Hebrews 2: 1; 9; 17-18

2Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it…..⁹but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower^* than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God^* he might taste death for everyone….¹⁷Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters^* in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

The writer to the Hebrews emphasises the permanent and enduring and supreme nature of the teachings of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  It is often asked why God allows bad things to happen and appear powerless to do anything about it. Why does God appear inactive in the struggle against oppression? In this passage we see that the early believers recognised that God is not and has not been inactive or unresponsive to the suffering and oppression of our world. Our Creator Redeemer became fully human; accepted all our needs and met the onslaught of death, violence and despotism with love and reconciliation. God became one of us, suffered as we do and satisfied the causes and demands of suffering through self-sacrifice. God does not and has not sat back inert to the forces that rage against life and liberty. For those close to Jesus and those who came under His direct teaching it was clear that there was enough blood spilt at Calvary, at the cross, to satisfy any need for bloodshed. It is finished! A new age has begun, the example has been set that in the face of death and suffering the response of the Creator Redeemer  is resurrection not revenge; new life; a new way of being in the world living out the freedom of the liberation story of Jesus of Nazareth.  God has acted in Christ non-violently by taking onto Himself the sufferings of humanity. How will we respond? Resurrection or revenge? Will we be peace-making, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, caring for the sick, protecting the vulnerable, and caring for each other in community? Or will WE be inert bystanders appearing powerless in the face of oppression? God has spoken through His Son. Will we speak out through practicing the teachings of Jesus?