For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
(Hebrews 5:1-10 ESV)
Priests. Just the mention of the name can stir up all sorts of emotions in people in our culture - some good, some not so much. But in the purest understanding of what a priest is and does, he is someone who humbly serves for God, being an intermediary between God and man. People, tend to be stubborn on their end of things - at best, ignorant of how the relationship should go. True priests are not in it for any selfish gain of power, possessions or passions, but because they are chosen by God to live this sacrificial life. Christ, the Messiah, is the ultimate priest. He is perfect, making him the only fully-qualified priest, able to bring together God and Man. Being Son of God and Son of Man did not hurt. Are you willing to trust such a priest with your soul?
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
A Man with the Multi-syllable Name...
After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
(Genesis 14:17-20 ESV)
As David sings about the Messiah, the Anointed One to come, God has him tell us that he will be this "priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."(Psalm 110) (say that name fast five times...) Who is this priest? A priest of the Lord who came out and prophetically blessed Abram after he had rescued Lot. Why did he do so? To point out to everyone around that it was God Who brought the victory - not Abram or any of the other kings who had joined together. To God alone be the glory! For the Messiah, the Son of God Who came to earth to be our Deliverer, it was also about the Glory of the Father, the will of the Father. He came to point us all back to Him. He Himself will receive glory from the Father, but when He came, He came as priest, to point us to God. When we do all we do this year to celebrate Messiah's coming, may we not just look down into the manger to see a Baby. May we then look up and give thanks to the God who sent Him, and stand in awe of His great love and salvation.
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
(Genesis 14:17-20 ESV)
As David sings about the Messiah, the Anointed One to come, God has him tell us that he will be this "priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."(Psalm 110) (say that name fast five times...) Who is this priest? A priest of the Lord who came out and prophetically blessed Abram after he had rescued Lot. Why did he do so? To point out to everyone around that it was God Who brought the victory - not Abram or any of the other kings who had joined together. To God alone be the glory! For the Messiah, the Son of God Who came to earth to be our Deliverer, it was also about the Glory of the Father, the will of the Father. He came to point us all back to Him. He Himself will receive glory from the Father, but when He came, He came as priest, to point us to God. When we do all we do this year to celebrate Messiah's coming, may we not just look down into the manger to see a Baby. May we then look up and give thanks to the God who sent Him, and stand in awe of His great love and salvation.
Monday, November 28, 2016
What kind of King is this???
A Psalm of David.
The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The LORD sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.”
(Psalm 110:1-4 ESV)
In this description of the King of Kings, David writes something that trips us up, throws in the monkey wrench, and stops us in our tracks. The King is a priest... Our American minds rush to the thought: "What ever happened to separation of church and state?" Our critical Bible Scholar minds say: "But what about Uzziah the king, who presumptively went into the temple and was stricken by God with leprosy for his act?" How can this be, that the King could also be a priest? Can He do that?
I can remember when our oldest son was young, he said he wanted to be President and Part-Time Pastor, and we laughed within, thinking: "Sure, you do..." But yes, it's real, it's right, even required that the Messiah be both King and Priest. Who else could handle the sacrifice that would be required for the sins of the whole world? Such power, such authority cannot be entrusted to just anyone, or to anyone we know. Only one can be trusted to handle it correctly.
Of course, we object. It is hard enough to relinquish the rightful right of rule to the deserving King; it is at least as hard for us to say that we are wrong, sinful, and needy, and turn ourselves over to a priest in all honesty and trust Him with our forgiveness. If we do not entrust Him with one office, we are not likely to trust Him with the other. Is He your King, your Priest?
In this description of the King of Kings, David writes something that trips us up, throws in the monkey wrench, and stops us in our tracks. The King is a priest... Our American minds rush to the thought: "What ever happened to separation of church and state?" Our critical Bible Scholar minds say: "But what about Uzziah the king, who presumptively went into the temple and was stricken by God with leprosy for his act?" How can this be, that the King could also be a priest? Can He do that?
I can remember when our oldest son was young, he said he wanted to be President and Part-Time Pastor, and we laughed within, thinking: "Sure, you do..." But yes, it's real, it's right, even required that the Messiah be both King and Priest. Who else could handle the sacrifice that would be required for the sins of the whole world? Such power, such authority cannot be entrusted to just anyone, or to anyone we know. Only one can be trusted to handle it correctly.
Of course, we object. It is hard enough to relinquish the rightful right of rule to the deserving King; it is at least as hard for us to say that we are wrong, sinful, and needy, and turn ourselves over to a priest in all honesty and trust Him with our forgiveness. If we do not entrust Him with one office, we are not likely to trust Him with the other. Is He your King, your Priest?
Sunday, November 27, 2016
For a little while...
For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
(Hebrews 2:5-9 ESV)
It is always interesting to see the slight modifications the New Testament writers make in quoting the Old Testament in order to help us better understand what God has said and done. In helping us to wrap our minds around the fact that the Messiah was both God and Man, and that he came as the Incarnate Word of God, he makes it clear that this application of Psalm8, written by David, was "for a little while." Paul speaks about this in Philippians 2 as His setting aside the manifestation of His full Glory. However you put it, the reality is that we have not yet seen the full Glory of Christ. We anticipate it at His second Advent. The important thing for us at this point is to understand the "why" of the incarnation. Why did God have to become man. That is clear: to "taste death", to die in our place for our sins. That truth should lead us to place Christ where he belongs: above the angels, above all people and powers we know, as King of our lives. He deserves the glory and honor.
