We are going to spend some time in Philippians chapter one this morning and take a look at the ideas of “Joy” that recur in Paul’s letter and contrast them versus the constant bombardment of this world’s view of joy we receive all day long.
Happiness and joy are something that we all want. As humans we are constantly looking for it. Right in he beginning of the Declaration of Independence of our Nation we have a line that goes like this:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Among our unalienable rights we have guaranteed are “Life and Liberty”
Happiness is not guaranteed… but we have the right to go look for it.

According to research conducted at Southern Illinois University, this is one of the best known lines in he English language.
The founders of his nation knew about this human urge, so much so that they penned it in the most important document to the United States, right up front.
So what does they world think about joy? What is the world’s definition of joy?
According to dictionary at “reference.com” joy is:
the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation
The world sees “Joy” tied to constant consumption.
The world believes “Joy” is caused by something external.
The pursuit of “Joy” is driving our economy.
America, and the world, are looking for the “Something”.
Just look at the countless ads we see everyday promising us joy if we purchase their products.
The funny (or maybe frightening) thing is that we are so indoctrinated with this stuff that sometimes we don’t notice how ridiculous it is until we pull it out in the open. It just doesn’t fit and deep inside we know that. It will never totally satisfy the need that Jesus alone can satisfy. Countless celebrities have thrown countless dollars into finding joy. They have all the money in the world to pursue this definition of joy. Without Christ, none of them can fill that need and feel true and lasting joy. one example of searching and coming up empty is John Mayer. He penned the song called “Something’s Missing” about the nagging empty feeling he has that he can’t figure out.
One verse and the chorus goes like this:

I’m dizzy from the shopping malls
 I searched for joy, but I bought it all
 It doesn’t help the hunger pains
and a thirst I’d have to drown first to ever 
satiate
Something’s missing 
And I don’t know how to fix it 
Something’s missing
 And I don’t know what it is at all

The song ends on a depressing note as he never figures it out. Every time I hear that song I wish I could call him up and say, “It’s Jesus, man.”
The search for the world’s definition of joy can be deadly. Some have died from overdosing on drugs or alcohol in this search, or have taken their life because of the emptiness they feel. This definition is not real. It is fabricated and will not fully meet any need of desire for joy in your heart mind or soul.
Let’s right the compass and figure out what the Bible has to say on “joy”. Let’s open up the Word of God and walk through these verses and look at the contrasts. If we are looking for theme of joy in the Bible, some of the best passages can be found in Philippians. The book of Philippians is written by Paul.
Paul had once been one of the biggest opponents to the gospel. That was until God gave him a wake up call. That story is one of the most intense cases of “election” in the New Testament.
When Paul is writing this letter, things weren’t going well for him. During this time he had been thrown in prison for his faith. The external stimulations in his current situation were not pleasant. This in itself is a contrast to the world’s view of “joy”. But Paul’s heart is not focused on this.
Open up to Philippians 1:

Thanksgiving and Prayer (Philippians 1:3-11 ESV)
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

In this passage there is a theme of brotherly love amongst believers. Paul is given “joy” through the fellowship of the church. We can have joy in one another as we strive for the common goal of this church. This goal is discipling one another and spreading the love of christ to everyone we come into contact with.
It is not the “things” in life that bring joy. It is the relationships. The fellowship of, as Paul states, “all the partakers of grace”. It is the solidarity of the church and our common love for Jesus and for one another. In Mark 12:29 (NIV) Jesus said the two greatest commandments are:

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

The second greatest commandment is about loving one another Right behind loving God with all your heart. There is a lot of weight to this. This rings of the “Pursuit of happiness”. We are handmade people. God knows our hearts.
Let’s return to the Word.

The Advance of the Gospel (Philippians 1:12-18 ESV)
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

In this passage we see that joy is found through a servant’s heart. Joy is taking part in the “Great Commission”. Paul has been put on the sidelines, but he was still cheering on the advance of the gospels and the spreading of the “It is finished” love of Jesus Christ. He had a part in the great commission that was happening all around. We just took an offering to help send Taylor to Papalote to advance the Gospel. Papalote is what the great commission looks like to Taylor this summer. We are not going with her, but because we are supporting it we have a piece of this mission and we can have joy in the accomplishments of this mission trip. This is one of the many faces of “The Great Commission”.
Sometimes I think that the term “Great Commission” can be a little overwhelming. It puts a lot of pressure to devise a huge mission project and go out into the world. The reality is that the great commission can happen anywhere and can be a very little encounter. In a coffee shop. At the gas station. Here today. God presents the opportunities. We need to be ready to share the love of Christ.

To Live Is Christ (Philippians 1:19-30)
Yes, and I will rejoice,for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

To live IS Christ. Christ is your life. Our life must be dedicated to striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, to spreading the love of Christ around. If you have developed your relationship with Jesus this is second nature. How many of you have told your friends about a movie you saw that you liked? Maybe a restaurant? Maybe a band or a song, or a painting? Sharing of things we love is intrinsic to our soul. If your life is filled with the joy of a relationship with the living God it with overflow and you will share it.
In closing I want to reiterate that joy lies in the godly relationships. Joy is connected to our purpose of spreading the love of Christ. It is connected to the deeper relationship we can develop by seeking God closer and letting that joy that comes from that overflow for all to see.
Let’s all go back to the Declaration of Independence and make a note. Lets put a mental edit on this line to help us remember the truth about joy and happiness.

“Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Jesus”

May 6, 2012

“Jonah’s Gracious God”

1. Jonah’s plight shows God’s patience.

2. Jonah’s prayer shows God’s power.

3. Jonah’s preaching shows God’s pardon.

4. Jonah’s pouting shows God’s compassion.

Because it tells of a fish swallowing a man, many have dismissed the book of Jonah as fiction.  But 2 Kings 14:25 mentions Jonah as living during the time of Jeroboam II (about 793–753 b.c.), and Jesus referred to Jonah as a historical person (Matt. 12:39–41).  Unlike other prophetic books, the book of Jonah focuses on the prophet himself rather than the message he preached.  The book lists no author, but only Jonah himself could have known all the facts it records.

Jonah was a committed nationalist, pro-Israel, anti-foreign, dedicated, disciplined, and a strong-willed prophet.  He displays hypocrisy, inconsistency, and childish stubbornness.  He is thankful for the blessings and mercy he receives but reluctant to see his enemies receive the same mercy.  “You should be punished for what you did.  Your sin is worse than mine.”  Jonah hopes all along that God won’t be as consistent with His mercy as He always is.  He did not want to allow God to show compassion toward those he thought did not deserve it.

People who have never read the Bible know enough about Jonah to joke about him and the “whale.”  The story of Jonah has entered our folklore.

One reason that the Jonah story has endured is that Jonah is not a hero or saint.  We can  identify with him—he doesn’t do anything great.  Instead of being held up as an ideal to admire, we find Jonah inept like us.  Even when Jonah does it right (like preaching, finally, in Nineveh) he does it wrong (by getting angry at God).  But the whole time, God is working within and around Jonah’s very ineptness and accomplishing His purposes in him.  The story demonstrates the patience, grace and mercy of our God.  We can learn a lot about God in this story.

Things were not going well for the Ninevites between 773-756 BC.  They had a weak king.  Their military was weak.  Their diplomatic envoys were ineffective.  They experienced famine and riots.  Two major omens occurred during this time, a major earthquake and a solar eclipse.  They assumed all their problems were happening because some god was angry with them.

1:1-2 God commands Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh because God knew there would be no end to their wickedness unless they knew who to repent to and repented.  God’s compassion went out to the city.  God had prepared their hearts to hear about the God who controls the rain, the earth and the sun.  An advance warning by a prophet meant there was a possibility for repentance and avoiding the coming destruction.  (God has warned us too.)

1:3 Jonah went, but in the opposite direction.  It may be that Jonah knew there were plenty of other prophets around and assumed God would prefer a willing prophet.  Jonah wanted no part of God trying to bless these wicked neighbors to the NE.  God was the God of the Israelites.  Jonah did not want to hear God’s call again so he decided to get out of Israel and head west.

1:4-16 God ‘threw’ a great wind at the sea soon after they left port.  The wind was obviously from God.  The sailors knew it was a god thing and tried to row back to shore because it was still in sight.  During this whole event the sailors are willing to do whatever God wants, as soon as they find out.  Jonah does not want to hear from God.  He already knows what God wants.

The frenzy of the sailors contrasts the sleep of Jonah.  Sleep is often a symptom of depression.  Jonah had just decided to end his career and exile himself from family and country.

The captain assumed that everyone had a personal god on whom he would call in time of calamity.  The captain’s concern is to appease some god somewhere to quiet the storm.

The dice sailors used were alternating light and dark sided.  Two dark sides up meant “no”.  Two light sides up meant “yes”.  A light and a dark meant roll again.  God chose the dice to work according to His plan.  The dice identified Jonah.  The sailors immediately want to know about Jonah’s God.  They were terrified and amazed that Jonah would disobey the God who made the sea and the land.  If he really believed in that God, why would he consider disobedience?

Jonah recognized that his attempt to get away from God is futile.  He resigned himself to being punished and killed by the God he could not outrun.  He did not repent and promise God he would now go to Nineveh.  He was a committed nationalist.

The sailors wanted Jonah off the ship, but tried to get closer to shore so he could swim back.  Shedding ‘innocent blood’ was a serious crime in those days, especially without a trial.  But if Jonah’s God wanted him killed they would help Him do what He wants and add Him to their list of gods.

God threw the wind.  God controlled the dice.  God calmed the sea.

1:17-2:10 God is still in control.  The fish simply does what it is told.  When Jonah realizes he is not dead, he prays some psalms for 3 days and 3 nights.  It was a popular belief that it took 3 days for a dead person to reach Sheol.  Probably Jonah was still expecting to die.

Jonah thanks God for being with him and delivering him from his own death sentence.  God heard Jonah repeating the Psalms.  God is in charge of salvation.  Jonah doesn’t decide whom God ought to save or not.  Jonah asks for and deserved death, not deliverance and yet God graciously delivered him.  Nineveh also deserves death, not deliverance.  But they will take God’s word to heart and repent as soon as they hear it.  Jonah didn’t repent.

3:1-3 God repeats His commission to go.  God brought Jonah back where it all started and His command has not changed.  Jonah has no option but to obey.  He must resign himself to the fact that God is concerned for Nineveh.  God’s compassion has not changed to please Jonah.  But Jonah is still hoping that the Ninevites will not repent and God will not spare the city.  He had learned his lesson about trying to avoid the call of God, but there is no indication that his prejudice has changed.

3:4-10 Jonah preached.  Nineveh repented.  God spared the city for another 40 years.  God was concerned for the city.

Nineveh was a “three day visit city”.  Diplomatic protocol required gifts to city officials on his arrival the first day.  There may have been formal hearings to explain the primary purpose of his visit.  The second day was to complete his purpose for coming.  The third day was to wrap up the project, say good byes and leave.

Jonah preached exactly what God told him to preach.  40 days meant ‘dozens’ or ‘a good many’.  It does not require a literal 40.  His message was, “In 40 days Nineveh will have a change of heart.”  That could suggest a reversal, a turning upside down, or a change of royalty.

The king and the people acted on the message they heard.  God’s word was taken seriously at all levels.  This message confirmed that what they suspected was true.  The natural disasters were warning them of a greater punishment to come.  The king called for extreme fasting.  By showing the genuineness of their repentance they hoped God would be merciful to them.  They did not believe that their sincerity could make God act on their behalf, but hoped that God would change His mind.

When Nineveh repented, God relented.  Their repentance was acceptable to God.  We have no record that they became monotheists.  Most of the people probably remained polytheistic, syncretistic pantheists.  Their theology was poor and inadequate, but their actions and faith were evidence that they honored God and were thankful.  Jonah’s mission had a wonderful effect.

4:1-4 This paragraph probably occurs after Jonah had waited 40 days and the city was not destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah had been.  This was absolutely disgusting to Jonah.  He hated what God had done (or had not done).  He was mad because God had shown mercy to the enemy.  To his horror, God loved the Ninevites.  He had heard their prayers and accepted their repentance.

