Hebrews

Hebrews 5:1-14

I was a young twenty-something mother. I’d just found Jesus (or had He just found me?). I was in the first Bible study I’d ever been in, at Crystal Evangelical Free Church in Minneapolis. And Hebrews was the topic of our study.

What a way to begin. Overwhelming, yes. A blessing? Absolutely!

Hebrews seemed then to be loaded with big ideas and heavy-duty doctrine. The all sufficiency of Christ as our high priestly intercessor, appointed by God as the sacrifice for our salvation. And the high priest Melchizedek, who seemed then (and now) to be a shadowy man of mystery.

But over time, the beauty of this book shines in this picture of Jesus—better than angels, more qualified than Moses, the best “high priest” ever. And this other picture of Jesus —the One who suffered on this earth like we do, and was tempted in this life like we are. He knows what it’s like to be us.

The simple message and the stunning blessing of Hebrews is this for me: I have this Savior, this Lord familiar with my frame, who walked this world, who humbled Himself so that I could know Him, and who died to give me life.

I have Jesus, the One who stands between me and God’s judgment and says, “She’s mine.”

“Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank You Lord, for making me whole. Thank You Lord, for giving to me Thy great salvation, so rich and free…”

Rest Assured

Hebrews 4:1-16

Rest. Was this concept as compelling to the original Hebrew audience as it is for us today? Last night I was sitting on the couch, helping my daughter read a book, and I seriously dosed off while she was trying to figure out a word! (I recovered quickly, and we did finish the book, but I'm clearly not the greatest reading tutor dad out there.)

We're desperate for rest. We're busy and overbooked. We're tired and sometimes cranky. (I am anyway; I won't speak for the rest of you.) We're emotionally spent from too much time on the phone, too much time trying to solve problems over email while missing the nuances of human communication and interaction, too much time doing everything we can possibly fit into a day.

The rest God promises, when we really understand the gift He offers us, can affect some of those things, but His rest is designed to address a more serious issue. We're tired from trying to make our mark. Whether we're trying to prove our significance to the people around us or trying to prove to God that we know we should be able to demonstrate victory over sin in our lives or trying to prove whatever, we need the rest only God can offer us.

The invitation is open, but many have rejected the rest of God. They're still working hard. Are you one of them? I read in two different books recently that effort is not the opposite of grace, but works is. There are plenty of Godly things to invest our effort in, in response to God's work of grace and mercy in our lives. But our works, our labor, our toil are burdensome and ultimately meaningless.

Hebrews 4 tells us that the Word of God is living and active and sharper than a double-edged sword. It is able to pierce our hearts and to reveal what is holy and what is unholy, what is Spirit-led activity and what is merely human effort. It even reveals our impure motives, thoughts and attitudes in the midst of our "good" activities. Hebrews 4 also tells us that the people who keep working never reach God's rest and that the key to reaching this rest, which God prepared for us, is Jesus Christ. He is our great high priest, who accomplished all he was supposed to - and even did it on our behalf. He understands and has faced all the same weaknesses and temptations that we do, but did not sin. Through Jesus, we can race to the throne of God and find the mercy and grace we need to carry us through, to give our spirits the rest we need and can't get on our own, and to enable us to ultimately enter the heavenly rest prepared for us.

The difference between effort and works and the invitation to really rest in the presence of God through the completed work of Jesus changed my life. I haven't been the same since, and I'm glad. Are you desperate for the rest God has for you? Rest from guilt and shame? Rest from striving to do on your own what only God can do in you? The invitation is still open. Let Jesus lead you by faith to God's throne of grace, and experience the promised rest that God has prepared for His people.

Worthy of Our Devotion

Hebrews 3:1-19

We've been reading of the supremacy of Christ. He is the radiance of
God's glory, the exact image of God's being. It was through him that
the universe was created, and everything is sustained by his command.
He sits at the Father's right hand of power, crowned with glory and
honor. Jesus came to earth to be much more than a wise teacher or good
example. He came to be the perfect sacrifice – to take away our sins
and set us free from the fear of death. In every way, he is worthy of
our praise and devotion.

This letter to the Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians, urging
them to remain strong in their commitment to Christ in spite of
persecution. So we find (1) teaching that proclaims Jesus to be greater
than all that has gone before, as well as fulfillment of Old Testament
scripture; and (2) encouragement to remain faithful to Christ and not
ignore this great salvation.

In chapter 3 we are shown how Jesus is greater than Moses. Through the
centuries, Jews looking back at their spiritual history usually focused
on the Exodus event. Here, we are told that Moses served God faithfully
as he led those whom God had entrusted to him. But Moses was a servant.
Jesus is God's Son. Let's not focus on men more than we focus on Jesus!