“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
(Hebrews 2:5-9 ESV)
It is always interesting to see the slight modifications the New Testament writers make in quoting the Old Testament in order to help us better understand what God has said and done. In helping us to wrap our minds around the fact that the Messiah was both God and Man, and that he came as the Incarnate Word of God, he makes it clear that this application of Psalm8, written by David, was "for a little while." Paul speaks about this in Philippians 2 as His setting aside the manifestation of His full Glory. However you put it, the reality is that we have not yet seen the full Glory of Christ. We anticipate it at His second Advent. The important thing for us at this point is to understand the "why" of the incarnation. Why did God have to become man. That is clear: to "taste death", to die in our place for our sins. That truth should lead us to place Christ where he belongs: above the angels, above all people and powers we know, as King of our lives. He deserves the glory and honor.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Have a Seat...
The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The LORD sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
(Psalm 110:1-2 ESV)
The Messiah, anointed and appointed to rule and to reign. He watches until that time. David lived that - watching and waiting until he was on the throne. Jesus has done that. It is a picture that affects us. It's not just about eternity. It's about now. Are we making Him wait for us to acknowlege His rule and reign in our lives? Are we living like His enemies? Is His seat in the back seat?
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
The LORD sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!
(Psalm 110:1-2 ESV)
The Messiah, anointed and appointed to rule and to reign. He watches until that time. David lived that - watching and waiting until he was on the throne. Jesus has done that. It is a picture that affects us. It's not just about eternity. It's about now. Are we making Him wait for us to acknowlege His rule and reign in our lives? Are we living like His enemies? Is His seat in the back seat?
Friday, November 25, 2016
Much More than an Angel...
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God's angels worship him.”
Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”
But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
And,
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.”
And to which of the angels has he ever said,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
(Hebrews 1:1-13 ESV)
The Son. Six Letters, one space, eternal difference. As powerful as Creation, this One who was there when it began speaks to the world, and especially to us, His people. The Word-made-flesh speaks endless volumes about the person of God, the power of God, and the plans of God for the sons of men - you and me. Will we listen? The Old Testament people of God had a tendency to NOT listen to the prophets; will we NOT listen to the Son, who has come to speak to us? The Psalms, several of which are quoted here in this chapter, gave hint after hint about Who the Messiah would be, yet they were often sung without meditation, without a thought about Who He would be, why he was coming, how we should respond. Let's pay attention to the Coming King, Who He is, why He came, and how we should respond to Him.
For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?
And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God's angels worship him.”
Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”
But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
And,
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.”
And to which of the angels has he ever said,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
(Hebrews 1:1-13 ESV)
The Son. Six Letters, one space, eternal difference. As powerful as Creation, this One who was there when it began speaks to the world, and especially to us, His people. The Word-made-flesh speaks endless volumes about the person of God, the power of God, and the plans of God for the sons of men - you and me. Will we listen? The Old Testament people of God had a tendency to NOT listen to the prophets; will we NOT listen to the Son, who has come to speak to us? The Psalms, several of which are quoted here in this chapter, gave hint after hint about Who the Messiah would be, yet they were often sung without meditation, without a thought about Who He would be, why he was coming, how we should respond. Let's pay attention to the Coming King, Who He is, why He came, and how we should respond to Him.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Thank you, Lord, for making me a part...
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
(Psalm 8 ESV)
David looks over the wonder of God's creation, and what does he see? In the midst of it all, the greatest wonder is that God has a place for us to fit in. The son of man. What a thought - each one of us has a place that we fit into God's plan and moving picture. David understood the wonder, but never ceased to be amazed by it. Sadly, many of us miss it completely, thinking we are the director, screen-writer and solo star of the show. David as well understood that The Star had not yet been born, that The Son of Man was yet to come, but that he himself also had a strong supporting role in the Son of David, Son of God show. When David got a glimpse of the big picture he said: "Who am I?" Here he says "What am I?" In the few moments of quiet we have today, let us be thankful that God has a part for each one of us, not only in this grand and glorious world, this set HE has constructed, but that it we have a role to play in the Story of Eternity we get to play out here and now.
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
(Psalm 8 ESV)
David looks over the wonder of God's creation, and what does he see? In the midst of it all, the greatest wonder is that God has a place for us to fit in. The son of man. What a thought - each one of us has a place that we fit into God's plan and moving picture. David understood the wonder, but never ceased to be amazed by it. Sadly, many of us miss it completely, thinking we are the director, screen-writer and solo star of the show. David as well understood that The Star had not yet been born, that The Son of Man was yet to come, but that he himself also had a strong supporting role in the Son of David, Son of God show. When David got a glimpse of the big picture he said: "Who am I?" Here he says "What am I?" In the few moments of quiet we have today, let us be thankful that God has a part for each one of us, not only in this grand and glorious world, this set HE has constructed, but that it we have a role to play in the Story of Eternity we get to play out here and now.
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