December 11, 2014
Jesus work is more effective than that of the Old Testament priests!!
I know I wrote this blog, but somehow, I didn’t save it, typed over it, and lost it. What I said in this blog was pretty simple: Hebrews 8-10 describes the limited nature of the atoning work of the Old Testament priests in first the tabernacle (the movable tent in the wilderness), then the temple (the building in Jerusalem). Priests offered animal sacrifices every day for the people, and for themselves, as well. Imagine all the blood! Jesus, on the other hand, was the perfect priest. He offered a once-for-all sacrifice of himself, shedding his own blood for the sins of the whole world!
You tell me which is better.
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Saturday, December 13, 2014
December 13/14 JAMES
December 13/14
James is my favorite book of the Bible!
It wasn’t Luther’s favorite; he called it a “right strawy epistle.” By this he meant that it lacked the clear message of justification by grace through faith that we find in Paul’s letters. This may be so, but I tell you this: I have found MUCH grace and faith and growth in this letter. It’s not theological in the sense of Paul’s letters; it’s hortatory! (“Hortatory” means “full of exhortation and encouragement”) It’s good coaching!
Though I was never—for good reason—on a competitive sports team, and though I never experienced an effective coach in that setting, I was privileged to have choir and drama directors, who filled that need for coaching in my life. James is like a wise coach or an effective director. He knows how to challenge, how to rebuke, how to encourage and how to make the Christian just want to grow and do better.
After the world’s shortest greeting (not really), he digs in. “Count it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” (James 1:2) And he doesn’t let up. He keeps pouring on the exhortation and encouragement until the last verse; “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20). You see it? After a letter full of high-caliber coaching on topics ranging from temper to tongue, and from wisdom to works, he challenges us to coach others out of their sin and into the truth!
And by Christ’s love and grace, we can do it! Go James!!!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
James is my favorite book of the Bible!
It wasn’t Luther’s favorite; he called it a “right strawy epistle.” By this he meant that it lacked the clear message of justification by grace through faith that we find in Paul’s letters. This may be so, but I tell you this: I have found MUCH grace and faith and growth in this letter. It’s not theological in the sense of Paul’s letters; it’s hortatory! (“Hortatory” means “full of exhortation and encouragement”) It’s good coaching!
Though I was never—for good reason—on a competitive sports team, and though I never experienced an effective coach in that setting, I was privileged to have choir and drama directors, who filled that need for coaching in my life. James is like a wise coach or an effective director. He knows how to challenge, how to rebuke, how to encourage and how to make the Christian just want to grow and do better.
After the world’s shortest greeting (not really), he digs in. “Count it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” (James 1:2) And he doesn’t let up. He keeps pouring on the exhortation and encouragement until the last verse; “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20). You see it? After a letter full of high-caliber coaching on topics ranging from temper to tongue, and from wisdom to works, he challenges us to coach others out of their sin and into the truth!
And by Christ’s love and grace, we can do it! Go James!!!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Thursday, December 11, 2014
December 11 Hebrews 8-10
December 11, 2014
Hebrews 8-10 Jesus serves a better covenant!
The Old Covenant served its purpose.
Through the tabernacle (the tent where priests offered sacrifices in the presence of the Lord), and later the temple (the building that took the place of the tabernacle), God’s people received a picture of sin and the atonement required to cover it. But there were problems with this. These atonements, these animal sacrifices, had to be offered repeatedly, for people kept sinning. And what’s more, the priest themselves were sinners, and were required to make offerings for their own repeated sins as well.
The writer of Hebrews quotes a passage of hope from the Old Testament: The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel. (Hebrews 8:8 quoting Jeremiah 31:31) This New Covenant will be different from the old and will make possible a real change in people!
In Hebrews 9 and 10, we get the details of the new covenant. It includes a new temple (the temple of Jesus body), a more effective sacrifice (the blood of Jesus), a perfect priest (Jesus himself), and a real change in the people whose sins are being paid for, “cleansing our consciences from acts that lead to death!” (Hebrews 9:14). Where the Old Testament priests offered sacrifices every day, Jesus offered an effective sacrifice for sins once for all. Because of this, we need not sin any more (Hebrews 10:26); we need not be among those “who shrink back and are destroyed.” (Hebrews 10:39)
Praise the Lord of the New Covenant!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Hebrews 8-10 Jesus serves a better covenant!
The Old Covenant served its purpose.
