Today’s Reading: Hebrews 8

Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven. There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands. – Hebrews 8:1-2

A FAR BETTER TABERNACLE WITH FAR BETTER MATERIALS

And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too. If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law. They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.” – Hebrews 8:3-5

God gave Moses instructions to build a place of worship that would mirror the heavenly Tabernacle. Moses followed the pattern carefully, but the earthly Tabernacle would pale in comparison because it was made with earthly materials and by human hands. In the same way, God gave Aaron instructions for the priestly duties carried out in the earthly Tabernacle. Their obedience would provide for the short-term atonement of sins and the worship of God, but it would be a mere shadow of the real place of worship in heaven.

A FAR BETTER SYSTEM WITH FAR BETTER WORSHIP

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is FAR superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a FAR better covenant with God, based on better promises. – Hebrew 8:6

Wow! That’s exciting! We have probably all read through the book of Hebrews before, but this verse has the potential to breathe new life into our day if we take the time to ponder it again. As the angels said, this is good news that brings great joy! Jesus negotiated a new agreement or a new covenant with God on our behalf, and it has made all the difference in the world to us.

A FAR BETTER COVENANT WITH FAR BETTER PROMISES

God keeps His promises so “better promises” does not say He did not keep His original promises. The problem was that the old covenant written on stones was broken by God’s people, not by God. Now there is a new covenant, written not on stones but in our minds and on our hearts, declaring that we are God’s people — that He is our God (8:7-10). This was made possible by the blood of Jesus, our High Priest.

“But this is the new covenant I will make
with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
And they will not need to teach their neighbors,
nor will they need to teach their relatives,
saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’
For everyone, from the least to the greatest,
will know me already.
And I will forgive their wickedness,
and I will never again remember their sins.” – Hebrews 8:10-12

A FAR BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH FAR BETTER ACCESS

By his death on the cross, Jesus closed the distance between the Heavenly Father and His earthly creation. We no longer have to go through an earthly priesthood to gain an audience with our Creator. We are known by Him and have access to a personal relationship with our Lord. He is our God and we are His people, with the words of God filling our minds and the promises of God written on our hearts. When we accept the gift of salvation made perfect through the perfect sacrifice of our perfect High Priest, our sins are forgiven. Our past is no longer held against us, but we are made new by a far better covenant relationship with God.

Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude this morning as we sit at your feet, Lord. Thank you for the reminder of who you are and what you have done for us. We are so unworthy of the blessings of your perfection, yet you allow us to know you; we are so unworthy of your attention, and yet you grant us audience to your holiness. Thank you for this reminder today. Thank you for your love and for the forgiveness we experience through the gift of your Son. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Hebrews 7

The writer of Hebrews started out his letter talking about the purpose God had in sending His Son to earth — to radiate God’s glory and to be an expression of the character of God (1:3). We know and understand the heart of God because Jesus was a reflection of His holiness. We often talk about the role Jesus played as our Savior; today let us take note of the role he continues to play as our High Priest.

JESUS IS OUR HIGH PRIEST.

I think of Jesus as my Savior and my Lord, my Creator and my Provider, much more often than I think of him as my High Priest. Yet how wonderful this morning to just stop and soak in how Jesus has become the source of eternal salvation for all those who believe and obey him – that He goes to His Father on my behalf. Yes, Jesus is my High Priest!

What is a high priest?

Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs. – Hebrews 5:1-3

How does a person become a high priest?

And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be CALLED BY GOD for this work, just as Aaron was. This is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, HE WAS CHOSEN BY GOD, who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” – Hebrews 5:4-5

Why is Jesus the perfect high priest for us?

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. – Hebrews 5:7-8

JESUS IS OUR SOURCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION.

Through His birth, He came to understand our weaknesses for He faced the same testing we do, yet He did not sin (4:15). Through His blood, we are offered the elimination of our sins; through His resurrection, we have hope that we can overcome the death we deserve and spend eternity in Heaven.

