Why Jesus Died, Part 7

Here, your Bible turn me to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2. We have spent a little over 20 weeks going through chapter 1 and through chapter 2 of the book of Hebrews. And we have yet to cover everything that's there. And we've just barely scratched the surface in terms of the identity and the ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord. It truly is a fascinating study. It's a marvelous study because it introduces to us. The glory and splendor of Jesus Christ. The book of Hebrews is simply a book about the supremacy and the sufficiency of Jesus Christ our Lord.

And so the writer is explaining Jesus Christ to us from a Jewish perspective to help us understand how the Jews Saw and see Jesus Christ for who He is. And we told you over 20 weeks ago that when you study the book of Hebrews, it's going to lead you to ex. That is, it's going to lead you to expect more and more from this great God that we serve, Jesus Christ our Lord. Because he's coming again. So you're going to live in expectation. We also told you that if you live in expectation, you're going to live simply.

In exaltation. That is, you're going to want to exalt Christ as King, as Lord, as Savior. Once you exalt him, you will live a life of excitation because there's nothing more exciting in all the world than to know and understand Jesus Christ as Lord, as Savior, the one who is supreme and sufficient for all things. In our lives. That's why the writer of Hebrews says, but we see Jesus. Hebrews 2, verse number 9. We see him made a little lower than the angels. We see him crowned with glory and honor.

We see the majestic Christ Himself. And our desire is to help you see Christ as the writer of Hebrews saw Christ. That's why the inspired Word of God opens our minds, opens our eyes, illuminates us to the truth of God's Holy Word, that we can get a clear perspective on Jesus Christ. The Messiah of Israel, that truly we would come to understand the beauty and glory of his character, that we might worship him in spirit and in truth. That's our desire, that's our design, that's where we're going. So we are looking at Hebrews 2.

Verses 5 all the way to the end of the chapter. This is week number 7 on why did Jesus die? You think, well, can't you get through that in just one sermon? Yeah, probably so. We covered two chapters on Wednesday night in 1 Samuel. And people think, wow, if you can cover two chapters on Wednesday night, why can't you cover two chapters on Sunday morning? The Old Testament narrative is a lot different than the New Testament as it unfolds for us the glory and splendor of the Christ. So it takes us a little longer to get through the New Testament than it does the Old Testament narrative.

But yet, there's so much here that helps us understand the splendor of our Savior. Is he truly Supreme. Is he truly sufficient? The British Hebrews says yes, and then explains how it is our Lord. Fulfills that. So we're looking at why did Jesus die? Giving you five words that will take you from verse five all the way to verse number 18. That you can hang this portion of scripture on. First word was substitution.

Hebrews 2, verse number 9, says very simply these wor. But we do see him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every. It speaks of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ our Lord on behalf of man. And so the writer of Hebrews explains that because man was made lower than the angels at the fall, that's verses 5 down through verse number 8. That he once had dominion, now he's lost dominion.

Christ would come, restore that through his death on Calvary's cross, so man will once again have dominion as God had ordained it from the very beginning. Now, think about this. Christ died for you and for me. He died in your place. He paid the penalty for your sin and for mine. When was the last time you thanked the Lord for that? That little chorus, thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. Remember that? Why are you made whole? Because without Christ, you're incomplete.

With Christ, you've been made complete. But without Christ, you're incomplete. Christ completes everything. He makes us whole once again. Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. Thank you, Lord, for giving to me thy great salvation so rich and free. You know, I think that so many times we miss the opportunity to be grateful to God for the wonderful grace He's bestowed upon us to save us from our sin. Why did Jesus die? Number one, substitution.

Number two, we covered last week, sanctification. He died to set us apart. And the way he sets us apart is very unique. The verse, Hebrews chapter 2, verses 10, 11, 12, and 13. For it is fitting for him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, and bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father. For which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren. And then he quotes Three passages from the Old Testament, Psalm 22, Isaiah 8:1, Isaiah 8:18, to prove that everything about the brotherhood of the body Was all forecast by the Lord God Himself because after His resurrection, He would bring us together, He would call us brethren.

We told you last week that we're never called brethren until after the resurrection. And that's when Christ says to Mary, go tell my brethren.

