Today we begin a journey through the book of Hebrews which will take us to Christmas. Hebrews, despite its name, is found in the New Testament. Hebrews sounds like an Old Testament book having something to do with the history of the Jews, or the "Hebrews." But, it is in the New Testament right after the letters of Paul. Hebrews draws its name, in part, from the many Old Testament images in it and from the intended audience. The recipients of this letter, or some commentators say more a sermon than a letter, appear to be Jewish converts to Christianity who are facing some persecution for their faith and are tempted to return to their old faith and practices. There are many images in Hebrews of the old sacrificial system practiced at the temple in Jerusalem. Yet the theme for Hebrews, and its application for us today, is Jesus Christ. Hebrews encourages its readers to hold fast to Christ whatever the circumstances around them. Hebrews speaks to its readers about the supremacy of Christ over any other lords in our lives—whether it be returning to the old practices of faith, as was the case for the original recipients, or for today’s readers, placing our trust in other things, the other gods of our culture that tempt us to worship them. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to focus our attention on Jesus, "the author and perfecter of our faith," the beginning and the end, the fulfillment of all we seek in a relationship with God.

Before reading our Scripture passage for today, let me refer to a commentator’s introduction to Hebrews as further confirmation of the book’s relevancy for our lives today. Dr. Tom Long, formerly a professor of preaching at Princeton Seminary and now professor of preaching at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, has written a commentary on Hebrews. In his introduction, he writes of the author’s purpose in this letter—or, more correctly for Dr. Long’s commentary—this "sermon" to the Hebrews in which Long calls the writer the "Preacher." Dr. Long writes this, and listen for its application for us today: "The Preacher is not preaching into a vacuum; he is addressing a real and urgent pastoral problem, one that seems astonishingly contemporary. His congregation is exhausted. They are tired—tired of serving the world, tired of worship, tired of Christian education, tired of being peculiar and whispered about in society, tired of the spiritual struggle, tired of trying to keep their prayer life going, tired even of Jesus. Their hands droop and their knees are weak (12:12), attendance is down at church (10:25), and they are losing confidence. The threat to this congregation is not that they are charging off in the wrong direction; they do not have enough energy to charge off anywhere. The threat here is that, worn down and worn out, they will drop their end of the rope and drift away. Tired of walking the walk, many of them are considering taking a walk, leaving the community and falling away from the faith.

…As strategies go, the Preacher’s approach to ministry is so out of phase, so counter-intuitive, so in violation of the notion that congregations are allergic to serious theological thinking, that it probably should be seen as refreshing, and maybe even revolutionary." (Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, Hebrews; Dr. Tom Long, p.3; underlines mine)

What struck me about Dr. Long’s comment is that it reminded me of something I’ve said since the day I arrived here. In facing whatever situation or challenge that has arisen, in encouraging the elders in their leadership in the church, I have often found myself saying, "If we will just focus on Jesus, we’ll be ok." Folks, it begins and ends with Jesus. Yes, we seek as a church to improve group dynamics, to manage conflicts in a healthy way, to have effective and meaningful mission structures, meaningful Christian Education and "snappy" worship services. But, it begins and ends with Jesus—and everything in-between is also to draw our attention to Jesus.

So, I believe Hebrews is a book for our time and place, words that can encourage us and strengthen us as we journey toward an ever more meaningful Christmas.

Now, the Scripture reading and some brief words about its meaning for us today.

"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways…" Already you can see the Old Testament setting being established by referencing the word of God spoken through the prophets. "…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Several quick points here. First, the word spoken through the Son does not negate the earlier word spoken through the prophets. Rather, as we shall see again and again in this journey through Hebrews, the words of the prophets were pointing to the Son, whose arrival would bring the culmination of God’s word to His people. You see, the beginning and the end. From that point on, in your search for God, in your desire to know more about God, look to Jesus. He is "the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being." Also, when I look to the heavens and marvel at the wonder of God’s creation, without fail I am reminded of this passage, "[Jesus is] sustaining all things by his powerful word." Creation was spoken into being by God’s powerful word, "Let there be light,’ and there was light," (Genesis 1:3), and it is sustained today by his powerful word. When I look to the heavens, I picture the order of our universe being upheld by the powerful word of Jesus Christ.

Continuing on, "After [Jesus] had provided purification for sins," that is to say, the fulfillment of his work upon earth by cleansing us of our sins through his death upon the cross and his resurrection from the grave, "[Jesus] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Throughout Hebrews, in its various images of Jesus as our Great High Priest, Jesus as our mediator, our advocate before God, keep that image in mind. Jesus is present in the throne room of Almighty God, speaking and acting on our behalf.

