1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,900 Be reading from Hebrews 2, verses 14 through 18. 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,200 Now since the children have flesh and blood in common Jesus 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,700 also shared in these so that through his death, he might 4 00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:12,700 destroy the one holding the power of death. 5 00:00:13,100 --> 00:00:16,800 That is the devil and free those who were held in slavery. 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:18,800 All their lives, by the fear of death. 7 00:00:19,300 --> 00:00:23,100 For it is clear that he does not reach out to help Angels but to 8 00:00:23,100 --> 00:00:27,500 help Abraham's offspring. Therefore, He had to be like his 9 00:00:27,500 --> 00:00:30,400 brothers and sisters in every way so that he could become a 10 00:00:30,407 --> 00:00:34,100 merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to 11 00:00:34,100 --> 00:00:38,500 God, to make atonement for the sins of the people for sins. 12 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:43,600 He himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help 13 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,100 those who are tempted. This is the word of God. 14 00:00:46,700 --> 00:00:52,500 Are you prepared to die? Some of you might have been 15 00:00:52,500 --> 00:00:55,800 watching a few weeks ago when Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo 16 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,500 Bills. Collapsed during a Monday night 17 00:00:58,500 --> 00:01:02,000 football game after taking a hit to the chest at the exact right 18 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,300 Ms of his heartbeats Rhythm. Now, if you were watching the 19 00:01:06,300 --> 00:01:09,300 game, it didn't take long to realize that this was not a 20 00:01:09,308 --> 00:01:12,900 normal football injury even though you couldn't see Damar 21 00:01:12,900 --> 00:01:15,900 Hamlin's body on the field, you could see his teammates and the 22 00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:19,500 reaction of the Medics. And you knew something was 23 00:01:19,500 --> 00:01:23,500 seriously wrong, and later we would learn that his heart 24 00:01:23,500 --> 00:01:26,100 actually stopped beating and he had to be revived. 25 00:01:26,300 --> 00:01:29,200 Right there on the field. And since then, he has 26 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,400 progressed, he is expected to make a recovery and be able to 27 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,200 live a very normal life in the future. 28 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,600 But for the first few hours and days following that event, no 29 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,500 one knew that would be the case. No one knew if he would be okay, 30 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,500 the game was canceled immediately because it didn't 31 00:01:45,500 --> 00:01:48,700 matter, even though from The Stance of football, you know, it 32 00:01:48,700 --> 00:01:52,300 mattered, it didn't matter anymore and you could see Sports 33 00:01:52,300 --> 00:01:55,700 reporters, who had rarely if ever talked about death on the 34 00:01:55,700 --> 00:01:58,800 air. Or even spirituality or the 35 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,600 future Life. Begin to give their insights and 36 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,600 opinions. And there are moments when as a 37 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:10,300 society we are forced to collectively wrestle with the 38 00:02:10,300 --> 00:02:13,400 reality and inevitability of death. 39 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,300 Sometimes it's one person that for some reason our culture is 40 00:02:18,300 --> 00:02:21,500 captured by as it was in this case other times it's more 41 00:02:21,500 --> 00:02:25,700 communal events such as mass shootings or something like 42 00:02:25,700 --> 00:02:27,800 covid-19. Who I know, affected family 43 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:33,200 members of new Eden family here. And I don't bring up death just 44 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,300 because I want to start the sermon out. 45 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:39,800 On a morbid note I bring it up because our passage from Hebrews 46 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:43,300 talks about the reality of death. 47 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:47,300 And in fact, it doesn't take long to read the scriptures 48 00:02:47,300 --> 00:02:50,300 before you start looking at the reality of death, just Genesis 49 00:02:50,300 --> 00:02:54,700 chapter 3, it's there. The reality is no matter who you 50 00:02:54,700 --> 00:02:58,800 are, no matter what generation you were born in, no matter what 51 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:03,000 culture or what, part of the world, you are born into death, 52 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:08,900 will be a part of your life. Death is the singular. 53 00:03:08,900 --> 00:03:15,900 Most consistent thing that humans face you will die. 54 00:03:17,300 --> 00:03:20,700 And so the question I proposed to you this morning as we look 55 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:27,100 at our text is this are you prepared to die? 56 00:03:29,500 --> 00:03:33,000 So good morning again church and welcome to this Gathering of new 57 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,000 Eden here, at our building that we named the Garden. 58 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,700 We specifically named it the garden because you, the people 59 00:03:39,700 --> 00:03:43,300 are new Eden Church, that sometimes causes confusion. 60 00:03:43,500 --> 00:03:45,700 Someone thought we changed our name to the Garden. 61 00:03:45,700 --> 00:03:49,100 I've heard that one when we moved in this building, also 62 00:03:49,100 --> 00:03:50,800 this week on the little ring doorbell. 63 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:52,600 If you ever come here, you can leave me a little message, and 64 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,100 I'll get it out front. But this woman looks in the 65 00:03:55,108 --> 00:03:59,100 building and she says, oh no, it's not a church anymore, and 66 00:03:59,300 --> 00:04:01,000 Moves on. So I had, I was like, well, 67 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,200 joke's on you. We are the church, so that's 68 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,100 what you get. But, anyways, I don't know. 69 00:04:06,700 --> 00:04:10,800 So, I am glad to be a part of this local expression of The 70 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,400 Universal Church from all times and all places. 