Christ: The Ultimate Sacrifice

 

Today’s Reading: Hebrew 10, Psalms 18

God works in an amazing plan and strategy, as with Michael and his blog on Hebrews 5, I have had an epiphany as I write my journal. The Holy Spirit is reaffirming scriptures and messages to me on daily basis and today is no exception. I have been preparing for this week’s post since last Monday and had a particular focal point, but it was changed today with the sermon that was given, Christ the ultimate sacrifice.

In the sermon, the pastor illustrates the original Passover that the Israelites experienced.   He explained in detail the actual act of how each family had to choose the Pascal lamb on a certain day. Then after choosing the lamb, the family then takes the lamb home and keeps it inside for four days. Next, the lamb is slaughtered in a particular fashion to keep the blood and also to keep the body intact. Following this the family then roast the lamb whole and the entire body is presented to the family to eat.

This detailed explanation allowed me to peer a little deeper into the setup that that God was preparing the people for the ultimate sacrifice. God choose the perfect Lamb for the sacrifice. Then He allowed the Lamb to be with the people and become part of the family for a short amount of time. Then the Lamb is sacrificed whole to take on ALL of the sins of the World and make a perfect sacrifice.

Take some time to read Hebrews 10 and Exodus 12, and you can sense the awesomeness of God’s Plan. He has setup the redemption of the people, given them signs and ways to remember the Sacrifice centuries before, and He has a plan to complete the journey. God’s plan is above anything we can imagine or conceive.

Hebrews 10: 4-7

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Consequently, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

 

Heavenly Father, you have plans before we are even brought about on this earth. Your plans are to allow Your Glory to be seen and witnessed to all. Allow us to be instruments in your plan.

A Clear Conscience

 

Do you ever do something that causes you to have a guilty conscience?

Last weekend my Mom had a ‘back to school’ dinner for all the grandkids. She made a scrumptious dinner and a divine Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake for desert. I had a small piece of cake to begin with, and then continued to go back and cut small pieces. Of course, my small pieces ended up being a few large pieces! Later that evening, besides my stomach not feeling so well, I felt guilty. I knew I didn’t need to eat that much cake!

There are many other things I feel guilty over in my day to day life. Some things being a little more heavy than just extra bites of cake. Like, when I tell someone I will do something and then don’t do it. I make up an excuse as to why it didn’t get done, when in reality, I was just being lazy.

But, the real question is…What do I do to get rid of this guilt?

When the Israelites made a mistake, violated a command, or gave into sin, the only way to clear their guilty conscience was to sacrifice a spotless and blameless animal. This animal was guilt free, it didn’t do anything wrong, and that is the point, it died in place of the Israelite who made a mistake. This act of sacrifice would clear the conscience of the Israelite, until the next time he sinned. The next time he did something that was not pleasing to God…gossiped, lied, became prideful, envied something of a neighbor, became slothful or greedy, or had lust…the guilt would come rushing back. Then, another sacrifice and another trip to the altar would need to be made. (I cannot begin to imagine how many trips I would have to make to that alter?!?!)

But then…

JESUS CAME!!

Hebrews 9:12 says that by His blood alone our conscience is cleansed.

He is the perfect sacrifice. Jesus willingly walked to the cross and let his blood flow freely for every single person. He canceled out the effects of sin for eternity. This sinless Savior, fully man and fully God, was able to take care of our sins and give the gift of a clear conscience. No more spotless animals or sacrifices needed. With just pure, simple faith, every Christ-follower can now hold their head high, knowing they are wholly cleaned and purified, in right-standing with their Creator for all of eternity.

In Psalm 17, we find David praying to God with a clear conscience! David demonstrates much confidence before God in this prayer for justice from false accusations and persecution. He has confidence that God will answer him favorably and will protect him from his enemies.

This confidence only comes from the relationship he has with his Father in Heaven. The continual relationship through prayer and asking for forgiveness, frees us from our daily sins which result in a guilty conscience.

Jesus, thank You for your sacrifice! Because of YOU, I can claim freedom and victory over sin and have a clear conscience.

Our Hope, Our God

Today’s reading:  Hebrews 8, Psalm 16

This past Sunday, I was serving alongside friend of mine. While I hadn’t seen her in about sixty days, she didn’t seem to be herself.  When we had a little break in the action, she told me her family had received some bad health news in the past few weeks.  Life-altering news.  As our conversation went on, she shared that her husband had recently been diagnosed with a terminal condition.

