Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for December 3, 2017

“Thoughts of Hell at Christmas-Time” Hebrews 2:14-15 Bible Study 12/03/17

Our text this morning may seem to be a rather unusual one in light of an approaching Christmas season. However, it answers a fundamental question: Why did God take on human flesh and blood in the Person of Jesus Christ? The answer is that Jesus Christ was born to die-in order that we might be delivered from soul-enslaving fear. Because Jesus Christ was born to die for your sins, you can be delivered from soul-enslaving fear and set free to live with loving abandon.

Five Important Observations from 2:14-15

1. Humans share in a common flesh and blood existence.

-context of 2:10-18
-a basic truth essential to the flow of the text

2. Identify the children in verse 14 as the spiritual offspring of Jesus Christ.

-connection to Psa. 22:22 and Isa. 8:18 in verse 13

3. Verse 14 indicates that Jesus took hold of a form previously foreign to Him.

-clothing deity with humanity
-affirmation of incarnation (John 1:14)

4. View Christ’s death as the disarming of the devil and his chief weapon.

-purpose clause: …that through death…
-destroy: render powerless
-“Even the devil is God’s devil.” (Luther)

5. The disarming of the devil delivers the believer from enslavement to the fear of death.

-fear that frequently takes the form of denial (1 Cor. 15:32)
-“time” after death: the “ages of the ages” (Rev. 14:11)

Three Important Applications from Hebrews 2:14-15

1. Face the fear through faith in Christ.

2. Tremble with joy over your rescue.

3. Your ultimate safety should have an immediate impact.

* “God in flesh is the end of fear.” (Meyer)