71 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,200 If I've not been able to meet you yet, my name is Joel and I 72 00:04:16,207 --> 00:04:19,399 have the privilege of serving as one of the pastor's here at new 73 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:23,100 Eden today, we are continuing in our series, through Hebrews, we 74 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:25,800 are finishing up chapter 2. So, what you just heard read 75 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:30,000 verses 14 through verse 18, which Which is the end of the 76 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,900 chapter. So a see if you guys remember 77 00:04:31,900 --> 00:04:35,800 what we practiced last week, the theme of the book of Hebrews is 78 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,400 Let's try it again. The theme of the book of Hebrews 79 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:44,300 is Jesus is better. That's it right? 80 00:04:44,300 --> 00:04:46,400 He is greater. He is supreme. 81 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,300 He is superior. However you want to say it 82 00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:51,200 right. The preacher of Hebrews has to 83 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,000 this point and will continue to make it clear that Jesus is 84 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,900 superior to the best things you've ever known and he's 85 00:04:57,900 --> 00:05:00,800 better than the worst things you've ever experienced. 86 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:03,200 We saw he's greater than the angels. 87 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,800 We saw that he is the true and better human. 88 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,500 We saw that he is the true. New and better older brother. 89 00:05:08,500 --> 00:05:10,400 And this week, we're going to see that. 90 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:17,600 As powerful as death is Jesus is greater As I said, a moment ago 91 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:21,100 the scriptures do not sugarcoat the reality and issues that 92 00:05:21,100 --> 00:05:26,000 death brings up and our passage today is just as honest it does 93 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,300 not sugarcoat what death is and so we're going to start right 94 00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:33,400 there by looking at the problem of death. 95 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:38,300 This is the first point we have the problem of death. 96 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:43,500 In verses 14 and 15. There are a few different truths 97 00:05:43,500 --> 00:05:48,000 that are preacher acknowledges about the problem of death three 98 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,800 that I want to highlight. The first one is death is scary 99 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,000 in verse 15. Our preacher says that humans 100 00:05:54,300 --> 00:06:00,600 all their lives are held in slavery by the fear of death. 101 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,700 When we begin to think about death in one way or another it 102 00:06:05,700 --> 00:06:10,500 grips us and it scares us I think death is scary because 103 00:06:10,700 --> 00:06:13,200 it's unknown, right? It's brutal. 104 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,200 You can't ask someone who's died. 105 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:15,800 What it? What? 106 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,600 It's like because they're gone. You can't try to learn about the 107 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:21,000 experience. Like, you can maybe with 108 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,900 marriage or parenting or starting a business or something 109 00:06:23,900 --> 00:06:24,800 else. Scary. 110 00:06:26,900 --> 00:06:30,100 There's also the fears of all the things associated with 111 00:06:30,100 --> 00:06:31,900 death, right? When I think about that, I 112 00:06:31,907 --> 00:06:35,000 actually don't think I fear death as much as like, what 113 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,100 death encompasses, how am I going to die? 114 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,200 Is it going to be painful? Is it going to be over a long 115 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,400 process? We might have the fear of our 116 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,200 loved ones having to take care of us. 117 00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:47,400 Like we've had to take care of others. 118 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,100 We might have the fear of not having enough strength to do 119 00:06:51,100 --> 00:06:56,100 basic human functions for ourselves, and that's just 120 00:06:56,100 --> 00:06:58,900 getting into the realm of the fear of our own deaths. 121 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:05,100 What about the fear of the deaths of those closest to us? 122 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,600 Ask any parent if they're able to even think about what it 123 00:07:10,608 --> 00:07:13,200 would be like to lose their child or maybe they have and and 124 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,200 fear is probably a pretty appropriate word to describe 125 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,900 that emotion. We just acknowledge that. 126 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,700 And that's just like death is scary. 127 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,500 I'm just scratching the surface, it separates it. 128 00:07:28,500 --> 00:07:32,300 Fractures it destroys and it divides and there's nothing 129 00:07:32,300 --> 00:07:35,100 anyone can do to stop it. That's what's crazy. 130 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,600 Death is not only scary. Our text tells us that death is 131 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,800 also powerful and verse 14. Our preacher says that there is 132 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,800 a power of death and that power is strong. 