What? This condition generally impacts elderly individuals, not those in their prime.  Her husband has always been pretty healthy, has taken good care of himself and he doesn’t have a history of health problems.  How could this be happening to him?  Plus, she recently lost her mother and has been helping her father recover from cancer treatment over the past several months.  How much can one family really endure?  This news was hard to process.  My heart was heavy.  While my friend is still in the early stages of figuring out how to deal with this life-altering condition, our conversation over the next 45 minutes revealed her determination and complete trust in God.

As I began to prepare for today’s post, and reflected on my Sunday conversation, David’s words in Psalm 16 spoke to my heart. Scholars believe this Psalm was written during the period of time David was running from Saul, who was trying to kill him.  Even in the midst of such adverse circumstances, David trusted God and was able to find hope.

  • Even in perilous circumstances, David’s faith in God was unwavering – Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing” (Psalm 16:1-2).
  • David recognized that life was from, and depended solely on God – Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure (Psalm 16:5).
  • David submitted to God and the wisdom of his ways – I will praise the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me (Psalm 16:7).
  • David focused on God’s faithfulness, the source of his protection – I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand I will not be shaken (Psalm 16:8).
  • David’s response to God’s protection was gladness – Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay (Psalm 16:9-10).
  • David recognized that happiness based on external circumstances was temporary, but joy based on God’s presence was eternal –You make known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand (Psalm 16:11).

This life is tough.  It presents situations we don’t understand, trials that can rob us of hope and joy.  In the midst of these circumstances may we, like David, place our trust in the one who has power over all.  He is our hope.  He is our God.

This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.  I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people (Hebrews 8:10).

You only get married twice, once.

Last weekend I had the honor to officiate a wedding “do over” for a couple who first married each other in 1997, but divorced several years ago. I’ve known this couple (Jamie and Jalynn Schnur) since the moment they met in 1993. 

This week’s post is an edited version of my message from the wedding…

Father God, thank you for bringing us here today. Please bless the words that will be spoken in this ceremony, may they glorify you, may they be used to strengthen marriages, and to get a better glimpse into your character. We ask for a blessing on this marriage and this family. In Jesus name. Amen.

The reconciliation, the restoration, the second chance that has occurred here is fascinating. We are part of something very special and rare. Many people will say that divorce is like a death. In some ways it is because marriage is an entity, and divorce brings an end, a death, to that entity. While weddings symbolize the beginning of something, this wedding also symbolizes the end of something. The end of separation, the end of the divorce. This wedding is unique.

Like Jamie and Jalynn say “you only get married twice, once”.

Jalynn shared with me that while it would have been easier (and less expensive) for them to jet off for a private ceremony, they wanted to share this time, this event, this gesture with friends and family because they wanted all of us to be a part of it. To learn from it.

She wants to do this to “put a bow on it”. They’ve come a long, long way together and they wanted to cross this finish line in the presence of friends and family.

Several years ago I was hanging out with Jamie and Jalynn, and the thought popped into my head to ask them, “how is your marriage?” – but I chickened out. I made excuses.

  • didn’t want to intrude
  • didn’t want to offend
  • I’m sure it is fine
  • none of my business

Except as a friend who had known them as a couple longer than anyone, it was absolutely my business. I knew in my heart there was something wrong but I didn’t do anything intentional to address it. A missed opportunity at best, and I bet I’m not the only one here today who could have been a better friend.

The beautiful thing is that it is all ok. These two have learned how to forgive; there has been a lot of hurt along the way. The hurt piles up, but only in true forgiveness can there be true reconciliation and healing. Jalynn shared with me that toward the end of her father J.C.’s life, he grew more and more into a man who was all about forgiveness; both in words and action. That same theme, forgiveness, is part of the Schnur reconciliation both with each other, and with those who may have been part of their pain in the past.

Who in your life right now needs you to step up, lean in, and offer love, a listening ear, words of encouragement, a shoulder to cry on, prayer, wisdom, financial support or forgiveness? Whether it be a marriage on the rocks, a troubled teenager, a lost soul, or someone you know is hurting. Who will step up to intervene?

If something stirs in us to even ponder saying something, then we’ve been called. We were not put on this earth merely to satisfy our own pleasures and desires. We as humans, made in the image of God were put here to live out our lives for His glory, and how we respond to those in need is a reflection of our inward hearts. Jamie and Jalynn were blown away by the response to their wedding and see that as a symbol of how we feel about them. Most of us have no idea how important we are to other people. Let’s all start sharing more with others how important they are to us.