So that they would understand that now they're more than just friends, they're more than just disciples, they're more than just followers of Christ, they're actually brothers and sisters in the family of God. Which is so important to understand. Because we miss why Christ has sanctified us, why He has set us apart. He has set us apart from the world unto Himself. He set us apart from Satan's family and put us into his family, right? When Christ sanctifies us, when he sets us apart, when he makes us holy, Hag, it's a word means to make holy, when he sets us apart.

Part, he does so in such a unique way that he wants us to understand that we are separate, like he is, from creation and corruption. That's what it means to be made holy. You are separate from creation, separate from corruption. God Himself is totally separate from His creation because He created them. He's also totally separate from any kind of corruption. So when he sanctifies us, he's a sanctifier, when he sets us apart, he sets us apart from the rest of creation. Because no longer are we in the family of Satan, no longer do we.

See Satan as our father, as Christ would say the religious leaders of his day, they saw Satan as their father. You are of your father, the devil, he's called them. He sets us out of that family into his family. He sets us apart from the world of corruption that we might be a different creature. That's why we're called aliens and strangers in a foreign land. Why? Because we're set apart. We are different. Why are we aliens? Because we're not a part of the worldly family. We're a part of God's family.

See? And that's exactly what He does. Because God says these words in Hebrews chapter 2, very simply this.

That it was fitting for him, it was in line with the character of the Father, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, everything's from him. In bringing many sons to glory, he wants to bring us to glory. And so what did he do? He perfected the author or the arche, the one who is the pioneer, the trailblazer, the leader, the captain. He perfected him through the things that he suffered. He wasn't made perfect in his divinity, but in his humanity. He was made complete because he would.

at all points be tempted like you and me are tempted, yet be without sin. And so he would tra bl the path. To his father. He would do that. So we now could become a part of that family. Remember Hebrews chapter 10? Hebrews chapter 10, verse number 10, by this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once. For all. So we are set apart, we are sanctified, we are made holy through the death of Jesus Christ our L. Then it says down in verse number 14, for by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

By one offering. He has perfected, he has made us complete through the sacrifice of him. He set us apart through that one off. Now, I know that we don't act like we're perfect, but we are righteous and we are holy positionally. And the rest of our lives, we spend matching our practice with our position. So that we can live a righteous life. That's why Christ says, Be holy, for I am holy.

I've set you apart. Unto me from the world. I've positionedly made you holy and righteous. I've made you complete in me. Now I want you to match that every single day. With who you are in me, in Christ. And that's where the practice of sanctification comes in. But the bottom line is that we're all part of the same family. And that's why he's not ashamed to call us brothers. We are sanctified, set apart from the world's family, the family of Satan. To be in the family of God. That's the value that we have in the church of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Because, listen, He sets us apart, right, from creation. So we're called aliens and strangers. 1 Peter 2:9 says that we are a chosen generation. We are a holy Priesthood, okay, unto our God, that we might proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. That's who we are. That we truly are aliens and strangers in this foreign land. We are different. So we're set apart from creation. And we're also set apart from the corruption that that creation has. And one of the ways that God does that is He puts us in a family.

The beauty of the family of God. That's why we tell you that, you know, how does God do that? Because in the family, there is that loving accountability that we have one with another, right? That helps us to understand that if someone does sin, we go to our brother and we confront him on sin. That he might be one back to the Lord, that he might confess his sin. And then, if he doesn't, then we take two or three witnesses with us because we want that person to be one back to Christ. We're concerned about the purity of the church.

We're concerned about the purity of each individual in the church, right? Because we're all part of the same family. If you go home and you see your son or daughter in sin, what do You do? You confront them on their sin, right? That they might live a holy life within your family. Same is true in the church family: that we need to value our church family. More so than our own physical family. The spiritual family weighs more in God's kingdom than the physical family. How do we know that? Mark chapter 3.

When they came and said, Jesus, your mother and brothers are outside. And he said, Who are my mother and my brothers? Who are they? Are they the ones on the outside? Not going to see me? No. These are the ones. who are my mother and my brother, those who do the will of my Father in heaven. These are my brothers. These are my sisters. These are the ones, because the spiritual family, he put the precedent that the spiritual family outweighs the physical family. But in most cases, we don't see it that way.

That's why the church body is so important. We gather together. How do we pray? Lord, teach us how to pray. Okay, pray this way: Our Father who art in heaven. Doesn say, Pray, my Father. He says, Pray, our Father. Why? Because he wants you to see the corporateness of the body. That if I am Anna's father. I'm Cade's father. If I'm Kate's father, I'm AJ's father. If'm AJ father, I'm Avie's father. If I'm Avie father, I'm Anna and Ashie's father, right? And And Aaron's father, how many more kids have we got?

