Christmas isn’t over yet – A set of tools

Hebrews 2:10-18 ¹⁰Certainly it was fitting for God (the one for whom and through whom everything exists), in leading many sons to glory, to bring the author of their salvation to his goal through sufferings. ¹¹For he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified all have one Father. For that reason, he is not ashamed to call them brothers. ¹²He says: I will declare your name to my brothers. Within the congregation I will sing your praise.

¹³And again: I will trust in him. And again: Here I am and the children God has given me.

¹⁴Therefore, since the children share flesh and blood, he also shared the same flesh and blood, so that through death he could destroy the one who had the power of death (that is, the Devil) ¹⁵and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. ¹⁶For surely he was not concerned with helping angels but with helping Abraham’s offspring. ¹⁷For this reason, he had to become like his brothers in every way, in order that he would be a merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God, so that he could pay for the sins of the people. ¹⁸Indeed, because he suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Now may the God of hope fill you with complete joy and peace as you continue to believe, so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

As a child, I would get Atari 2600 games and Legos for Christmas. My two sisters would get things like Barbies and clothes. My dad would get tools. He would get quarts of oil for his tractors, crescent wrenches, screwdrivers and hammers. I always thought, “Wow! That’s so boring!”

Decades later, when I started adulting, I enjoyed receiving tools for Christmas. Tools are just toys … with more power!

This year I received a Milwaukee cordless drill and bits. I love it!

Tools are useful presents. A crescent wrench for fixing plumbing. A Dremel for woodcarving. A voltage tester for replacing wiring.

You might get excited to have a set of tools like these under your Christmas tree. But what if you don’t know how to use those tools? Then they may be useless to you. It’s great if you have a crescent wrench. But it doesn’t do you much good if you don’t know how to use it in fixing your plumbing. You might be excited to receive a Dremel tool to start carving wood. Unless you don’t know how to carve wood. And a voltage tester is a great tool before you start replacing your wiring. But it can be dangerous to play with wires if you know nothing about electricity.

As Christians, our Christmas trees are still up until the Gentiles’ Christmas on January 6 when we celebrate the Festival of the Epiphany. Since we’ve left our Christmas tree up, God has left another Christmas present for us under the Christmas tree. That present is a set of tools. These tools help you when you are being tempted. The author of Hebrews writes, “Because he suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

The tool set God has left for you under the Christmas tree is Jesus’ incarnation. It is the Son of God taking on human flesh and blood.

When you get a set of tools you don’t know how to use, it’s beneficial if you have a friend who can come over to show you how to use them. God has not only given you the tools of Jesus’ incarnation. He has given you Jesus himself. Jesus is your Friend, your Brother, the Jack-of-All-Trades Handyman who is able to help fix whatever is broken in your life.

The author of Hebrews begins this section of the text, “Certainly it was fitting for God (the one for whom and through whom everything exists), in leading many sons to glory, to bring the author of their salvation to his goal through sufferings.” What is the “it” in your life where you need God’s help? If you have an issue in your home that needs repairing – a leaky faucet, the remodeling of the bathroom or a new garage door – you assess the situation before you begin working on the project.

What situation in your spiritual home needs assessment for Jesus to come in and fix? What is the “it” that is fitting for God to fix?

Has a chasm been created between you and your spouse?

Do you find yourself angry with your children all the time?

Is there tension in your workplace with you and your co-workers?

Are you struggling with loneliness, depression and poor health?

These may be just small, minor irritations. A leaky faucet or a light switch that doesn’t always work are minor irritations, too. But the leaky faucet can eventually cause rot and mold in your floorboards. Faulty wiring can cause an electrical fire. Small problems don’t usually stay small problems. They grow and explode into major issues. That’s why you need a handyman to come fix them.

Jesus is your handyman. But not just any guy you find on the internet. He is the Author of salvation. The Son of God took on human flesh and blood. To fix your problems, God became human. He became our Brother.

Jesus can restore your marriage, remove your anger, fix your tension and repair your physical and mental health.

Jesus does this because “he is not ashamed to call them brothers.” How awesome is that?! Personally, I think this is one of the greatest phrases of grace in the whole Bible.

Think of how ashamed you feel when your little one is acting up in church. Or when you go with your dad to the car dealership to buy a vehicle. Or when you learn your brother-in-law was selling drugs out of his garage. We are ashamed of our relatives when they say and do things that are shameful.