Consider Jesus of Nazareth. His miracles were well documented with his first being the turning of water into wine at a wedding feast. He performed miracles not to glorify himself but to glorify his father in Heaven; he raised people from the dead, walked on water, healed the sick, helped the blind to see, and in the end he offered the ultimate sacrifice as a substitute for the penalty we deserve for our sin; he offered his very life.

Matthew chapter 22 documents Jesus’ response to the question “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)

We have the same call with what we’ve been given as far as intellect, strength, and our resources such as time and money. We are called to offer this love to our friends, family, and people we may never even know personally. Don’t miss the opportunity as it will not last. We know people are counting on us. How will we respond today?

A few years ago while talking to Jamie about “joy”, sadly at that time he said “there’s no joy Jon, none”. That broke my heart; there were lots of broken hearts during those times.

But there is hope… JOY HAS RETURNED! 

There is gratitude and gratefulness for the second chance. Few people get this opportunity. Jamie and Jalynn have a new perspective and are doing this for the right reasons. They are both ready; their family is ready. They’ve rebuilt something together that now stands on more solid ground than ever before. They don’t seek to be perfect on their own; they seek to learn from mistakes, let the past be the past, and move on. Life is precious and too short to take any other approach.

Today there’s love, restoration, respect, trust, laughter, forgiveness, passion, peace, patience, kindness, and goodness. There is communication. There are tears of joy.

And that’s what we are here today to celebrate; this is a reunion of friends and family, so let’s get on with it and make it official, let’s put a bow on it.

Today’s reading links: Hebrews 7 & Psalm 15

Get On With It

So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. But there’s so much more. Let’s get on with it! Hebrews 6:1-3

Before we get rolling here, I just have to point out one thing… I don’t know about you, but for me, sometimes The Message version of a Scripture is so motivating. When I read the first few verses of Hebrews 6 today, I could not help but feel convicted… maybe you feel the same way. Anyways, moving right along today… 🙂

I’ll be honest: it’s easy for me to focus on the “preschool fingerpainting exercises” of my faith and miss the “grand work of art” that God really wants to grow me in. I seem to start off really strong after Sunday, but since I’m incredibly task oriented and to-do-list driven, by the end of the work week I often am going through the motions and missing the big picture of what God is doing in the midst of my everyday. I love that Hebrews 6 literally tells me that there is so much more to life than that… and when I’m barely able to find time to be with the Lord during a busy week, I can’t help but realize I’m just sitting here doing those preschool fingerpainting exercises when God’s painting a gorgeous work of art that He wants me to make time to be a part of.

I listened to a sermon the other day that reminded us as Christians that God loves us enough to give us free will. He is not going to make us do anything… all the way from preventing us from sinning to forcing us to trust in Jesus for our salvation. That goes for the things Hebrews 6 convicted me about, too: have the choice to orient my life in such a way that I do exchange my meager attempts at fingerpainting for watching God paint a canvas. can choose to live my days on this earth out in a way that puts Christ at the center of all things- my conversations, my errands, my emails, all of it. have the choice to make the jump from the tiny to the grand- and God’s not going to make me do it. I have the choice, and He’s just waiting for me to take it.

What are grander things that God is waiting for you to choose this week? And what faith steps does God want you to take to grow your faith walk with Him, today? I fully believe that He wants us to trade in our meager attempts at finding full life on our own for the bigger, more beautiful things He’s already put in place for us. I hope that today you can be encouraged to get on with the grand work of art Christ has ready and waiting for you and to leave behind the lesser things. It’s time to grow in our faith and get on with what God has next for us.

We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:18-20

 

Apostasy

Today’s reading Hebrews 5 and Psalm 13

The theme of spiritual growth has been a focus in In the last three readings I’ve been assigned.  Today is number four.

  1. Three posts ago was, The 5 Essentials for Christian Growth from Philippians 1:9-11;
  2. the next post was, The 3 Stages of Christian Growth (and how to avoid them) from 1 Thessalonians 5; where the topic was grieving the Spirit.
  3. the last post was, Be Strong from 2Timothy 2:2-6, wherein Paul gave us four relatable examples of what we should grow into, the teacher, the soldier, the athlete and the farmer.

Hebrews 5 closes with a warning against apostasy. Having heard enough to be teachers of Christ, there were those in this congregation that were turning back to Judaism. (Hebrews 5:12)  The Jews identified with being teachers, leaders of the blind, but here the writer rebukes them, essentially saying, you need to go back to the essentials.  You need to start again at the beginning with the basic things.

We know from 1John 2:12-16 the three stages of Christian growth:

  1. Babes. Babes in Christ know the name of Jesus.
  2. Young Men. Young men in Christ are strong. They know the Word and use the Word (the truth) to overcome the deceiver.
  3. Fathers. Fathers in Christ know God.