133 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,900 We can look at it in our text. We can go to a lot of scripture 134 00:07:47,900 --> 00:07:53,800 but we can also look around us. Death is intimately powerful. 135 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:58,000 It can like, like, very acute. It can destroy an individual in 136 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:03,500 just a moment or sometimes even worse over years as a body and a 137 00:08:03,508 --> 00:08:09,600 mind deteriorates towards the grave, it's acutely powerful. 138 00:08:10,500 --> 00:08:14,200 But it's also broadly destructive death has touched 139 00:08:14,300 --> 00:08:16,900 everything. That's why we see natural 140 00:08:16,900 --> 00:08:20,500 disasters while we see these accidents and and the effects 141 00:08:20,700 --> 00:08:22,100 It's of death or powerful as well. 142 00:08:22,100 --> 00:08:25,300 Things don't get better things. The moment they're created, they 143 00:08:25,300 --> 00:08:28,800 move towards death. You spent half your life, just 144 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,500 trying to maintain stuff. Go look at the trampoline 145 00:08:31,500 --> 00:08:34,100 falling apart in my backyard right now, right? 146 00:08:34,100 --> 00:08:36,900 It's only like, a year and a half old and it's falling apart. 147 00:08:36,900 --> 00:08:38,400 I'm like, I'm just gonna have to throw it away. 148 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:41,000 It's deteriorating. I was looking, I try to stay up 149 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:42,900 to what the city council is doing. 150 00:08:42,900 --> 00:08:45,400 And I was reading the paper the other day and they're having to 151 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,000 vote on replacing the rubber playground like area at Delano 152 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:54,500 Park just the Rubber surface out there, thousands of dollars not 153 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:57,500 to make it better just to make it what it was. 154 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:03,100 Like just maintaining stuff, death, affects everything. 155 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,200 And the last thing that we see our text acknowledges about the 156 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,500 problem of death is probably the most disconcerting, and it's 157 00:09:10,500 --> 00:09:13,700 this death is no respecter of persons. 158 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,000 It does not matter your Earthly status. 159 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:22,900 Every human, no matter how great you are, no matter how much you 160 00:09:22,900 --> 00:09:25,500 took care of your body, which is a good thing to steward. 161 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:32,800 No matter what we will all die. Duff is undefeated like it is we 162 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,900 watch it like if you follow Sports you see like at some 163 00:09:35,900 --> 00:09:39,200 point like people say it this way you know father time is 164 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,400 undefeated is the way the sports announcers will say like it 165 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,800 comes for all of us whenever and however and from the moment were 166 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,500 born, that's the path we're headed on and we can try to 167 00:09:49,500 --> 00:09:51,900 distract ourselves. We can try to just not think 168 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:53,900 about it. We can live our youthful lives 169 00:09:53,900 --> 00:09:56,100 and there's nothing wrong with that. 170 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:02,000 But death will ultimately beat us and we can't stop it for 171 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:10,000 ourselves or those around us. Death is a problem, it is scary, 172 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:14,200 it is powerful and it is no respecter of persons, but our 173 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,000 passage does not only acknowledge these truths. 174 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:21,700 It also takes time to explore death of bit further because 175 00:10:21,700 --> 00:10:27,500 death is actually only a symptom of a deeper problem. 176 00:10:28,700 --> 00:10:31,600 We saw the problem of death and now as we keep reading, we see 177 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:37,200 the source of death. See, death is just not this 178 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:42,300 abstract thing that happens. It happens for a reason. 179 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:47,300 There is a root problem and it is why death is powerful and 180 00:10:47,300 --> 00:10:50,400 prevalent. And that problem is sin, that's 181 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,900 the source of death. Verse 14. 182 00:10:53,900 --> 00:10:57,800 We're told that the one who holds the power of death is the 183 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,500 devil. As we saw a couple weeks ago, he 184 00:11:01,500 --> 00:11:05,700 is the one who in the garden deceived, the first man and 185 00:11:05,700 --> 00:11:10,200 woman convincing them that it was best to rebel against their 186 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,000 creator. And this is how sin is the 187 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,400 Avenue by which death came into the world. 188 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:17,700 Romans is very clear that Romans 5:12. 189 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:22,200 Therefore just as Sin entered, the world through one man, Adam 190 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,700 and death through sin in this way. 191 00:11:24,700 --> 00:11:27,600 Death spread to all people. Why? 192 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:35,900 Because all Send sin is the source of death and that's not 193 00:11:35,900 --> 00:11:39,700 good news because none of us are immune to sin. 194 00:11:40,900 --> 00:11:46,600 Mankind is deeply flawed and depraved though. 195 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:48,300 We were we talked about original Glory. 196 00:11:48,300 --> 00:11:51,400 A few weeks ago, we were created in God's image. 