Jonah knew that God could do what He wanted to do, but he did not think it was fair.  God should be just, not merciful.  He argues with God, complaining of His goodness.  He tells God to take his life because he does not want to live in a world where God forgives His enemies.

With a very bad attitude Jonah prayed and God listened.  God ignored his request to die and asked, “What are you mad about?”  God is taking time to teach a couple lessons.

4:5-11 Now we see that during the time while Jonah was waiting for the fireworks display God was confronting Jonah about his poor theology.

Jonah probably had to go quite a ways out of the city to find materials for a shelter, but he needed to be near a road to buy food.  His shelter was probably stone walls.  Like He did with the fish, God acted on Jonah’s behalf and sent a plant to deliver him from trouble.  (God has already decided to deliver Nineveh from trouble.)  Jonah was very happy about the vine (6).  It was very valuable to Jonah.  He really appreciated God’s gift given to him.

Jonah was given a day to enjoy the vine’s worth and the joy a simple plant can bring.  Then God sent a worm and a sirocco east wind.  He also removed the clouds.  Was Jonah listening to what God was trying to tell him?  Was he learning his lesson?  No, he did not see how wrong he was.  From his point of view everything had gone wrong for him and he just wanted to die.

This is the central question of the book.  What right do we have to demand that God should favor us and not others?  Jonah insisted that the vine was very important to him.  God should not kill a valuable plant.

God replied, “If it is not right for the plant to die, how can it be right for Nineveh to be struck down?”  God was doing for Nineveh exactly what Jonah insisted He should do for the plant.  Aren’t people worth more than grass?  Are not even animals worth more than a one day old plant?

These people were trapped by their troubles.  They could not discriminate between good and evil.  They lacked the knowledge to find the answer in repentance.  Jonah’s message gave them the answer for relief from their troubles, but in the long run they still were destroyed for their sins.  God’s word gives us hope.  The future is in His hands.

These polytheists had a distorted theology and a reputation for wickedness, but when they heard God’s word, they believed and repented.  God accepted their penitent heart.

God shows mercy to those who do not deserve it.  God shows patience to those who do not deserve it.  God loves you.  What are you going to do about it?

April 29, 2012

16 Ways to give thanks and honor God

Hebrews 13

For the last 12 weeks we have been focusing on the majesty of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The end of chapter 12 says, “Therefore” (12:28) let us be thankful and honor God.  On the basis of who God is and what He has done through Christ Jesus, the writer commands us 16 ways we can give thanks and honor God.

A thankful heart is the foundation for acceptable worship.  A thankful heart is the foundation for pleasing God.  Thanksgiving is an essential condition for reverence and awe.  Without a thankful heart there is no reverence and awe.  Chapter 13 commands us to continue to do what we know we should be doing.

God has spoken (1:1) and is speaking.  This whole book of Hebrews is a summary of God’s plan that was fulfilled in Jesus.  Are you reading the instructions God is speaking to you?  Instructions on products can be very important.  They identify the product.

I’ve told some of you about my gopher traps.  In the spring of 2000 I trapped over 50 gophers.  Through the years I have tried many methods.  I have a home-made shotgun trap.  It has a hair trigger.  I used it until it went off once in my hands.  Now it hangs in my shop as a reminder to be careful.  I’ve tried the long spikes, the smoke bombs, and the scissors.  One summer Kevin brought me some rodent dynamite sticks.  They are used by farmers in Idaho to put in rodent holes, fox holes, prairie dog holes, etc.  I don’t know if they killed the gophers or gave them such an earache that they moved over to the neighbors, but I just used a couple and they worked well.

Unfortunately I had 1 left.  I put it in my bucket with the smoke bombs.  It was the same size as the smoke bombs but it had a distinctive label.  But over the winter the bugs chewed on the labels and they all looked the same.  I forgot what I had in the bucket.

The next spring when the gophers started working again I took my little tractor and went out with my shovel and traps and found a situation that a smoke bomb would work well in.  I dug down to open up the runway and set this bomb in the hole.  I lit it, picked up my little board to cover the hole and waited for it to start smoking.  Sometimes you get a dud at BiMart and they don’t smoke.  I can take those back and they exchange it.  My dog was with me.  She had her nose in the hole.  I told her to get out of there just before it blew up.

It was not a smoke bomb.  It was a rodent stick that made a crater about the size of half a soccer ball.  I realized I was still alive, but I was spitting dirt.  I was covered with dirt and it was still falling.  My tractor was covered with dirt and my ears were ringing.  I couldn’t find my dog.  I called and then spotted him about 150 yards away back up at the house.  When I got back to the house I called my dog and he still did not come.  He could not hear for several days.  I had a ringing in my ears for over a year.

God has spoken and is speaking.  He has told you how to get rid of sin.  The instructions are for your good.  Don’t get careless and throw His word in the bucket with all your other books?

Think about God’s command to honor Him and give thanks.  What is the attitude you most appreciate in your kids?

You can’t buy honor, thanksgiving, friendship, or respect.  It comes with a growing relationship.  As I learn to respect my kids for who they are and they respect me for who I am we are thankful for each other.  How’s your relationship with God?  The very nature of God requires us to be thankful and worship.

Chapter 13 is the conclusion to the preacher’s sermon.  The preacher is reminding the church what they already know.  He is telling them to imitate the faithfulness of past leaders (13:7).  Each of these 16 commands is related to a principle already discussed.  I mentioned to a friend that I had a 16 point sermon.  He suggested that next week my sermon should be pointless.

13:1    Continue to love the brethren

2        Do not neglect hospitality

3    Continue to remember the imprisoned and mistreated

4    Respect marriage

5    Don’t be greedy                    Be content

7    Continue to remember         Imitate

9    Don’t be carried away

13   Let us go out

15               Let us continually offer

16               Don’t neglect

17               Continue to obey Submit Yourselves

18               Continue to pray

13:1  Brotherly love (philadelphia) must be continued.  To be Christian is to love God and your neighbor.

13:2  Hospitality (philoxenia) is literally the love of receiving a guest.  Hospitality is primarily an attitude, not an action.  It is a desire to celebrate with others the abundance of God in Christ Jesus.  Shared life was an integral part of the early Christian message.  Christians are united by their confession in Christ and they are united in love as God’s children.  Many Christians suffered the loss of all their jobs and property.  The public Inns were not family friendly.  Matthew 25:35 says, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me”  Rom 12:13; 1Peter 4:9; Titus 1:8.

13:3  Let your hospitality extend to the Christian prisoners and the mistreated.  Prisons did not have laundries or cafeterias.  When we remember the mistreated with compassion, then we can offer God the sacrifice of praise and generosity with which He is pleased.

13:4  Respect marriage.  Sexuality is a gift of God not a toy.  Marriage is a God-planned relationship.  God will judge those who have sex outside of marriage and those who are unfaithful to their marriage vows.  Purity is required for the true worship of God.  Those who ignore God’s plan and place personal gratification above responsibility to God and to the community will come face to face with God as judge.

“The marriage bed must be undefiled” is a euphemism for being sexually pure.  Illicit sex profanes what God has made holy.  He is not pleased.

13:5  Sexual purity is related to greed.  Most fights have a root in greed, which is rooted in selfishness.  These 2 commands support one another.  Greed is a desire for more.  Discontentment is the curse or punishment for greed.  The phrase “free from the love of money” is a word only used here in the NT.  In the Roman world wealth was a protection from persecution.  It seems common in our culture too.  But our real security is in God.  We can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper” (6).  In God I trust.  What can man do to me?

Godliness with contentment is great gain.  The love of money and trust in God are mutually exclusive.  Greed is a form of idolatry.  It is a trust in money and not God.  We can be content because of God’s promise (13:5c).  God is near and God cares.

13:7-8  Remember your leader’s example and way of life.  Don’t break the chain of holy tradition.  Imitate the faithful leaders of the past.  In Hebrews, discipleship is the imitating of past exemplars of faithfulness rather than “following Jesus”.  Our leaders change, but the message of Christ is the same forever.

13:9  Don’t get deceived by the new, novel, or strange teachings.  You don’t need special foods, secret rituals, or an empty mind to know the presence of God better.  As every meal is a celebration of God’s grace and faithfulness and nourishes the body so every praise and thanksgiving of God’s grace nourishes our relationship with God.  Consider every day as a holiday and every meal as a feast.  You can’t strengthen your heart by changing your food diet.  You do it by being thankful for your food.  You can’t strengthen your heart with inspirational seminars.  You strengthen your heart by praising the God who inspires.  Following the law does not strengthen the heart.  You strengthen the heart by honoring the God who gave the Law.

We have an altar (10), the cross of Christ.  By faith we participate in Christ’s sacrifice.  We die to self so that Christ can live in us.  Through His sacrifice we have access to God’s presence and worship Him.

In 13:12 the Bible says Jesus was crucified outside the camp.  This was not done in the Temple.  It did not satisfy the expectations of man, but it fulfilled the plan of God.

We gain our access to God outside of man’s ritual.  We have access to God outside the walls of our church building.  We do not have to be a high priest to get into God’s presence.  We can now offer a sacrifice of praise, a living sacrifice, an offering of our lives and deeds of kindness beyond any physical limitations.  We can worship God and please Him outside the camp.

Access to God was made available outside the camp, outside the sacrificial system, outside the rules of men, outside the wise man’s expectations.  In Christ all the barriers to God have been removed.

13:13  Let us go to Him outside the camp.  Leave behind the security and sacred enclosures.  Leave the familiar and the easy.  Be willing to suffer persecution.  We are to be like expectant pilgrims not settlers.  For the Jews to leave the Temple meant he lost citizenship.

13:14  There is no permanent security in this place.  God is calling us to seek the city He has prepared for us.  Disciples are called by Jesus to, “Come.  Take up your cross.  Follow Me.”

13:15  True worship consists in the praise of God (15) and a shared life of love (16).  Continually offer up a sacrifice of praise.  God desires the praise of His name, the honor of His name.

13:16  The second component of a well pleasing sacrifice consists in deeds of love.  There is to be a shared life in the community of faith. Without generosity we cannot properly worship God or please God.

13:17  Our leaders are giving their lives for the community.  Obey your leaders.  This is not the normal word for ‘obey’ but is a word that carries the idea of obedience that is won through a consistent character or persuasive conversation.  Follow me as I follow Christ.

13:17  Submit to your leaders.  This also is a unique word that only occurs here in the NT.  It is more a persuasive obedience than a mandatory obedience.  It recognizes authority while maintaining personal independence.  Your leaders will give account to God.

13:18  Continue to pray for those not worshipping with you.

This is serious.  God has spoken.  Read the label.  It is a matter of life and death/heaven and hell.

April 22, 2012

Hebrews 12

“Prepare for the BIG ONE”

I saw a news feature this week on the preparations being made for the big earthquake that will happen soon on the west coast.  A university in Southern California constructed a building on a sliding foundation that would simulate earthquakes.  It was about a 6 story building filled with hospital equipment.  They are concerned that hospitals survive and remain functional after an earthquake.  They had cameras and sensors throughout the building to record the movement.

The Bible says there is coming a massive shaking of the heavens and the earth like has never happened before.  Those who fear God and give thanks cannot be shaken.  They will survive.  The apathetic drifters will not survive.  This chapter is a serious warning to Christians.  God is speaking still today.  We must listen and obey.  We must honor Him and give thanks.

12:1-13 Christians are encouraged to endure like runners in a race.

Chapter 11 reminded us of several witnesses to God’s faithfulness.  Each received confirmation in their hearts that they would receive an inheritance beyond this life.  They are still witnessing today that God has already prepared a place for us in the new heaven and earth.

“Therefore” since we have this huge crowd running with us to the goal of our inheritance let us lay aside all excess weight and the sin that so easily distracts us and let us run with endurance the course marked out for us (1).  The Christian life is compared to an athletic contest.  The footrace was one of the contests in the pentathlon.  It was not a race of speed, but endurance.

Whatever interferes or weighs you down unnecessarily needs to be laid aside.  You can’t do everything you would like to do.  You can’t have all the toys you’d like to have.  Greek runners did not take smart phones with them probably because they did not have pockets.  We are running toward a goal and faithful people are running with us.  You would be foolish to carry a backpack of stuff.