I get them all mixed up. There's two more left who are the other ones. I mentioned one twice? Yeah, see? If I go by number, I'm good. If I go by name, I'm not so good. But I'm the father to all my children, right? I'm their father. Well, we're all in the same family. Well, sp should we have one Father. He is our Father who art in heaven. So, when Christ taught us to pray, He said, This is how you pray. Because I want you to see that every one of you, as you begin your prayer life, that you are a part of the same f of God.

And within that comes that opportunity for us to live a pure and holy life because we have brothers and sisters that truly care for our purity. That should we care for our holiness? That should we care about our pursuit of Christ-likeness? That there's a spiritual momentum that happens within the body of Christ. That's why when you go to a church, you never choose a church, it doesn't exercise church discipline. Never, no, ever do that. If you choose a church that doesn't exercise church discipline, you've chosen the wrong church.

That's the first question you're going to ask. Because if they don't engage in church discipline, they don't care about the purity of the people in the church. They might say they do, but in practice, they don't care. Because they truly cared, they would confront those who live in sin because they are concerned about how they represent Christ to a lost world. And the worst thing that can happen to the church is to live lives of impurity. Because, how do you reach a world that we've been saved out of?

A world of corruption, if we live corrupt, unholy lives. And so you must seek to honor the Lord and to glorify His name. Be holy as I am holy. He is our Father who is in heaven, who is perfectly holy and perfectly righteous. And so we in the family of God, even though we are positionally righteous and positionally holy, we need to learn to practice righteousness and practice holiness on a regular basis. By living under the control of the Spirit of God, living in obedience to the Word of God. So very, very important.

So we begin to realize that Christ's death sanctifies us. It puts us in a family. He sets you apart for a purpose. Because we are the bride of Christ. We are the body of Christ. We are the flock of the living God, right? So we're all one. And that's why Christ set you apart. So that you, as one, could live separately from creation and corruption, and having that system of support that helps you through the process. God sanctifies us. So first word, substitution.

Second word, sanctification. Third word, liber. Liberation. Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2, verse number 14, 15, and 16. Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he him likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil. Free those who, through fear of death, were subject to slavery all their lives. For surely he does not give help to angels, but he gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Wow, liber.

That means we've been set free from that one thing that has kept us in bondage our whole lives, the fear. Of de. The fear of death. Think about it this way: every lives in the fear of death. Now, there are many unbelievers that say they're not afraid to die. They're lying to you. They're afraid to die. Why? Because we know that the Bible says eternity has been set in their hearts.

Say, know about eternity. There's life after death. Everybody knows there's life after death because there has been eternity set in their hearts by the true and living God. They also, we also know from Romans 1 that they suppress the truth, they don't want to face the truth because of They do, they're accountable to the truth, so they suppress it thinking they'll never have to face it, but they ultimately will have to face it because they're going to die one day and face the true living God. So, I go by what the Bible says about the character and nature of man.

But man lives in the fear of death his whole life. So, what did Christ do when he died? He liberated us from that fear. We no longer fear death. Why? Because precious in the sight of the Lord are the death of a saint. Psal 116, verse number 15, right? We also know Romans 14:1 says, Blessed are they who die in the Lord from now on, for they shall rest from their labors and their deeds follow them into glory. But blessed are those who die in the Lord. We know, as Paul said, for me to live as Christ, to die is gain.

Death is just that entry do into the presence of Almighty God. That 's all it is. You see, for Christ to liberate us, it begins with his descent into humanity. His death, number two, on Calvary, in his deliverance from our enemy.

It began with his descent into humanity. He took on flesh and blood. It speaks of the inc. Christ bec man so he could die for your sins and mine. And so he descended into humanity, and then he died on Mount Calvary as a substitutionary atonement for your sin and for mine, in order to deliver us from the enemy, because we've been held. In sl, in bondage, all our lives long. Isn 't it great to know as believers that we just don't fear death? I love doing the funeral of a believer. Doing a funeral of a believer is just one of the most freeing things ever because you know that person loved the Lord and they're in the presence of God.

