Destroy, Part One
Intro:
14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…
“Therefore”
Brief Review of Hebrews 2:9-13 (The last three sermons in Hebrews)
Jesus was briefly made a little lower than the angels for the purpose of suffering death for us. (v9)
Jesus has captained (archagos) the path of suffering to glory, and ONLY through His path might we be saved. (v10) (White board illustration)
And when we follow Him, we are all one, brothers and sisters with Christ, co-heirs to the Kingdom.
THEREFORE:
“Destroy”
katargeō (kat-arg-eh’-o)
to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative
to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency
to deprive of force, influence, power
Chuck Smith:
Destroy here means “to put out of business.”
Jesus suffered and died to put Satan’s power over us out of business.
We have the power to reckon our flesh (our “old man”) dead and give no place to sin in our lives.
We can identify with Christ in His resurrection and enjoy life in the Promised Land for the Christian. We claim the cities in the land by faith and rejoice in the victory over the Enemy.
PB Note on: We have the power to reckon our flesh (our “old man”) dead and give no place to sin in our lives.
Q: What is the ACTUAL difference, in terms of ability, that separates a believer and a non-believer?
A: We have the ability to NOT sin. They do not. They MUST sin.
(Think about that the next time you find yourself frustrated with the sin of non-believers.)
Matthew Henry:
Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he must take part of the same, and he made like his brethren, v. 14, 15.
For no higher nor lower nature than man’s that had sinned could so suffer for the sin of man as to satisfy the justice of God, and raise man up to a state of hope, and make believers the children of God, and so brethren to Christ.
Closing Thought:
So Do All Dogs Go to Heaven? (Picture)
(If you say “no” as I do, what is your theological argument?)
(Do you want me to make you feel better about the possibility of your pets being in Heaven? It’s a weak argument, but I can offer it?)
The reality is this: we are not going to be thinking about our pets in Heaven. We will be CONSUMED with greater things.