Born to Die!

1st Sunday after Christmas, 12/30/18
Hebrews 2:10-18


Born to Die!
I. To be a devil destroyer
II. To be a human helper


As the first-time mother holds her newborn infant in her arms and watches her breathe so faintly, she wonders in her mind, “I wonder how many more breaths she has left in her lifetime?”
Now what kind of mother would possibly be thinking about that at what should be one of the most joyful moments in her life? That’s so morbid! It’s psychotic!

A father spends a glorious afternoon fishing with his eight-year-old son. As they walk hand in hand back to their vehicle to make the trip home, he’s thinking, “One great day of fishing down. I wonder how many more he has left.”

Now what kind of father thinks that way? Instead of soaking in the moment of what should have been an extremely satisfying experience with his son, he’s wondering how many more times his son will enjoy that experience in his lifetime? That’s a sick way of thinking, isn’t it?

So, we’ve just finished celebrating another glorious Christmas, the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And while it might not have been the “best” Christmas you’ve ever celebrated in your life, I imagine it was still a wonderful, blessed time for you. Many of us celebrated with our loved ones, and we cherish those opportunities. We look forward to the next time we’ll enjoy their company.

We don’t conclude those celebrations thinking, “I wonder how many we have left.” At least, most of us don’t.

But then we come to worship this morning to continue our Christmas celebration on this First Sunday after Christmas and what do we hear in today’s second lesson? We hear the writer to the Hebrews talk about Jesus’ suffering, about Jesus dying to destroy the devil’s power, about Jesus making atonement for our sins by dying on the cross. So much for our joyful Christmas celebration!

But today’s reading is not some mistake for this Sunday after Christmas. In fact, it states the very reason for the birth of Christ. Jesus was born to die. That’s not some psychotic way of thinking; it’s God’s saving truth. It’s actually the very source of our Christmas joy and peace. Born to die. Let’s ponder that ironic truth for a few minutes, shall we?

Part I.

Finding your purpose in life. That must be an important topic for people in our world today because, if you Google it, you’ll get pages of links which lead to quizzes you can take to help you find your purpose. I looked at a few of them and was thoroughly disappointed. I should have known better.

Had Google existed when Jesus was on this earth, I’m certain he wouldn’t have needed such a quiz to discover his purpose. This morning’s Gospel reading relates how he knew that he was here on earth to carry out his Father’s business. He knew why he was here. He had been born on this earth to carry out the Father’s plan to save all sinners.

You and I know that plan culminated in Jesus’ physical death. Even on this First Sunday after Christmas we don’t shy away from that truth. We didn’t conveniently omit the part of his suffering and death from our recitation of the Nicene Creed. We didn’t remove the cross from our sanctuary or even attempt to hide it. I don’t think any of you refrain from wearing the cross as jewelry during the Christmas season. We know and believe that Jesus’ death was critically necessary for our forgiveness and eternal life.

Bottom line, that’s why he came to this earth. That’s where he was born. Listen to the writer to the Hebrews, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy 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.” Jesus was born to die, and by his death, to destroy Satan’s power. You see, God warned Adam in the Garden of Eden prior to the fall into sin that the punishment for sin was death—meaning separation from God in hell. Satan has never forgotten that absolute truth. He knows that God cannot go back on his word or rewrite the divine legal code. The soul that sins will die. Satan holds that power play. But Jesus destroyed death by his death and “has brought life and immortality to light” (2 Tim. 1:10). Jesus proclaimed, “Whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (Jn. 11:26) We will never be separated from God, even if we die. That’s because Jesus destroyed death’s power.

In doing so, he also destroyed death’s fear. Dying is as natural as being born. It happens to everyone, sooner or later. But we don’t like to talk about death. One of the big reasons for it is that people fear death. They don’t know what lies beyond. They’ve been told they’ll meet their Maker. And that terrifies them. But that’s not the way it is for those who trust in Jesus. The moment we die, we meet Jesus, who died for all our sins and therefore he won’t condemn us. We die to live with Jesus in the heaven he has prepared for us. That unimaginable bliss in heaven is ours by faith in Jesus who died for us. Satan and his hell have no hold on us. Jesus was born to die for us.

Born to die—to be a devil destroyer.

The movie Erin Brockovich documents the real-life efforts of a legal aid to uncover the environmental disaster caused by a California power company. It had carelessly disposed of a cancer-causing substance which contaminated the ground water for countless area residents. For years they used the contaminated water and were completely unaware of the danger. When health issues began to emerge, they were concerned, but had no idea how serious the situation was.

That reminds me of the danger our text describes, only this one is far worse. The vast majority of people in our world either don’t know that Satan exists or deny that he does. They’re completely unaware of the disaster he has planned for them. And then there are the people who know he exists, but conveniently dismiss how serious his power is. In fact, they try to have a little fun in life as they dip a toe into his eternally toxic world.

And that, my friends, is why we need the reminder that Jesus was born to die. It took nothing less than the Son of God coming in human flesh and blood, born into our world at Christmas, so that he could offer that body to destroy the devil’s power. So, don’t play games with Satan. Don’t dally with the devil. Recognize temptations to sin for what they are—Satan’s attempt to drape you in death and drag you from life with Christ. Use your celebration of Christmas to remind yourself just how necessary a Savior born in Bethlehem’s manger was for you. He was born to die—to be a devil destroyer for you.

Part II.

Have you ever wished for another set of hands? Probably not the majority of the time, but when you’re trying to get a project done and two hands aren’t enough, you wonder what it would be like to have another set.

Ever wish you had a clone? Not very often, until you’re so busy that you come to realize that the only way you’ll get everything done on time is if there’s another one of you helping you.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a personal assistant? You know, someone who will run your errands that day so that you can accomplish more important tasks, or simply rest and relax?

On a similar note…have you ever wanted God’s help with something? Which Christian hasn’t? One of the comforts that our Christian faith gives us is that Jesus does for us what we can’t do for ourselves—pay for our sins. But have you asked your God for his help with other things in your life? I’m sure you have—health problems, family problems, financial problems, problems with our education or our employment.

And our God is only too willing to help us as he deems best. In fact, the writer to the Hebrews states that’s one of the reasons Jesus was born. Listen to his words again. “For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers 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.”

In those words, you heard the word “atonement.” Another fitting translation would be “propitiation.” We don’t hear that word very often, so it might be unfamiliar to you. “To propitiate” means to make or regain someone’s favor. That assumes that favor has been lost. A state of anger, animosity and ill-will exists. And that was surely the case between us and the holy God. God’s reaction to our sin is not one of mild amusement over the silly decisions we make, or even a divine carelessness over the trivial nature of sin. His reaction is white-hot anger. And what makes it all the more serious is that we can’t appease him no matter how hard we try. We need a Helper to do it for us. Enter Jesus who was born to die. He made atonement for the sins of the world.

And now, as the writer points out, he helps us in every temptation. He knows what we’re facing because he faced it, too. That’s one of the reasons that he shared our flesh and blood—so that he can help us whenever we’re tempted. Jesus was born to die.

Born to die—to be a human helper.

There might be a Christmas gift you received last week that you held for the first and last time, because you quickly deemed you don’t want it, need it, or like it.

Don’t make that mistake with Jesus, God’s Christmas Gift to you. One of the reasons he was born is to die for you, and by dying, he is your Helper. He is your divine Helper. In fact, he wants to help you every day. With every sin you commit, with every temptation you face, with every problem in your life, look to the One who was born to die. The One who helped you with his death will surely help you with your life. Amen.