Get rid of the sin that distracts you.  The word ‘sin’ is singular and refers to sin as a heart condition that needs to be cleansed so we are not distracted.  The plural word ‘sins’ refers to specific sins.  There is a ditch that distracts on both sides of the road.  We must keep our gaze on Jesus.  Don’t listen to those calling for you on each side.  Don’t be distracted by lesser things.

This is not a race that we have mapped out.  God has planned our course.  Jesus is pictured as standing at the finish line.  He is the champion and perfecter of our faith.  He is our example (1 Pet 2:20; Eph 5:1-2).  He is our forerunner, our anchor.  He was our example for endurance.  Instead of submitting to the temptation to call down angels and enjoy all the good things possible in the present, He obeyed the Father and suffered a humiliating death on a Roman cross.  He deliberately chose to renounce the joy proposed to him by satan in order to share in the race planned for us.  He could have avoided a shameful death and pursued His own pleasure.  Instead, He despised the shame of the immediate and 40 days later sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Compare and consider (3) your situation with Jesus’.  Falsely accused.  Misunderstood by those who claimed to know God.  Denied His rights as a citizen in a corrupt legal system.  Friends denied Him and betrayed Him.  Mocked.  Beaten.  Whipped.  Robbed.  He did not grow weary, lose heart, and collapse with exhaustion until He had crossed the finish line.  “It is finished.”

The final event in the pentathalon was the boxing match.  It was not like our boxing, but more violent with some kind of weapon.  It was a bloody event.  Seneca, a stoic philosopher said, “The true athlete was the man who saw his own blood.”  The sufferings of the church community were insignificant in comparison with those endured by Jesus.  Our struggle against sin is the struggle against hostile opposition we receive from sinners just as Jesus did.  Don’t get discouraged by opposition.  God can use it to discipline us.

Have you forgotten the reason for discipline?  God disciplines us to make us better.  “As a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you” (Deut 8:5).  God desires only good for His children.  Adversity and hardship are designed by God to encourage His children to trust Him and obey.  According to Prov 3:11-12 discipline is a sign and proof of sonship.  Don’t take lightly the disciplines of the Lord (5).

Parental discipline is necessary (7-8).  The appropriate response is humility (9).  We must submit to discipline in order to benefit from discipline (10-11).

Parental discipline is an integral aspect of family life.  For the Jews the father was responsible for the discipline.  An absence of discipline would indicate a father’s rejection of the child.  An orphan did not enjoy the privileges and protection of a father.

From our fathers we learned respect as the appropriate response to correction.  (It was not wise to sass back.)  God trains His children for their enjoyment of abundant life.  A much greater degree of respect is due God.  He has a right to discipline us and the wisdom to know what is best for us.  The judgment of parents is imperfect and subject to their discretion for a short time.  God disciplines us so we can develop His character, the fruit of the Spirit.  Godly discipline is related to godly character.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time (11), but if we learn from it we will find joy.

Therefore, as an athlete in a race, when you get discouraged, exhausted and weary keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Keep pumping your arms.  Move in a straight path toward Jesus.  Run with others who have their eyes on Jesus.

12:14-29  In the last half of this chapter the writer turns to a new focus from Proverbs 4:25-27.  “Make straight paths for your feet… and God will lead your ways forth in peace.”  The focus now turns to the pursuit of peace.  The writer concludes his sermon with the assurance that “the God of peace… will equip you with everything good for doing his will (13:20-21).”

This sermon or letter started with the fact that God has spoken in the past and is still speaking (1:1).  In chapter 2 the writer warned us that it is not smart to ignore God and not listen.  Now in the last half of this chapter we are warned about refusing to listen to God.  He is still speaking.  We worship a God who speaks.  The example of Esau is given.  His preoccupation with personal gratification (16-17) made it impossible for God to bless him.

Because of the cross, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, Christians have received the gift of peace and they are to be peacemakers.  By faith in Christ we can be forgiven and receive a clean heart and have peace with God.

Peace is an expression of the unity we have in Christ as a community, a Church, the body of Christ.  The church demonstrates in our neighborhood what the new age can be in Christ.  Peace is both a gift and an evidence of God’s presence (14).  Holiness is that quality that identifies us as belonging to God and being used by God.  Holiness is a character attribute of God that we share as His children.  We should resemble our Father.  Without holiness we cannot come into God’s presence.  Only the pure in heart see God.

Unity implies mutual concern and responsibility for one another (15).  Watch carefully that no one forfeits grace.  Watch that no bitter roots are allowed to grow.  Watch that no secularism is accepted.  We are to admonish one another in love.

Disregarding grace is like turning your backside toward God.  Dishonoring God or a child of God will alter the character of the church.  Vigilance and effort is required to live in peace and holiness.  The character of the church is changed by one person’s bitterness.  The bitter root is the person with a stubborn disposition who produces the noxious fruit of apostasy (from+stand).  He has renounced his belief.  Defilement is contagious.  Bitterness is alien to Christ.

Esau was immoral, irreligious and secular.  He was preoccupied with his personal gratification (16).  For him life was about him and the present moment.  He was not future oriented like the men and women of faith in chapter 11.  Esau despised a blessing that would have benefitted his children.  He did not want to endure an empty stomach for a couple hours.  He represents all who reject God’s Gift and new covenant for immediate gratification.

Afterward he sought the blessing, but without repentance (change of mind).  He wanted the inheritance God had promised him, but he still held contempt for God.  His secular thinking still had not changed (17). If he had sought repentance rather than the blessing with tears he could have received forgiveness and a blessing.  The phrase literally reads “for he found no opportunity for repentance”.  There is no indication that Esau recognized his sin or guilt for rejecting God’s gift.  He only recognized the extent of his loss.

Verses 18-24 compare and contrast the old covenant introduced at Mt. Sinai by Moses and the new covenant introduced at Mt. Zion by Jesus.  The verb “come to” is repeated.  But the access to God has changed.  The touch, the fire, darkness, gloom, storm, trumpet, and “the sound of words” that obscured God’s voice was terrifying to the people and even Moses was afraid.  The people were separated from God and could not hear His words clearly.

In contrast, the atmosphere at Mt. Zion is festive.  The angels are rejoicing.  The people and angels have come together.  The people have their names written on the title deed of their inheritance.  They have unlimited access to the judge of all men.  They have been made perfect and lack nothing in their relationship with God.  The heavenly city is real to the eyes of their faith.  Heaven is not just an abstract or spiritual idea as Plato suggested.

Just as Moses inaugurated the first covenant with the blood of the sacrifice, so the new covenant was activated through the blood of sacrifice.  The blood of Abel spoke a curse.  The blood of Christ secured a blessing.  Christ’s blood speaks more clearly and effectively.  Those who pursue peace and holiness will be welcomed into the city built by God.

God is still speaking.  Because God is with no ending His Word also is.  Here is our warning (25-29).  Be careful!  We have a qualitatively greater responsibility than Israel did to listen attentively to the clear voice of God that came in Jesus.  God is speaking His final word through His Son (1:1-2).  We are to respond appropriately with worship and thanksgiving.

At Mt. Sinai God’s voice shook the ground (26).  But there is coming a greater shaking.  Are you ready for the Big One?  Earthquakes in the Scripture are sometimes a metaphor for God’s judgment when people are thrown into confusion.  Whether this next shaking is literal or figurative the writer is warning that it will cause mass confusion, fear, and devastation.  It is a warning of the collapse of the monuments man has built for himself.  It is a warning that this shaking will make an impact on heaven as well as the earth.  Nations and governments will be overthrown in such a way that God gets the glory.

Some things cannot be shaken.  It depends on their relationship with God.  What is shakable will be removed.  What is unshakable will remain and endure.  All opposition to God’s sovereign rule is shakable and will be removed.  The children of God have built their lives on the Rock and will remain.  Christians have become and will remain citizens of an unshakable kingdom.

Here’s the good news (28).  Therefore since we are already receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and worship God appropriately with respect and awe.  By faith in Christ we have unhindered access to God.  We can worship God moment by moment and give thanks without ceasing.  We can please God through personal obedience and thankful heart.

Our God is a consuming fire.  God’s essential character gives us good reason to worship in fear and awe.  Worship is a grateful response to the blessings and promises we have already experienced and to the certainty of our citizenship in the kingdom of God.  Failure to listen to what God is saying can only be catastrophic.  There will be a shaking.  When your heavenly Father speaks, don’t sass back.  The discipline intended for your good may become judgment that will shake you and remove you.

Hebrews 10

“The meaning of Easter – part 2”

April 8, 2012

10:1-18 summarizes and brings to a climax the discussion that began in 7:1.  The way we are to worship God has changed because of the resurrection.  Jesus is our Great High Priest now seated at God’s right hand.  He can purify our conscience.  The old repeated sacrifices were ineffective  (1-4).  Christ’s one sacrifice was superior (5-10).  Christ’s death inaugurated the new covenant (11-18).  Christ offers unhindered access to God.  It’s now a love relationship with God.

Easter and the ascension inaugurated the transition to a new covenant.  How does that affect our lives?  How should we then live?  1) continue to draw near in faith (10:22).  2) continue to hold fast the hope you profess (23).  3) continue to stimulate one another to love (24).

We are warned to be faithful (10:26-31).  We are encouraged to remember and renew our commitments (32-35).  Continue to endure (36-39).  Most anyone can be good in spasms, but Christians are to endure and not to drift in the good times nor lose boldness in the bad times.

10:1-4 The Law and the things prescribed by the Law were only a shadow and not the actual form that casts the shadow.  The word shadow does no signify unreal or deceptive as Plato uses it, but rather imperfect or incomplete.  The Greek word ‘skian’ was used of the first sketch of a picture.  The word ‘eikon’ was the finished picture after the colors were added.  The Law was a shadow that pointed to the future reality complete with color.  OT worship was an accurate sketch of the completed story produced and directed by God in HD, 3-D and living color.

If the sacrifices would have purified the conscience of the worshipper he would not have felt the need to offer sacrifices daily for his sins.  The sacrifices reminded him of his sins.  They did not give him a clear conscience.

10:5-10  The insufficiency of the blood of animals has been replaced and superseded.  In Ps 40, God promised to prepare a human body to accomplish what the animals could not do.  This conversation took place in heaven.  Jesus chose to obey God.  He came to do the will of His Father.  He willingly became a sacrifice for our sins.

Verse 9 is a summary of the whole NT.  Jesus says, “See, I have come to do Your will.”  His body is a gift that God has prepared for Him.  His mission is to live in obedience.  (Peter says (1 Peter 1:22) Christians are purified by obedience.)  Just as Jesus demonstrated, the only sacrifice now necessary to offer God is a life of obedience.  Our culture has trouble understanding obedience.  We associate it with slavery.  However obedience to God sets us free from the Law of sin and death.  We find real freedom in obedience.  We will find unhindered access to God.

Christ’s death on the cross marked the completion of His perfect obedience to the will of God which provided a way we can be intimately transformed and consecrated to God.  The writer literally explains it as, “He takes away the first in order the second to establish.”  The way to worship God is now different than it used to be.  Easter has established a radically new and superior situation for worshippers.  The first covenant is done away.  The new Covenant is established.

10:11-18 Priests stand (11), but Jesus sat down (12) because His work was completed.  There were no pews in the Tabernacle.  Jesus’ place in the presence of God enables Him to minister the new covenant on our behalf.  No other high priest sat down in the presence of God.  Jesus is now our mediator, our advocate, our intercessor, our sanctifier seated at the right hand of the Father.

The Holy Spirit also confirms what Jesus has done and is doing for us (15).  What Jeremiah prophesied (Jer 31) has become the present reality.  The old has been replaced by the new.  We will know God’s will (16) and He will forgive and forget our sins.  If He forgets our sin then there is no longer need for animal sacrifices.  The sacrifice that is now required is obedience and praise (13:15) that purifies the heart.

10:19-25  Therefore brothers since (19) we have an invitation and authorization to enter the presence of God by means of the blood of Jesus…and since (23) we have a great priest in charge of God’s household let us have faith to enter (22), let us hold onto hope (23), and let us keep on caring and encouraging one another to love and good deeds (24).  There it is!  That is the meaning of Easter!  We can live lives filled with faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.

