The Letter to the Hebrews
Jesus Frees Us From Fear of Death
Hebrews 2:14-18
I want to start with what may sound like a strange question. The question is – how do you feel about dying? If this week the doctor told you that you had 2 weeks to live – how would you feel? If we are honest we will admit that the thought of dying causes fear – fear of suffering, fear of losing everything here, fear of facing God, fear for those you leave behind. The thought of death fills us with fear.
But this morning we are going to hear the author of Hebrews tell us that Jesus Christ can completely free you from all fear about death. Jesus Christ changes everything so that when you think about death you can feel absolutely no fear – just peace, and joy, and confidence. Interested?
Let’s turn to Hebrews chapter 2. If you need a Bible go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Hebrews 2 is on page 1001 in the Bibles we are passing out.
Here’s what the author has been saying so far. The point of chapter one is that because God has spoken to us in His Son Jesus Christ and because Jesus God’s Son is superior to the angels – being himself God – therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard about Jesus (2:1). We must cling to this Word about Jesus.
And then in chapter two he gives more reasons we should continue to cling to this Word. In vv.2-3 it’s because if we neglect this Word we will drift away to destruction, and then in vv.3-4 it’s because we can be certain that this Word is perfectly true.
Then last week in vv.5-13 we saw his third reason – it’s because for those who cling to this Word about Jesus – Jesus wins back our lost destiny.
This is huge. God created us for an astonishing destiny -- to be over the angels, to be crowned with His glory and honor, and to have everything under our feet. But because we sinned God removed that destiny from us – and we came under His curse.
And so instead of being over the angels – a fallen angel, the devil, had the power to kill us. And instead of being crowned with God’s glory and honor we were facing God’s wrath and judgment. And instead of having creation under our feet helping and serving us we were ravaged by typhoons and earthquakes and viruses and cancer and ultimately death.
But in vv.5-13 we read that Jesus won back for us our lost destiny. Here’s how. To win back our lost destiny there needed to be two things: a flesh-and-blood man who would perfectly obey God and so receive this God-given destiny – and a perfect sacrifice for our sins so we could be forgiven and share in this God-given destiny.
And that’s what Jesus did. Step by step he won back the destiny we had forfeited. He was fully God from eternity past – but 2,000 years ago Jesus became a flesh-and-blood man. And as a flesh-and-blood man he perfectly trusted and obeyed God the Father – even to the point of dying on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins.
So – because of what Jesus did – He received the destiny God had intended for us. God crowned Him with glory and honor when He ascended into heaven, and at the Second Coming God will cause everything to be subject to Him.
So how do we get in on that destiny? One way – by faith in Christ. By turning from whatever else we used to trust – and trusting Jesus Christ as our Lord, our Savior, and our all-satisfying Treasure -- we are joined to Jesus and will share with Him in that destiny. That’s vv.5-13.
But at this point the author knows there’s one issue about which his readers need to hear more. It’s the fact that because of our sin we are all going to die. So what has Jesus done about death? That’s the focus of vv.14-18.
So to dig into this let’s ask -- What is every human being facing? To answer this look at v.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 the power of death, that is, the devil …
Let’s think about the time before you were trusting Jesus. Before you trusted Jesus – you and everyone else faced the devil who had the power of death over us.
Now how did the devil get the power of death? God allowed him to have it – as an expression of God’s judgment of our sin. And so before we were saved all of us were moving relentlessly towards the devil who had the power of death over us – the devil who would kill us -- which because of our sin would lead to being punished by God forever.
And how did that affect us? To answer that read vv.14-15 --
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 the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
We all knew that we are going to die. And this so filled us with fear that we were subject to lifelong slavery. We were slaves of the fear of death.
This does not mean we thought about death all the time. What it means is that we tried not to think about death all the time – or if we did think about death – we tried not to think about what death really means.
That’s how everyone is subject to lifelong slavery by the fear of death. But why does death cause such fear?
I think the main reason is because we fear being punished by God forever. Deep down inside we all know there is a God and that we face punishment for our sin against Him. We all know that – and we work feverishly not to think about that.
But another reason is because we fear losing the joys of life here on earth. We love afternoons of golf and driving the Porsche on Summit Drive and the pleasures of sex and chicken masala – and we fear losing all those things that bring us joy.
Another reason is because we fear the pain and suffering of dying. The process of dying can be long and difficult and painful – and that can cause fear.
And one last reason is because we fear leaving others with the hardship of our dying. We fear having our spouse be left alone – having our children be left without parents.
And so before we were saved we faced the devil who had the power of death over us – and the certainty of death enslaved us to fear.
So what did Jesus do?
First, Jesus partook of flesh and flood so He could die. You can see this in v.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 the power of death, that is, the devil,
We sinned and faced death for our sin. And the only way we could escape was if someone who had never sinned died in our place. But we’ve all sinned – so who could that be?
