Able To Help

Today is a continuation of our study through the book of Hebrews, which is a letter written to a storm-tossed church of Jewish-Christian converts in the first century who were facing tremendous pressure to turn away from Christ.

• They were being excommunicated from their communities, driven out of synagogues, thrown in prison, their homes were being pillaged…

• There was a constant temptation to stop resisting, turn away from Christ, and turn back to their old ways.  The temptation to give in and live like the rest of society.  The temptation to throw in the towel and take the easy way out. 

• YOU know the feeling. Life is hard. Temptation is relentless.  Living for Jesus is the best thing ever, but it often feels like swimming against the current of the world.      

They needed help; and if we’re being honest, we need help too.  

Thankfully, we have a Savior who is more than able to help.  

We read in verse 18 of chapter 2… 

Hebrews 2:18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. 

No matter what your temptation looks like… no matter what kind of pressure you feel… Jesus knows, He has been there, He has been victorious, and He is able to help you. 

Now… verse 18 of chapter 2 is the culmination of a powerful development across two chapters, so we have some re-tracing to do if we are going to really appreciate what the Lord is saying to us here. 

The author of Hebrews has already gone to great lengths to show us why Jesus is perfectly qualified to help us in all the ways we need it most.  

In chapter 1, we saw that part of what qualifies Jesus to help us is His divinity. 

• He is the revelation of God to humanity (1:1-2)

• He is the heir of all things (1:2)

• He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature (1:3)

• He upholds all things by the word of His power (1:3)

• He has made purification for sins and is now seated in the position of all authority at God’s right hand (1:3)

• He is far superior to angels, as the Mediator of the new covenant (1:4-14)

And then into chapter 2, we saw that the other half of what qualifies Jesus to help us is His humanity. 

• He is the perfect version of man who has realized our true calling and can bring us into our ultimate destiny (2:5-9)

• He has tasted death for everyone (2:9)

• He is our brother, because He has adopted us into God’s family (2:11-13) 

So… the first chapter and a half have been an absolute firehose of christology.  We have learned so much about our beloved Savior. 

And then, for the past several weeks, we’ve taken our time on verses 14-17, marveling over the ways Jesus’ sacrificial death accomplishes our salvation… 

Since we’re wrapping up this entire section today, let’s go back through these verses and put it all together so that we can really feel the weight of verse 18… This is WHY Jesus is able to help us… 

Hebrews 2:14–17 (ESV): 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, 

Why did Jesus have to be incarnated as a man? In order to save fallen men.  

• Alselm of Canterbury: “It could not have been done unless man paid what was owing to God for sin. But the debt was so great that, while man alone owed it, only God could pay it, so that the same person must be both man and God…”  

So Jesus, who is God, suffered as a man, in the place of men… 

that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 

We talked about how Jesus destroyed the devil by delivering us from 

• the Penalty of sin (so that Satan has no more valid accusation against us); by delivering us from 

• the Power of sin (so that Satan has no more leverage to cause us to sin); and by sealing the deal so that one day we will be delivered completely from 

• the Presence of sin (so that Satan will be banished once and for all). 

And the glorious byproduct of this is given in verse 15… 

15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 

If you are in Christ, you no longer need to fear death because instead of death being a doorway into judgment for sin, it is now a doorway into the arms of your heavenly Father who loves you. 

• Calvin: It is from this fear that Christ has released us, by undergoing our curse, and thus taking away what was fearful in death. Although we must still meet death, let us nevertheless be calm and serene in living and dying, when we have Christ going before us.

• Apostle Paul: Death is swallowed up in victory… O death where is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:54)

And as Devin mentioned last week, this hope is without distinction but not without exception: that is, God embraces all who come to Him, but we must come to Him in true repentance and faith…  

That’s why it says in verse 16… 

16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 

Offspring of Abraham not just referring to those of Jewish descent, but to those with true faith like Abraham had. 

And for those who have true faith, Jesus becomes our High Priest, standing in the gap and shielding us from the wrath of God… 

17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 

Propitiation is a big word that simply means to appease God’s wrath and turn it to favor.  

That’s what Jesus does as our Mediator. 

Just like the High Priest in the Old Testament who would enter into the Holy of Holies once a year to make atonement for the sins of the people by offering a sacrifice, Jesus is our greater High Priest who goes into God’s presence for us has not just offered a sacrifice for us, He has become the sacrifice for us.  