197 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:56,900 We have rejected that to go our own way and we have begun to 198 00:11:56,900 --> 00:12:01,400 worship ourselves and those around us instead of the one who 199 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:09,000 created us and this hurts us And it hurts the ones around us sin. 200 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:15,000 Brings death sin destroys. I had to remind one of my 201 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,300 daughters of this this week is she's getting in trouble and she 202 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:21,400 brought her younger sister into this who now also got in trouble 203 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:25,700 and I was like, sin hurts you. And not only that, it hurts 204 00:12:25,700 --> 00:12:32,000 those around you, sin is not harmless, it's not meaningless. 205 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,900 It is disruptive and destructive. 206 00:12:35,500 --> 00:12:38,600 And it's everywhere on an individual level. 207 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:43,600 Sin is in the heart of every human of every individual. 208 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:47,600 Not only that sin is in the depths of every system, it's a 209 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,600 systemic problem. Sin, affects governments 210 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,800 politics churches. Schools, police forces 211 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:59,100 courthouses and communities. It is everywhere and it touches 212 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:02,800 everything and it fractures, and divides. 213 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:09,000 And it was the goal of the To me for this to happen, to destroy 214 00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:12,700 the opposite of God's plan, which was cultivating life, and 215 00:13:12,700 --> 00:13:16,300 flourishing, and joy, and Justice, and righteousness, and 216 00:13:16,300 --> 00:13:22,200 in its place sin replaces that with violence, destruction, 217 00:13:22,300 --> 00:13:28,600 Injustice and immorality. And because of this sin, not 218 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:33,000 only leads to physical death but even worse a spiritual and 219 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:37,900 eternal death, a separation from our life Source, who we were 220 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,300 created to be in Union with when we rebelled against him and sin. 221 00:13:41,300 --> 00:13:44,800 Fractures this we are now separated from that fraternity 222 00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:47,700 and because of this, no one, I don't care how you answered the 223 00:13:47,700 --> 00:13:51,400 question earlier. If we are still in our sin, we 224 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:59,400 are not prepared to die. The Outlook of the world is 225 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,500 pretty bleak. We are not progressing towards 226 00:14:02,500 --> 00:14:06,900 some greater Utopia and there is no greater Utopia back here that 227 00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:09,500 we just want to get back to and things would be better. 228 00:14:10,700 --> 00:14:13,900 The reality is ever since Genesis 3 ever since the fall 229 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:20,600 it's been broke. This is what the one who holds 230 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:24,800 the power of death wanted. This is why the enemy dresses up 231 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:29,600 sin to be desirable. He is tempted and deceived and 232 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:34,200 caused Humanity to call evil good and good evil. 233 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,600 This is why we have to take sin, seriously, it's why we don't 234 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:43,400 play around, it's why warnings against the deceitfulness of sin 235 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,800 are prevalent for God's people. It's not just like, I know. 236 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:48,900 Here's some really good stuff you want to do and it'd be fun 237 00:14:48,900 --> 00:14:50,300 but let me keep you away from that. 238 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:54,700 No, it's like ripping the mask off of the sheep to show the 239 00:14:54,700 --> 00:14:58,600 wolf behind the mask, it is peeling back the layers to say 240 00:14:58,700 --> 00:15:01,500 this destroys. This is not the way of life. 241 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:04,600 This is the way of death. It's what the Book of Proverbs 242 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:13,400 is It's what it's all about. But here's the problem, we can 243 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:18,100 name sin and we should. But sometimes I think we think 244 00:15:18,100 --> 00:15:21,800 the answer to dealing with sin, it's to just name it if we just 245 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,500 unmask it and we beat people over the head with the Proverbs 246 00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:28,500 and the rules and the commands, then they'll get it right? 247 00:15:29,300 --> 00:15:34,300 But here's the problem. Taking sin more serious. 248 00:15:34,900 --> 00:15:40,600 Doesn't loose the chains. The preacher of Hebrews uses the 249 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:45,600 language of enslaved. The way we deal with sin, 250 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,100 sometimes like going to a person and change that is enslaved by 251 00:15:49,100 --> 00:15:51,600 their captor and yelling at them and tell them. 252 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,500 Don't, you know, you're enslaved. 253 00:15:54,500 --> 00:15:56,900 Just stop doing what your Masters making you do. 254 00:15:57,100 --> 00:16:02,500 Just stop. It's absurd, you can yell at him 255 00:16:02,500 --> 00:16:05,400 and tell him to stop being a slave, but you haven't dealt 256 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:07,900 with the problem. You haven't freed the man. 257 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:15,000 Even if he knows he's a Slave. He does not have the power to 258 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:20,800 set himself free. He cannot break his own chains. 