Hebrews 1:1-2:18 Overcoming our fears in 2003
Introduction
3 things modern men and women fear most:
1. fear of dishonour and shame
2. fear of loss and suffering
3. fear of death
This in fact is not dissimilar to what the early Christian faced:
1. they met initially in house churches
2. sensitive to certain amount of hostility from friends and family when they left the synagogue
3. objects of gossip in the open market
4. after AD 64, the fire of Rome, identified as subversive elements in the Roman society
This is how the Roman historian Tacitus described the suffering of the Christians: “Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired”.
The early Christians if anything faced a more direct and severe test and threat than what we encounter today. However, the fears that they feared were also similar to us, they worried they may be shamed and dishonoured in the eyes of others, Christians were very much a marginalised group in the 1st Century. They feared by continuing to hold on to their faith, they might suffer loss, it might come in the form of loss of employment, it might be excommunicated from their families or synagogues, it might be even in the form of being imprisoned because of their belief. Finally, they faced the ultimate form of test, some of them were faced with the choice of either renouncing their faith or facing execution, usually in the form of crucifixion.
It is against this backdrop the author of the epistle to the Hebrews wrote to them and to encourage them.
We can learn from the exhortation and encouragement as well.
Fear of shame and dishonour
Fear of shame and dishonour is often due to association. We may not have sufficient self-esteem if we come from a socially disadvantaged background. We may be worried how others look at us. We may be worried I can’t live up to other’s expectation. Hence that may be why modern men and women always need to prove we are something.
Early Christians were a marginalised group. They also faced similar fear. They worried whether by associating with the Christian congregation, their masters, their patrons, their families or their neighbours might despise them. As a consequence, some of them might have drifted away (Heb 2:1), or they might decide to make their faith invisible so as not to attract any attention.
It was against such a danger that the author wrote to them. As our fear of shame and dishonour can be due to association with someone or something (in the case of the early Christian, it was their association with the Christian faith), the most effective way to combat this fear is also by association with someone or something that we can be proud of.
The author therefore reminded his audience:
1. Being a Christian is nothing to be ashamed of.
2. Because the Lord we serve is none other than God’ son (1:1). He is much more important than the prophets (God’s servants).
3. He is the heir of creation. He is the creator and sustainer of the universe (1:2)
4. He is also an exact image and he reflects the character of God (1:2).
5. He has attained an exalted status in sitting at the right hand of God (1:3). Right hand signifies the highest status – right hand man.
6. He is also much higher and better than God’s messenger – the angels.
The author then associated the Christians with Jesus. They belong to one family (2:11). He is not ashamed to call them brothers (2:11). So while the early Christians might be looked down and despised by others, they had nothing to be feared or ashamed of. Their champion, their patron in God’s household was none other than God’s Son. Others might have rejected them, but God through Jesus already accepted them. They did not need to prove their worth to other people, because they were God’s sons and daughters already, and one day they would be accepted into God’s glory if they persevere with their faith.
Fear of loss and suffering
Often we fear about suffering and loss because we are uncertain of the future. We also have no confidence that our possessions will remain ours forever. In fact, to the contrary, we know many of our possessions will one day pass away.
Today, we may have good health, but who can tell what will happen tomorrow. Today we may have a job, but there is no guarantee the next year, the next month or indeed tomorrow will still be the same.
To borrow another nautical metaphor like what the author of Hebrews has done (the one he used is “drifting away” 2:1), we are sailing into the seas of unknown in the coming year.
We all hope for a peaceful and prosperous year. But the realities are:
· We are facing the threat of wars.
· We are facing the threat of terrorist attacks.
· There is still no end in sight of the drought this country is facing.
· Stating the obvious, the global and local economies are highly unpredictable and unstable. How they will affect our livelihood is anybody’s guess.
We at least are living in a country that we can confess and maintain our faith openly without the fear of persecution. In many countries, just to confess you are a Christian can bring immediate persecution and suffering to you and to your families. The early Christians were facing this threat.
It is against this backdrop that the author of Hebrews encouraged them.
He did not dispute that many material possessions will one day pass away.
“They will perish…..they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe, like a garment they will be changed” (1:11.12).
There is a renewed interest in angels in our culture. Some of you might have seen a movie called Michael, John Travolta was portrayed as a chain-smoking, hard drinking, womanising angel in the movie called Michael. Angels are nothing like Travolta was in the movie. Instead, angels are majestic and powerful servants of God.
But even the angels, the messengers of God, they are like winds and fire (1:7). As those who belong to the created order, angels are subject to God’s creative activity and may be transformed into the elements of winds and fire (Lane). So they can also change.
In contrast, the author of Hebrews reminded his audience the unshakeable and permanent foundation of their faith:
The revelation that they (and we) received is final. Contrast “at many times and in various ways” (1:1) with the revelation through God’s son in the last days. The finality of Christ’s revelation will not be surpassed.