The word ‘boldness’ or ‘authorization’ begins (19) and ends (35) this exhortation.  The final verses transition into the next chapter on ‘faithing’.  In these verses there are at least 10 unusual expressions used to get the attention of the reader.  This is the high point of the writer’s message.  He appeals to the readers to apply the blessings of Christ’s high priestly ministry to their daily lives.  But if you do not do these things there is a stern warning (26-31) that should terrify you.

The meaning of Easter is twofold (19-21).  Our hearts can be purified by faith so we have authorization for access into God’s presence.  Secondly, we have a great high priest who has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. (Matt 28:18).  At Easter Christ inaugurated for us a new and living way, a way that leads to life.  He pioneered a way that was not there before.  Our response must be to keep drawing near with a sincere heart (22).

“Having been sprinkled” and “having been washed” (22) refer to completed actions at a point in time in the past which remains effective in the present.  When priests were installed and consecrated into office they were sprinkled and washed for a lifetime of service.

We are to hold fast our hope because God is faithful (23).  Sometimes life seems to fill up with so much chaos that we lose control and begin to feel that God has also lost control.  Then we remember that He is not pacing the floor and wringing His hands.  He is seated on the throne.  There is no uncertainty on God’s part.

We belong to God and He cares for us so we can care for one another (24).  We must be encouragers.  The world has too many discouragers already.  Apparently some worshippers had stopped taking part in the house meetings.  It could have been fear, but an early writing from the first part of the second century in Rome said that many Christians were preoccupied with business affairs and were neglecting the meetings of their house church.  The writer regards non-attendance as serious.  It threatened mutual encouragement and admonition.

The writer uses the language of the peace offering or thanksgiving offering in this command to stimulate one another.  A peace offering was used to confirm an agreement between 2 parties.  Following the burnt offerings, the peace offering was a covenant of fellowship with God and one another.  After securing the cleansing of the burnt offering, OT worshippers would gather for mutual exhortation and offer a peace offering and recite scriptures of God’s faithfulness and love.  It is characteristic of a peace offering that it can never be made alone.  Community worship is presumed.  The atonement sacrifice was complete in Christ so now the Church makes no animal sacrifices, but meets for giving thanks and celebrating their peace with God and one another.

10:26-31  This is the 6^th stern warning in this letter.  Don’t continue doing something that you know is not pleasing to God.  When you know what displeases God and you chose to do it anyway you lose your access to God and you no longer hear His Spirit convicting you of sin.  This is the inappropriate response to the events of Easter.  The penalty for this kind of intentional sin is death.  If you reject the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for our sins, you have no other Savior.  You will suffer judgment as a fire.

If those who spurned the Law of Moses died without mercy, how much more catastrophic will be the punishment for those who spurn the story of Easter (28-29)?  If sin against the Law was serious, how much more serious is sin against love?  With biting irony, the writer envisions this person regarding the cleansing blood of Christ as defiled.  If you consider water to be poison how can you live?  If you turn your backside toward God you will suffer severe consequences.  If you insult the gracious Spirit and call evil good and good evil, you are in serious trouble and the Spirit can no longer convict you of sin.

This stern warning is supported by 2 scriptural texts.  The 1^st from Deut 32:35 where God declares that He assumes personal responsibility for taking vengeance on those who turn against Him.  The 2^nd is from Deut 32:36 which reinforces the judgment mentioned in 10:27.  Judgment is terrifying and certain.  Don’t turn your backside toward God.

There are some obvious parallels of thought between the warnings in 6:4-8 and 10:26-31 and the words of comfort in 6:9-12 and here in 10:32-36.

The writer urges his friends to remember the former days when they were persecuted and at the same time growing in grace.  They had endured a hard ‘contest’ with sufferings (32).  The word for contest was used of the intense efforts of athletes in the sports arena.  This is the only place it is used in the NT.

Apparently part of the congregation had been exposed to ridicule because they had been defenseless against the seizure of their property.  Their suffering was public.  They were exposed to ridicule.  However, at that time a strong sense of community had characterized the congregation.  Those who had not been affected personally by the hostility had shown solidarity with their brothers.  They had displayed genuine empathy by visiting and feeding those in prison.

There is a play on two words that mean property or possessions in the Greek (34).  There are possessions that can be lost through seizure and there are ‘better’ possessions that remain intact and secure because they are laid up in heaven.

“Therefore” (35) do not throw away your boldness (confidence).  Like a precious gift it has great rewards.

Verse 36 suggests that obedience to the will of God and endurance go together.  Sacrifices are no longer required, but obedience and endurance are.  Jesus is coming soon (37).  We can count on God being faithful (38).  We must be ‘faithing’.  Our goal is eternal life.  We receive strength to reach that goal through ‘faithing’.  Obedience to the new covenant purifies your heart for worship.  Trust and obey, for there’s no other way…

April 15, 2012

Hebrews 11

“Models of Faith and Hope”

This chapter reminds us that our lives should be lived and directed by our future and not our past.  Mom and Uncle Walt tell the story of Grandpa Schoenborn transplanting seedlings from the canyon to an upper pasture.  He carried buckets of water to them for a couple years.  He was asked why he was doing that.  He was too old to ever reap any profit from these trees.  He would never enjoy them.  His simple reply was, “Somebody will.”  Now Kevin is hoping to build a home and use some of those trees in the framing of his dream home.

The tragedy of our culture is reflected in the bumper sticker on the motor home that says, “We are spending our children’s inheritance.”

This chapter is a celebration of the faith and hope of those who oriented their lives to the future that God had promised them and their children.  Is your life oriented to the future that God has promised you or are you complaining about what happened to you in the past?  Are you complaining about something that someone said about you or did to you?  Are you focusing on your limitations, your health, or your mistakes rather than the faithfulness of God and His promises?  Maybe today you can think a little about your future.  What has God promised you?

The Greeks believed that faith was a characteristic of the uneducated person who believed in something without any real facts to support their belief.  The writer to the Hebrews says that each person in this chapter received a witness from God.  The word ‘witness’ (2, 5, 7, 39) is translated ‘commended’ in the NIV, and ‘received approval’ in the NRSV.  The root idea is martyr.  The passive verb form means these people of faith received a witness from God.  God confirmed their faith: sometimes without a word, sometimes with a command, sometimes with a promise.

So it is today.  Our western culture has a Greek understanding of reality and faith.  We talk about hard facts and empirical evidence forgetting that the unseen is also real.  Are we listening to the world or God’s Word?  These witnesses in this chapter are remembered here to encourage us to continue believing in the reality of God and the future He has promised.

11:1-2  The writer describes faith.  Faith in its simplest form is an act of trust.  Faith in God’s word celebrates now the certainty of future blessings and events that are as yet undisclosed.  Faith in God demonstrates the existence of a reality that cannot be perceived through objective sense perception.  Faith provides evidence for that which has not been seen with physical eyes.  Faith and hope are both oriented toward the future.

For the person who is pure in heart, faith adds insight to the mind and light to the world so he sees God in everything.  The writer does not try to define faith, but he describes faith and tells us what it does.

11:3  Those who doubt the evidence of faith must remember that reality existed before the visible universe was formed.  Creation is a witness to faith that believes the physical universe was formed in response to the personal word of God.  Faith confirms the reality of that which God has not made visible to our eyes.  The discernment of the unseen creative activity of God is seen by faith.  By faith we understand that the visible world was not made out of anything observable.  God did not use a visible chaotic mass or a previous earth to create this world.

11:4 Looking back through the OT the writer notes that Cain and Abel both knew that God was pleased with Abel’s sacrifice and not Cain’s.  By faith Abel received an attesting witness, a commendation from God because his heart was pure and righteous.  God spoke well of Abel’s offerings because his heart was right.  Cain got very angry.  God asks Cain in Gen 4:7, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?”  Heb 11:6 also explains this event further.  “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”  Abel’s faith in God lifted his perspective beyond the present.

It is by his faith (and not by a blood sacrifice) that Abel pleased God and continues to testify to the reality of God.  Abel responded to God without reference to the spoken word (as in the case of Noah) or the promise of God (as with Abram).  Abel found access to God and fellowship with God because his heart was right.  Abel continues to speak of the faith that wins approval from God.

11:5-6  By faith Enoch was translated by God so he did not experience death.  Enoch received God’s approval prior to his translation.  Enoch had an inner awareness that he was drawing near to the real, living God and so he regulated his conduct accordingly even when God had not spoken to him directly.  He believed that God exists and that He establishes a relationship with those who earnestly seek Him.  Enoch enjoyed pleasing God.  His life pleased God.

11:7  God warned Noah about events that had never occurred before.  Noah was convinced of the certainty of the flood without ever experiencing rain.  He reoriented his life to follow God’s instructions.  The flood was an objective hope that was real to Noah’s faith.  Faith alone made the flood real to Noah.  Noah’s faith became a sharp rebuke to his godless contemporaries.  Our world today is much like Noah’s day.  Does our future orientation condemn the world’s momentary consumerism?  Noah’s faithful obedience pleased God.

11:8-19  God called Abraham to move from the family farm.  He left immediately in faith, not knowing where he was going.  He was eager to obey God.  Faith for him was an active response to the spoken word of God.

It is common to think that Abraham’s inheritance was Canaan.  But as you read 9-10 it becomes clear that he lived in tents in the land of Canaan looking forward to the city coming down from heaven.  He was not on a pilgrimage to heaven or the city of God.  By faith he was expecting the promise because he knew it was not here yet.  This is written to encourage the readers.  We also are pilgrims and resident aliens living in a foreign country waiting for the city built by God.  Because of Easter we know that the kingdom of God has come.  Jesus is on the throne.  The final judgment is coming soon.

God’s promise is renewed to each successive generation (9).  We are tent-dwellers in the land where God wants us right now.  Our tent-encampment is without foundations.  The city with foundations has a King who is firmly established.  This is an obvious metaphor for the kingdom of God that was confirmed at Easter.

By faith Abraham was enabled to become a father (11-12).  Faith cooperated with his body to produce the strength to father a child.  He believed that God kept His promises.  Faith in God’s spoken word produced descendants as numerous as the stars.

Faith in the power of God overcomes death.  These people of faith did not let death call into question the validity of the promises.  Although they were promised ‘a place’ they remained resident aliens throughout their lives.  They were able to see events that were as yet unseen.

They were looking forward to a homeland (14), a better country (16), a city with foundations.  Their faith was oriented toward a future place that is superior to any other place.  Their faith was not misguided.  They had a divine discontent with this world.  The city they were looking forward to has already been prepared.

God tested Abraham (17-19) regarding his faith for the future.  When Abraham obeyed God’s command to leave the family farm he was giving up his past.  But was he willing to surrender his future as well?  The requirement to sacrifice his son did not make sense.  This son was part of God’s promise.  It seemed to contradict the character of God.  It was contrary to family affection.

The word ‘offered’ (17) is in the perfect tense which views the sacrifice as an accomplished and perfectly accepted event.  The intention of Abraham’s heart was to obey.  God saw his heart.  He placed his confidence in the power of God (19).  The writer is calling the reader to faith in the power of God.  God is faithful.

11:20  Even when dying Isaac looked forward to the fulfillment of the promise that was still unseen.

11:21  Jacob blessed his grandsons ‘while dying’.  The faith of the patriarch was oriented to the future.  The staff for the Hebrew was a sign for a pilgrim.

11:22  Before his death Joseph asked that his bones be buried in Canaan.  He recognized that death would not cancel the promises of God.

11:23-29  The courageous faith of Moses’ parents made them fearless of the Pharaoh.  They saw the favor of God in their child.  His unusual attractiveness was to them a visible sign that he enjoyed God’s favor and protection.  Faith in God will overcome fear.  Perfect love casts out fear.

Moses acted in faith when he had grown up.  He made a moral decision to be a Hebrew (24).  He chose to do what is right and suffer mistreatment rather than enjoy pleasure and power for the moment.  Like Christ, Moses exchanged the joy he could have had for hardship and suffering with the people of God.  His faith was oriented toward the future.