He has made eternal atonement for our sins and has established Himself as our High Priest forever, interceding for us. 

And now, verse 18 is the grand finale. The conclusion.  The point that the author has been driving towards…  

This is where theological truth meets life application. 

18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

The driving point here is that Jesus’ isn’t just some distant Priestly figure who makes sure our sins are atoned for and then leaves us to fend for ourselves in the throes of temptation and evil in this life; He is a close friend and companion; a helper in our times of need.  

I don’t know about you, but I personally feel very validated by the author’s use of the present tense when he says He is able to help those who are being tempted.  

That’s how temptation works, isn’t it? It’s relentless and ongoing.  But so is Jesus’ help.  He continually helps those who are being tempted. 

And what enables Him to continually help us is the fact that He has gone before us.  He Himself has experienced temptation. 

Hebrews 4:15 really sums this up: 

• Hebrews 4:15 (ESV): 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Some have argued that Jesus can’t possibly know exactly what we are going through because He never had to endure sin itself, only the temptation to sin.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

The fact that He never sinned means He suffered infinitely MORE than we ever will. 

In fact, if we were to ask the question: how did Jesus suffer when tempted? The answer is: He suffered because He never gave in.  

He stood under the constant weight of temptation without budging. 

After all, it’s not those who give in to temptation who suffer; it’s those who stand up under it. 

Now, I don’t mean that sin doesn’t have consequences that cause us to suffer… it absolutely does. The Bible and real life experience are replete with examples of this.  

My point is simply that the temptation itself is most burdensome when resisted. 

There are many practical examples that illustrate this truth. 

• You don’t feel the force of wind by running with it, but by running against it. 

• You don’t feel the wrath of the North Shore ocean currents until you start trying to swim against it. 

• You don’t feel the struggle of overcoming addiction by giving in, but by resisting the urge to give in. 

• “Many persons are tempted, but do not suffer in being tempted. When ungodly men are tempted, the bait is to their taste, and they swallow it greedily. Temptation is a pleasure to them; indeed, they sometimes tempt the devil to tempt them… But good men suffer when they are tempted, and the better they are the more they suffer.” (Spurgeon)

He was tempted in every way just as we are. 

You name it, Jesus was tempted by it. Pride. Envy. Hatred and resentment. Self-gratification. Lust. Materialism.  Our Savior faced all of these impulses and temptations, and His suffering came from the fact that He stood up under that weight without giving in, not even once. 

By the way, as the Son of God, He was also tempted in ways we can’t even imagine. Particularly, He was repeatedly tempted to forsake His calling as Messiah.  Over and over He was faced with the temptation to take the easy way out instead of sticking to the pre-ordained plan of God. 

In Matthew 4 we read about His temptation in the wilderness. 

Over and over again, Satan tempts Him to act in a way that would cause Him to abandon His calling and identity. 

• Satan: “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Just give in to your flesh.

  • Jesus: “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  

• Satan: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down [from this high place so that angels will catch you]”. Just take the easy way out.

  • Jesus: “It is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 

• Satan: “All these [kingdoms of the world] I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Just shortcut your whole process of suffering for the sins of the world and just become King right now. Let’s do this the easy way. 

  • Jesus: “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

(By the way, do you notice a theme with Jesus’ strategy to resist temptation?  He’s constantly quoting The Word of God!) 

A similar temptation came even from His own disciples: 

• In Mark 8, Peter tries to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross. Ironically, Jesus used the same phrase toward Peter as He used on Satan: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Mark 8:33) 

• Jesus was not going to be diverted from His mission by anyone.  

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was begging God the Father to give Him a way out, knowing that He was about to endure not just the horrors of Roman crucifixion but the outpouring of the very wrath of God toward human sin.  

• But in the end, He said, “Yet not what I will but what you will” (Mark 14:36) 

• Hebrews 12:2 - for the joy set before Him He endured the cross. 

• He looked past the temptation to give in to the ultimate goal of His endurance, which was our salvation.  

And don’t forget, He bore all of this as a man.  That’s what chapter 2 has been all about.  The humanity and humility of Christ.  This was not a simulation for Jesus; He really was fully God AND fully man.  

In all of these ways Jesus stood up under temptation, which caused Him great suffering.

And the conclusion of verse 18 is that since He has suffered under temptation, He is able to help us in our own struggle against temptation. 

