Hebrews 2:13  And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

We need to see the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ. God knows that better than we do. He has been showing us that Jesus Christ is better than the angels. Jesus Christ humbled Himself and came to this earth to stand in the place of sinful mankind and shed His blood for the sins of the world. He did not remain dead but defeated death and sin on the cross.
In verse 13 we have the reminder that Jesus Christ in His humanity, put His trust in His Father. He cried out on the cross as He was suffering and dying. He needed to trust in God to look after Him all through His earthly life and even in His death. We read that the soldiers did not break His bones because He was already dead. They did not know it, but they fulfilled Bible prophecy which declared that not a bone of His would be broken. They pierced His side and out flowed blood and water. Again they fulfilled Bible prophecy. Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus came and took down His body and laid it in a new tomb wherein never man had lain. Jesus trusted in His Father and his Father looked after Him.
Not only that, but Jesus Christ also chose twelve disciples who also needed to trust in the Father. Others also would join those ranks and none were disappointed.
In verse 14 we see further that Jesus Christ took on flesh and blood in order to destroy death. The devil was the one who tempted Adam to sin. The Bible does not credit the devil with bringing sin into this world. The Bible tells us that Adam brought sin into this world. However, the devil tempted Adam to sin. The devil is called the god of this world at this time. But His time is short. He is a defeated foe. I Corinthians 15 tells us that the sting of death is gone because Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
God warned Adam that the day he would eat of the forbidden fruit, he would die. Adam died the very day he ate of that forbidden fruit. Spiritually he died, immediately. Physically, his body began to die that day. Genesis 5 reminds us that Adam and all his descendants also died physically.
Every human being since then has been born spiritually dead. If Jesus Christ had not gone to the cross, all those in the Old Testament who trusted in God’s promise would have no hope. All those in the New Testament era would also have no hope if Jesus had not gone to the cross.
We have hope because Jesus Christ, through His death took the power of death away from the devil. No one from the time of Adam needs to remain dead in sins. All have the opportunity to look to Jesus Christ just like the thief did, and be forgiven and saved. All can know God’s peace today.
In verse 15 we see that Jesus Christ is the One Who has the power to deliver those who through fear of death were subject to bondage all their life long. Today we see that the wicked have used the fear of death to bring the majority of mankind into bondage to wicked rulers.
Omicron does not have nearly the bite that the original virus had. That is what we are hearing from South Africa and other places. Yet our own doctors are lying and successfully scaring most into believing that Omicron is even worse than all the others. People are so afraid that the media and the politicians and the doctors just need to whisper a threat now, and the people shudder and run for the next shot. The majority of people are crippled with fear. Even some professing Christians are crippled with fear. It is a shame to witness what is happening.
I am not suggesting that Christians cannot get the virus. I am not suggesting that Christians cannot die from the virus. Physical death is a reality. We are going to die.
In our text God is reminding us the power of spiritual death has been defeated. That is the key. We do not walk in front of a freight train and wait to get hit and killed. We also do not cower in a corner for fear of death. Those who are saved have been given eternal life. We can move around and we can proclaim the truth and we can attend a church service in a true church without being crippled with fear of getting the virus. We have a hope and we have a Saviour Who has tasted death for us and He has destroyed the power of death.
The Christian life is lived by faith. It is a living and real faith in the God Who cannot lie. The thief on the cross was facing death. He knew the soldiers would soon come and break his legs and he would suffocate to death. It would be a cruel death. He also came to realize that he was headed for hell. He came to realize that he deserved all and more than what he was suffering on that cross. However, he also came to see that Jesus Christ was THE key to his forgiveness. Jesus Christ was not in good shape while on that cross. His body was torn up. He had already lost a lot of blood. He was not making any effort to get off of that cross. From the human perspective, what hope was there in a man Who had a sign over His head stating that He was the king of the Jews? He was dying. However, God opened the understanding of that thief. He was fully convinced that Jesus Christ would rise again. He asked Jesus to remember him when He would come into His kingdom. He came to understand that there was more to death than just dying and being buried. He knew that Jesus Christ was the Saviour. He was not disappointed. The other thief died and is in torment for all eternity. However, that other thief was forgiven and saved right there. He was delivered from the bondage of sin and death. He was granted eternal life that very moment.
There are thousands of people who have tried to stop death from taking over in their lives. People have looked for the fountain of youth over and over again. There are people who claim to have found the cure for this or that. There are fools who use Jesus Christ as a mantra and claim that He has healed them many times. They even abuse the Lord’s Supper in complete disregard to the warnings that God gives us about those who partake unworthily. They are in bondage. They are headed for physical death, but they are also dead in trespasses and sins. They have no hope beyond the grave.
Jesus Christ came to set the captive free. He proved that He can do that. He proved that He alone can do that. The angels cannot do that. Michael, the archangel knew he was no match for the devil. He left that to the Lord.
If you want hope today, you will find it only in knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour. Without that there is no hope. If Jesus Christ is your Saviour, you have been given life, eternal life! You are no longer in bondage to sin and death. Is that true in your life? Remember the words that God directed the apostle Paul to write:

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

If you look at the context of that verse, it is talking of having the ability to walk with God in obedience to His Word and His way. I can do that. I do not always do that because I do not always walk with God in obedience to His Word. However, God has given me the power to be called a son of God. I have been given the power to say no to sin and yes to God. The same applies to every one that has been given eternal life by God. We are no longer in bondage to sin. Thus, if we are saved, we cannot live under bondage to sin. We are called upon to follow the God Who saved us. Those who want to claim salvation and yet walk in bondage to sin are making a mockery of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their Jesus is another Jesus. God is giving us these words to help us to see Who the true Saviour is and what He provides for those who are saved.
Pastor Bartel