Like the readers of this letter, Moses suffered disgrace, insult, loss of wealth, and loss of home.  But he had no fear because he kept the One who is invisible (27) before his eyes.  He kept on persevering and seeing the unseen God.  He had a habit of spiritual perception.  He kept God continually in view.

Moses carefully followed God’s instructions (28).  He believed God would keep His promise to spare the first born of Israel.  In faith the people obeyed God’s word.  The people shared the faith of Moses and by faith (29) they walked through the sea.  They could only be delivered if they responded in faith.

11:30  The writer does not mention the 40 years of faithlessness in the wilderness, but remembers the faith of the people to obey God’s instructions at the walls of Jericho.  The people obeyed and their obedient faith was rewarded.  They had no weapons to fight with.  They had faith in God.

11:31  Rahab is the only woman set as an example of faith.  “The traditional description of Rahab as ‘the prostitute’ has its source in Scripture.  She was, nevertheless, a recognized member of her family group (Josh 2:12-13, 18; 6:23), and this was a status not normally enjoyed by a prostitute.”  The Hebrew word in Josh 2:1 denotes “to act in a friendly way to an enemy”.  Rahab was … a friend of those owing allegiance to an alien power.  She may have prostituted her allegiance to her country rather than her body.  In the OT story she professes her faith.  “I know that the Lord has given this land to you” (Josh 2:9-11).  The early conquests of Joshua had become common knowledge.  She recognized the hand of God in the events and displayed a faith oriented toward the future.  She was prepared to risk present danger for the sake of future blessing (Josh 2:12-16).

11:32-40  The writer expresses his intent to abbreviate his discussion.

Gideon exercised his faith by reducing his army from 32,000 to 300.  Barak at a critical moment acted in faith against a superior military.  Samson acknowledged his victories were the gift of God and displayed a powerful dependence on God in death.  Jephthah displayed a depth of devotion to God even in a rash vow.  David displayed a strong reliance on God even as a youth.  Samuel and the prophets were men who demonstrated faith to their own generations.

11:33-35a  Through faith many escaped the threat of death.  Kingdoms were conquered.  Through faith they did what was right.  Through faith they attained the promised blessings.  They shut the mouths of lions.  They extinguished the fury of the flames.  They escaped the edge of the sword.  Some were raised from the dead.  But others…

11:35b-38  Now we are reminded that many others exercised faith but were not delivered from humiliation, suffering, and death.  Their deliverance came through suffering and martyrdom.  Some were offered release if they would recant their belief in God.  They had faith in a better resurrection.  Faith in God’s faithfulness is not a lightly held commitment.

Many chose to endue severe hardships rather than compromise their convictions.  Many faithful men and women sought refuge in remote areas in preference to disloyalty to God.

“The world was not worthy of them” (11:38).  Although they were deprived of everything, they were worth more than the whole world.  Are we worth more to God than the world?  With God’s help I will remain faithful.

11:39-40  What is our motivation for being a Christian?  Do we live for God when it benefits us?  They believed in God and did not receive everything that had been promised.  Living in harmony with the promises of God without experiencing the eternal reward was characteristic of faith itself.  We call it living by faith.

The writer does not distinguish here between the achievement of Christ at his first coming and the full realizations of God’s promises at the second coming.  With His blood Christ provided redemption for man.  We’ve been set free from the power of sin.  His blood purified our hearts by faith so we have unrestricted access into God’s presence.  Christ initiated the new covenant and sent us the Holy Spirit to teach us God’s word.

The perfecting of faithful men and women under the old covenant depended on the sacrificial death of Jesus.  His high priestly ministry includes all the faithful in its blessing.  For the person of faith, the future is no longer insecure.  We wait expectantly for the return of Christ and the fulfillment of all the promises.  Peter says we should be pregnant with the word of God and have a growing faith within us.  Are we willing to remain faithful even when it hurts?  Let’s follow the examples of those who have lived by faith.  May Jesus find us living by faith.

Hebrews 9

“The Meaning of Easter – part 1”

Palm Sunday

April 1, 2012

Today we remember Palm Sunday.  This is the day when Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.  Multitudes welcomed Him into the city and large crowds had followed Him from Galilee.  Just a couple miles back down the road in Bethany He had raised Lazarus from the dead.

This next week is packed with confrontation and teaching in the Temple.  Jesus celebrates the Passover feast with the disciples.  He is arrested, crucified and the temple curtain is ripped.  Next Sunday He appears with a resurrected body and 40 days later He ascends to heaven.  9 days later on the day of Pentecost, He confirms His promise to His disciples that He is seated on the throne by sending the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost was the day the Jews celebrated the writing of the Law of Moses on the stone tablets.  Now on this Pentecost the Holy Spirit writes the commands of God on our hearts.

All of this happened according to the pattern that God gave to Moses on Mt Sinai.  Moses built the Tabernacle and established the ceremonies according to the picture he saw on the mountain.  The writer to the Hebrews looks at the clothing and rituals required of the High Priest and gets excited about the original of all these things that Jesus has shown us.  The Tabernacle was very beautiful, but it was only a shadow of reality.  The High Priest’s clothing was elegant and costly, but it was also a shadow of the real.  The first covenant was imperfect and provisional.  It was only a shadow of the blessings of the new covenant.

The Tabernacle was made of acacia wood planks 15’ high, 2’ 3” wide overlaid with gold and set in sockets of silver.  48 planks enclosed an area 15’ x 45’.  One end of that was the Holy of Holies which was 15’ cubed and closed off with a heavy curtain, made of fine linen, embroidered in scarlet, purple and blue with cherubim on it.

The first compartment or Holy Place contained the Golden Lamp stand on the south side.  It was always lit.  (Jesus said He was the light of the world.)  On the north side stood the Table of the Loaves.  It had 12 cakes of unleavened bread made of the finest flour and replaced every week.  (Jesus said He was the bread of life.)  On the west end of the first room, in front of the curtain was the Altar of Incense.  Incense was burned every morning and evening to symbolize the prayers of the people rising to God.

Within the Holy of Holies stood the Ark of the Covenant.  It contained 3 items: the golden pot of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the law.  It was only 3’ 9” long, 2’ 3” wide, and 2’ 3” high.  The Ark foreshadowed Christ: abundant life, fruit of the Spirit, Law in our hearts, angels watching over, and mercy covering all.

The day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was filled with meaningful ceremony to confirm the seriousness of sin and the need for forgiveness and cleansing.

Very early in the morning the High Priest cleansed himself by washing.  Then he put on the elegant and dazzling robes.  Next, like every other day, he burned the morning incense, made the morning sacrifice, and trimmed the lamps.  Unique on this day he sacrificed a bullock, 7 lambs and one ram.  He took off his robes and put on a plain white linen robe, that was worn only on this day, confessed his own sin and the sins of his family.  He slit the throat of the bull, caught some blood in a basin.  He took coals from off the altar and put them in a censor with incense and walked into the Holy of Holies, the presence of God.  After filling the room with incense, he went out and took the basin of blood back into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled it 7 times up and 7 times down.  He came out, killed one goat, released the scapegoat, did some more sprinkling and set the basin at the foot of the altar.  He quoted Lev 16; 23:27-32 and Numbers 29:7-11.  He prayed for the people, sacrificed all the animals on the altar.  Cleansed himself.  Put on the elegant robes for the regular afternoon sacrifice.  Cleansed himself again and put on the plain linen to return to the Holy of Holies and retrieve the incense sensor that had been burning all day.  He cleanses himself again.  He puts the elegant robes back on.  He has now completed his work for the day.  He comes outside, blesses the people and they celebrate and break their fast.  To the Jews this was all very familiar.

What the writer wants them to think about is that Jesus came from heaven and appeared in humble clothes like a man.  His ministry and prayers preceded His sacrifice on the cross.  He carried His own blood into God’s presence.  He will return appearing in His royal robes and all who are waiting for Him will rejoice and celebrate a great supper.

9:1 announces 2 subjects: regulations of worship (vs 6-10) and the arrangement of the Tabernacle (vs 2-5).

9:2-5  The tabernacle was one building with 2 rooms.  The first room could represent earth, where we as a kingdom of priests minister.  The second could represent the presence of God.  However, the writer does not want to discuss any hidden meanings of the 2 compartments at this point (vs 5b).

9:6-10  The tabernacle was maintained by priests that trimmed the lamps daily and replaced the loaves in the first room weekly.  The High Priest carries the incense and basin of blood into the second room only once a year.  Blood is mentioned 12 times in this chapter.  Blood is the evidence that life has been given.

The Holy Spirit has given the writer and others insight (8) that as long as the first room was being used, access to the presence of God was limited and not available to all the people.  The Holy Spirit has taught us what the OT worshippers could not see.  The shadow has become inoperative.  The time of the new covenant has come (10).  The real Tabernacle now provides cleansing for the conscience and not just clothing and hands.  A defiled conscience is an obstacle to the worship of God.  In Christ there is cleansing of the conscience and unrestricted access to God.

9:11-14  The old regulations regarding external cleansing were required until the time of reformation, correction, or new order.  But when Christ appeared that reformation began.  His appearing was the “climax of the ages” (26).  He brought to all men good things like forgiveness of sins and access to God.  He dispelled the shadow of the old with the light of the new.

He entered and passed through a more perfect tabernacle (His body) to appear as High Priest in God’s presence.  He did not carry a basin of blood from unwilling goats and calves into the Holy of Holies.  (The goat’s blood was to cover the sins of the people and the calf’s blood was to cover the sins of the priest.)  He was a willing sacrifice.  He carried His own blood.  He also carried the evidence on His new resurrected body that He had died for our sin.  He gave His life for us once and for all time and presented that sacrifice of obedience to God (12).

The ashes of the red heifer (13) were used in the ceremony to cleanse a person who had been in contact with a dead person or a dead animal.  The Book of Numbers stipulates that the red heifer must be perfect.  It must not have hairs of any other color, must be in perfect health, and it must not have been used to perform work (Numbers 19:2). The ashes of the red heifer are required by the Torah to cleanse the Levitical priesthood before they can do work in the Temple.  As of May, 2006, Erwin Baxter Jr. of End Times Ministries reports that the Jews have a red heifer, 3½ years old in Jerusalem (among the cattle born in and imported from Mississippi). If it does not get disqualified like the previous red heifer candidates reported over the past years, it could mean that one more obstacle to the construction of the Third Temple is gone.

If the Jews take the old covenant this seriously, how much more (14) should we who believe in Jesus take the new covenant seriously.  If Jews are this concerned about outward purity, how much more should we be concerned about inward purity.  The purity that Christ offers is so much greater because the nature of His sacrifice was infinitely greater.  He was the Perfect Lamb of God given to take away the sins of the world.

The blood and ashes of goats, calves, and red heifers only provided symbolic removal of defilement.  Jesus offered a life of perfect obedience.  His blood can cleanse the conscience from defilement and dead works so that we may worship the living God.  Sterile seeds cannot produce fruit.  Neither can dead works produce life.  Jesus conquered death.  He offers us life and life abundantly.

9:15-22  For this reason a clean conscience is the epitome of the promised benefits of the new covenant.  The blood of Christ achieves what the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 31) had foretold.  Because Jesus offered His life in perfect obedience to God He became the mediator of the new covenant.  Christ’s death fulfilled the old covenant and inaugurated the new.  We can have a clean conscience.

Now that Jesus has died He has made His will, testament, or covenant operative.  He ascended into heaven to become Executor of His own will.  Jesus put into effect His own will.  My will does not take effect until I die (17).  I cannot be the executor of my will.  Even the old covenant was ratified with the sacrificial death of an animal (18).  The death of the animal symbolically represented the life of the person making the sacrifice.  There was a death involved to confirm a covenant or execute a will.

According to the Law almost everything is cleansed by blood (22).  We’ve seen that blood provides access (7), cleans the conscience (14), inaugurates the covenant (18), consecrates the people (19), and cleanses things used in the Tabernacle. The shedding of blood provides the forgiveness of sins (22).

9:23-28  Therefore you can see that the sacrifice of Christ and His blood is infinitely more powerful and effective.  This verse suggests that the sin and defilement of man reached beyond the individual to taint society and creation.  The perfect sacrifice of Christ purifies all defilement in the lives of those who obey.  Jesus said a pure lifestyle can affect society like salt and light effect pollution.  When I live a pure life, I am a cleaning influence in my world.