Would you do a funeral for a person who's an unbeliever? Wow. That's a sad thing. But yeah, you have to have the people understand the results of sin. Billy Sunday said it this way many years ago, that great evangelist. He said, death is a cruel enemy. He robs the mother of her baby, the wife of her husband, the parents of their children, the lover of his intended wife. Death is a rude enemy. He upsets our best plans without ever an apology. He enters the most exclusive circles without an invitation.

Death is an inter enemy. There is no nation which he does not visit. The islands of the seas, where mothers rock their babies to sleep. to the lullaby of the ocean waves, the restless sea, the majestic mountains, all are his haunts. Death is an untiring enemy. He continues his ghastly work, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. He never tires of his ceaseless rounds, gathering his spoils of human souls. But death is a vanquished enemy. Jesus arose from the dead and abolished death. Death is to the Christian.

The swinging open of a door through which he enters into glory. Death is a vanquished enemy. It was promised way back in Genesis 3, verse number 15. Oh, You're going to bruise the heel of the Messiah, but he's going to crush the serpent's head. He crushed him, he put an end to the fear of death. He liberates us from that bondage. So we're no longer afraid of Satan or de. We've been set free. We've been saved out of the domain of darkness, transferred into the kingdom of God's dear Son. We now walk in the light, not in the dark.

We no longer have to fear Satan or his tactics. Will he tempt you? Yes. Will he cause you to become angry? At times, yeah? All kinds of things. But we don't fear Satan. We don't fear the one who kills body. We fear the one who kills body and soul in hell, right? Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. We know that Satan is the prince and power of the air, 1 John 5, verse number 19. But we also know that the one who is greater lives in us. So we resist the devil, and guess what?

The Bible says, if you resist him. He flees. He flees. He runs. And how do you resist him? Steadfast in the faith. That's how. And so we understand that we've been set free. It's called liberation. What a freeing thing. And I know that people don't like to talk about death. I mean, think about it. Over 1, times in the Bible, it speaks about death. Over 900 in the Old Testament, over 400 in the New Testament. And we talked to you about the study of than. No one likes to talk about it. But yet the Bible says we're to think under things that are true.

Philippians 4:8, right? So, what is the truest thing that you and I know? Life and death. So, we should talk about death as much as we talk about life because both are true. And if we're to think on the things that are true, thinking about death doesn't bother us because we've been set free. From that fear of death that's held us in slavery all our lives long. So, think about it this way: when you talk to your friends at school, at work, at play, wherever you may be. They are living in fear every single day.

They don't know if they're going to die, when they're going to die, how they're going to die. They have no certainty about their future. And wh they might try to suppress the truth and not talk about death, it is an inevitable, inevitable encounter. It 's going to happen. So the more you talk about death with the unbeliever, the more you get them to face the reality of their lives. Which is the truest thing you can ever say to somebody. Do you know that you're going to die? And you're probably going to die sooner than you think?

But that's okay. I just want to make sure that you're prepared to die. Are you prepared? And they're going to say, what? No, probably so. I don't know. How do I get prepared? Let me show you what the Bible says on how you can prepare to die.

Because once you're prepared, you are set free. From the enslavement of that bond that's held you all your life. Why did Jesus die? Substitution, sanctification, liber. Number four, satisfaction. Satisfaction. He's satisfied. He satisfied God's wr against our sin. This is what the Bible says in Hebrews 2.

Hebrews chapter two and verse number seventeen Therefore he had to be made like his brethren all things, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation For the sins of the people. The word propitiation simply translated satisfaction. Let me explain it to you this way.

Now remember, the writer is Jewish. He's writing to a Jewish audience. Okay? So he talks about propitiation as if everybody knows what that means and they all know. How do you know they all know? Because we all Jewish. So, if I'm Jewish, I know about the Day of Atonement, right? Yom Kippur. I know that the high priest is going to go into the Holy of Holies and perform a sacrifice on behalf of the sins of the people. He'll take two goats, one he'll slay, take that blood into the Holy of Holies, and pour it on what is called the mercy seat.

All right? The mercy seat is made out of solid gold on the Ark of the Coven. And there are two golden cherubim. Those two golden cherubim represent the angels of Genesis chapter 3 who stood guarding the Garden of Eden after man was cast out. And so, as the priest comes and pours the blood on the mercy seat, the mercy seat is another word for propitiation. All right? Because the root of the mercy seat is to propitiate. Jesus is our mercy seat. He poured his blood on him, his mercy seat. He propitiated God's wrath.

