Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Hebrews 2.14-15
Jesus became man because what was needed was death of a man who was more than a man. The incarnation was God locking himself into death row.
Christ did not risk death, he embraced it. That is precisely why he came: not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10.45). No wonder Satan tried to turn Jesus from the Cross! The Cross was Satan's destruction. How did Jesus destroy him? The "power of death" is the ability to hold men in bondage through fear of death. It is the power to keep men in sin so that death comes as a horrid thing.
But Jesus stripped Satan of this power. He disarmed him. He molded the breastplate of righteousness for us that makes us immune to the devil's condemnation. By his death, Jesus wiped away all our sins. And a person without sin puts Satan out of business. His treason is aborted. His cosmic treachery is foiled. The Cross has run him through. And he will gasp his last before long.
Christmas is for freedom--freedom from the fear of death. Jesus took our nature at Bethlehem, to die our death in Jerusalem, that we might be fearless in our city. Yes, fearless. Because, if the biggest threat to my joy is gone, then why should I fret over the little things? How can anyone say, "Well, I'm not afraid to die, but I'm afraid to lose my job"?
If death is no longer a fear, we're free. Free to take any risk under the sun for Christ and for love. No more bondage to anxiety. If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed!
This is an excerpt from 'Joy to the World-Daily Readings for Advent' by John Piper.
Comments