people and help them. Look for lost people and share the good news with them. Look for places where there is a need, and ask God to help you meet that need. Seek opportunity to be conformed to the image of Jesus!

Warfare—recognize that Satan wants to distract us from the goal of being like Jesus. Focus most importantly on the fact that no matter how hard Satan tries, he CANNOT separate us from God’s love. If we are God’s children, then we have God’s grace. Look for places that distract or that try to keep us from the focus on God’s invincible love. Address those issues specifically. Bring them into proper focus to see how small they are compared to Jesus.

Where do we need help? Do we need a little help from your friends? Do we need someone to help? This week, remember that God doesn’t help those who help themselves, rather God helps those who are broken and who ask for help. We need to humble ourselves and receive help. 

Thank you for reading!