In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. – Hebrews 5:9-10

JESUS GIVES US HOPE AS HE LEADS US THROUGH THE CURTAIN INTO GOD’S INNER SANCTUARY.

In the ancient Temple, there was a curtain that hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place – the inner sanctuary that only the high priest could enter once a year to atone for the sins of the entire nation. No one else could step inside or even glimpse into this inner sanctuary. When we follow Jesus, who is always in God’s presence, he will lead us right into the presence of God.

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST in the order of Melchizedek. – Hebrews 6:18b-20

JESUS IS ABLE TO SAVE THOSE WHO COME TO GOD THROUGH HIM, INTERCEDING ON OUR BEHALF.

There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made THE PERFECT HIGH PRIEST forever. – Hebrews 7:23-28

Jesus, my Lord and my Savior, thank you for being my perfect High Priest. Thank you for becoming the sacrifice for my sins and then presenting me as forgiven to Your Father. May my appreciation for your sacrifice and my acknowledgement of your role in my life be evident today. To you be all praise and glory forever, Amen!

Today’s Reading: Hebrews 6:3-20, Psalm 27

There is no reason to turn away from God or lose hope in His promises. We can trust that what God promises is true and what He promises He will do. God promises He will condemn those who turn away from Him and who reject the Son of God, but He also promises eternity to those who hold on to their faith and show endurance in all situations. You can be certain that what you hope for will come true when you fully put your trust in God!

For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened – those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come – and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. – Hebrews 6:4-6

These verses are painful to read. Our first response is to grieve any pain we have ever caused Jesus by wavering in our obedience. When we look back at times in our lives where we chose to do our own thing, when we walked away from the life we knew God had planned for us, we regret the choice we made. Even if we did not intend to hurt the One who had already died for our sins, we must face the fact that we are rejecting the gift of salvation when we refuse to surrender to His Lordship.

When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. – Hebrews 6:7-8

God created us to produce fruit. Just like the rest of creation, we are seed-bearing and created for multiplication. God wants to take the good work He started in us and use it to grow something wonderful in those around us. But just as we recognize the positive influence our surrender to Christ can have on others, we must acknowledge the negative impact our selfish choices can have on the salvation of others.

BUT YOU WERE MEANT FOR BETTER THINGS!

Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, AS YOU STILL DO. Our great desire is that you will KEEP ON loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. THEN you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. – Hebrews 6:9-12

When you start a relationship with Jesus and then continue to live out your love for Him in the way you love others, God will not forget your faithfulness. He is calling you to “still” live for Him — to keep on loving others as long as life lasts. When we stay connected to the vine, we continue to grow, bearing fruit for the Lord.

Hebrews gives us the example of the life of Abraham. God promised Abraham, “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number” (6:14). Abraham believed in God’s faithfulness and patiently waited for God to do as He had promised. Just like Abraham, we can be perfectly sure that God will not change His mind about the eternal reward He has promised, because it is impossible for God to lie (6:17-18).

Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. – Psalm 27:14

The angel told Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God even though she was a virgin and she believed. The angel told her that nothing was impossible for God and she believed. The angel told her that Elizabeth was pregnant and she rushed over to her house in faith that what the angel said was true. Mary believed that the Lord would do what He said He would do, and we can have this same confidence.

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. – Hebrews 6:18b-20

Jesus, thank you for the confidence we can experience when we remain anchored in the hope that lies before us. Thank you for the sacrifice you made in order to become our eternal High Priest, interceding on our behalf before the throne of God. Continue to teach us what it means to wait patiently for you — to enter into your presence with confidence that you are in control. Help us to be brave and courageous, reminding us each day that you are with us. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Hebrews 5:1 – 6:3

When we choose not to grow, we do not just remain stagnant. We begin slowly drifting away. Our relationship with God needs to be current – not just “current” as in happening at the present time, but “current” as in a body of water steadily MOVING FORWARD in a definite direction. God has a plan for us to be used for His purposes and we need to allow Him to refine us and make us into exactly who He created us to be. Listen to the writer’s frustration with the complacency of the believers.