Then, the writer, the "Preacher," makes his first comparison of Jesus to other images important in the faith life of his audience. It is the first time he uses the word "superior," but hardly the last time as he seeks to present the superiority, the perfection, the completion of Christ over all things. "So [Jesus] became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs." There then follows a series of quotations from the Old Testament that support the statement that the Son is superior to angels. Then, following a warning from the "Preacher" to pay attention, he next begins to speak of Christ’s "lowering" himself to live on earth and, in his humanity, taste death for his human "brothers and sisters." Picking the reading up at verse 5 of chapter 2: "It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified," and that "place" is Psalm 8, a great psalm about God’s love and care for human beings, "What are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet.’" Then continuing with his thought, the "Preacher" says, "In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is no subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them." In other words, God’s purpose was for humanity to reign over creation, but we live in an imperfect world. Sin has distorted that purpose. But, we see its fulfillment in whom? "But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." What sin had distorted, God’s grace accomplished through Jesus Christ.

Then the "Preacher" speaks of humanity’s connection to the humanity of Christ, "In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters." Jesus, in his humanity, brings human beings to God. Jesus, in his divinity, brings God to human beings.

Then the Preacher returns to his quoting the Old Testament: "[Jesus] says, ‘I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises,’ (Psalm 22:22). And again, ‘I will put my trust in him,’ (Isaiah 8:17). And again he says, ‘Here am I, and the children God has given me,’ (Isaiah 8:18). 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—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants." For any who thought Jesus was a "heavenly being" and his death and resurrection were, therefore, insufficient for humanity’s fear of death, the Preacher corrects. Jesus shared in our humanity, he has conquered death so that we, as Abraham’s descendants, can be freed of its grip in our lives.

Then the Preacher—referring to the old system of atonement, or cleansing from sin, a system where once a year the high priest, himself imperfect and in need of atonement, entered the Holy of Holies with the sacrificial offering for the people—finishes this section with these words, "For this reason [Jesus] had to be made like his brothers and sisters 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."

Here’s the point—simply stated yet incredibly profound—whatever you might be experiencing in life, Jesus understands. Jesus empathizes with you! If you’re experiencing difficulties in life and you think that no one cares, one person does for sure. Jesus cares. If you think that no one can sympathize with the unique challenges you face in life, you are wrong. Jesus does. Jesus does because he himself, in his humanity, experienced the deepest hurts, the most difficult losses, the greatest temptations we face as human beings. "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

Do you remember the movie, The Last Temptation of Christ? Directed by Martin Scorsese, released in 1988, the movie sparked a great deal of controversy. The movie was based on a novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, the author of Zorba the Greek. Kazantzakis, who once studied for the Orthodox priesthood, sought to address in his book, and Scorsese sought to address in his movie, the difficult question raised by the Preacher in Hebrews that Christ was tempted in every way—just as we are—yet was without sin (4:15). What did that look like? What did the temptations Christ faced look like? The controversy came about because of the images in the book and, more specifically the movie--images of Christ pondering what life would be like if he rejected the cross and lived out his days quietly with Mary Magdalene as his wife. There were some very "earthy" scenes portraying Christ’s temptation. But, how "earthy" did the temptations Christ experienced get? Very earthy, I would imagine, because your temptations and mine are very earthy. And Christ knows our experience because He experienced it also.

There was such controversy at the time that one of the members of our church, who owned a video store—this was back in the days before Blockbuster and Netflix—was being threatened with boycotts if he stocked the movie in his store. This was in quiet, little old Hastings, Nebraska! He called me to see if he could come to my office to talk about it. We did meet and he asked me what I thought about the movie and him carrying it in his store. And basically I told him that while I might disagree with the portrayal depicted in the movie, the question that was being asked is a good, legitimate theological question. What did the temptations of Christ look like? We know he was tempted to walk away from the purpose God had for him and follow a safer, easier life. We know the torment he experienced when considering the pathway that was ahead of him—excruciating death by crucifixion. What did the temptations of Christ look like? Each one of us, in pondering that question, would envision different scenarios. But the conclusion we must inevitably come to is the same. Jesus understands, Jesus empathizes with, Jesus knows our deepest hurts and anguish…because he himself, in his humanity, experienced them also.

So, when you find yourself exhausted—tired of serving others, tired of worship, tired of spiritual struggles—know that Jesus understands and wants to help. When you find yourself exhausted—tired of the physical battle you face every day, worn out from grief over the loss of a loved one, tired of the hassles in broken relationships in your life—know that Jesus understands and wants to help. Turn to Jesus, lean upon Jesus, because he himself experienced the same and is able to help.