He satisfied God's wrath against our sin. So the priest would go in, he'd pour that bl on the mercy seat. And those two cherubim overlooking the mercy seat, looking down to pounce on those who do not are not covered by the blood. Because remember, it's important to understand that as the priest would propitiate, satisfy the wrath of God against the nation's sin, it does not mean, listen carefully, that the nation all We were saved because each person had to come and bring a sacrifice that year for his sin.

If he didn't bring a sacrifice, it was called sinning will. If he brought a sacrifice, it was called sinning ignorantly. You still sinned, but to sin ignorantly means you come, this is in Numbers chapter 15, you come and bring a sacrifice for your sin. But to sin will means I refuse to bring a sacrifice. For my sin, and if I refuse to bring that sacrifice, that means I'll be cut out of the nation and cut off from the blessing of God forever. So, just because the high priest would go in on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, and make a sacrifice for the sins of the people to satisfy God's wrath against the people.

It doesn't mean that the entire nation was saved or redeemed. Only those who recognized they were sinners. And they were willing to repent of their sin, they then would receive the forgiveness of sins. But there were two goats. The other goat was called the Az, the Az. He would take his hands, his bloody hands, he would place them on the Az. The scapegoat, Leviticus tells us about this, and send that goat out into the wilderness, demonstrating how it is the Lord takes away our sin. And demonstrate the fact that the sacrifice of Messiah would be outside the city gate.

How do we know that? Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews chapter 13, verse number 12, says this. Therefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outs the gate. Every Jewish rabbi would tell you that the Aziz is the Messiah who suffers outside the gate. S enough, the reason they put the blood on the back side of the she-goat And send them out into the wilderness is to symbolize the death of the Messiah outside the gate and the taking away of the sins of the people.

Who come in repentance, belie in a sacrifice that would satisfy the wrath of God against their sin. That makes sense? That's why the death of Jesus Christ is a satisfaction. It satisfied God's wrath against your sin and against mine. Think about this. For three hours on the cross, an infinite God would receive the infinite wrath of his Father. So that you would never have to pay for your sins. Wow. That's amazing. Interesting that in Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10, verse number 26, one of the warning passages we'll cover when we get there.

It says in verse 4: Wow. After receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. Remember, Jewish writer. Writing to Jewish people. What is will sinning? Willful sinning, Leviticus Numbers chapter 15, is the sin that someone commits but is unwilling to bring a sacrifice for sin. So, the right of view says, if you go on sitting will, that is, you are unwilling to accept the sacrifice of Christ on your behalf, there no longer remains a sacrifice for you. You have to believe in the sacrifice of Christ because that was a one-time offering offered once to remove your sins completely.

But if you don't believe in that one-time sacrifice, you go on sitting will, you're in danger of never entering into the covenant promise of God to His people. It's pretty amazing. And so you begin to understand what God is doing through the sacrifice of his Son. So, five words. One, substitution, two, sanctification, three, liberation, four, satisfaction, and number five. Identification or partic for the purpose of compassion. Hebrews 2. Hebrews 2, verse number 17. Therefore, he had to be made like his brethren in all things, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make satisfaction for the sins of the people.

For since he himself was tempted in that which he He has suffered, he is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Wow. Notice it says in verse 16: for surely he does not help the angels.

But the descendants of Abraham, the seed of Abraham, right? He didn't help angels. Christ never came to save angels. Christ came to save fallen man. And then it says in verse number 18, for it says he him was tempted in that which he has suffered, he is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Now, this is so rich. He is able to come to the aid. Okay? Bo te, which means to run to the cry. Christ actually runs to the cry of his brethren. That's how he comes to your aid. He runs to your cry.

Doesn't walk, doesn't even wait for you to call, but runs to your cry. And that's why we talk about identification or participation because he had to suffer in all points like we are, yet without sin, so he could be our faithful and merciful high priest. Isn't it good to know that there is someone who understands your hurts and pains? Because in all reality, no one in the room is able to understand your situation. Unless, of course, they've gone exactly through what you've gone through. But if they haven't gone through exactly what you've gone through, there's nobody here that can help you as Greatly as your merciful and faithful high priest who wants to run to your cry.