The word heaven (24) is singular.  This is the heaven where the true, original sanctuary is located.  It is the dwelling place of God.  Jesus passed through the heavens (23) to get to heaven.  Jesus continually abides in God’s presence on our behalf.  On the way through the heavens He tore the veil of the Temple and now invites us into God’s presence.  He says, “Follow Me.”  “Where I am you can be also.”

The death of Christ is not to be repeated annually (25).  The superior sacrifice of Christ achieved with finality what was impossible under the old covenant.  Man could not destroy sin.  But Jesus has provided forgiveness and cleansing when we believe.  We come to him and ask like the cripple, “Lord, I believe.  Help my unbelief.”

Peter explains it this way.  “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness for by His wounds we are healed (1 Pet 2:24).

The reference to Christ’s return (28) to those who wait for Him is a picture of the High Priest in the OT finishing all his activities on the Day of Atonement, dressing in his most regal robes and then going out the Temple area to bless the people.  “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of Jesus (Matt 24:27).”  When Jesus comes again it will be spectacular.  He will not have to deal with sin.  The power of sin has already been broken by His obedience on the cross.

The great barrier to fellowship with God has always been the defilement of sin.  The death of Christ on the cross has overcome the power of sin.  All sacrificial blood could cleanse temporarily.  (By offering blood you were obeying the Law.)  But Christ’s blood is infinitely more beneficial.  (His obedience was perfect.)  The offer of cleansing extends to all men, but only those who believe can receive.

On March 16, President Obama signed an Executive Order called the “National Defense Resources Preparedness”, which in effect nationalizes all the energy, food and water currently existing on American soil.  Our government is becoming corrupt.  Our culture is corrupt.  According to a Jack-in-the-box ad you can now get married to bacon.

The Roman government was also corrupt.  This letter was written around the time when the Romans had flattened the Jerusalem Temple and executed many of their own citizens.  This letter of Hebrews says nothing about that.  The root problem is not the government, but unconfessed sin in the hearts of men.  Satan’s delight is to corrupt, kill and destroy.  Jesus offers us power to live clean lives.  He did not die for the government or big corporations.  He died that we might have life and have it abundantly.  We can be forgiven of our sin and live free from the fear of death.  We can receive an inner strength that purifies everything we touch.  We can make a difference in the world.

Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.  Be salt and light in a corrupt world.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; follow in His steps and you will be saved from the penalty of your sin.

Hebrews 7-8

March 25, 2012

“Melchizedek, King and Priest”

Melchizedek was king of Salem.  Salem means peace.  The common Jewish greeting ‘shalom’ means ‘peace be upon you’.  Peace means a lot more than the absence of war.  It is a greeting that wishes you health and harmony.

Rick Warren was on the Charlie Rose show and spoke about his P. E. A. C. E. plan.  He has an inclusive vision for world peace.  He told Rose that Jesus sent out his disciples to go find the man of peace in every village.  We should all seek world peace.

The Bible says Jesus told his disciples while going out make disciples.  He did not tell them to go out and work together for peace.  When Jesus first came into Galilee He preached the gospel of God and said, “The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent and believe in the gospel.”  He came announcing that the new covenant promised by God through Jeremiah the prophet was now happening.  The word gospel means a message of good news.  The good news is that Jesus came to take care of man’s sin problem.  God offers mankind a radical heart transplant.  Man can now receive a heart that hungers and thirsts for righteousness.  We can have a heart that is a home for the Spirit of God.

Chapter 7 is part of the writer’s explanation of what Easter means.  He tells us how Jesus became our great high priest to take care of our sin problem.   Hebrews 7:1-10 provides an interpretation of Genesis 14:17-20.  Hebrews 7:11-28 develops the significance of Psalm 110:4.

Genesis 14:1-2 says there was a war of 4 kings against 5 kings.  Genesis 14:11-16 says a fugitive told Abram what had happened.  God blessed Abram and he not only saved his nephew from slavery, he defeated the 4 kings who had just won the battle and captured 5 kings and all their goods.

Many heard that Abram had won a great battle (Genesis 14:17-20).  The king of Sodom came to give Abram the praise of man.  Melchizedek came to give the praise to God. Abram knew God had given the victory.

Melchizedek also knew that Abram was a man of God and that God had fought with Abram to defeat the 4 kings.  It must have been a miraculous battle and all the news spread quickly.  The king of Sodom probably came to greet Abram in fear.  The king of Salem came as a priest of God Most High to praise God with Abram.  Rather than elevating himself or demanding respect, Abram submitted to this priest as a messenger of God.

Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God.  Nowhere else in the OT is a man both king and priest.  Some tried to be, but they suffered God’s wrath.  Notice what Melchizedek does.  He met Abraham, gave him nourishment, blessed him, and gave praise to God.  God planned for Melchizedek to represent Jesus.  Jesus is our King of Salem/peace.  Jesus is our King of righteousness.  Jesus is our Great High Priest.

In that short blessing Abram recognized that this man was God’s representative.  In gratefulness to God, Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the spoils of war.  The writer is using this event to show that Melchizedek has priority over the Levitical priests.

One lesson for us is that the tithe does not begin with the law of Moses; it begins with the love of God.  If you really love God as Abram loved God, you will find it easy to give a tenth of all.  This principle was incorporated into the law of Moses 500 years later.  In the Law of Moses God commanded the people of Israel to give a tenth of all to the priests so the priests could live.

Now when Jesus forgives us of our sins, His love will compel us to give.  Abram gave because He knew God had blessed him not because Melchizedek ran a charity.

Hebrews 7:1-3 is one sentence that elaborates on the fact that Melchizedek abides perpetually.

Here is an argument from silence.  Nothing was said in Genesis about the genealogy of Melchizedek and that is because God wanted it that way.  The Jews loved tracing genealogies.  The book of Genesis has a couple chapters of genealogies but nothing is said about Melchizedek.  This was very unusual.  The Hebrew writer says this omission happened because God wanted to use him to foreshadow the Son of God.

For the Jews, no one could be a priest unless he could trace his lineage back to Aaron.  Jesus did not qualify for the Levitical priesthood.  A priest must have been born in a family of priests to be a priest.  Being a priest under the Law of Moses had nothing to do with character.  Only external qualifications were required to be a priest.  But Melchizedek was a priest because of his relationship with the Most High God not because of his lineage.  He did not inherit the job.  He did not buy the job.  He did not train for the job.  He was a priest because that is where God wanted him.  So Jesus was a priest because of God’s appointment, not because He was from the tribe of Levi.  We can be a real blessing to others, only if we are where God wants us to be.  Peter calls Christians a royal priesthood, not because of lineage but because of relationship with God.

7:4-10  Melchizedek is greater than Levi and the Levitical priesthood.  “Consider how great this man is.” (4)  Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation,  gave him the best of the spoils.  Abraham recognized him as worthy of receiving tithes.

Verse 5 is in the present tense and may suggest that the Temple in Jerusalem had not been destroyed yet.  The priests receive tithes from people according to the law, but Melchizedek received from Abraham who received the promises.  Levi was a great grandson of Abram.  In the Jewish way of thinking Levi was paying a tithe to Melchizedek through Abraham.

Verse 8 contrasts their length of life.  As far as the record of Scripture is concerned, Melchizedek has no end of life and no end to his ministry, but the priests are subject to death and have successors.

There is a chiastic literary structure in this paragraph.  Melchizedek met Abraham in 1a and 10.  Melchizedek blessed Abraham in 1b and 6.  A tithe is mentioned in 2 and 4.  The keystone of the explanation in 3 is everlasting life.

7:11-25  The writer regards Melchizedek not as a type to be fulfilled, but as a witness to the superior priesthood based on character apart from line of descent and ordained by God apart from the law.  He anticipates the displacement of the Levitical priesthood.  The writer now points to a prophecy that reveals the deficiency of the old order and the superiority of the coming new priesthood.

Turn to Psalm 110:4.  As David was praising God he realized that the priesthood of Aaron was not perfect.  And God promises David that the Messiah will be the King of kings (1) and a priest forever (4) after the order of Melchizedek not the order of Aaron.  David saw there would be a change in the priesthood and the Law when the Messiah comes.  God had something new in mind.  Moses did not anticipate a priest from the tribe of Judah (14).  Something new was required.  It was not clear until Jesus came.

“It is very obvious” (15) the new priest will possess the effectiveness of an indestructible life.  Jesus is the new priest by virtue of His resurrection.

The old law and Levitical priesthood could not provide direct and lasting access to God.  It used many priests because it was incomplete, imperfect, and inconclusive.  It did not take care of or end man’s sin problem (19).  The new way offers a better hope just as God promised.  Because of this hope we draw near to God in prayer with confidence.

This new hope was promised by God with an oath to confirm its unchangeableness.  God will not change His mind (24).  The new eternal priest has come.

In verse 25 the word ‘uttermost’ is only used one other place in the NT, Luke 13:11.  In that verse we find a woman who for 18 years was bent double.  She could not straighten up to the ‘uttermost’ or completely.  She could not stand at her full height.  She could not lift up herself wholly… UNTIL Jesus laid His hands on her.  Then she could lift up herself to her full height.

So Jesus is able to save you and restore you to your full height spiritually.  God never destroys in man any faculty which He has created, nor does He add any.  But He does cleanse from all sin and unrighteousness so man can stand tall and live as he was designed to live.

Jesus’ touch can save you to the uttermost.  As far back as you can think, as far ahead as you can think, Jesus saves from the consequences of sin.  In contrast to the limitations of the OT priests, in Jesus your sin problem can be taken care of BECAUSE Jesus continually lives to make intercession.  The old high priest came into the Holy of Holies once a year.  Jesus is a permanent intercessor in the presence of God.

Hebrews 7:26-28 highlights the deficiency in the Levitical system.  Our Great High Priest offered up Himself (27) as the perfect sacrifice and put an end to the Levitical sacrifices.

The law is contrasted to the word of the oath (28).  The many priests are contrasted with the forever Son in God’s presence.

8:1-2  The “crowning affirmation” in the teaching points out that Jesus ministers in the heavenly sanctuary.  He has taken His seat in the Holy of Holies (Ps 110:1).  He is a minister in the “true” tabernacle not a pattern like Moses built.  The earthly sanctuary no longer exists or is about to be destroyed.  It was inadequate to permanently deal with the sin of man.

Though seated on the throne next to God, Jesus is still our High Priest.  He is in the Holy of Holies and invites us to “Come unto Me.”

8:3-4  Jesus could not be a priest on earth.  He was not a Levite as the law required.  But instead He has unrestricted, continual access to God in the real Holy of Holies, the original Tabernacle.

8:5  Moses had directed the building of a copy and shadow of the heavenly things he had seen on the mountain.  The copy was to be transitory.  It was a model of the real.  All the rituals and liturgy were clues to what was to be accomplished by Christ.  For us time is real, but it is really a shadow of the reality of eternity.  With our eyes we only see the shadows.

8:6-8  Jesus has attained and now possesses a superior ministry.  He is our mediator.  He introduced or mediated a New Testament or new covenant which was based on promises and an oath made by God.  The old covenant was defective on the human side.  The old covenant was based on human promises to obey the law of God.  God found fault with the old covenant and promised through the prophet Jeremiah that he was going to replace the old with a new covenant that men could keep.

8:9-12  Jeremiah 31 is the only passage in the OT that promises a new covenant relationship with God.  It is not new in content, but new in the manner or presenting God’s law.  Rather than written on stone, it will be written in the hearts of men.

There are 2 different Greek words for new.  One means new like a new model of the same kind.  The other means new of a different kind.  There are also a couple words for old.  One means old like aged wine.  The other means old like worn out, ready to be abolished.  The new covenant is a different new kind of covenant with new qualities.  The old covenant was worn out and ready to be replaced.

The new will not be “according to” the old, not after the likeness or pattern of the old.  The old was written to the immature whom God “took by the hand to lead out of the land of Egypt.”  It was not intended to be God’s final plan for his people.

God said, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness.”  When we are convicted of our sin we kneel before God and confess that nothing we have to offer can really pay for our sin, but Jesus died for my sin.  We can cry, “O God be merciful to me.  Thank you for sending Jesus to be my sacrifice.  Thank you for your mercy and love.”