In my estimation, the writer was essentially saying, you think you are on stage three but you are obviously failing stage two (you are deceived).

This statement is made to the whole congregation as a preface to what the writer is going to share. In paraphrasing, he is saying, ‘I’m getting ready to go deep here.  Get ready, and know that some of you aren’t going to get it because you’re self-deceived.’  The beginning of chapter 6 then wraps up the warning to those that have heard the truth and been led astray down paths of false doctrine.  It is horrifying.  

 

God, may we all grow in You and You alone.  May we grow in Your Word and be strong, able to discern the truth and overcome the deceiver.  God would you give each of us all a thirst for your Your Word?  We need You LORD.  Amen.

Protection and Rest

Today’s Readings Hebrews 4 and Psalm 12

I write this summary not feeling happy like I usually do. I hope that its ok… I’d rather be real and give you the truth. I do write this feeling comforted, and a little more at peace than usual. I started reflecting on Psalm 12 first. I was feeling the first few verses so much over the past few weeks, maybe even months.

Psalm 12: 1-2, “Help Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts”

I’ve felt lied to and misguided, treated dishonestly, and taken advantage of. I don’t say any of this for sympathy, actually, I just wish I had read this so much sooner. If I would have, I would have read that I will be taken care of eventually. I have the ability to ask our father for help. I wasn’t doing that. I was letting all of this bother me. I wish I had read verses 5 and 6!

“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise”, says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them” And, the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.

I feel silly when I put God in a box, and forget that he is really the one who can make things better for me. I shouldn’t be surprised at the dishonesty and poor treatment from humans. I should know that we are all a bunch of dishonest, mean people. Myself included! I’m just bummed out because it is happening to me. That doesn’t make it feel any better, but it at least gives me some perspective.
And, that’s when it hit me. These 2 readings are intertwined! I wasn’t letting God be my rest either! Hebrews is about the Sabbath rules and laws. Psalms is completely about rest. God wants us to rest! he doesn’t want us to be lazy, but I really took this as saying, “Trust in me! stop fretting, read about how I want you to rest!” It just put me at peace. I know, it may not even come now, tomorrow, or next week. But, God’s got my back in this! I don’t need to worry about all the negative talk, the unfair treatment. Any of it!

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as Good did from His.
So, I guess, my whole point is, no matter who, or what is getting you down. Take a Sabbath, Let our God protect you. Let God give you rest! Amen

Today’s post is written by my friend and brother in Christ Kris Walker. Continued prayers for us all to Trust God, stay in His word, and pray! God holds it all in His hand.

Harden Not Your Heart

Today’s Reading: Hebrews Chapter 3

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” Hebrews 3:7-8

 It’s not often that a verse from the bible resonates with me from my childhood. I was raised Catholic for the first thirty-one years of my life.  I was deeply rooted in that faith tradition. The foundation of my faith was built on tradition and ritual.  My religious education was not particularly focused on scripture.  The way that I learned scripture was through song. Now, as I mature in my Christian identity I get really excited when I recognize God’s words from the sacred songs I learned so long ago. It’s a way for me to reconcile the tenants of my Catholic Christian identity to my new more biblically based Christian identity. When I read through today’s scripture Hebrews 3, I immediately heard the melody of a song by David Haas sung so frequently during mass called, “If Today You Hear His Voice.”

I know now that this passage refers to the Israelites that had hardened their hearts toward God while in the desert. By resisting God’s will we become convinced that God cannot deliver on his promises. Despite the fact that we hear His voice leading us on a daily basis we often refuse to listen. As we dig in our heels and our stubborn nature takes over, we cannot turn to God for help. For the Hebrew Christians, their faith was deeply rooted in the rituals, commandments and the prophets they knew. The message of Jesus conquering sin, fulfilling the Law and providing eternal life was surprisingly hard for them to accept. The NIV Study Bible says this about the second generation Hebrew Christians,

“Although they had sought the Messiah for centuries, they were entrenched in thinking and worshiping in traditional forms. Following Jesus seemed to repudiate their marvelous heritage and Scriptures. Those who did accept Jesus as the Messiah often found themselves slipping back into familiar rout9ines, trying to live a hybrid faith.” (Zondervan NIV p. 2059)

