JULY 27 = HEBREWS 2
SHARING OUR HUMANITY
We know this to be true elsewhere in the New Testament: Jesus was fully human, tempted in every way. Yet he was without sin. It was essential that Jesus did not stoop to become ALMOST human, but with super powers and super intelligence and the strength to stop a flying bullet. He had to be mortal and die. He had to be mocked and beaten, and he had to serve and give. Otherwise, his sacrifice would not have had any reason to happen.
No, he had to be human, in...
JULY 27 = HEBREWS 2
SHARING OUR HUMANITY
We know this to be true elsewhere in the New Testament: Jesus was fully human, tempted in every way. Yet he was without sin. It was essential that Jesus did not stoop to become ALMOST human, but with super powers and super intelligence and the strength to stop a flying bullet. He had to be mortal and die. He had to be mocked and beaten, and he had to serve and give. Otherwise, his sacrifice would not have had any reason to happen.
No, he had to be human, in order to bring us along with him.
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—”
The humanity of Jesus not only defeated Satan, but it was so that he might serve as our compassionate and safely reserved example. The human had to defeat death, so the rest of us could follow.
“For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
You know a little about Jesus’ prayer in the Garden on the night of his betrayal: Father, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. Jesus had to suffer like that, and had to be denied, because we ourselves are also denied when our wills do not align with the Father’s. Otherwise, how could Jesus bear our sins? How could he make us one with the Father, except that he went through the valley of the shadow of death himself, bearing our sins in his body.
And then comes one of my favorite clues about the humanity of Jesus.
“He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.””
Jesus sang in church! That’s right, it says it right there: “In the assembly I will sing your praises.”
Maybe I just love this thought because I’m a musician. But I like to think it is deeper than that. You know, many of us men are proud, and if we can’t win at something, we don’t try. So in church I see men stand with arms crossed, letting the women and children carry the load of singing. But one of my most touching worship experiences was on a Sunday evening when I was sitting in the congregation and we were singing the song, “Jesus Loves Me.” There behind me was a dear friend, who is a faithful husband and a father of several children. He couldn’t carry a tune, at all, but there he was with his children, singing in full voice his praises and the assurance that Jesus loves us all. Even those of us who don’t sing well.
It made me wonder if perhaps the incarnation was so complete that Jesus may have been just average at certain things. Not a great athlete, not an academic genius, and maybe our Lord didn’t have perfect pitch. But if not, he fulfilled Scripture anyway, and he sang praises in the assembly for all to hear.
What do we have to be proud of? Do any of us have better voices than the angels who sing in God’s presence night and day? What does it matter? Jesus sang. Let’s join him in praise today. Amen.