The angels may change, but the throne of Jesus will last forever (1:8). God’s creation may one day pass away, but Jesus remains (1:10,11).
Material wealth and the security or honour that are afforded in this earth are ultimately unreliable, destined not to “remain” constant but rather to be shaken and removed (12:26-28). Only the Son and his promise provide a sure anchor (6:19-20). (DeSilva)
Indeed this is a major theme the author would develop further when he proclaimed in 13:8 Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
For those of us that worry about tomorrow, that worry about the uncertainty and unknown of the future, the author of Hebrews reminded the early Christians and he reminds us today: there is nothing to be afraid of, because our faith is anchored in Jesus. He remains unchanged, eternal and reliable forever. His help is always available to those who call Him brother, to those that are accepted into the household of God (2:18).
Fear of death
Some may be afraid of flying, there are courses to assist us to overcome that phobia. Similarly, with sufficient will power and determination, I suggest we can overcome at least some of our fears.
However, there is one ultimate fear that all of us need to confront – that is the fear of death.
It is somewhat paradoxical that on one hand, we try to accumulate material wealth, which we know one day will pass away, and then on the other hand we have a craving for eternity.
Consider the recent news of human cloning, according to the news this sect that claimed to clone the first human, many people have lined up and are prepared to pay up to $200,000 to have a clone of himself or herself.
We don’t know the motives of these people. Can it be the yearning to live forever drives people to pay large sums of money to have them cloned?
A slight digression – cloning technology may one day (if not already) produce an exact replica of the biological me, but I doubt it will ever be me unless the scientist can clone my soul as well.
Back to this fear of death, this seems to be the ultimate test for mankind. For the early Christians, this threat came from the imperial authority; they were under constant threat of death if they did not renounce their faith.
But this is also a test that none of us can escape, whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s or older, one day you will need to confront the threat and fear of death. It may come sooner (or later) for some, but it will come.
It is against this fear that the author of Hebrews encouraged his audience:
Through Jesus, the champion and author of our salvation, we can and indeed have already overcome the menace of death. Because in Jesus, who had tasted death for everyone, an allusion to His sacrificial death on the cross, we can claim victory over death (2:9).
By His death on the cross, He achieved two things:
· He destroyed the power of death and the one who holds that power (the devil).
· He freed those who were held in slavery by their fear of death (2:14,15).
So this ultimate threat and fear has been met by the ultimate victory in Jesus.
There is indeed nothing to be afraid of. By our association and identification with Jesus, we can overcome all our fears.
Conclusion
There is one final question we need to answer. We may say: yes we agree what you just said. We understand and accept that Jesus is the Son of God and He has overcome death and the devil. We accept that He is eternal and remain unchanged. But what has all these to do with the problems, temptations that I am facing right now. I don’t need a theological answer to my problems; I need a practical answer.
To these, the author of Hebrews will respond, your friend, you are right, the Jesus you accepted as Lord and Saviour is not just a concept. He is not simply sitting at the right hand of God and doing nothing. The Jesus we worship not only can help us to overcome our fears but more importantly, He knows and he understands our fears and He can do something about it.
The author of Hebrews says: Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity 2:14, he comes not to help the angels but Abraham’s descendants (that is us 2:16). And for this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest. The author further explained that the reason that He might have atonement for the sins of the people was because He himself suffered when he was tempted; He is able to help those who are being tempted (2:17,18).
So our Jesus is not out there and up there but He is in here and in your life. He shared our same human nature; He was tempted as we are except He overcame all the temptations. That is why He can be such a sure help to the problems and fears we face.
But there is a final catch, with this great privilege also comes responsibility. Read 2:1-3. Many of us may face a set of challenges in the new year that lead us to drift away from our faith, from our commitment to Jesus. To these temptations and threats, the author of Hebrews gave us the assurance in Jesus to overcome them. However, if we still choose to drift away and ignore Jesus, then there is nothing left but punishment. Again the author will further develop this theme later in this letter.
So together with the great comfort and assurance also comes a stern waring. It is convenient and indeed tempting to leave out this warning but it will not be faithful to the message of the letter, let alone God’s word.
We are marching into 2003 with a certain degree of trepidation, not knowing what lies ahead. To this, the message of this letter is one of reassurance.
For those of us here who have not yet associated with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, this letter is a wake up call to us. It is only in Jesus that we can find the assurance and certainty to overcome our worldly fears. He can also be our guide, our friend and our brother to bring us into the eternal glory of God.
For those of us who have already identified with Jesus, this letter is also a timely reminder to us. I suspect what will be facing most of us in 2003 is not a tsunami of unexpected catastrophes or disasters but rather a rising tide of weariness and complacency. We may think we know all about Jesus and all about being a Christian. To these attitudes, Hebrews encourages us to hold firm our faith (4:14), to follow Jesus as our leader and to go on to Christian maturity.
I look forward to share the rest of the letter with you in the coming months. May the message of Hebrews be a blessing to you as it has been to me. Amen.