Jesus. Jesus was fully God – but He became that sinless man who could died in our place. This is one reason Jesus had to become a man – because as God He’s indestructible. As God – He can’t die. So Jesus became a man – with a back that can be scourged with a whip and a scalp that can be gouged with thorns and hands and feet that can be pierced with nails and nerves that can scream with pain and blood that can be spilled. All so He could die in our place.
Second, by dying Jesus made propitiation for our sins. Read vv.16-17 --
16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
That’s why he didn’t become fully God and fully angel – but fully God and fully man -- because he helps men and women. And notice that it’s not all men and women he helps – but only those who are the offspring of Abraham – which means both Jews and Gentiles who are joined to Jesus Christ by faith.
17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Underline that word “propitiation.” That’s a crucial theological term that all of us at Mercy Hill must understand. What does it mean to make propitiation? Write this down in the margin of your Bible. It means to satisfy God’s wrath.
God had wrath against you and me – just, holy, and righteous wrath because our sin had dishonored His infinite worth. So God felt just, holy, and righteous wrath against us – and that wrath had to be satisfied by being poured out in punishment.
But Jesus became a man so God’s wrath could be poured out on Him in punishment – the punishment of the Cross. And because God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus on the Cross – God’s wrath was propitiated – it was satisfied.
Which means that for those of you who are trusting Jesus Christ – all of God’s wrath against you was poured out upon Jesus – so God has no more wrath against you. And because God has no more wrath against you – His heart is full of love for you, compassion for you, mercy and grace and forgiveness for you – forever.
Then third, as a result Jesus destroyed the devil’s power over death. Read v.14 again –
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 the power of death, that is, the devil,
Through death Jesus destroyed the devil who has the power of death. That does not mean Jesus destroyed the devil completely – that will not happen until the Second Coming. But Jesus destroyed the devil’s power over death.
See, it was God’s wrath that gave the devil the power of death over us. It’s like the devil’s power of death was plugged into the outlet of God’s wrath. But when Jesus propitiated God’s wrath – the devil’s power of death was unplugged. For you who trust Jesus the devil no longer has the power of death.
Now we will still die physically. But instead of looking ahead and seeing your death in evil and malicious hands of the devil – you look ahead and see your death in the loving and merciful hands of God. Jesus destroyed the devil’s power over death.
So why don’t we need to fear death?
Let’s go back to my original question. If this week the doctor told you that you had two weeks to live – how would you feel? Because of what Jesus Christ has done – and because you are connected to Him by faith – you would not need to feel any fear.
Why not?
First – you don’t need to fear God’s punishment, because Jesus has propitiated all of God’s wrath against you. I would guess some of you have moments when you wonder – if I died – would I really be forgiven? Am I really saved?
Here’s how you can answer that with 100% certainty. Turn right now from whatever else you trust to satisfy you – and trust Jesus Christ to save you, change you, and satisfy you.
When you turn to Him and trust Him – He will assure you that you are completely forgiven and really saved. He will give you times of such joy in Him that your heart will overflow. So turn from everything else and trust Him – you will be assured that you are forgiven -- and you will be freed from fear of God’s punishment.
Second – you don’t need fear losing anything in this life – because Jesus is your all-satisfying Treasure, and death will bring you more of Him. When you look to Jesus – and see His love, His mercy, His wisdom, His power, His glory – when you behold Him and know Him and worship Him – He will give you times of such fullness in Him that you desire nothing else.
And that’s why you don’t need to fear death. Because we know from experience that Jesus is our all-satisfying Treasure. And like Paul said – to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Now we aren’t morbid about it. We aren’t seeking death – because as long as we are alive God wants us to be laboring to strengthen each other’s faith and bring others to faith.
But as soon as it becomes clear that it’s our time to die – we don’t need to fear losing anything in this life. Because we have tasted Jesus as our all-satisfying Treasure – and death means gaining even more of Him.
Third – you don’t need to fear the pain and suffering of dying – because Jesus will help you. Twice in these verses the author talks about how Jesus helps us – v.16 – “he helps the offspring of Abraham,” and v.18 – “he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
So as you die – you won’t be alone. Jesus – fully God – your flesh and blood older brother – will be there to help you. He will strengthen your faith. He will help you with the pain. He will comfort you through the suffering. And then – it will be over – and you will see Him face to face. So don’t fear.
Fourth – you don’t need to fear leaving others with the hardship of your dying – because Jesus will help them. Your wife who trusts Jesus won’t be left alone. Jesus will be there for her. Same with your husband and children. Everyone who trusts Jesus will receive all the help they need – all the comfort they need – all the strength they need – all the provision they need. So you don’t need to fear for them.
Imagine hearing that you have two weeks to live – and having no fear. That’s part of the salvation Jesus has won for you. So trust Him – and don’t fear.