Hybrid faith.  Did you get that? The Hebrew Christians were trying to customize or personalize their faith into a hybrid that more or less worked for them. Yep…I do that. How often do I hear his voice and harden my heart? Do I pick and choose the aspects of his word that work for me and my moral compass and leave other less popular doctrines behind? What we learn from Hebrews 3 today is that Christ alone is sufficient for salvation. He is superior to our prophets and our priests. If today we hear his voice, we must open our hearts. The message may not feel comfortable.  It may not feel modern and we can count on the fact that it will challenge. God invites us to give ourselves completely to Christ and in return we will come to share in Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

Credible

Hebrews 2, Psalm 10

I spent two days last week at the Global Leadership Summit, hosted this at Eastview Christian Church.  They presented a fantastic array of world-class that provided their wisdom, insight and instruction to become better leaders.  These talks are nothing new to me.  In fact, I consume an unbelievable amount of similar information every week.  I read blogs and books, listen to podcasts, even receive daily tips in my email.  Why?  Because I want to become everything that God created me to be.  Filling my heart and mind this way helps to assure my success. I must be careful, however, with who I listen to.

Each of last week’s speakers and authors has credibility.  For example, in her talk about forgiveness, Immaculee Ilibagaiza described, in detail, the horror and terror she experienced during the Rwanda genocide in 1994.  Her personal experience and resulting triumph offer me encouragement and hope in any circumstance. Clearly, she is a trustworthy source.  

As I reflect on last week’s speakers and consider Paul’s conversation with us today in Hebrews 2, I noticed an interesting correlation.  God, did the same thing.  He experienced life, just as we do, right here on earth.  He did it for two reasons.  First, so that he can understand exactly what it is like to be human. The only possible way to do so, was to send his son, in flesh and blood to live life, just like us.  

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. Hebrews 2:4 (NLT) 

The second consideration in God’s becoming human is credibility.  Why should we listen to Jesus Christ?  What makes him an authority?  Simple, his performance during and after hardship and suffering prove his character.

Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. Hebrews 2:18 (NLT)

Thankfully, Jesus can help us better than any speaker or leadership guru. He conquered death.

For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Hebrews 2:14 (NLT)

Because of his living sacrifice, we are no longer bound, but are free.  Nothing can prevail against us (Matthew 16:18).  Nothing.

 

The Epistle of Hebrews

This week I have the opportunity to introduce the epistle of Hebrews to you. The author of this book is unknown however many sources suggest it is again Paul. (Second vote was for Barnabas.) From a theological perspective, Paul seems to be the favorite. However, it is noted that this book was written in Greek which Paul had not been doing up to this point.

The other interesting debate is whether Genesis or Hebrews is the oldest book in the Bible. Or was it Job? Hebrews was written before the fall of Jerusalem and is estimated at around 70 A.D. The comments clearly state that it is hard to determine because the Bible is not in chronological order. It is a group of books edited together. That point made me stop and think for a minute. As we read through it, the readings seem to be in a good order in terms of thoughts and themes, logically grouped for reading and studying. It is also noted that this book could have been written for those looking to follow Jesus or those straying back toward Judaism. You be the judge.

So on to the actual text. The writings or letters are aimed at the Hebrews and those with wavering faith (sounds like Paul?). The focus is on Christ’s superiority. I think this will be an interesting read for us as the book will highlight what is referred to as the Faith Hall of Fame. We have so many Hall of Fames in today’s world, I am looking forward to this version of the Hall of Fame.   Is there a place for you there? I personally have a lot of work to do, however, I do feel I know some people who could qualify.  In this book, Christ is highlighted as being superior. He gave his son to die for us so that our sins are forgiven and that we might have eternal life. Hard to dispute this fact!

This book highlights Timothy as being one of the “Hall of Famers”. I would agree after we just completed all the readings and teachings of Paul as he was coaching Timothy. The book goes on to not only highlight other Hall of Famers, Abraham, Moses to name a few, but it goes on to help us with everyday life:   temptation, faith, obedience. And recognizes we may slip in our daily lives. It will remind us who we can turn to refresh and restore us.

A few points to look for as you read ahead

  • Jesus is supreme
  • Listen to Christ
  • Jesus is the One we go to
  • The Blood of Christ
  • Examples of Faith
  • Strive for Jesus

How about it! Can’t wait to get going!

As for our Psalms reading today, Psalms 8, this reading makes me feel calm.  On Saturday long runs early in the morning, it is thoughts such as these words that make the run much easier.  With the sun coming up, I do think about how beautiful the earth is and how we should spend more time enjoying the splendor….”birds in the sky”, “how majestic”.  If you are reading this in the early morning, I encourage you to look outside at that sunrise and read this Psalm aloud.

Have a great Friday!

Sources:

Into thy Word: 

Introduction to the Word of Hebrews