259 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:27,400 And this is how it is, this is how the preacher describes us 260 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:33,200 with sin and with death. This is our lot. 261 00:16:36,300 --> 00:16:42,000 There's the problem of death. There is the source of death but 262 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,300 thank God. The story does not end there. 263 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,600 Because dripping off the pages of our text is not only these 264 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:57,600 realities but also the truth about the supremacy of Jesus, as 265 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:02,900 powerful as death is Jesus is greater, he is greater than the 266 00:17:02,900 --> 00:17:06,099 source of death and death itself. 267 00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:12,000 Until Jesus death was undefeated. 268 00:17:13,099 --> 00:17:18,200 But when death face the Son of God, it met its match. 269 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:25,400 And this is the last thing. We'll see the death of death. 270 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:34,500 I'm going to pick up my tissues. The death of death. 271 00:17:39,500 --> 00:17:43,200 See, Jesus was unwilling to watch us struggle against sin 272 00:17:44,100 --> 00:17:49,300 and leave us alone. Jesus was unwilling to stay 273 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:54,200 distance. As death wreaked, havoc, on 274 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,800 humanity and Enslaved. The people, he created. 275 00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:02,200 So, he decided to what our writer says in Hebrews, 2:14 to 276 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:06,900 share in our Flesh and Blood. Now, since the children have 277 00:18:06,900 --> 00:18:14,800 flesh, and blood and common, Jesus also shared in these the 278 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:21,300 Incarnation of God Emmanuel God With Us all, because he wanted 279 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:24,100 to cross. The chasm cross the Divide not 280 00:18:24,100 --> 00:18:28,500 to help Angels but he reaches out to help us. 281 00:18:29,100 --> 00:18:32,200 That's what verse 16 says, to her to reach out and help 282 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,700 Abraham's offspring. That's true. 283 00:18:34,700 --> 00:18:36,900 Israel. All God's people through belief 284 00:18:36,900 --> 00:18:40,700 in the gospel. And so how does he help us? 285 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,000 How does he deal with the problem of death? 286 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:51,800 He gets to the root of it. Hebrews 2:17 2:18 therefore 287 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,200 because he's reaching out to help and deal with this problem 288 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,800 of death. He had to be like his brothers 289 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:02,900 and sisters in every way top to bottom so that he could become a 290 00:19:02,900 --> 00:19:07,200 merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to 291 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:12,600 God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 292 00:19:13,900 --> 00:19:19,500 For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he 293 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:24,000 is able to help those who are tempted. 294 00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:29,300 Jesus. God becomes Like, Us in every 295 00:19:29,500 --> 00:19:34,900 way willingly submitting himself to the limits of humanity, 296 00:19:35,500 --> 00:19:40,900 taking on the weaknesses of Flesh and Blood, 100% God, who 297 00:19:40,900 --> 00:19:42,800 also became a hundred percent man. 298 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:49,000 He got physically, tired. He knows what it's like to be 299 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,800 exhausted. After a long day of caring for 300 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:56,000 others, he gets it when you're in that area. 301 00:19:57,700 --> 00:20:00,000 He knows what it's like to be lonely. 302 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:05,000 He needed time to rest. He laughed. 303 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,700 He cried. He was happy and he was sad. 304 00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:14,800 He added aches. He had pains, he bled, like you 305 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:18,600 and me. He was rejected. 306 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:25,700 He was human. And the whole goal of his 307 00:20:25,700 --> 00:20:31,000 Incarnation was to deal with sin and he not only knows what it's 308 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,800 like to face the natural limits of humanness. 309 00:20:35,300 --> 00:20:39,400 He also knows intimately what it's like to face the suffering 310 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:46,400 of the temptation of sin. And so because of this, this is 311 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:51,300 important for us to grasp and mind-blowing that when you are 312 00:20:51,300 --> 00:20:57,400 struggling against sin, Jesus is not distant and aloof standing 313 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,100 offs hand. You got yourself in the mess, 314 00:20:59,300 --> 00:21:01,500 hope you can figure it out. Let me know when you do. 315 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:04,400 Because that's how I parent half the time. 316 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,100 He's not waiting for us to finally get it right. 317 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:16,800 Rather, he is a merciful and faithful high priest faithful to 318 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,900 intercede for us. A faithful high priest is making 319 00:21:19,900 --> 00:21:22,200 atonement for the sins and bringing them into the presence 320 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:27,600 of God, not kicking them out. He is sympathetic and 321 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,700 understanding, like, in this, this is like changing the way I 322 00:21:31,700 --> 00:21:33,500 parent. Like, I know this in my head, 323 00:21:33,500 --> 00:21:36,700 but like, when I was talking to my daughter the other day about 324 00:21:36,700 --> 00:21:39,900 the danger of her sin because it's he's like I'm like, why 325 00:21:39,900 --> 00:21:42,400 would you eat food in your room? I've told you a million times. 