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. – Hebrews 5:11-14

HAVE I BECOME STAGNANT IN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

Father, we stop right here and ask for you to reveal to us ANY way in which we may be guilty of these same accusations. Have we become spiritually dull? Have we stopped listening to what you are saying? Are we comfortably stuck on “milk” when you are ready to MOVE US FORWARD into a deeper knowledge of you?

Lord, help us to grow and become mature in our understanding. Train us to recognize the difference between right and wrong. May the study of your word be alive and active, sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. Expose our innermost thoughts and desires and refine us into a tool to be used by you (4:12).

So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will MOVE FORWARD to further understanding. – Hebrews 6:1-3

AM I READY TO GROW DEEPER IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AND HIS WORD?

God is calling us to go deep; the Lord is pulling us towards a greater understanding of who He is and what He wants to do in us and through us. He created us to hunger for more — more of all He wants to reveal to us. He wants us to love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all our mind and all our strength (Mark 12:30). He wants us to intentionally be a student of His word, daily hungry for wisdom and understanding. Let’s take time to soak in His scripture and sit at His feet this morning as we drink our morning coffee.

Today’s Reading: Hebrews 4

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. — Hebrews 4:12

This is a common verse used in the church and it is one of my favorites. This is what makes the Bible different from any other book we will ever read. It is so much more than a history book; it is alive and active in us when we take the time to truly consume it. Let’s look at this verse in the context provided by the writer of Hebrews, starting at the beginning of chapter four.

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news — that God has prepared this rest — has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath; ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. – Hebrews 4:1-3

For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from THEIR labors, just as God did after creating the world. – Hebrews 4:10a

We know from the story of creation that God rested on the seventh day. It was so important to Him, that it is the only thing He did on the last day of creation week. It signified satisfaction that the work of creation was complete and “it was good.” Not only is this a state of relaxation for God the Creator, it is also a place He has prepared for His creation since the beginning and He describes the invitation as “entering his rest” — the mansion He has prepared for us. And this invitation is made possible because of what Christ did for us on the cross, and it is extended to us if we choose to respond in faith, as mentioned in Hebrews 3.

But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ…For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. – Hebrews 3:6,14

Because He was human, experiencing suffering and temptations like we do, Jesus is able to understand our weaknesses. Just as He shared in our sufferings, He generously gives us the opportunity to share in everything that belongs to Him – to enter into His rest.

For only we who believe can enter his rest…So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” – Hebrew 4:3a,6-7

The writer of Hebrews mentions two reasons why some have not entered into God’s rest — unbelief and disobedience. Some listen to God and believe, while others hear the words of God and harden their hearts to the message. Instead of responding in obedience to God’s direction, they choose to do their own thing. They don’t share the faith of those who listen to God — absorbing His words and letting it change them.

Remember what it says:
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled.” – Hebrews 3:15

God’s rest is not something we can earn by our own efforts, but is a result of our faith in God and our trust in Him — that we believe He created us, became flesh for us, died for us and rose to life for us. As we spend time reading His word, it changes us. His words are alive and powerful — sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God (4:12-13).

Father God, as we soak in your words this morning, we ask you to continue the work you started in us. Mold us and transform us into the person you created us to be. Thank you for the many times you have given us grace; thank you for the mercy we have experienced at the foot of the cross. As we sit in your presence this morning, we experience a small glimpse of what it means to enter your rest. We lay down our burdens and we submit our plans to you. We give today to you, our Creator and our Savior. Today, we choose to hear your voice and rest in you! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Hebrews 3

And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. – Hebrews 3:1

THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT JESUS.

Father God, we thank you for this opportunity to focus our thoughts on your Son. As we soak in the truths of Hebrews chapter 3, please speak to us. Give us a heart that responds to your Holy Spirit’s prompting, and may we be forever changed TODAY by your holy Word. Amen.

For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house. – Hebrews 3:2

JESUS WAS FAITHFUL.