Christ has achieved what the OT high priest on the annual Day of Atonement could only copy as he followed the pattern that was given to him.  Jesus ministers in the original Tabernacle.  He mediates on our behalf for the cleansing of our heart from all sin.

God’s new covenant is simple.  By His Spirit He writes His commands on our hearts.   When we repent of our sin He forgives us and gives us the Holy Spirit with  the desire to live by those commands.  Fear God and do good.  Honor Him and give thanks.

The next 2 Sunday we will learn more about the meaning of Easter.  We have heard the story of Easter told by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  But the writer of Hebrews is teaching us the meaning of Easter.  Jesus is Lord of lords.  Let’s celebrate.

March 18, 2012

Hebrews 6

“We have an Anchor”

The first 3 verses are a conclusion to the previous chapter.  On the basis of what has just been said, “Keep growing up!”  5:14 says the mature person continues to train himself to distinguish good from evil.  It is eternally important that we can make a distinction between good and evil.  When the Bible speaks of an unpardonable sin it is talking of the person who no longer can distinguish between good and evil.

6:1  Therefore let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and press on to maturity.  The two Greek words translated “leaving” and “press on” need to be understood correctly.  The word translated “leaving” is a verb meaning “to put or place,” with the prefix ‘a’ which means “off” or “away” (aphiemi (ἀφιεμι)).  The prefix implies separation.  The word speaks not only of the literal removal of one object from the vicinity to another, but also of the departure from antecedent relationships.  The basic idea in the verb is that of an action which causes a separation.  The various meanings of the word include: “to send away, to bid go away or depart, to let go, to send from one’s self, to let alone, to let be, to disregard, to abandon.”  In Matthew 13:36 and Mark 4:36, this word is used of the sending away of the multitudes.  

The Greek grammar tells us that the action of “leaving” precedes the action of “let us go on.” The aorist tense speaks of a once for all action.  We could translate, “Therefore, having left once for all the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection.” The act of leaving is the pre-requisite to going on.  If you want to grow up you have to separate yourself from childish things.

The verb translated “press on” or “let us go on” means “to carry or bear,” (phero (φερο)).  The word is in the passive voice, which means that the subject is passive or inactive itself and is being acted upon by some outside agent. Thus we could more accurately translate the word, “leaving once for all … let us be carried along.”  It’s the paradox mentioned in 4:11.  Work to enter rest.  Faith and works go together.

I believe this letter was written to Christians.  The term ‘telios’ (maturity, completion or perfection) was used by the Greeks to describe a ship under full sail before the wind.  It is also used of being borne on to a higher stage of instruction.  “Let’s go on and do some graduate studies.”  As a Christian the Spirit of Christ lives in you and you surrender to His will and ways.  In Christ you live as you were created to live and by His Spirit you are carried along to maturity.  Like a ship your power comes from the wind.

It is Christians here who are commanded to leave and be carried on to perfection.  If a person sets out on a journey to a city and reaches that city, he is said to have perfected or completed his journey.  Our perfection is being and doing what is in harmony with the purpose of our creation.

Christian perfection does not involve a length of time so much as a relationship.  Phil 3:12 says that resurrection perfection cannot be attained in this life.  Phil 3:15 speaks of a perfection that is possible in this life.  We can be perfect and not perfect at the same time.

We can be perfect in our heart.  We can be blameless.  We can have perfect love.  Peter says we are perfected or purified by obedience.  Paul says we press on toward the goal that is set before us (Phil 3:14).  The foundation has been laid.  Let’s build the house.  That’s the exciting part.

6:1-2  Six fundamentals of Christianity are now listed.

1. Repentance from dead works.  To become a Christian we repent of our sins.  Repentance is a change of mind, a reversing of direction or turning away.  Dead works are any works that are not done to the glory of God.  Dead works don’t bring life.  Dead works may also refer to Jewish rituals that these readers had left.  The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem demonstrated to those with eyes to see that the old system had been fulfilled in Jesus.  He was God’s sacrifice given to take care of man’s sin problem once and for all.  They did not need the Temple rituals.

2. Faith.  Faith and belief are the same Greek word.  The person that comes to God must believe that He is.  Faith in God’s Son brings us salvation.  To be a Christian you must believe that Jesus died for your sins and make Him Lord of your life.  That is a basic truth.  You must believe that God has a plan for your life and that plan is completed in Jesus.  He came as a high priest and Lamb of God to take care of our sin problem.

3. Instructions about baptisms.  There were many kinds of baptisms in the first century.  The new Christian was instructed what Christian baptism meant.  Basically baptism meant to dip in water or wash.  The verb baptize (baptidzw) occurs 80 times in the NT, 1 in Galatians; 2 in Romans; 10 in 1 Cor; the rest in the Gospels and Acts.   The noun (baptisma) occurs 22 times in the NT, only 4 outside the Gospels and Acts.  Baptismo is the word here and only occurs in Mk 7:4,8 and Heb 6:2; 9:10.  Baptism to the Jew meant a change in religion.  It is not central to Christianity, but a fundamental.

4. The laying on of hands was used to pray for someone, to commission someone, to heal someone, to transfer guilt to the sacrifice, to transfer blessing.

5.  Resurrection of the dead.  This was a big fad in the Christian church in the 60′s.  One book listed 88 reasons why Jesus would return in 1988.  Jesus did not read the book.  The author got rich.  This is a foundational topic but not to be a lifetime focus.  Grow up.  Chew on some meat.  Put some variety in your diet.

6. The eternal judgment.  There is a judgment to come which transcends all other judgments.  There is no time associated with this judgment.  It comes when time has ended. If we believe in Jesus and follow in His ways He will be our advocate when we stand before God.

6:3  And this we shall do with God’s help.  The writer is commanding us to allow the wind of the Spirit to direct our lives to maturity.  Commit your life totally to God and let His Spirit lead you into all truth.  Enter into the Sabbath rest.  Go on to perfection.  Enter the Promised Land.

In the last few weeks we have seen that we have a great High Priest.  We are living in a Sabbath rest.  We have a safe harbor.  We have a Canaan land to enter and possess.

In this chapter we are reminded that we have a hope.  This hope we have is an anchor of the soul.  If you are not happy with your spiritual life, get a bigger hope anchor.  Hope involves a growing relationship with God.  Our hope is tied to the Solid Rock.  Hope is both a noun and a verb.

Peter says we have been born again unto a living hope. (1P 1:3)  Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you. (1P 3:15)  Our hope is laid up in heaven (Col 1:5) and Christ in us is the hope of glory. (Col 1:27)\,

6:4-5 give us a summary of the Christian maturing process.  Every person coming into the world is enlightened.  This is the first of 6 steps to maturity.  There is a light that enlightens (1) every man that comes into the world.  The theologians call it prevenient grace.  You were born with a hunger that only God can satisfy.  There is a universal desire in man to know God.

Some people ignore God’s light in their heart.  Others reject the light.  Some taste (2) and enjoy the heavenly gift.  The gift of God is eternal life to all that believe on Jesus as Lord.  Jesus is the bread of life, the living water and the light of the world that satisfies man’s hunger for God.  This phrase “tasted of the heavenly gift” is another way of saying you have become a Christian.

The next step is being made partakers (3) of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus promised to send another Comforter that would abide with us forever.  The Holy Spirit works within us to manifest Himself in us as a sanctifying Spirit.

The next step is tasting (4) the good word of God, the promises of God.  Christians are expected to grow up and feed themselves on the Word.  There is honey in the rock.  Maturing Christians eat some ‘killer’ bread.

Besides feeding on the word of God and enjoying the taste of the word, maturing Christians will also see the power (5) of God working in their lives.  They will see evidence that all things are working together for good.  They will be assured that God is on the throne.  They will see evidence that Jesus is Lord of all.  He truly is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

6:6-8 “For in the case of those who have” been mature Christians and have known all the benefits and “have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them to repentance.”  It sounds like, if you are a Christian and you fall out of fellowship with God it is impossible for you to have that relationship restored.  It sounds like God cannot or will not forgive you.

But this is not the end of the sentence.  There are 2 present active participles that follow:  crucifying and shaming.  The writer says it is impossible to be forgiven while you are sinning.  As long as you are growing thorns and thistles in your life, you will be cursed by God.  God cannot bless you if you have chosen to use your life for immoral purposes.  It is impossible to renew again to repentance those who have fallen away, while they are still crucifying the Son of God afresh for themselves and while they are still exposing Him to disrepute and shame.  These people may have been Christians.  They have tasted the good rain, but they chose to give their lives to things that will burn in the judgment.

If a man is stranded on an island and he is offered one means of transport to the mainland, but he rejects that means of transport there is no other way that he can reach the mainland.  There is only one name whereby we can be saved.  If we reject Jesus, it is impossible to reach heaven.

6:9-12 “But beloved we are convinced of better things concerning you.”  The good news is that we do not have to be cursed by God.  We know the promises of God are still valid today.

The last phrase in 12 ties back to verse 6 with a present active participle.  While the wicked are crucifying and shaming Christ, the righteous are inheriting the promises.  We have the promises.  Our hope is built on the promises of God.  The promises are currently being inherited.  If we believe God and have patience, we can be inheriting the promises today.

This is the only place in the whole letter where the writer calls his readers beloved (vs 9) or friends.  Right after his sternest warning he expresses love.  They were his friends.  He knew they were suffering persecution.  He knew they remembered the Temple.  There was a lack of joy.  All the works they were doing seemed to be doing no good.  The easiest thing to do would be to quit.

God has not forgotten your boldness and love (10) that you demonstrated in the past.  Neither has He closed His eyes to your current ministries to one another.   We must endure and run the race with patience.  We are following others who have set a good example and won the victory.  Those that endure to the end will be saved.  We are not walking a new road.  We are walking where the saints have gone before.

“We desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end” (6:11).  Hope is a product of diligence and patience.  The best cure for depression and disappointment is hope.  How do we renew our hope?  Honor God and give thanks.

6:13  We have the example of Abraham who waited over 30 years for a son of promise.  And after he had received that promise God made another promise to Abraham with an oath that something greater will come.  We grow from faith to faith; from hope to hope.

6:18 “We may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us.”  Because of sin we have fled to the cities of refuge waiting for the death of the high priest so we could be free.  Our Great High Priest has died for us.  We are free from the penalty and power of our sin.  No longer are we imprisoned in the city of refuge for our sin, but we can “lay hold of the hope set before us” in the death of Jesus.  By faith in Jesus we are released from the bondage of sin.

6:19 Hold onto Jesus.  He is the anchor of our soul.  We have an anchor.  An anchor is used to prevent shipwreck.  The word anchor does not occur in the OT and only here and Acts 27:29,40 in the NT.  It was a commonly used symbol of hope in the early church.  As the heavy iron anchor sinks into the great deep and fastens itself to the immovable rocks, so the Christian’s anchor of hope reaches upward to the Immovable Rock.

Christ is our anchor that cannot be moved or crushed.  The two adjectives here are sure and steadfast or safe and secure.  The words mean firm and uncrushable.  “We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll.  Fastened to the rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.”

Jesus is called a forerunner.  To understand this word forerunner, let me explain another use of the word anchor.  In ancient times there were great stones that were imbedded in the ground along the shore where the boats would tie up.  But often because of adverse winds the larger boats were not able to reach the harbor by means of their own sails.  They would send a small boat with a forerunner ashore with a strong rope which he fastened to one of these stones known as ancoria.  Then the ship could be pulled into the harbor.

The forerunner was the boat or the man in it that went ahead with the rope.  The large stone in the harbor was called the anchor.

The Christian’s hope finds its anchor within the harbor.  It reaches within the veil of the temple, to the solid rock, the very throne of God, the Rock Christ Jesus.  By faith and patience we can hold on and make our way into the presence of God.

Christ is our forerunner.  He sits at the right hand of God with His hand on the anchor rope.

This was a new thought to the Jews.  The high priest entered the holy of holies on behalf of the children of God, but no other priests could follow.  Our Great High Priest has entered God’s presence with the full intention for us to follow.  He tore the veil in two.  He has gone ahead that we may follow in His steps.  We can enter the holy of holies by faith in Jesus.

