He Had To Be Made Like Them
In
bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom
and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation
perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those
who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them
brothers and sisters. He says,
“I
will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing
your praises.”
And
again,
“I
will put my trust in him.”
And
again he says,
“Here
am I, and the children God has given me.”
Since
the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by
his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is,
the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their
fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps,
but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully
human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the
people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help
those who are being tempted.
Hebrews 2:10-18
Sooner
or later we all feel the painful effects of sin. Sometimes it’s the weight of
our own sin and the shame and embarrassment of having failed miserably. At
other times, it’s the load of someone else’s sin that weighs us down – someone
who betrayed, deceived, abandoned, cheated, or made a fool of us.
Sometimes
we feel our sin so heavily that we just don’t want to get out of bed. Now try
to imagine the heaviness of the combined grief that everyone’s sin has caused
your own family, your church, and your neighborhood. Add to that all the
suffering sin has caused over the centuries since the beginning of man’s time
on earth.
Is
it any wonder that the weight of all this sin began squeezing the life out of
Jesus on the night He was called to bear it? The next day, even His beloved
Father would forsake Him. No other suffering can compare.
Sin
put Jesus to the ultimate test. But His love endured it, His strength bore it,
and His power overcame it. Thanks to Jesus’ death and resurrection, we know
beyond a doubt that sin will not and cannot win.
Christ’s empty tomb guarantees our victory over sin and death.
Our Daily Bread –