Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. – Hebrews 10:19

Today's Scripture Reading (June 30, 2024): Hebrews 10

One of the most significant images coming out of the crucifixion of Jesus, for me, was actually not Jesus on the cross. It is an image that arises out of something that happened at the Temple at the same time as the death of Jesus. Matthew describes the event this way. ^"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:50-51). The significance is that this Temple curtain was the one that divided the Temple proper with the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was where traditionally the Ark of the Covenant would have sat, although, at his time in history, the Ark of the Covenant had long been missing. But it was still the place considered to be God's residence.

I love the song "Take Me In"

Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy Place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
And the Priests who sing your praise
I hunger and thirst for your righteousness
But it's only found in one place.

Take me into the holy of holies
Take me in by the blood of the lamb
Take me into the holy of holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am (Dave Browning)

But here is the reality; throughout Israel's history, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and he could only enter it on the Day of Atonement. It was such a significant moment that a cord was tied around the ankle of the High Priest because if, for some reason, the High Priest died or was incapacitated while he was in the Holy of Holies, no one could go in to bring him out. The cord meant the High Priest could be pulled out of the Most Holy Place. But on the day Jesus died, Matthew, Mark, and Luke all reported that the temple curtain, the partition between the main Temple and the Holy of Holies, was torn in two.

The author of Hebrews supplies us with the meaning that stems from this torn Temple curtain. Now, we can all be taken into God's most holy place. We don't need priests to intercede on our behalf anymore. Because Jesus died on the cross, taking care of our sins, we can all approach the Most Holy Place "with confidence."

I love those words in Hebrews. We don't just come to the Holy of Holies. We have the confidence to enter the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 10:19). We go because we belong.

I have a new appreciation for my Hindu neighbors because, a few years ago, I attended a service with them. They were friendly; they tried to speak a little in my language and explain what was happening in the various parts of the service, but the reality was that I didn't belong there. I enjoyed going to the Jewish synagogue downtown. They were very welcoming when I attended, but I don't belong.

The message of Hebrews is that because the curtain was torn, everyone belongs in the Holy of Holies. We can all sing "Take Me In." Some people get really nervous when they enter a church, but through the blood of Christ, the barriers have been demolished, the curtain is gone, and the Christian Church has become a place of belonging for everyone. Any church that puts up walls regarding who can come in has some rethinking to do.

This was new for the Hebrews who would have first read these words. This wasn't the way that it had always been. It was a New Path to God that came to us through Jesus instead of a human intercessory.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. – Hebrews 9:25

Today's Scripture Reading (June 29, 2024): Hebrews 9

Playing a death scene can be one of the ultimate roles for an actor. For a writer, it is one way of keeping the story's mystique alive. It says that no character is safe; death comes for us all. I must admit that I was deeply saddened that the writers of "The Good Doctor" decided to kill off Dr. Asher Wolke, played by Noah Galvin, in the show's final season. However, since it was the final season, there had to be an ending for all of the show's characters; Galvin received the privilege of playing the death scene of his character, Asher Wolke.

Sometimes, I wonder, especially in a Movie Franchise, if the writers decide to kill someone off, and then after the movie is made, they sit in a room trying to answer the question, "What have we done?" And it is in those minutes that they begin to dream about how to bring the character back.

Is that what happened in Star Trek's "The Wrath of Khan?" It must have -been a dream for Leonard Nimoy to be able to play the death scene of his Character "Spock" and to be able to speak the words "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," words that have become part of our cultural lexicon, as Spock lies dying with his friend, James T. Kirk, safely on the other side of a screen. Bringing Spock back from the dead in "Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock" was probably floated long before anyone gave the go-ahead to kill off such an important character. If Star Trek were to continue, Spock would be needed, and the character was not just an essential part of future movies featuring the original cast, but Spock also played an important  role in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

In a movie franchise, it may be okay to kill off a main character if there is a way to bring the character back. But that isn't possible in real life. Which is the point the author of Hebrews is making. A priest could enter the Most Holy Place over and over again only because the blood of the sacrifice that he brought with him was not his own; it was that of an animal that died in his stead. Jesus's sacrifice was once and for all, partially because the blood that he brought was his own; it wasn't an unnamed animal that had died for the people; it was Jesus. But a man can only spill his blood once, and Jesus spent that once on our behalf.