Yet, Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters. Even though our lives are messed up with over-reactions, gossip, hurtful words, embarrassing actions, arguments and withholding forgiveness. Still, Jesus is not ashamed of us. How could Jesus not be ashamed of us?

The author of Hebrews tells us. Jesus shared in our flesh and blood. There was a reason Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Jesus came to be our Substitute in every way. To fix all our human problems, Jesus became a human. He needed a human body with Mary’s DNA. He needed to have a heart that pumped blood and lungs that moved oxygen. He needed a brain that felt pain and a heart that felt emotions. He had to experience weariness and his eyes needed to close in sleep. Jesus needed a human body to fix all the problems humans have because of their sinful bodies.

Jesus became like us in every way. He didn’t come to help the angels. He came to help Abraham’s offspring – us. “For surely he was not concerned with helping angels but with helping Abraham’s offspring.”

When facing a difficult or traumatic event in your life, it helps to know others have gone through similar events before you ask for advice from them. When you’re remodeling your kitchen or replacing your hardwood floors, you check out the references of your handyman to make sure he’s done these things before you. You check to make sure he has a 5-star rating.

Our heavenly Father, in his wise and generous provision, appointed his only begotten Son to become like us. “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us” (John 1:14). He became “like his brothers in every way. Why? “In order that he would be a merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God, so that he could pay for the sins of the people.”

Jesus experienced what we experienced – anguish, temptation, grief and suffering. This way, he could have a 5-star rating. He experienced anguish so he could help those who were in anguish with their diseases, sicknesses and demon possessions (Matthew 19:35-38). He experienced our temptations when the Holy Spirit drove him into the desert to take on the devil’s temptations (Matthew 4:1-11). He felt our grief when he wept over the grave of his friend Lazarus (John 11:1-440. And more than we can ever know, Jesus endured suffering when he went to the cross with humanity’s sins (John 19:1-37).

Jesus knows how to fix our issues. He has all the tools and knowledge required through his incarnation. The greatest issue he knows how to fix is death.

People are scared right now. They are looking at each other as potential carriers of death. They look suspiciously at one another. They are frustrated with each other. They are yelling at one another. All because people are afraid of getting sick and dying. Or getting others sick and them dying.

Brothers and sisters, we are all going to die. We’re all going to die of something. It really doesn’t matter what we do, we cannot prevent death. Death is going to claim every one of us. “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:20). Hiding from death will never work. We are allowing ourselves to become afraid of death. We are letting ourselves become slaves to the fear of death. The devil reigns when we are afraid of dying. That’s his real power over us.

When you live in fear, when you look at others in fear, where does that fear come from? The author of Hebrews rightly reminds us that fear is the greatest tool in the devil’s toolbox (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Overcoming fear comes from God. God said, “Now this is what the Lord says, ‘Do not be afraid, because I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine’” (Isaiah 43:1). We have no reason to fear because God is with us. “The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will not abandon you, and he will not forsake you. Do not be afraid and do not be overwhelmed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Jesus replaces fear with peace. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

By taking on human flesh, Jesus was able to die. By remaining God, Jesus was able to rise from the dead. As the God-Man, Jesus has destroyed the power of death – the only power the devil has over us. “Therefore, since the children share flesh and blood, he also shared the same flesh and blood, so that through death he could destroy the one who had the power of death (that is, the Devil) and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Jesus has smashed the chains that once held you as slaves to death. Don’t put those chains on again. Jesus has freed you from the fear of death. Don’t allow the media to make you afraid of dying. Jesus has prepared a home in heaven for you. You should never be afraid to leave this home to go to your better home.

Jesus already died. His death makes death’s hold on you powerless. One day your heart won’t pump, your lungs won’t breathe and your brain won’t think. But death will not have power over you. The grave will not be able to confine you. You will be with your Brother who is not ashamed of you. Because this is true, death should never terrify you. Jesus’ divinely human body has won eternal life for you.

It’s great to have tools under the Christmas tree. It’s even greater if you have a brother who has the knowledge and experience to use those tools and is willing to come help you repair whatever needs fixing in your house.

Jesus is our Big Brother. Through his incarnation, he has the knowledge and experience to fix all our problems. He knows when we are addicted, when we are afraid, when we are worried and depressed. He knows when we are at our wits’ end and there seems to be no hope. He knows when we are afraid of dying. It is then that the Son of God extends his divinely human, nail-pierced hand. It is then that he speaks with his divinely human voice. He reminds us that he will fix all our problems, sins, fears, and even death. “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Amen.

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16)