Hebrews 2:5-18
5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying:
“What is man that You are mindful of him,
Or the son of man that You take care of him?
7 You have made him a little lower than the angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
And set him over the works of Your hands.
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”
For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:
“I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
13 And again:
“I will put My trust in Him.”
And again:
“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
The writer to the Hebrews tells us, “But now we do not yet see all things put under Him.” As we focus our gaze on the world around us, we see very little physical evidence of Christ’s reign and rule here below. Corruption runs rampant among our elected political leaders and evil rears its ugly head in all kinds of other ways: unbridled abortion, unchecked crime, ungodly marriages and relationships, open scoffing of Christianity and Christians everywhere, the gross over-commercialization of all that is holy, and many other abominations. The unbelieving world mocks and says, “There really is no God since all these things *could* be stopped *if* there was a God.”
You and I as Christians all too often shake our heads at these things and find ourselves wondering along with the world where God is in all this earthly mess. The devil whispers – and sometimes yells – in our ears that all is lost, that God doesn’t really care about us, and we may as well throw in the towel in defeat. God simply cannot or will not come through.
Although those wonderings are understandable and we are too often tempted to listen to the devil’ lies, we must repent of wallowing in the world’s sorrow. For “we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone,” and “He is able to aid those who are tempted.” There is our hope and strength: Jesus our Savior tasted death for us! Jesus our Savior also defeated death for us by His resurrection! Even if this evil world takes us out, we, by God-given faith and trust in Christ, still win the ultimate battle because we are with Him and in Him. He saved us in our Baptism and continually feeds us with Himself through His Gospel and Sacraments. His victory over sin, death, and the devil is ours. And that is more than enough reason and strength for us to persevere and look forward with absolute certainty to the life of the world to come.
Let us pray: O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. Amen.