326 00:21:42,500 --> 00:21:43,900 Not a lot of have food in your room. 327 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,900 Why are you hiding it? But then like I'm like this is 328 00:21:46,900 --> 00:21:49,700 not how God deals with me. So I'm like, hey F was with say 329 00:21:49,700 --> 00:21:58,000 it was I I think from The mind of a seven-year-old who sees 330 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,100 candy and food and they want it. I said it's hard. 331 00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:07,100 Huh. It's hard and I get it and then 332 00:22:07,100 --> 00:22:09,900 it's hard to not lie about it because you don't want to get in 333 00:22:09,900 --> 00:22:13,100 trouble. And so I get that and even more 334 00:22:13,100 --> 00:22:16,900 so Jesus gets it. He understands. 335 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:22,500 Do we see Jesus holding that loving posture toward us when we 336 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:26,000 are in the midst of giving it a Temptation because I'm much more 337 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:27,600 inclined to think he's angry at me. 338 00:22:27,700 --> 00:22:31,000 Disappointed. But the scriptures paint the 339 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:36,200 truth for Jesus. He is on our side, he is for us. 340 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:42,300 It's also important for us to have a category of suffering 341 00:22:42,300 --> 00:22:44,900 that is fighting since Temptation. 342 00:22:45,300 --> 00:22:48,000 Most of the time, we have two categories for suffering General 343 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:49,800 suffering, like someone, I loved died. 344 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,500 Okay, and that is suffering. Then the other category we have 345 00:22:52,500 --> 00:22:55,100 is persecution. Somebody actively hurting us 346 00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:57,100 because we are standing up for the gospel. 347 00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,800 Okay, there is a third category in scriptures. 348 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:03,200 Not only here, go read 1st, Peter, that suffering is 349 00:23:03,300 --> 00:23:09,200 fighting temptation of sin. It is not a sin to be tempted. 350 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:14,300 Jesus was tempted. And This ship's only see the 351 00:23:14,300 --> 00:23:18,100 Temptation instead of throwing on guilt to an already difficult 352 00:23:18,100 --> 00:23:22,300 struggle. We recognize that it's hard. 353 00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:24,900 And that Jesus recognizes that it's hard. 354 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:30,500 God gets it as the psalmist said, he knows our frame and he 355 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:33,400 remembers that you're simply dust. 356 00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:39,400 But he also gets it because he became flesh. 357 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:44,900 He faced the same thing. Hebrews 4 14 to 16. 358 00:23:45,500 --> 00:23:47,500 This is later but I know you guys are going to forget it by 359 00:23:47,508 --> 00:23:49,100 the time we get there. So I'm gonna jump ahead 360 00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:53,100 therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed 361 00:23:53,100 --> 00:23:57,500 through the heavens Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast to 362 00:23:57,500 --> 00:24:01,400 our confession. For you do not have a high 363 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:05,700 priest who is unable to sympathize with your weaknesses 364 00:24:06,300 --> 00:24:10,700 but one who has been tempted in every way as you are yet without 365 00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:12,900 sin. So if that's true. 366 00:24:14,100 --> 00:24:19,600 Let us approach the throne of grace, with boldness, so that we 367 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:23,900 may receive mercy and find Grace to help us in time of need, when 368 00:24:23,900 --> 00:24:27,500 you are facing Temptation. And when you've completely given 369 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:32,700 in, don't run away from Jesus, run to a throne that is dripping 370 00:24:32,700 --> 00:24:35,200 with Grace and receive his Mercy. 371 00:24:35,500 --> 00:24:43,100 There, your sin is not too much grace abounds, all the more 372 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,900 Jesus does not only sympathize in your struggle against sin. 373 00:24:48,900 --> 00:24:51,900 He does that intimately, he crawls down into the mess. 374 00:24:53,100 --> 00:24:56,300 But he's also the great high priest who deals with it. 375 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,800 He atoned for it, propitiated for it. 376 00:24:59,900 --> 00:25:03,100 Here has will explore this in more detail later about Jesus as 377 00:25:03,100 --> 00:25:05,800 our high priest but for now I want you to think about what it 378 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:10,200 means that he has a tone for us. This idea of atonement is both 379 00:25:10,300 --> 00:25:13,100 dealing with the judicial penalty of sin. 380 00:25:13,100 --> 00:25:18,000 This propitiation his life for ours but also a holistic 381 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,900 restoration of a relationship. Okay, the whole goal of 382 00:25:21,900 --> 00:25:24,800 atonement on Even on the old Covenant was so that people 383 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:28,200 could be in the presence of God. It's not just this arbitrary 384 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,500 thing where, God just as judge, that's a piece of it. 385 00:25:31,500 --> 00:25:34,600 But it's also got his father and restoring that relationship. 