We are also told that Moses illustrates truths that God would reveal
later. What might those be? I think of Jesus in the wilderness, where
he was tested for 40 days – not unlike the children of Israel who were
tested for 40 years. In each case it was a question of trust and
obedience. I think Jesus was struggling with the form His ministry
would take. "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become
bread." Prove yourself – focus on wonders that will force people to bow
before you. Jesus met this challenge with words from Moses, "Man does
not live on bread alone." (Suggested homework: read Deuteronomy 8.)

Before the Israelites entered the promised land, Moses reminded them of
the Lord's love for them, and how He kept his promise to their
forefathers when He brought them out from Egypt with a mighty hand,
redeeming them from the land of slavery (Deuteronomy 7:8). This exodus
is often seen as a picture of Jesus delivering us from slavery to sin
and death.

To show how great Jesus is, compared to Moses, the writer of Hebrews
presents the illustration of a house. The Son is in charge of –
entrusted with – the entire house; we who belong to Christ are a part
of it... And now, it seems, the writer is reminded of how Israel
hardened their hearts against the voice of God. He takes a detour from
the overarching theme of Christ's supremacy to issue a warning.

Warnings are, in fact, scattered throughout this letter. Watch for
them. In chapter 2, we saw a warning against drifting away from the
truth concerning salvation in Christ.

Now, we find a warning against unbelief. Unbelief leads to
unfaithfulness, disobedience and rebellion. We are admonished to warn
each other every day, so that we not be deceived by sin and hardened
against God. Such hardening has severe consequences, as we see at the
end of this chapter and continue on into chapter 4.

An Easter hymn from the 8th century -

Come, ye faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness;
God hath brought his Israel into joy from sadness;
Loosed from Pharaoh's bitter yoke Jacob's sons and daughters;
Led them with unmoistened foot through the Red Sea waters.

'Tis the spring of souls today; Christ hath burst his prison,
And from three days' sleep in death as a sun hath risen;
All the winter of our sins, long and dark, is flying
From his light, to whom we give laud and praise undying.

"Alleluia!" now we cry to our King immortal,
Who, triumphant, burst the bars of the tomb's dark portal;
"Alleluia!" with the Son, God the Father praising;
"Alleluia!" yet again to the Spirit raising.

Deetje Wildes

Don't Drift Away

v. 1- Listen to the Word of God.  Don’t drift away.  It is likely that we know people who once shared in the Christian fellowship and are doing so no longer, not because they outright rejected the message of Christian faith, but rather they just ‘drifted away’ from the faith.  V. 3 – Now there’s a good question to make us sit up and listen!  V. 4 – Observe how many ways the Lord has confirmed His message to us.  V. 9 – Is it your experience that you acknowledge Jesus fully as the Son of God and your Savior?  How do you attempt to do that?  v. 10 – Tasting death for everyone.  Pause to visualize the Christ on the Cross.  V. 11 – Can you believe that?  What, you ask?  Jesus is not ashamed to call them brother and sister.  V. 15 – The concern: that people are living their lives in the fear of dying and death.  Do I fear dying/death?  If so, why?  V. 18 – Because of the testing and the suffering by Jesus, He is able to help us.  Pause, and thank Him.

 

Donald E. Pardun

 

Paul on Politics

Titus 3:1-2

Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers.  They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.  They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling.  Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.

 

 

As we anticipate a presidential election year -- and our national color scheme becomes red, black and blue -- Paul's instructions to Titus take on a particular vibrancy.  No matter who wins the presidential race, no matter which party takes open seats in the House and Senate, we are called to submit to the government and its officers.  Of course, there are exceptions for laws that clearly defy God's commands.  Our general behavior toward government, however, should be submission.  This is a pretty stunning thought.

 

Even more stunning is the command to "not slander anyone and avoid quarreling."   Could Paul possibly mean that we shouldn't slander opposing candidates or an elected official of a different political persuasion?  Slander is speaking of someone in a way that brings harm to his or her reputation.  Since politicians are public personalities, we can give them a lot of verbal abuse before it's legally considered slander.  God, however, appears to have a much higher standard.

 

According to this letter, our underlying attitudes help define slander.  Paul insists that we be gentle and show true humility to everyone.  I'm guessing "everyone" includes those who disagree with our politics.  Even if they are elected and begin to implement those politics.

 

Could Paul possibly mean that we should avoid quarreling about politics?  We don't have to be silent about the matter; we just have to avoid quarreling.  Real fights have someone who throws the first punch and someone who punches back.  Quarreling is similar; it just involves words that hurt instead of actual punches.

 

We can champion our causes.  We can be strong.  We can be determined.  However, we should be extremely cautious about our methods (are they gentle?) and our underlying attitudes (are we humble?).   Even if we are absolutely certain our politics are aligned with God's purposes, we should always and only go about politics in God's way.