Jesus Calls Us Brothers And Sisters

Sermon on Hebrews 2:9-11

Text: But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 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. 11 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.

Our text for this morning is from the Epistle to Hebrew Christians. We are not told specifically who the author was, as is the case with the other epistles. While we do not know who the author was, as we read this epistle inspired by the Holy Spirit, it becomes quite clear what its purpose was. Apparently, there was a persecution of Christians going on at that time. There were people who had been brought up in the Jewish religion who were tempted to return to it. The Jewish religion was a legal religion. However, the author of this epistle, shows his original readers why this was wrong. All the Old Testament rules and regulations, sacrifices and ceremonies had all pointed ahead to the Messiah. The author reminds his readers that the promised Savior had come and had completed the work of salvation. We especially get a taste of this as we study this portion of the epistle. We see that JESUS CALLS US BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 1. He Came As One Of Us 2. In Order To Die For Us 3. So That We Could Live Eternally With Him.

This portion of Hebrews really touches on the basic teachings about Jesus Christ, who he is, and why he came to the earth. Just prior to our text, the writer to the Hebrews spoke about the special place that mankind occupies in God’s world. Then, as he speaks about how mankind is saved, he writes, “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels.” (Verse 9) The author uses the human name “Jesus” to remind us of how God’s Son became a human being like us. Our Lord did not sit in some room in heaven, shaking his head at mankind’s futile efforts to save himself from his sin. Instead he, himself, came to the earth and took on our human nature. The Son of God, the Creator of all things, who is immortal, all-powerful, came to the earth as a human being. He came to serve as our Savior.

In order to do so, he had to become a human being. He came as one of us, so that he could do for us, what we could not do for ourselves. He became true man so that he could be under the demands of the law. As a human being, Jesus was subject to the law just as you and I are. Yet, because Jesus was also true God, he was able to keep the laws perfectly. He did so in our place. This really was the first part of Jesus’ work as our Savior. He came to the earth so that, as true man, he might be subject to the law and, yet, as the Son of God, he might keep these laws perfectly. Jesus came as one of us, so that we might be saved and become a part of his family.

The writer to the Hebrews continues that Jesus is “now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Here we also see why Jesus came to the earth as one of us. The writer reminds us that Jesus suffered death. He points to Jesus’ blood-stained cross and says that this is why Jesus came. He became one of us, a human being, so that he could die.

However, there is something special about this death, and which separates his death from that of other religious leaders. It says, “he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” In order to be our Savior, Jesus had to be true man so that he could die. He also had to be true God so that “he might taste death for everyone,” in other words, ‘so that his death would count for all people. Even if somehow there were a person who never sinned once during his lifetime, yet he would only be able to save himself. However, because Jesus was true God, when he suffered and died, he did so for all people. He “tasted death for everyone.” He had to do so to pay for all of the sins of all people. He did so to pay for your sins and mine. This really is the second part of Jesus’ saving work. Not only did he live for us, he also died for us

There may have been some of the Hebrew Christians who were offended that the Savior was put to death on such a cruel, detestable instrument of torture such as a cross. But the writer to the Hebrews tells the readers that this is the way that it had to be. It was the way that God wanted it to happen. This thought is brought out in verse ten, “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.” It was not a haphazard series of events that led to Jesus suffering and death on the cross. The writer says, “it was fitting” or proper that it happen this way. It was all according to God’s plan “for whom and through whom all things exists.”

We note the phrase “pioneer of their salvation.” In the original Greek, the word “pioneer” was used of a military leader who went in front of his men to blaze a path for them or of a leader who opens a new way. Jesus went ahead of us to blaze the way of our salvation. He went ahead of us, clearing the obstacles of sin and hell that stood in our path. He also is the source or originator of our salvation. If he had not come to the earth, we could not have been saved. We would have been lost forever, suffering the torments of hell because of our sins.

However, through his suffering, the author of our salvation has made “perfect” in other words, he completely finished his work of salvation. There is nothing that a person needs to do to be saved. Jesus has done it all. That is why in verse nine, the writer spoke of the fact that he is “now crowned with glory and honor.” While it may have appeared that this was a humiliating thing, it was the way that the Father had chosen for his Son to follow so that all people might be saved. After Jesus completed his work of salvation, he returned to the right hand of God the Father, where he sits in all glory and honor and majesty. That is why Paul speaks of Jesus in this way in Philippians 2:9-11, “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” His life and death may have been very humble, but having completed his work, he is worthy of all glory and honor.

The purpose of this epistle has been alluded to several different times. It is spelled out in verse eleven, “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.” He speaks of being of the “same family.” This is why Jesus, “the one who makes people holy,” became part of the human family. Because he became part of the human family, we “are made holy.” This is not what we are by nature. By nature we were despicably corrupt and sinful. Now we have been made holy. Because the Son of God came to this earth to live as one of us, except without sin, and to die for us, we have been made holy.

So, verse eleven continues, “So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” Just think about that statement for a moment. Jesus is not ashamed to call me his brother or sister. This reminds us how completely and totally God has forgiven our sins for Jesus’ sake. There is nothing that clings to me because all of my sins have been washed away. Jesus isn’t ashamed to claim me as one of his family. Jesus is glad that I am his and has promised that one day he will take me to his heavenly mansion, where we will be with him for all eternity. This is my inheritance because, by faith, I have become a child of God. Jesus is not ashamed to call me his brother or sister.

May the reverse never be true, that I am ashamed to call Jesus, my brother. We might think that could never happen! Yet, are there times when we are embarrassed to be Christians? Someone does or says something and we are tempted to hide our Christianity so that no one finds out. That is being ashamed to call Jesus our brother. But, as we grow in our faith through the Means of Grace, that is, the Gospel in Word and Sacrament, we find our ability to confess Jesus as our Brother will also grow. What a wonderful thought that Jesus is not ashamed to call me his brother or sister. I am part of God’s family. As God gives me the strength and ability, I can and will live like one of his children to his glory and praise forever and ever. Amen.