Jesus's sacrifice was once for all because it was a sacrifice that could only be given once. Yes, Jesus rose from the dead, but unlike any fictional character I know, he rose immortal, unable to die. Jesus does not need to die over and over again for our sins, like the sacrifices brought by priests every year.

According to the Author of Hebrews, the priests bringing the sacrifice into the temple every year was an illustration of the day that Jesus would enter heaven as the final sacrifice for our sins. And there, the sacrifice and the bringer of the sacrifice will mediate for us in front of God himself.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. – Hebrews 8:1

Today's Scripture Reading (June 28, 2024): Hebrews 8

Dating any biblical books is a task worthy of the fictional Sherlock Holmes. It is a task of attempting to discern the clues present in the biblical writing set before us and what these clues might mean. Experts can often read the same book and come up with different conclusions. Yet, the task is worthwhile because to understand any biblical book accurately, we must understand what communication means to the first readers.

For the Epistle to the Hebrews, most experts believe that the letter was written around 63-64 C.E., before the opening shots of the First Jewish-Roman War, which started in 66 C.E. and resulted in the Second Temple's destruction. Part of the reason this makes sense is that the author of the letter uses a lot of Tabernacle imagery, which might not make sense after the Second Temple was destroyed.

But that is not the only available information. One of the statements that sticks out to me is found in the opening words of what we have as the eighth chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews. Here, we see this exclamation from the author: "We do have a High Priest." Part of my reaction was that as long as the Jewish Temple stood, there was a High Priest in Jerusalem. The last High Priest in Judaism was Phannias ben Samuel, who died in the Temple at the time of its destruction. Could this exclamation in Hebrews 8 be evidence that Hebrews was written after the destruction of the Temple and the death of Phannias?

While that is possible, another interpretation fits with the theory that Hebrews was written in 63 C.E. Sixty-three C.E. was a year that saw four different High Priests serve in the Temple in Jerusalem. Maybe the most important of these four was the second, Ananus ben Ananus. Ananus would become one of the central leaders of the Great Revolt of Judea or the First Jewish-Roman War. But in 63, during his three months as High Priest, Ananus made his mark on Jerusalem by arresting and executing James the Just, or James the brother of Jesus, the leader of the Christian Church in Jerusalem. The outcry from the Jewish people was immediate, and Ananus had to be removed by King Agrippa at the request of the people because of his action against James.

The message we can take from either of these scenarios is likely the same. If Hebrews was written after 70 C.E., it is an encouragement that even though there is no earthly High Priest, we still have one in heaven. But if Hebrews was written around the year 63 C.E., then it is likely an encouragement that even though the human High Priests seem to be corrupt, we have a High Priest who sits in the presence of God and who carries our needs and concerns with him to the throne room of God.   

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9

Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." – Hebrews 7:2

Today's Scripture Reading (June 27, 2024): Hebrews 7

Caution: this post contains the name of God.

Where does our idea of God come from? It is a question with which I admit that I have struggled over the past years. The mission field has returned to lands once the possession of Christians, and they have brought their various gods with them. One of those gods is Allah. I have argued with anyone who will listen that Allah is simply the standard Arabic word for God. If you picked up an Arabic Bible, you would see the word Allah sprinkled throughout its pages, pointing to the Jewish and Christian God. But I have also had discussions with people who believe that Allah is an entirely different deity from the one celebrated by Christians. And they have a good argument. Sometimes Allah, as described by Islam, has some significant similarities and differences from the God celebrated by Christianity or Judaism. So, the question remains: Is Allah the same as Yahweh or Jehovah, or are we describing different deities?

However, the answer to that question leads us back to another question: where did this idea of God begin? Is the concept of God just a way to explain the unexplainable, or is there something else behind the concept?

For Judaism and Christianity, the idea of God begins with Moses and his discussion with the unknown at the burning bush. From there, Moses led his people out of Egypt, and God gave Moses the Law; in the Law, we found our concept of God. We understood that our responsibility was to sacrifice to this God to make up for our sins. We were also to help maintain the priesthood by giving the tithe; ten percent of our income. This is, at least partially, our God.

