September 16, 2020
What Does Jesus Think About You?
Hebrews 2:10–18
Jonathan Landon
Central Truth
For those who are in Christ, our sin does not provoke Him to anger or disappointment. On the contrary, as our sin increases, His grace abounds all the more to help us and assure us of our eternal security in His family.
Key Verse | Hebrews 2:11
For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers.
Hebrews 2:10–18
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. 1 2:11 Greek all are of one That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 2 2:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated brothers) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 12 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Dive Deeper | Hebrews 2:10–18
Have you ever stopped to think: "What does God think about me?" Is He disappointed? Does His heart grow cold toward me when I give in to sin? Does He look at me in frustration and say: "What's your problem? My commands aren't complicated. Get your act together!" Let's see what Hebrews 2 says.
Look first at the end of Hebrews 2:11. Referring to Jesus, the writer informs us that He is not ashamed of the brothers and sisters the Father has given to Him. Jesus, who embodies the very heart and love of God, shows us that God (Father, Son, and Spirit) is not cold or accusatory but gentle and lowly toward those who come to Him for help (Matthew 11:28-29). He doesn't hide from us when we sin; He moves in closer to relieve our distress.
Shouldn't God get annoyed by our constant need? If He justified us but left sanctification in our court, we may have reason to be concerned. But look back at the first half of Hebrews 2:11. If you've trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, He is not ashamed of you because He is presently at work sanctifying you. Jesus and you have the same Father. Nothing, not even your present or future sin, can separate you from Him or cause Him to stop loving you (Romans 8:38-39). Take heart today in knowing that He doesn't condemn or grow frustrated with you. He hates your sin more than you do and, having suffered under the weight of temptation, He is able (and happy) to help you when you are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).
Be encouraged by these words from J.I. Packer's Knowing God:
"There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me."
Discussion Questions
1. How do you think God feels about you? The stressed-out, barely-holding-it-together, struggling-with-sin you. How do these thoughts align with Scripture?
2. One reason Jesus isn't ashamed of us is that He can sympathize with us when we are tempted (Hebrews 2:18, 4:15-16). But if you're like me, you may think: "Jesus can't really understand me, because He couldn't and didn't sin as I do." Consider the following from C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity:
"A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means—the only complete realist."
How does this quotation affect your understanding of what Jesus thinks of you?
3. As we're reading through the book of Hebrews over the next few weeks, consider memorizing some of these verses with a friend:
• Hebrews 2:17-18
• Hebrews 4:15-16
• Hebrews 6:10
• Hebrews 7:25
• Hebrews 10:22-25
• Hebrews 12:1-2