As a part of His plan of salvation, God appointed His one and only Son to be both messenger and High Priest. And Jesus was faithful to carry out God’s plan by speaking both into and over the lives of those he came in contact with. Knowing what his obedience would mean, Jesus chose to faithfully speak the message of repentance; knowing that the role of High Priest would require the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus willingly joined creation.

But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God. – Hebrews 3:3-4

JESUS DESERVES FAR MORE GLORY.

Moses was a humble servant in the house of God, but Jesus Christ is in charge of God’s entire house! And we are God’s house! When we choose to place our confidence in the hope found in Christ, we belong to the household of God. Then Jesus, our Messenger and High Priest, becomes our leader. We live our lives in obedience to his leadership, daily opening our hearts to everything he wants to teach us while being available to be used by God in ways we never imagined. And this life of surrender is lived out to glorify the One who deserves far more glory than we can even imagine — today!

That is why the Holy Spirit says,
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled,
when they tested me in the wilderness.
There your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
even though they saw my miracles for forty years.
So I was angry with them, and I said,
‘Their hearts always turn away from me.
They refuse to do what I tell them.’
So in my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” – Hebrews 3:7-11

This scripture is calling us to action. As we think carefully about Jesus — about who he was, how he lived and what he deserves — we must respond. The Israelites responded by hardening their hearts, both in Moses’ days and then again in response to the ministry of Jesus. But the writer of Hebrews is giving us clear instructions on how we, God’s house, should respond to the greatness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

• Be careful.
• Make sure your heart is not evil and unbelieving.
• Do not turn away from the living God.
• Warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that no one will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
• Be faithful to the end, trusting God as firmly “today” as we did when we first believed.

Remember what it says:
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled.” – Hebrews 3:15

As our thoughts return to Jesus this morning, we choose once again to surrender everything to you, Lord. We have done a heart-check and we ask you to forgive us of our shortcomings. Soften the places of our hearts where rebellion and arrogance have begun to stiffen our daily response to your presence. Renew in our hearts a concern for others who are being deceived by the lies of today’s culture, and give us a determination to be faithful to the end! May our trust in you continue to grow, surpassing the faith of our early walk with you and growing stronger each day. Today, we choose you, God. Today, may we be found faithful, just as Jesus is faithful. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Hebrews 2

A few days ago, we talked about Peter’s second letter to the Church. Peter used that letter to warn the church of how important it is to grow in their relationship with God. He talked about the dangers of walking away from our relationship with God and back into sin instead of taking steps of growth. The writer of Hebrews, who is unknown, gives the same warning. He speaks not only of willfully walking away but also of slowly DRIFTING AWAY.

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may DRIFT AWAY from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed this message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose. – Hebrews 2:1-4

These words were written to the Jewish believers — the Israelites who had a history of being fickle in their faith. The Old Testament contains the history of this nation who wavered in their obedience and loyalty to God. They would sing His praises in one generation and then worship idols and false gods in the next. They would be content with God’s provisions, and then they would grumble against God’s plan.

There were false teachers stirring up trouble in the early Church and the Jewish believers were in danger of doing exactly what their ancestors had done — turning their eyes away from the truth and letting new ideas confuse their theology. They were in danger of DRIFTING AWAY from the truth. False teachers were creating this idea that believers needed to pray to angels in order to access God. They were teaching that Jesus was the highest ranking angel, an idea the writer of Hebrews dispelled by revealing who Jesus really is.

This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” God also said, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.” – Hebrews 1:4-5

And here is where the writer of Hebrews helps us understand exactly how Jesus’ death on a cross changed everything. He explains the plan of salvation and how the sacrifice of God’s Son (not an angel but fully human while being fully God) enables us to be His children.

Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. – Hebrews 2:9b-11

So now that we understand WHO we are (brothers and sisters who belong to God and for whom God is preparing an eternal home – 3:1), we need to understand that God calls us to be faithful. Just as Jesus was faithful and Moses was faithful, we need to remain faithful and grow instead of being deceived by sin and hardened against God. We need to stand firm in our faith instead of DRIFTING AWAY.

Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we KEEP our courage and REMAIN confident in our hope in Christ.

