However awful the attack of sin, death, the devil, or the world, we need not fear. Everything is subjected to Christ.
I imagine Hebrews being the sermon written to people who have come into a church but are heading for the exits. They may have one foot out the door already. So, the author of Hebrews is making one last appeal, pleading with people not to leave the faith, because Jesus is superior to what they left behind. Being a disciple of Jesus was difficult in the first century. In comparison, anything beyond a culturally acceptable Christianity is becoming increasingly challenging today as well. The podcast entitled White Horse Inn recently did a series on the book “The Great DeChurching.” You can probably get lots of preaching mileage out of comparing and contrasting the things that first-century Christians were leaving the Church for and what people today are leaving the Church for. But for the people who do show up, Hebrews can be a great encouragement and comfort.
Textual Context
The first ten chapters are roughly a multi-pronged argument for the superiority of Jesus. Chapter two lays out the case for Jesus’ superiority over the angels. The coming world, the Kingdom of Heaven, is subjected to the Son. So, however bad things might look or may actually be right now, hold on, because what is to come is going to be put under His feet. Chrysostom explains that it is not for earthly things presently that Christ has saved us.
The writer of Hebrews says, “How then shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” Here, he signifies that the other salvation was no great thing; for it is not from wars that Christ will now rescue us, nor will He bestow on us the earth and the good things which are in the earth. Rather, the greater salvation will be the dissolution of death, the destruction of the Devil, the ultimate arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven, and everlasting life.
This week will be focused on how Jesus beats every alternative and thus gives us confidence in the face of trial.
Textual Summary
While the whole epistle is an argument against apostatizing, the first four verses of chapter two expressly make this point. Although the preacher may well understand all sides of the so-called “once saved always saved” debate, the average hearer may not be familiar with this argument. But what they are probably familiar with the need to tuck away their Christianity in order to get along in polite society. Instead of jumping into the deep end of the “once saved always saved” debate, you can walk them into the zero-entry side of the pool.
Where is that line between hiding one’s faith in order to avoid awkward conversations and strange looks and abandoning the faith in order to avoid suffering and persecution? As the Church continues to lose influence in the surrounding culture, we will be tempted to give up our Christianity so we can avoid conflict with the world. The death and resurrection of Jesus is quite inconvenient for the “Old Adam” in us. But the world hated Jesus before it hated His followers (John 15:18-25). It has been this way for generations, beginning with the Apostles. Being ostracized for faithfulness puts us in good company with the apostles and prophets and Christ Jesus Himself.
Being ostracized for faithfulness puts us in good company with the apostles and prophets and Christ Jesus Himself.
You may want to focus on the hiddenness of God’s glory and the two natures in Christ, found in Hebrews 2:5-18. There topics are probably more familiar territory for both the preacher and the hearer. Making much of this two-nature theology will pay dividends in December.
You may also want to focus on Jesus coming to help the offspring of Abraham. Our understanding of what it means to be the children of Abraham through faith alone will hopefully be familiar for your people. Furthermore, preaching through Hebrews will have you talking about God putting forward Jesus as a propitiation for our sins by His blood and how that is received by faith. Focusing on these themes will help you lay the foundation for what is to come later in the month.
Illustration
Since the (longer) reading itself points us to Abraham, consider using his story as your driving sermon illustration. Abraham felt pressured to hide his marriage to Sarai in order to preserve his life. So, Abraham too is no stranger to hiding the truth in order to get along with his surroundings. Consequently, tell the story of how God gives a promise to Abraham, how he believes the promise, and the LORD counts it to him as righteousness. But then, even after he has believed, Abraham has a couple false starts when God calls him to have faith and trust.
Sermon Structure
The “Problem/Solution” sermon structure might work well with this reading.
The problem is that being faithful is difficult. We are conditioned to believe polite people do not talk about faith (or politics) in mixed company. Therefore, we are inclined to hide our faith in order to avoid awkward conversations and strange looks. Abraham was also prone to hiding the truth in order to get along. Will we also hide or even abandon our faith in order to avoid suffering and persecution? In this world we will have trouble.
The solution is found in the fact that, even though we do not see it all clearly yet, God has put everything in subjection under Christ’s feet. Jesus tasted death for everyone. Sin and death have been unseated and dethroned in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is then crowned with glory and honor for He has overcome the world. Being faithful was hard for Jesus too but look at the empty tomb. Even if being faithful is killing you and it may look as though you will die alone, Jesus will lay down in your grave and raise you as part of the resurrection of the dead and give you a new life in the world to come.
Christ in the Text
Jesus is the reigning champ of death and resurrection. However awful the attack of sin, death, the devil, or the world, we need not fear. Everything is subjected to Christ. He is the King of all the kings. He still has the whole world in His hands. He has it all under control. With that in mind, as Dan van Voorhis says on Christian History Almanac, “Everything is going to be okay.”
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out 1517’s resources on Hebrews 2:1–18.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you preaching Hebrews 2:1–18.
Text Week-A treasury of resources from various traditions to help you preach Hebrews 2:1–18.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
