Friday, May 29, 2015

High Priest

I've read the Bible though a couple of times in my life but claim to know not nearly enough.  I've been studying Hebrews and sharing some of it with you as well.  It's easy to read a passage sometimes and lose focus on it.  I came to Hebrews 4:14-5:10 and I'm rediscovering some of it's wonder.  I feel I need to start with something else to help us.  We don't always truly get some of the things that happened on the cross.  It was a more brutal time and their was a sacrificial system that's sometimes hard to make sense of.  
Words by Bob Hartman
Based on Hebrews 10: 19, 20

"Once a year for sacrifice just one priest could pay the price
And step inside the inner veil to make the people free
Temple stood the same for years till the Nazarene appears
Things will never be the same since 33 A. D.
When He spoke and bowed Hid head
He who saved the world was dead
Then the earth began to shake
Heaven's wall began to break
Opening the Holy Place
The temple veil is torn in two
The way is clear for me and you

[Chorus:]
We can enter in, enter in
Into Heaven's Holy place
We can enter in, enter in
Boldly by His blood we can approach His throne of grace
We can enter in a new and living Way
By our faith He will receive us when we pray

Now without a second look we forget what all it took
To be seen as innocent by His Holy eyes
Never thinking foolishly there is something He won't see
For our lack of righteousness there is no disguise
He won't look the other Way
Someone's life will have to pay
Once for all it has been done
Taken out upon His Son
He remembers it no more
Now for us He is the Door
Opened up forevermore

We can enter in, enter in
We can enter in His gates with thankfulness and praise
Into the once forbidden Holy place
We can live in goodness and in mercy all our days
We can enter in a new and living Way
By our faith He will receive us when we pray
We don't have to be afraid to seek His face
We can enter in"

I shared the song to help us understand a little more of Jesus role as our high priest.  "So then, since we have a great high priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.  The High Priest of ours understands our weakness, for he faced the same testing we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."  This gives us hope and boldness then the next verses qualify how and why Jesus is our high priest.  "Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God.  He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins.  And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people, because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses.  That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs.  And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor.  He must be called by God for this work just as Aaron was.  That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become high priest.  No he was chosen by God who said to him `You are my Son.  Today I have become your Father.'  And in another passage God said to him.  `You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.'  While Jesus was on the earth he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death.  And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God  Even though Jesus was God's Son, He learned obedience from the things he suffered.  In this way, God Qualified him as a perfect high priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.  And God designated him to be a high priest in the order of Melchizedek."  We have a wonderful High Priest in Jesus and their is Joy in him having that role.  











 
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Friday, May 22, 2015

Eliminate the blur

Sometimes the reason the church tries to reach people for Christ can be blurred.  To the outside world it's confusing even.  Marion and I leave Real Life invite cards with wait staff when we eat out.  Some of them like this girl Sassy has even remembered us because of it.  The manager of the Ol' Steakhouse Company Dave remembers us for the same reason because before when he was a waiter we left a card for him.  Invitations to church though are not enough.  There's a reason for Christians to try and reach the lost.  To eliminate the blur I'm going to try and give you a little bit of a refresher course.  Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 3:23 "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's righteous standard."  We needed a savior and that was accomplished by Jesus Christ.  Proverbs 24:11 "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter."  When Jesus left the earth he gave us a command.  Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this; I am with you always even to the end of the age."  The church and it's people are to be on mission with God.  The great Commission you just read mentions all nations and to me that doesn't leave any place out.  Wherever you are is your mission field.  It's not rocket science it's heart science.  If you want something extra to read about this I'm sharing this link to the sermon preached years ago by Jonathan Edwards http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&context=etas.  I do want as you read this week have this verse in your thoughts 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness.  Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  God is waiting on us to point people to him so He can change their lives.  Let us be like Isaiah and say "Here am I Lord send me."  









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