What a beautiful and comforting thought!

• Some of you here have gone through suffering and pain that most others will never understand.  And if that’s you, you can attest that one of the most helpful things is having someone in your corner who does understand.  

  • Maybe it’s someone else who has lost a child just like you have. 

  • Or someone who has lost a job just like you have. 

  • Or someone who has battled illness or addiction just like you have.

• Those relationships are our lifeline in the throes of suffering.  

The same is true in our suffering under temptation.  We need someone who has gone through it and come out the other side to help us. 

Take a moment and consider: What is your greatest present temptation?

• Maybe it’s the temptation to resent someone in your life instead of forgive them. 

• Maybe it’s the temptation to fear instead of trust God. 

• Maybe it’s the temptation to give in to lust.  

Have you ever thought, in your moment of struggle, that Jesus is right there with you and can help you?  That He has proven that it is humanly possible to endure far worse? 

It’s why 1 Corinthians 10:13 is not just a cold command, but a reassuring promise from a God who understands… 

• 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV): 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

So… He’s able to help us. 

How do we receive His help?  

Let me give you three ways.  Three actions you can take. 

The first two will not surprise you. The third might. 

1. Call out to Him in PRAYER 

It says He is able to help… so ask for His help! 

• Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

• Matthew 6:13 Jesus taught His disciples to pray: lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

• James 4:7–8 (ESV): 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

2. Quote His WORD

This is what Jesus did in His moment of temptation in the wilderness!

“It is written, it is written, it is written…” 

You can even take the words right out of Jesus’ mouth: 

• Matthew 4:10 (ESV): 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” 

• Psalm 119:11 (ESV): 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

3. Remember who you ARE 

Flip over to Romans 6, and as you are…

Consider this… 

No matter what your specific temptation is, one thing is certain: The devil wants to leverage it to make you forget your true identity and calling.  

Just like Jesus in the wilderness… and with his doubting disciples… and in the Garden of Gethsemane… Satan would love nothing more than for you to abandon your true identity and calling and just give in. 

See, beneath our battle against sin is a greater battle: a battle for our identity.  

Hebrews chapter 2 has been all about what Jesus has done in order to secure us in God’s family forever.  

When we know who we are as adopted children of God, and that our brother and Savior Jesus has walked ahead of us and overcome temptation and defeated sin and death for us and is able to help us, it changes everything. It all begins with identity.   

For the Christian, sin is a symptom of a soul that has simply forgotten who it truly is.

When we sin as Christians, when we give in to temptation at any level, we are behaving in a way that is incongruent with our nature. 

So, at the deepest level, the battle against sin is won through remembering and embracing who we really are.   

This is exactly Paul’s argument in Romans 6. 

Romans 6:1–14 (ESV): 6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 

• Here Paul is using a style of argumentation called diatribe. He’s anticipating a rhetorical question from an imaginary skeptic.  And the question, in this case, is, ‘well heck, if the debt has been paid for my sins past, present and future, why not just keep putting more on the tab? Why not just keep sinning so that we can really show them what God’s grace is made of?! And Paul goes… 

2 By no means! 

And here’s his nail-in-the-coffin argument: 

How can we who died to sin still live in it? 

That’s an appeal to identity.  

If you’re in Christ, then by definition you have died to your old sinful self and you have new life in Him.  And this is illustrated by baptism.  He says: 

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

It’s such an airtight argument!  It’s so persuasive because it’s appealing to the deepest part of our identity as adopted children of God… as those who have had our sins atoned for… as those who have Jesus our High Priest interceding for us and pleading our case.  

This is who we ARE now.  Don’t you want to live like who you ARE?! 

Yes. We do. 

But it’s hard.  In fact, it’s agonizing sometimes.  We suffer under the weight of temptation, in moments when we could be enjoying our sin.  

But Jesus is worth it.  Because Jesus is better than sin.  In His presence is fullness of joy, and His right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 

And He knows that He is better for us than sin, and He knows that sin keeps us from fullness of joy in Him.  So He has personally removed all the obstacles that sin created between us. 

Jesus has done it all for us.  

He has made propitiation for our sins and brought us to God. And now, as verse 18 gloriously reminds us, He is able to help us whenever sin creeps up and tries to divide us again.  

Call out to Him in PRAYER 

Quote His WORD

Remember who you ARE