That one helps. He is called the counsel. Some would say he's called the wonderful counselor. We know his name is wonderful. We also know he's counselor, Isaiah chapter 9. But he is that magnificent counselor who knows what to say to you because when you are hurt, when you are in pain. Physical or emotional or mental, when you are distressed, oppressed, or depressed, whatever the case may be, you have a faithful and merciful high priest. Who runs to your cry? Who comes to the aid of those who are in need?

This is so rich to realize. Jesus died so he could effectively and efficiently be Not just your sovereign Savior, but your sufficient Savior. That's why the writer of Hebrews says this is all about the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ the Messiah, because He's the only one sufficient. To meet you at your point of need. Only one. No one else is. Over in Hebrews chapter four. It says, verse 14: Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession, for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as We are yet without sin, therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You can go to God confidently. Because he truly knows all you're going through. He was tempted in all points, like we are, yet without sin, and his temptation took everything Satan had because he could not sin. For you and me, it's easy for us to fall in sin. But for Christ, he could not sin. So Satan's temptation was far above anything we can ever imagine. And yet, he without sin knows how to minister to you and me. That's why we study the book of Hebrews. It leads you to excitation. I get excited about the fact that I have a Savior who knows what I'm going through.

If you're abused physically, mentally, or emotionally, only one who knows what you're going through. That's Christ Himself. If you're being tortured, if you're about to die, only one who really knows what you're going through. Through all your upheaval at home, whether it be a separation or a divorce or whatever the case may be, there's only one who really knows what you're going through. That's the Christ. So he wants you to come with confidence to the throne of grace. He wants to bestow mercy, he wants to bestow grace upon you.

So that you can experience the joy and the comfort that only He Himself can give. Because He's the one who does. And that's why the writer of Corinthians, the Apostle Paul, says these words. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, or 2 Corinthians chapter 1, excuse me, it says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction. All our affliction. He brings comfort to us. He says, Who comforts us in all our afflictions so that we We'll be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Now, think about this. We already told you that Christ sets you apart, He sanctifies you into the family of God, right? And when he sets you apart, he sets you apart from creation and from corruption. But one of the ways he preserves you from corruption is the family of God that comes alongside of you and prays with you, supports you, enables you to live for his glory. So, because he is the sympathizer, because he identifies with you and me, he gives us and bestows upon us all kinds of compassion.

Paul says that when you receive comfort for him, you know why God comforts you? Not for your own sake. He brings comfort to you so that you in turn can comfort others who go through similar situations that you're in. That's why he does it. God comforting you is not the end of his comforting. God bestowing mercy and grace to you is not the end of that. That's just the beginning on how you then can minister to those who are in need. And that's why the effectiveness of us being set apart into a family of brothers and sisters in Christ is so crucial.

To our spiritual growth, our spiritual momentum. That's why the writer of Hebrews would go on and say in Hebrews:2, 25: let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, right? Let's stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Let's motivate one another to live for the glory of God. How do we do that? By gathering together as a local assembly that we might experience the richness. Of the blessing of Almighty God. God is so good. Why did Jesus die? Substitution. Somebody had taken your place.

That's why. Number two, sanctification. Once you put your faith and trust in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ our Lord, you're set apart from corruption. From creation into a family that God has designed from eternity past, called his bride, because he wanted to redeem a bride for his son. We're that family. We're that bride, we're that flock, we're the church, consisting both of Jew and Gentile, that we might honor the Lord together. To liberate us, to set us free from that one thing that causes extreme fear, death, and from Satan, who holds us by that fear.

That somehow the sacrifice of the Son might satisfy God's wrath against your sin and mine. So that He could identify with you and me and be a faithful and merciful. High priest who comforts us in all of our tribulations. That's why the writer of Hebrews says How shall we ever escape the judgment of God if we neglect so great salvation? Who would want to neglect that? Who doesn't want that? That's why he says, be careful not to drift away. Don't let this opportunity pass by without embracing. the all su, the supreme, sympathetic Savior of the world.

Let me pray with you. Father, we thank you for today. You are so good to us, so great. We thank you for your word. We pray, Lord, that our hearts and lives will be touched. For those who might be with us today who do not know you, may today be the day of their salvation. May they come to understand who Jesus Christ is and what He's done for them. For those of us who know you, may we run to you because you run to the cry of your children. You run to their cry. And we are so grateful, Lord, that you're always available.

May we, on bended knee, approach you with great confidence. Knowing that you long to give aid to those who are your brethren. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.