Through the tabernacle (the tent where priests offered sacrifices in the presence of the Lord), and later the temple (the building that took the place of the tabernacle), God’s people received a picture of sin and the atonement required to cover it. But there were problems with this. These atonements, these animal sacrifices, had to be offered repeatedly, for people kept sinning. And what’s more, the priest themselves were sinners, and were required to make offerings for their own repeated sins as well.
The writer of Hebrews quotes a passage of hope from the Old Testament: The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel. (Hebrews 8:8 quoting Jeremiah 31:31) This New Covenant will be different from the old and will make possible a real change in people!
In Hebrews 9 and 10, we get the details of the new covenant. It includes a new temple (the temple of Jesus body), a more effective sacrifice (the blood of Jesus), a perfect priest (Jesus himself), and a real change in the people whose sins are being paid for, “cleansing our consciences from acts that lead to death!” (Hebrews 9:14). Where the Old Testament priests offered sacrifices every day, Jesus offered an effective sacrifice for sins once for all. Because of this, we need not sin any more (Hebrews 10:26); we need not be among those “who shrink back and are destroyed.” (Hebrews 10:39)
Praise the Lord of the New Covenant!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
December 10, 2014 Hebrews 5-7
December 10, 2014
Hebrews 5-7 Jesus is Better than High Priests!
Toward the end of Hebrews 4, the author states, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” (4:14)
Then, in today’s chapters, he takes time to explain how Jesus is the High Priest of a different order than the priests of the Old Testament Law; that Jesus both precedes and supersedes the priests descended from Aaron. Jesus, he says, was “designated a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” He mentions this in Hebrews 5 and explains this in depth in Hebrews 7. His explanation is based on Genesis 14:17-20 and Psalm 110.
Who was this shadowy figure? Was this Jesus in a pre-incarnate form? Was he just a real priest/king who foreshadowed Jesus? Melchizedek’s name means “King of Righteousness.” He was King of a town named “Salem’ (the future Jerusalem?); Salem means “peace.” He was king, but also “a high priest of God.” He spoke for God, and, without complaint, allowed Abraham to tithe to him, as God’s representative. Now, see what the writer of Hebrews has to say about him.
In Hebrews 5:11—6:12, the writer goes off on a bit of a tangent concerning his readers’ need for deeper teaching and his desire that they “show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end.” (6:11) May God grant us the grace and strength to do just that!
Tomorrow, we read that Jesus serves a better covenant that that which the Old Testament priests served.
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Hebrews 5-7 Jesus is Better than High Priests!
Toward the end of Hebrews 4, the author states, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” (4:14)
Then, in today’s chapters, he takes time to explain how Jesus is the High Priest of a different order than the priests of the Old Testament Law; that Jesus both precedes and supersedes the priests descended from Aaron. Jesus, he says, was “designated a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” He mentions this in Hebrews 5 and explains this in depth in Hebrews 7. His explanation is based on Genesis 14:17-20 and Psalm 110.
Who was this shadowy figure? Was this Jesus in a pre-incarnate form? Was he just a real priest/king who foreshadowed Jesus? Melchizedek’s name means “King of Righteousness.” He was King of a town named “Salem’ (the future Jerusalem?); Salem means “peace.” He was king, but also “a high priest of God.” He spoke for God, and, without complaint, allowed Abraham to tithe to him, as God’s representative. Now, see what the writer of Hebrews has to say about him.
In Hebrews 5:11—6:12, the writer goes off on a bit of a tangent concerning his readers’ need for deeper teaching and his desire that they “show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end.” (6:11) May God grant us the grace and strength to do just that!
Tomorrow, we read that Jesus serves a better covenant that that which the Old Testament priests served.
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
DECEMBER 9 HEBREWS 3-4
December 9, 2014
Hebrews 3-4 Jesus is Better than Moses!
Moses, even more than Abraham, was greatest, most revered man in Hebrew history. Abraham was the “father” of the Jews; Moses was their savior, their liberator, their law-giver, their leader. It would be almost natural for them to sink the Messiah to some lower plane, some lesser stature, in the face of Moses’ greatness.
The author states it plainly: “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses” (3:3). As the owner of a house is greater than the faithful servant, so Jesus is greater than Moses. The author finds support for this Psalm 95, which warned—years after Moses disappeared from the scene—that hardened hearts would not enter the Lord’s “rest.” This “rest” cannot refer to the Promised Land to which Moses led them. It must refer to a “spiritual rest,” accessible only by faith in the Messiah, Jesus. Neither Moses nor Joshua provided permanent “rest” (4:8), only Jesus makes that possible.