That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness…”

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, TURNING YOU AWAY from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. – Hebrews 3:5-8,12-14

Today, let’s intentionally find ways to grow in our relationship with God instead of letting the uncertainty of life cause us to slowly drift away.

Precious Father, thank you so much for the privilege of being called a “child of God”. Thank you for having a plan to save us out of our sin into your perfect plan for our lives. Our hearts desire to draw near to you and stay in a wonderful relationship with you. Please forgive us for our moments of drifting away or placing our focus on the philosophies of this world instead of your eternal truth. Help us to grow in our faith today. Today, when we hear your voice, we choose not to harden our hearts as Israel did; we choose to draw closer to you instead of drifting away.

Today’s Reading: Hebrews 1

“…through the Son he created the universe” – Hebrews 1:2b. The writer of Hebrews lays out three powerful points in the first few chapters of this letter. Let’s consider the role Jesus has played and continues to play in our lives.

1. Jesus participated in the creation of the world; therefore, He is our Creator.

He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.” – Hebrews 1:10

But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God. – Hebrews 3:3-4

So if Jesus participated in our creation, why would he be willing to become one of the created? After generations of being rejected regardless of His faithfulness, why would he willingly become one of us?

2. Jesus, who created flesh and blood, became flesh and blood so that He could die for our sins and set us free from death. So not only is He our Creator, He is our Savior!

Because God’s children are human beings — made of flesh and blood — the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. – Hebrews 2:14-15

Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. – Hebrews 2:16-17

How often do we hear the question of why Jesus had to be born? Why was it necessary for Christ to grow in his mother’s womb and be human, just as we are. The writer of Hebrews helps us understand.

3. Because He was human, experiencing suffering and temptations like we do, He is able to understand our weaknesses. How perfect, then, that He would be our High Priest!

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

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will RECEIVE HIS MERCY, and we will FIND GRACE TO HELP us when we need it most. – Hebrews 4:14-16

Jesus is our Creator, our Savior, and our High Priest. With this knowledge, we can be confident that he knows us, understands us, loves us, and intercedes for us. He was actively involved in our beginning and he is actively involved in our lives today.

Jesus, we thank you for your willingness to become a man for your guilty creation. We do not deserve what you have done for us, yet our hearts are overflowing with gratitude that you extended grace to us through your death on the cross. Christ Jesus, you have displayed both your love for us and your understanding of our weaknesses. You have set an example that we can overcome sin and death — that we can face temptations and suffering yet win the battle through the same strength of God you used to remain without sin. Thank you for the mercy and grace we experience when we come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. Amen.

What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. – Hebrews 2:9-10

Today’s Reading: 2 Peter 2 & 3

Be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. – 2 Peter 3:17b-18

Peter started this letter talking about the importance of growing in our relationship with God. He finished the letter warning us about the dangers of walking away from our relationship with God and back into sin, instead of taking steps of growth.

GOD DID NOT TOLERATE SIN THEN AND HE DOESN’T NOW.

Consider the stories from the Old Testament:
• God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment. – 2 Peter 2:4
• Consider Noah. God protected Noah and his family but did not spare those around him who were living in sin. They were destroyed by the flood (2:5).
• Consider Lot. He lived in a city surrounded by the shameful immorality of wicked people. Instead of joining in the sin, Lot was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he both saw and heard day after day. God rescued Lot while making an example of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, showing this is what will happen to ungodly people (2:6-8).

God will judge those who follow their own twisted sexual desires (2:10).
God will judge those who despise authority (2:10).
God will judge the proud and the arrogant (2:11).
God will judge the false teachers who delight in deception and indulge in evil pleasures, committing adultery with their eyes and luring unstable people into sin (2:12-14).

YOU ARE A SLAVE TO WHATEVER CONTROLS YOU (2 Peter 2:19b)

That is a powerful statement. The false teachers Peter was talking about had been believers at one time but had wandered off the right road. For them, the love of money was what began to control them. They then became arrogant and boastful, bragging about themselves.

