My dear friends in Christ,
It was almost Christmas, and 4 year-old Philip didn't quite understand what was happening. His mommy had tried to explain that soon he would have a new brother or sister, but Philip was too excited about the presents under the tree to think about a new brother or sister. One morning he woke up to find that mommy was gone, and that daddy was going to take him to see her in the hospital. When they arrived, mommy had Philip climb up on the bed, and then daddy handed him a little bundle of blankets that squirmed and made little squeaking sounds. Mommy said to Philip, "Here's your new sister. What do you think about this Christmas present?" Philip thought for a moment in that 4 year-old way of thinking and then said, "She's okay, but I really wanted a puppy for Christmas!"
Philip's reaction shows how many brothers and sisters look at each other. They're okay, but sometimes we'd really rather have a puppy. Relationships between siblings can be good, strained, or bad. God's Word tells us that we have a brother who cares. He isn't ashamed of us and he wants to help us.
What made little Philip a brother? God blessed his parents with a son, then a daughter—a family. That's exactly what God calls our relationship with Jesus. "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers" (Hebrews 2:11). God requires holiness to be a member of his family. Are you holy? Am I? No! How many of you have been sharing the toys you received for Christmas without fighting or complaining? How many of us still fight with our brothers or sisters even after we've grown up? We talk to them on the phone and argue, or we complain about them once we get off the phone. We don't deserve to be part of God's family. Sin separates us from him and guarantees our death sentence.
That's not what that verse said. "Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers" (Hebrews 2:11). God says that we are members of the same family. God made us Jesus’ brothers and sisters in a miraculous way. Jesus told Nicodemus, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5). A new brother or sister enters God's family through the power of baptism. How can we be sure? Listen to what God says in Galatians 3:26-27: "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." Baptism washes away sin. Jesus makes us holy in this miraculous way, and so Jesus is not ashamed to call us "brothers." He's so proud of us that he said, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises… Here am I, and the children God has given me" (Hebrews 2:12-13). Jesus isn't ashamed of us!
Philip, the 4 year-old who wanted a puppy, learned over time that a little sister could be a lot more fun than a puppy. He also learned as the two of them grew up that she could be really aggravating. They argued and fought. They refused to say, "I love you," because brothers and sisters just don't say those words. One day Philip, now a 6th grader, saw one of his friends making fun of Philip's sister. Philip's face turned red and he clenched his fists. "No one makes fun of my sister," he growled. Before he knew it, he had knocked his friend to the ground. Philip would never admit it, but he loved his sister.
Jesus, our brother, was willing to stand up and fight for us. "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" (Hebrews 2:14-15). Jesus had to be a flesh and blood, living, breathing human being in order to be our brother. He was willing to give up his life for his brothers and sisters. He died fighting for us. He defeated death and the devil, and set us free from our slavery to sin. John saw our victorious brother in his vision. Jesus said to him, "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades" (Revelation 1:18).
Mom and dad were out for the night. Philip, finally an 8th grader, was old enough to watch his sister. She was sitting at the table struggling with her math problems. Finally, she threw her pencil on the ground and shouted, "I can't do this. It's too hard! I'll never understand it." Philip went over to the table, sat down, and gently helped her figure out the problems. Jesus knows how to help his brothers and sisters. "For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants" (Hebrews 2:16). Jesus doesn't have to worry about his holy angels. They can take care of themselves. We need our caring brother to help us. Verse 17 says, "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."
Over the past two days God’s Word reminded us how Jesus was made like us in every way: "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:6-7). The Son of God became the Son of Man. Why? He had to be just like us so that he could complete God's work of salvation and help us.
That same evening after homework was all done, Philip sat on the couch and watched a little TV. His sister had been playing quietly in her room. Suddenly, he heard a crash followed by loud crying. He went running and found his sister standing in the bathroom with clouds of perfume scenting the air. She had dropped her mother's favorite bottle in the sink and was sobbing. Philip put his arms around her and said, "Don't worry. We can buy mom a new bottle and everything will be okay. I'll take care of everything!"
From the beginning of time, God expected perfection from mankind. He promised that whoever lived a perfect, holy life would be able to live forever. No one could do it. Romans 3:23 reminds us, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Jesus came to take care of everything. He became one of us so that he could live a perfect life. He became one of us so that he could offer the perfect sacrifice for sin—his own life. Verse 17 used the words "atonement for the sins of the people." Atonement simply means a real payment for sin that would satisfy God's wrath. God said, "The soul who sins is the one who will die" (Ezekiel 18:20). Jesus told his brother and sisters, "Don't worry. I'll take care of everything." Then he bowed his head and died for us.
Let's go back to Philip one more time. That night, after his sister had fallen asleep and he had explained everything to his parents, he laid awake in bed. He remembered the terrified look on his sister's face as she looked at the broken bottle and smelled the perfume. The whole incident reminded him of a similar accident involving one of Grandma’s precious Christmas ornaments.
Listen to the last verse of our text: "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" (Hebrews 2:18). Just two chapters later, the author also adds, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus knows every struggle that we face. He knows how difficult it is to face temptation. He faced Satan one on one in the wilderness. Jesus faced each attack and defended himself with the sword of God's Word.
Jesus can help. He knows how we feel. He knows what we need. Just like a perfect big brother, he's there to speak for us, defend us, and help us find the words from the Bible we need to fight off every temptation. When temptation sneaks in, it's so easy to say, "I can't stop. I just can't help myself!" Jesus knows better. He has saved us from sin and released us from its slavery. He gives us the strength we need to say "no" to temptation. In Jesus we have a brother who really cares. He isn't ashamed of us because he has made us part of his family. He wants to help us in our struggle against sin. Jude, one of Jesus' half-brothers, recognized that Jesus was more than a brother. He closed his letter with appropriate words of praise, "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 23-24).