NOTE: In these first four chapters of Hebrews, we find subtle support for the divine inspiration of Scripture. Look at the Old Testament quotes contained in Hebrews 1-4. The Old Testament scriptures were written by human beings, prophets, teachers, historians, and the like. Yet notice who it is that the author of Hebrews cites when he quotes the Old Testament. In chapter one, he cites “God the Father” as the speaker of David’s psalms. In chapter 2, he cites God the Son, “Jesus,” as the speaker of David’s and Isaiah’s words. In chapter 3, he cites God the “Holy Spirit” as the speaker of the psalmist’s words! The Old Testament is the Word of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
Tomorrow, we read that Jesus is better than the priests of Israel!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Hebrews 3-4 Jesus is Better than Moses!
Moses, even more than Abraham, was greatest, most revered man in Hebrew history. Abraham was the “father” of the Jews; Moses was their savior, their liberator, their law-giver, their leader. It would be almost natural for them to sink the Messiah to some lower plane, some lesser stature, in the face of Moses’ greatness.
The author states it plainly: “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses” (3:3). As the owner of a house is greater than the faithful servant, so Jesus is greater than Moses. The author finds support for this Psalm 95, which warned—years after Moses disappeared from the scene—that hardened hearts would not enter the Lord’s “rest.” This “rest” cannot refer to the Promised Land to which Moses led them. It must refer to a “spiritual rest,” accessible only by faith in the Messiah, Jesus. Neither Moses nor Joshua provided permanent “rest” (4:8), only Jesus makes that possible.
NOTE: In these first four chapters of Hebrews, we find subtle support for the divine inspiration of Scripture. Look at the Old Testament quotes contained in Hebrews 1-4. The Old Testament scriptures were written by human beings, prophets, teachers, historians, and the like. Yet notice who it is that the author of Hebrews cites when he quotes the Old Testament. In chapter one, he cites “God the Father” as the speaker of David’s psalms. In chapter 2, he cites God the Son, “Jesus,” as the speaker of David’s and Isaiah’s words. In chapter 3, he cites God the “Holy Spirit” as the speaker of the psalmist’s words! The Old Testament is the Word of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
Tomorrow, we read that Jesus is better than the priests of Israel!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Monday, December 8, 2014
DECEMBER 8 HEBREWS 1-2
December 8, 2014
Hebrews 1-2
Hebrews is a fascinating and complicated letter. It was addressed primarily to Jewish Christians, who would be very conversant with the Old Testament, but were also being tempting to revert to Judaism or, at least, to Judaize the gospel. It was necessary for the author (Was he Barnabas? Was he Apollos?) to convince them of the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ.
Not too long ago, we did a sermon series on the book of Hebrews entitled, “Jesus Is Better...”
The first two chapters say: “Jesus is better than the angels!” Several heresies of the early church made angels out to be something more than divine messengers. The writer gets right to work, extolling the glories of Christ in the very first verses, then systematically, from the scriptures themselves, just how Jesus is better.
Jesus is the Son of God, angels are created servants! Jesus became the Son of Man in order to save humanity; angels are “ministering spirits,” sent by God to serve those who are being saved (1:14)! In telling us that “Jesus is better than angels,” the writer is not putting angels down, but rather, lifting Jesus up!
Tomorrow we discover that Jesus is better than Moses and the law!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Hebrews 1-2
Hebrews is a fascinating and complicated letter. It was addressed primarily to Jewish Christians, who would be very conversant with the Old Testament, but were also being tempting to revert to Judaism or, at least, to Judaize the gospel. It was necessary for the author (Was he Barnabas? Was he Apollos?) to convince them of the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ.
Not too long ago, we did a sermon series on the book of Hebrews entitled, “Jesus Is Better...”
The first two chapters say: “Jesus is better than the angels!” Several heresies of the early church made angels out to be something more than divine messengers. The writer gets right to work, extolling the glories of Christ in the very first verses, then systematically, from the scriptures themselves, just how Jesus is better.
Jesus is the Son of God, angels are created servants! Jesus became the Son of Man in order to save humanity; angels are “ministering spirits,” sent by God to serve those who are being saved (1:14)! In telling us that “Jesus is better than angels,” the writer is not putting angels down, but rather, lifting Jesus up!
Tomorrow we discover that Jesus is better than Moses and the law!
Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,
Pastor Gary
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)