Today’s Reading: Hebrews 1

“…through the Son he created the universe” – Hebrews 1:2b. The writer of Hebrews lays out three powerful points in the first few chapters of this letter. Let’s consider the role Jesus has played and continues to play in our lives.

1. Jesus participated in the creation of the world therefore, He is our Creator.

He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.” – Hebrews 1:10

But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God. – Hebrews 3:3-4

So if Jesus participated in our creation, why would he be willing to become one of the created? After generations of being rejected regardless of His faithfulness, why would he become one of us?

2. Jesus, who created flesh and blood, became flesh and blood so that He could die for our sins and set us free from death. So not only is He our Creator, He is our Savior!

Because God’s children are human beings — made of flesh and blood — the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. – Hebrews 2:14-15

Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. – Hebrews 2:16-17

How often do we hear the question of why Jesus had to be born? Why was it necessary for Christ to grow in his mother’s womb and be human, just as we are. The writer of Hebrews helps us understand.

3. Because He was human, experiencing suffering and temptations like we do, He is able to understand our weaknesses. How perfect, then, that He would be our High Priest!

Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. – Hebrews 2:18

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will RECEIVE HIS MERCY, and we will FIND GRACE TO HELP us when we need it most. – Hebrews 4:14-16

Jesus is our Creator, our Savior, and our High Priest. With this knowledge, we can be confident that he knows us, understands us, loves us, and intercedes for us. He was actively involved in our beginning and he is actively involved in our today.

Jesus, we thank you for your willingness to become a man for your guilty creation. We do not deserve what you have done for us, yet our hearts are overflowing with gratitude that you extended grace to us through your death on the cross. Christ Jesus, you have displayed both your love for us and your understanding of our weaknesses. You have set an example that we can overcome sin and death — that we can face temptations and suffering yet win the battle through the same strength of God you used to remain without sin. Thank you for the mercy and grace we experience when we come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. Amen.

What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. – Hebrews 2:9-10