Our hope should be tied to the leg of God’s throne.  Hold on.  Keep on holding on.  God is faithful.  His promises are true.  He has the power to bring your ship into a safe harbor.

Hebrews 5

“Our Great High Priest”

March 11, 2012

We pick up the thought that the writer mentioned last week in 4:14, “Therefore we have a great high priest…”  We’ve seen that Jesus is greater than the angels.  We’ve seen that Jesus was like Moses but greater.  We’ve seen that Jesus was like Joshua but greater.  Jesus was identified by King David and the prophets as God’s plan to free mankind from the slavery of sin.

Hebrews 5 explains God’s plan for Jesus to be our great high priest.  Those that want to come to God must trust Jesus like worshippers trusted their high priest in the OT.

This letter was written to Christian Jews.  They knew what a high priest was supposed to do.  Comparing Jesus to a high priest helped them better understand what Jesus had done and will continue to do for them.

We live in a culture that is not real familiar with all the functions of a priest.  We are more comfortable comparing Jesus to a good Shepherd rather than a priest.  We speak more frequently about Jesus as the living bread, the door, the bridegroom, the vine, living water, head of the body, the light of the world, our healer, our provider, but seldom do we talk about Jesus as our great high priest.

Why do we need to compare Jesus to a priest?  To help us understand that we cannot take care of our sin problem on our own.  The OT high priest took care of the sin problem.

This letter was probably written after the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Romans.  There was no longer a place for the high priest to offer the sacrifice for forgiveness of sins.  The Romans had humbled the Jewish nation.  The readers of this sermon may have wondered about the old Temple rituals and traditions that they were raised with.  What is their relation to God now that the Temple is gone?  They knew the importance of a high priest.  So this writer assures them that they still have a great high priest, better than any priest that had come before.

The Jews had never thought of their Messiah as being a high priest.  All high priests had to be descendents of the tribe Levi.  The Messiah was not to be a descendent of Levi, but he was from the family of David, the tribe of Judah.  This is a new thought for Jewish Christians and this thought is expanded in the next few chapters.

How is Jesus our Messiah like a high priest?  He came to take care of our sin problem.

The first high priest in the OT was Aaron.  God commanded Moses to anoint Aaron as high priest among his brethren.  The position was for a lifetime.  When Aaron died, his eldest son became high priest.  When the high priest died, the whole nation mourned and all offenders in the cities of refuge were free to leave and return to their families.  The high priest’s death was a national event.  His death brought freedom to those who had accidently killed someone.

The high priest had special clothes that were ritually cleansed and passed on to the eldest son.  His garments consisted of 7 parts: 1) the ephod was a linen blend with wool and gold.  It was the outer shirt. 2) the robe was worn under the ephod.  It was sleeveless.  The fringe around the bottom was blue, purple and scarlet pomegranates and gold bells.  3) The breastplate was a 10 in. sq.  piece of embroidered linen adorned with 12 precious stones.  4) The turban was 8 yards of fine linen with a gold plate on the front saying, “holiness unto the Lord”.  5) the coat was embroidered linen, seamless, often woven in a diamond or checkerboard pattern and nearly covered the feet.  6) The girdle of the high priest was wound around the body several times from the breast downwards.  7) The breeches were the undergarment that preserved the priest’s modesty when he climbed steps and ministered at the altar.

The high priest had special functions.  His most important function was to preside on the Day of Atonement.  On that day he could enter the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle and sprinkle the mercy seat with the blood of a spotless sacrifice.  By doing this, he atoned for the unintentional sins for himself, his family and for all the people of Israel.  He also sprinkled the blood before the veil of the sanctuary and on the horns of the altar in the Holy of Holies.

As spiritual leader, the high priest was required to have a greater degree of ceremonial purity, greater than the other priests.  On the Day of Atonement he had to atone for his own sin first.  Because any sin he had committed was a curse on the whole nation until that sin had been forgiven.  He had to offer a bull as atonement for his sin.

Another feature of the day was when the high priest laid his hands on a goat and symbolically transferred the sins of the people onto the goat, a scapegoat.  The high priest would lay his hands on the head of the goat, confess the people’s sins, then the goat was led into the wilderness and abandoned.

The day of atonement was a day to fast.  It was set aside for repentance and the cleansing of sins.  You were not to work or eat.  When the day ended there was dancing, rejoicing, and celebrating because all were declared free from sin.

On other days the high priests offered the daily meal offering and participated in the general duties of the priesthood.  They could give a blessing.  They could call the people to war.  They were the medical advisors.

In verses 1-10 there is a literary chiastic structure that has humility for the key stone.

A  The old high priest was appointed (1)

B  The old high priest was part of the people (2-3)

C  The humility of the high priest (4)

C  The humility of Christ (5-6)

B  The new high priest was part of the people (7-8)

A  The new high priest was appointed (9-10)

5:1  Now the writer wants us to understand that Jesus is not just a high priest, but the new GREAT high priest.  Just like Aaron, Jesus was appointed by God and taken from among men (not angels) on men’s behalf to deal with man’s relationship with God.  The focus of the high priest’s ministry was the Day of Atonement.  The high priest did not slay the animals, but he brought the blood of the sacrifice into God’s presence.

5:2   The word for ‘deal gently with’ is only used here in the NT.  Virtue to the Greek was a balance between 2 extremes.  This word describes an attitude between devastating grief and utter indifference, between zeal and apathy.  It’s a balance between explosive anger and lazy indulgence.  It’s being patient with people when they do the same thing over and over and do not learn from their mistakes.  It is a gentle yet powerful sympathy.  It is the restraint of unkindly feelings.  It is remembering that except for the grace of God, I would be doing the same thing.

5:3  The old high priest was not sinless.  He offered 3 prayers on the day of Atonement: the first for his own sins and those of his household, the second for his own sins, those of his household and those of all the priests, and third for the sins of the house of Israel.  The high priest must stand forgiven before God himself before he can present the needs of the people.

5:4  The high priest does not receive his office from men, but from the call of God.  During NT times Rome appointed the high priest even before the old one had died.  That was not the way it was supposed to be but Paul still respected the office even when the person was corrupt and the directions of Moses were not followed.  The God appointed high priest was humble.  He knew he was just a man who had been called by God to serve the people.

5:5-6  Both Aaron and Jesus were appointed but Jesus was greater.  The priesthood of Aaron was temporary, but Christ is eternal.  The title Christ means anointed one.  Jesus was anointed and appointed Son and priest forever at His ascension in the order of Melchizedek.

We will hear about Melchizedek more in chapter 7.  Melchizedek appeared to Abraham in the OT as a priest who had neither predecessor nor successor.  He did not offer animal sacrifices but bread and wine.

5:7  Jesus entered the human condition.  Jesus was always obedient.  He said, “I delight to do Your will, O my God.”  But He learned how difficult it is to obey sometimes.  Being human wrung from Him prayers, petitions, cries and tears.  He chose to obey and suffer rather than disobey and avoid suffering.  His obedience thus completed God’s plan for our eternal salvation.

Jesus offered up prayers.  Jesus’ prayers were a sacrificial offering and He was heard because of His godly fear.  Jesus was not kept from the experience of death, but His sinless life had dominion over death.

As the obedience of Christ led to death, so also our obedience to Him requires the death of our carnal selfishness.  Metaphorically we are to be crucified with Christ.  Our hands are to be so nailed to the Cross that they do only the will of Christ our Lord.  Our feet are to be nailed so that they no longer walk in our own ways.  Our hearts are to be pierced so the love of God flows out of us.

5:8  Jesus is eternally the Son of God.  This fact is not directly connected with his experience of suffering.  He entered a new dimension of sonship in His incarnation (becoming human) and sacrificial death on the cross.  He learned obedience from what he suffered.  We learn from our suffering.  Our kids learn from suffering.  Do we learn obedience to the revealed will of God from suffering?

5:9-10  His obedience made Him perfectly qualified to be our high priest.  He is greater than Aaron because He passed through the heavens to the very throne of God.  Aaron and the rest of the high priests only went through the blue and purple veil of the Holy and Holies once a year.  Aaron brought a sacrifice, but Jesus offered up Himself as a sinless sacrifice.

And in addition to all that, Jesus is a high priest following the line of Melchizedek not Aaron.  Not only is Jesus greater than Aaron, He is greater than Melchizedek.  Jesus is a priest forever.

5:11  As soon as the writer said that, his mind started spinning with all the implications.  Now he wants to explain to the readers the majesty of this truth.  He really wants us to know how great is the love of Jesus as our Great High Priest.  He senses the many parallels between the ministry of Melchizedek and Jesus.  He is throbbing with a desire to share the implications of this truth.  He is anxious to explore the thought and meditate on the comparisons.

But he hesitates.  He expresses frustration with the apathy of his readers.  They have not sharpened their study skills enough to really understand what the writer wants to say.  They have not been comparing the OT truths with the life and teachings of Jesus.

The strong rebuke in 5:11-6:8 is followed by encouragement in 6:9-20.  They were a highly literate audience.  The writer uses many unique words.  He has a big vocabulary and does not speak down to his readers.

The phrase “there is much to say” is a common idiom of Greek scholars used to draw attention to the subject about to be treated.

The adjective “hard to explain” is only used here in the Bible.  The Greeks used it to describe the difficulty of explaining a common subject like dreams, colors, flavors, the nature of the soul, the course of the stars, or the creation of the world.

The word for dull or sluggish (literally, no push) is used in the Bible only here and in 6:12.  They had no inner zeal or discipline to hear more truth.  They had lost their ‘push of hearing’.  They have deviated from their earlier commitment and become spiritually lethargic.  Dullness is a dangerous condition for those called to radical obedience.

5:12  The elementary principles are listed in 6:1-2.  There is some irony in this paragraph.  The writer warns them of just wanting to be taught rather than being teachers.  But he writes to them as mature Christians who can understand the nuances of Jesus being their high priest.  He says they prefer milk and not solid food because they have lost their teeth or they have quit chewing, but he uses some scholarly words and protocol in his writing.  He knew they were not stupid.  They were not as sharp as they could be.  But he does not insult their intelligence by talking down to them.

Do you take time to chew on the truth?  Do you enjoy chewing on the truth?  Do you like ripping off a piece here and ripping off another there and seeing how their taste compares?

5:13  The reader is called a baby.  At one point he was growing and learning, but now he has stopped growing and quit chewing.

A baby is without experience.  He has not been tested.  Can he identify cranberry juice, blackberry juice, raspberry juice, apple juice, pineapple juice, guava juice, loganberry juice, grape juice?  He is not able to compare one truth with another because this is the first truth he has heard.  It is all just juice to him.  He has not had to fix his own drink.  He has not had to face conflict.  He has not had to endure temptations.  The baby lives in a sheltered world.  The mentally retarded return to that world and so do some Christians.

A baby’s diet is limited.  They do not have a big variety of food.  The baby lives in a world of routine.  The routine is their security.  The readers of Hebrews are about to eat solid food.  Solid food includes what the writer is about to tell them regarding Christ as our high priest.

There is no reference in the text to intermediate stages of growth.  The writer says you are either an infant or an adult.  He is exaggerating his point.

“The teaching about righteousness” was a phrase directly linked with martyrdom.  Polycarp points to Jesus’ example of endurance and exhorted his readers to obey the word of righteousness.  The adult Christian will hold himself in readiness for martyrdom.

5:14  The adult is filled with the Spirit and growing from faith to faith.  His heart is being purified by obedience.  He habitually chooses to live a holy life.  He has pushed himself enough to find out what things are good and what helps him grow and what things hinder his growth.

There are some teachings that are necessary for babies.  The writer lists those in 6:1-8.  Then he complements the reader for the love they have demonstrated and reminds them of God’s promises to bless the faithful.

The writer is going to dish up some solid food.  What he is about to share is not milk.  He wants you to scoot up to the table and get ready to chew on some good stuff.  He wants you to practice being a connoisseur of good food.  You must practice discerning.  There is more to life than what you are now experiencing.  Jesus came that you might have life and have it abundantly.  Continue to grow in grace.  Live abundantly in the variegated beauty of God’s grace.