386 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:38,300 And so there was a need for a perfect sacrifice, who could 387 00:25:38,300 --> 00:25:42,600 make atonement for the people? Without the shedding of blood, 388 00:25:42,900 --> 00:25:48,700 there is no forgiveness. And so on the cross, Jesus 389 00:25:48,700 --> 00:25:53,600 becomes the lamb, slain Behold the Lamb of God who takes away 390 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,100 the sins of the world, he is also the scapegoat on whom the 391 00:25:57,100 --> 00:26:01,400 sins of the people are placed sent outside the city to suffer, 392 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,500 bearing your guilt and your shame. 393 00:26:05,900 --> 00:26:11,000 He atones for us and deals with our sin once and for all, he's 394 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,700 not sacrificed over and over and over. 395 00:26:13,700 --> 00:26:18,900 Once for all and in dealing with sin, he deals with death. 396 00:26:21,300 --> 00:26:25,500 Back 2, verses 14 and 15. It's what we're told through his 397 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:27,500 death. Through the death of Jesus. 398 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:34,700 He might destroy the one holding the power of death. 399 00:26:34,700 --> 00:26:39,500 That is the devil, and not just tell them, they're in sin, but 400 00:26:39,500 --> 00:26:44,000 actually free those who were held in slavery, all their lives 401 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:52,100 by the fear of death. Welcome to the death of death. 402 00:26:53,300 --> 00:26:58,200 By denying Jesus destroyed death and the one who wielded its 403 00:26:58,500 --> 00:27:02,900 power. So upside down doesn't make 404 00:27:02,900 --> 00:27:06,200 sense. He does it by dying as he has 405 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:10,300 led to the instrument of his death, this Roman cross where he 406 00:27:10,300 --> 00:27:14,800 will be hanged, the crowd jeers and they mock him yelling. 407 00:27:15,100 --> 00:27:20,300 Why don't you save yourself? Unaware, that he was actually 408 00:27:20,300 --> 00:27:25,700 saving the world. His hanging begins. 409 00:27:27,100 --> 00:27:32,500 But the irony is, they seek to slay Jesus But instead, they 410 00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:38,000 slay sin. Because Jesus became what he 411 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:42,200 hates. So we might become the ones he 412 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:48,200 loves and the upside down way of his kingdom, though. 413 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:52,600 Jesus really did die. It was really his physical body. 414 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:57,400 That was laid in the grave, but because he became our sin, he 415 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:03,500 did not go to the Grave alone. Death was also buried in the 416 00:28:03,500 --> 00:28:06,800 Tomb that day. Jesus and death. 417 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:11,400 Both go together to the grave but only one is getting back up. 418 00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:17,600 and even though the enemy wants held the power of death, On 419 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:23,900 Easter morning, it all changes. On that third day, the ground 420 00:28:23,900 --> 00:28:28,500 shakes Stone rolls away and up from the grave. 421 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:34,600 Jesus has raised loose. Our chains, death is now slain 422 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:41,700 and the King Reigns. Deaf has died Nevermore to 423 00:28:41,700 --> 00:28:46,800 return, death is no longer undefeated it, took a massive L 424 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:51,200 and it'll never recover from it. Through the Life, Death burial, 425 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:58,400 and resurrection of Jesus death has lost its sting So even 426 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,400 though in the here and now we acknowledge, we still see the 427 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:05,400 effects of sin. We get it, it's up close and 428 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:10,300 personal, but the sting is gone. So we no longer have to fear 429 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:14,200 death, through the power of the spirit, we can look death in its 430 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:18,200 face and makáts. That's what the scripture is. 431 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:20,900 That says o death. Where is your sting? 432 00:29:21,700 --> 00:29:24,500 That's mocking it. Death is the one thing as cool 433 00:29:24,500 --> 00:29:27,500 to Trash Talk. Where's your sting? 434 00:29:27,700 --> 00:29:29,500 It's gone. Grave. 435 00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:32,100 Where is your Victory? Oh yeah. 436 00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:38,100 You lost. I love the way the wrapper 437 00:29:38,100 --> 00:29:41,700 triply puts it in a song, Ready is what it's called it talks 438 00:29:41,700 --> 00:29:44,800 about losing his father to death and it talks about being ready 439 00:29:44,900 --> 00:29:47,800 to die. And in the last verse he talks 440 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,000 directly to death and this is what he says. 441 00:29:50,700 --> 00:29:54,300 Those of you that don't know, rap just excuse the grammar. 442 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,900 Here we go. But hey, death police know. 443 00:29:58,700 --> 00:30:01,300 We won't have much to grief. Oh, because you got to rhyme it, 444 00:30:01,300 --> 00:30:04,500 okay? When all your winds are repoed. 445 00:30:06,100 --> 00:30:09,400 And the reaper reaps what he sowed. 446 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:15,600 So I'm going to run from you. What I got to flee for, did it 447 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:19,200 hurt your self esteem? When you heard your sting was no 448 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:23,600 more except he says no mo mo mo and my kids. 449 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,100 Love that part. It's good. 450 00:30:25,100 --> 00:30:29,200 Go check it out. This is good news. 451 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:32,300 See we try to cope with the reality of death by saying it's 452 00:30:32,300 --> 00:30:35,200 just a part of life. But it's not. 453 00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:39,600 It was never meant to be that way things in the garden. 