The author of Hebrews reminds us that this is not the beginning of our belief in a God. Three generations before the story of Israel in Egypt, Abraham had already believed in God and given the tithe. Moses isn't at the beginning of belief in God but is at the point at which this belief in God seems to have been formalized. After Moses, the idea of the priesthood was defined by the Law. The priesthood was left to the tribe of Levi.

As a result, the Author of Hebrews is left to explain how Jesus could be the High Priest and yet not be from the priestly tribe of Levi. To explain this phenomenon, he goes back before Moses to Abraham and the idea of the priest in that day. One example was the King, Melchizedek. Melchizedek was not of the tribe of Levi, and yet Abraham recognized him as a priest. Melchizedek also recognized God, even before the day of the Law had come.

This returns me to my original question. Where does the idea of God come from? Is it possible that it comes from God, the great "I am," or the God who exists? However, it is not just the Christian God who is found there; it is the core of all of God's misunderstandings as well. Our religion is just the story of us trying to come in contact with the unreachable and the impossible to understand. Religion is simply the tale of us reaching out for the image of God as we know it. Some of us are closer to that image than others, but we hope our various beliefs will help our journey toward this unreachable idea. And nothing helps more than the incarnation, the story of God made flesh, the person of Jesus who walked among us and showed us what God was like,

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 8 

Personal Note: Happy 65^th Anniversary to my Mom and Dad.

 

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. – Hebrews 6:17

Today's Scripture Reading (June 26, 2024): Hebrews 6

Does God swear? I know the idea of God swearing is a strange one, but the prohibition against swearing an oath, and actually in the concept of foul language, extends back to the idea of causing dirt to fall on the name or person of God. So, gossip inside the church is hazardous and sinful because it often causes dirt to fall on the name of God.

The prohibition with oath-taking that we find in Leviticus says this; "Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:12). So, the writer of Hebrews reminds us that when we swear, we usually swear on someone who is exalted. I swear on my Sainted Mother's Grave, except my mother is still alive. Or often on the name of God. But to swear an oath in the name of God and then not follow through with the oath is to throw dirt, tarnish, or make profane, which means to make something ordinary, the name of God. So, to swear in the name of God and not follow through on the oath is to make God ordinary, which the Bible says is a sin.

However, the author of the Letter of Hebrews refers to a particular passage from the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. The story is one that modern Christians know, but don't really understand: the Story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. The story's high point is that God promises Abraham that Abraham and Sarah's descendants would be too many to count. Abraham and Sarah misunderstood God's promise. As a result, Sarah gave Abraham her hand mistress, Hagar, to sleep with Abraham and provide an heir. The idea was that any child who came out of the relationship between Abraham and Hagar would be considered Sarah's. Hagar became pregnant and brought forth a son, Ishmael, who became the Father of the Arab nations. But God made it clear that Ishmael was not the child of promise. That child would be born from Sarah.

When Abraham and Sarah were well past childbearing age, Sarah became pregnant and brought forth a son named Isaac, the one God had promised to Abraham and Sarah. All indications are that Isaac was brought up as an honored child like many "only childs" are. That is until the day that God made a request. This is the part of the story with which we struggle. One day, God asked Abraham to kill his son, sacrificing him on an altar to God. Part of the problem is that Judaism has never been a "Human Sacrifice religion." Yet that was precisely what God was asking for: the human sacrifice of the Child of Promise.

The Bible records the story of Abraham preparing to go to the mountain of God to sacrifice Isaac. The location of the sacrifice was on Mount Moriah, which some argue is the exact location where Solomon's Temple would be built later.

According to the story, Isaac was bound and placed on the altar, and the wood was built up for the fire. Young Isaac had asked Dad about the sacrifice, and Abraham simply replied, "God would provide." I can't imagine what emotions were going through Abraham as he lifted that knife to kill the Child of Promise. The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that Abraham expected God would bring the Child of Promise back to life. But instead, God stopped Abraham and told him not to sacrifice Isaac. A ram was caught in a thicket bush, and Abraham believed that God had really provided the sacrifice.

It is at the close of the story that we find this comment.

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me" (Genesis 22:15-18).

