2/6/13- Christ Became a Slave to Death to Set Us Free

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14,15)

Thoughts: Christ became not only human, but He suffered as a slave to death in order to free us from death.  Without Christ we are indeed slaves to death and to the fear of death (Heb. 2:15).  We cannot escape the Grim Reaper without Christ.  How many things do we do to avoid this slavery that we cannot escape? We diet- eating right to have good productive and long lives; We exercise- and continually read and hear about our need to move, stretch, push and sweat. We go to the doctor- to get the medicines we need to escape pain and to live longer. But ultimately no matter who we are, how much we have (or don't), how much we know (or don't) we are held captive and must come before the master of death- which is evil itself.  It is the ultimate wrong that life is extinguished- and so the one "who holds the power of death- is the devil."  But Christ faced death for us in order to free us from the sting of death (1 Cor. 15:56-57).  Death is still something we face, but we face it not as a brick wall, but as a doorway to a better life.  It is like Jesus made a "secret" escape route from the prison of death- and we need to know as we head toward the brick wall that there is a way out- belief in His making a way (the cross).  Christ became a prisoner of human life and human death in order to make an escape route for the prisoners.  The prison no longer is the ultimate end for us- there is release!  Part of our job is to tell others where that escape route is- pointing to the cross.  

Prayer: Thank you for sharing in our humanity, Lord.  Thank you for coming down to set us free from the slavery and prison of death and evil.  


B. Incarnation
This is the second great mystery of the Christian faith, affirmed by all Christians everywhere: that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly human. As to His divinity, He is the Son, the second person of the Trinity, being of one substance with the Father; as to His humanity, He is like us in every way but sin, of one substance with us, like us in having both a human soul and a human body. As to His divinity, He is eternally begotten of the Father; as to His humanity, He is born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. As to His divinity, His glory fills heaven and earth; as to His humanity, His glory is shown in the form of a suffering servant, most clearly when He is lifted up on the cross in our place.

"O For a Thousand Tongues" - He sets the captive free! (Click for song/video)