454 00:30:39,700 --> 00:30:42,100 We're not dying. But now, through the work of 455 00:30:42,100 --> 00:30:46,600 Christ things get put back together again and death and 456 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:50,300 he'll go to the Grave where they belong, and for those in Christ, 457 00:30:50,300 --> 00:30:54,600 there is no power over us. It's why we can sing no guilt in 458 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:56,200 life. No fear and death. 459 00:30:56,300 --> 00:31:01,100 This is the power of Christ in me exchange, the power of death 460 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:06,400 for the power of Christ. And he's going to return and 461 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,700 finish the work completely. There will be no more death, no 462 00:31:09,700 --> 00:31:11,700 more crying, No More Tears, no more pain. 463 00:31:11,700 --> 00:31:14,800 Not only will the sting of death be gone but the presence of 464 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:19,300 death will be gone. And as we begin to believe this, 465 00:31:19,700 --> 00:31:21,900 we are actually freed in the Here. 466 00:31:21,900 --> 00:31:27,900 And Now from the fear of death, we are no longer slaves to the 467 00:31:27,900 --> 00:31:30,900 fear of loss and death. Whether it be physical death, or 468 00:31:30,900 --> 00:31:34,200 the loss of a dream, or a reality, or a relationship. 469 00:31:34,300 --> 00:31:37,800 Or an ideal. We once had and don't get me 470 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:42,500 wrong, like, fear and death and loss and pain doubt that all 471 00:31:42,500 --> 00:31:46,000 still exist. In one sense, we can be honest 472 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,300 about that. We can admit that death is hard. 473 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,100 This is not some hope that just glosses over the depths of 474 00:31:53,100 --> 00:31:58,500 suffering and grief, we can grieve but not as those who have 475 00:31:58,500 --> 00:32:03,000 no hope if death and the one who wills it has been destroyed. 476 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,700 Then there is nothing left. Left to fear. 477 00:32:05,700 --> 00:32:10,400 And this can change us from placing safety as the top 478 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:12,700 priority in our life. Safety for me. 479 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,700 And the ones I love, I just want to live as long as I can, which 480 00:32:15,700 --> 00:32:18,400 is just a freaking blip on the radar of Eternity. 481 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:20,500 And we spend all our lives grasping for that. 482 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:24,700 Instead, we moved from safety to stewardship and say this is 483 00:32:24,700 --> 00:32:29,100 God's and it can be stirred it for his kingdom, both for myself 484 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:31,200 and those I love. And I don't say that without 485 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:36,800 recognizing the sacrifice that that is The good news of the 486 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:41,300 Gospel does not ignore the depths of grief but it does free 487 00:32:41,300 --> 00:32:44,800 us to look at and its face look suffering in its face and the 488 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:49,000 walk right into it because we know that that death, that pain, 489 00:32:49,100 --> 00:32:54,500 that suffering that Temptation, it's all just become a slave to 490 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:59,500 the purposes of God. Just like the enemy when they 491 00:32:59,500 --> 00:33:03,900 placed Jesus on the cross, inadvertently helped accomplish 492 00:33:03,900 --> 00:33:06,200 the atoning work of salvation for all. 493 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:11,300 Now in Christ, your life, the enemy's work of Temptation and 494 00:33:11,300 --> 00:33:15,200 death in your life will only serve to bring about God's glory 495 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:19,700 and your good. This is the massive upside down 496 00:33:19,700 --> 00:33:24,200 nature of the Gospel instead of us now being enslaved to death. 497 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:28,000 Death is now a slave to the Glorious work that God is doing 498 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:33,100 in your life. And so, I finish where I 499 00:33:33,100 --> 00:33:39,300 started. Are you prepared to die? 500 00:33:41,300 --> 00:33:44,000 And if you answer that question by talking about the things, 501 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:49,100 You've accomplished in your life where the will that you've 502 00:33:49,100 --> 00:33:54,200 prepared or the Investments you've made or the life 503 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:58,400 insurance plan you have. I might have to push back. 504 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:03,000 Because who can really ever do enough to make sure you're 505 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:08,300 prepared to die. But if by God's grace, you could 506 00:34:08,300 --> 00:34:14,800 answer that question by saying, I have no other argument. 507 00:34:16,199 --> 00:34:23,000 I have no other plea. But it is enough that Jesus died 508 00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:29,600 and that he died for me. It is only the death and 509 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:32,699 resurrection of Jesus that could ever remove the sting of our 510 00:34:32,699 --> 00:34:34,500 death. And so the invitation is, if you 511 00:34:34,500 --> 00:34:37,300 don't know Jesus, we want you to know him like that, all the 512 00:34:37,300 --> 00:34:40,699 things of this age will let you down and they're all taking you 513 00:34:40,699 --> 00:34:44,400 towards death, but in Christ, there is life offered to you. 514 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,900 And for those who do know Jesus, I want you to be encouraged that 515 00:34:48,900 --> 00:34:52,300 Duff and the source of death. Your sin has all been fully 516 00:34:52,300 --> 00:34:57,200 dealt with, by Jesus hear me. Clearly it is not your battle to 517 00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:59,700 fight. The work is finished. 518 00:34:59,700 --> 00:35:02,000 It is accomplished, it is complete. 519 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:08,100 So, rest in the work of Christ, because death is dead. 520 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:11,800 You are are now free to live.