Next came twisted sexual desires, which they tried to use to lure others into this lifestyle of deception. They promised it would bring freedom — the freedom to do what you want and live as you would like. But there is no freedom in sin and they became slaves to sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. This is what can happen to us when we let sin slip into our lives instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to produce holiness in us.

And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.” – 2 Peter 2:20-22

Peter reminds us of how God destroyed the wickedness of the world with a flood and how the day is coming when He will use fire to destroy ungodly people. The day is coming, even though it seems to us like God is taking his time to judge sin. 2 Peter 3:9 reveals the heart of this wonderful God who spends time with me each morning over a cup of my morning coffee.

But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. – 2 Peter 3:8-9

I love how the heart of God is expressed in those two verses. Peter wraps up his letter with these words of encouragement: And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved (2 Peter 3:14-15a).

Peter described what happens when we grow in our relationship with God compared to what happens when we let sin control us. He also explained how we can grow in our knowledge of God — by coming to Him, by responding to His promises, and by experiencing Him. It’s our choice now — our choice to grow in our relationship with God and experience true freedom, or to become a slave to all this world has to offer.

WHAT WILL WE CHOOSE?

Today’s Reading: 2 Peter 1

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you GROW in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. – 2 Peter 1:2

What a great blessing for Peter to speak over us as we start out our day. This is why I pour a cup of my morning coffee each day and sit down to spend time with God. I desire to grow in my knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. In the first chapter of Peter’s second letter, we find three different ways to GROW in our knowledge of Him.

By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by COMING TO KNOW HIM, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. – 2 Peter 1:3

COME TO KNOW GOD

The first way to grow in our knowledge of God is obvious — by coming to know Him. When we take the action of coming to God, intentionally spending time in His word and bringing every detail of our life to Him, we grow closer to Him. Our understanding of this Almighty God increases each day as we soak in His Scriptures and pray to Him. Daily we GROW in our relationship with God when we COME to Him.

And because of HIS glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. – 2 Peter 1:4-5

RESPOND TO GOD’S PROMISES

It’s not enough to just come to Him; we must respond to God. Because He is a glorious God and also an excellent God, He is able to promise us the possibility of a godly life. He makes the impossible possible by enabling us to share in His divine nature, with which we can escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. So when our human desires say to sin and the world is pulling us towards sin, we have access to the divine nature of God that empowers us to respond to the Spirit living within us. We are no longer powerless against our sin nature.

This still requires us to RESPOND to His promises. We have to cooperate with the Gift-Giver by accepting the gift given. By His grace, we can grow in our knowledge of Him and, in response, claim His promises. Peter explains how this growth takes place and what it looks like.

Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

The more you GROW like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. DO THESE THINGS AND YOU WILL NEVER FALL AWAY. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:5b-11

GROW THROUGH OUR EXPERIENCE OF CHRIST

A third way Peter mentions we can GROW in our knowledge of God is through our experience of Him. He spoke of his own eyewitness account of the Transfiguration of Jesus and how that experience increased his confidence in the message of Jesus Christ (v. 16-18). He spoke of the message of the prophets who were moved by the Holy Spirit and spoke from their experience of God (19-21).

Because of His grace, we are able to come to Him, respond to His promises, and grow from our experience of Him. In all of this, we grow in our knowledge of who He is — not just because we understand what we are reading, but because we are experiencing Him firsthand. He fills us with His Holy Spirit and begins to speak through us!

Wow, God! I am flooded with love for your plan of redemption this morning. It’s about so much more than the forgiveness of my sins. It’s about a relationship; it’s about a process of growing that produces godly living and magnificent experiences! What a privilege to wake up this morning, pour a cup of coffee, and sit down with you and your word — each word like a lamp shining in a dark place. It is in these moments that I experience you; I experience Christ the Morning Star shining in my heart. And I grow…by grace…through faith…coming to you…claiming your promises…and daily experiencing you! Thank you for revealing yourself to me as I grow in my knowledge of you and am blessed by my experience of you. Amen.