When we look at the story, what makes us uncomfortable is that the whole situation, as terrifying as it was, was set up by God. We don't want to believe that. It is very possible that Abraham begged God not to do this, and God said no, I will not remove this thorn, but I will promise that I will be with you. My presence will be there every step of the way.

The bottom line is that God assures Abraham that he has a purpose and a plan. He is willing to swear by his name because there is no one greater, and there is also no chance that God will be unable to fulfill what he has promised.  

When God swears, we know we can trust that God can correct what seems so wrong. For Christians, we know that the presence of the priest overcomes any trouble we may encounter.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 7

Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. – Hebrews 5:1

Today's Scripture Reading (June 25, 2024): Hebrews 5

As the verdict came down against Donald Trump in the Hush Money trial in late May 2024, I kept hearing news networks using the phrase "a jury of his peers." The idea is that Donald Trump was unanimously found guilty of paying Hush Money to a prostitute to influence an election by a jury of his peers. The problem is that I am unsure that the jury was made up of his peers. I am not sure that Donald Trump has a lot of people who could be called his peers. Trump's peers probably would not have found him guilty because they would have done the same thing if they had been in his shoes. They have the money and are used to cutting corners to get what they want. In actuality, the trial of Donald Trump looked more like the King being judged by a group of peasants, with the King maintaining that the peasants have no standing to put him on trial in the first place. These trials only happened after an uprising against a monarchy during the history of our planet. Kings like Donald Trump always maintained that the common people couldn't judge those who ruled over the kingdom because they didn't understand them.

It is also the message I have heard from the ultra-rich leading up to the Trump trial. I have listened to the wealthy warn that New York could become a pariah avoided by the rich and their money, who will move their companies out of the city and state for fear that they might be the next Donald Trump. Of course, that is not entirely accurate either. Rich people adjust their financial statements and lie about how they spend money regularly. They routinely overestimate their assets in hopes of getting a better interest rate. They frequently have people sign non-disclosure agreements. But that isn't actually what got Donald Trump in trouble. What got Donald Trump in trouble was that he was running for President at the time, and the lie was to cover up something that Trump and his team thought might hurt the billionaire's chances of getting elected. As it turned out, they were likely wrong, and Trump could have paid Stormy Daniels or not paid Stormy and let her go on the lecture circuit about their relationship, and he would still have won the election. The intent to hide something from the voter was what got him in trouble.

The author of Hebrews argues that the priests are chosen from among the people, much like a jury is selected to judge someone on trial. The idea is that a priest understands what it is like to live in society. He knows what it is like to be in sin. However, the priest also understands what God expects of us, and therefore, he can make the sacrifice necessary to get the worshipper back in the right place with God.

The author's point is that the perfect Priest is Jesus. Not only does he understand God because he is from heaven and part of the Trinity, but he has also walked the path on this earth just like we have. The only difference is that Jesus was tempted and yet did not sin. He is the perfect priest and the one who understands God and us the best. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 6

 

 

For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "On the seventh day God rested from all his works." – Hebrews 4:4

Today's Scripture Reading (June 24, 2024): Hebrews 4

As a bit of a political junkie, I sometimes pay attention to things that everyone else discards as unimportant. So, during the jury deliberation regarding former President Donald Trump's Hush Money trial, the jury sent several questions to the judge. One was that they wanted to hear the rain analogy that the judge gave during the jury instructions again. The judge's analogy said it was okay to make certain inferences about the evidence presented in the case. For instance, if you go to bed and it is not raining, and you get up, and the sun is shining, but the road is wet, and people are wearing raincoats and carrying umbrellas, you can make the inference that it rained during the night, even though you didn't see the rain. (A good friend of mine saw the reporting and asked, "What in the world does that have to do with the former President paying off a porn star?" but I understood the judge's point.)

So, later, the jury wanted to hear the judge's instruction on the rain again. In a move that I admit mystifies me, the jury didn't have a written copy of the instructions. They couldn't find the rain analogy on page seventeen, paragraph two, and read it for themselves. They had to have it told to them one more time by the originator of the analogy, the judge himself.

The original biblical books were very different from the Bible that we have in our possession. For one, it wasn't a single book but a series of scrolls. I always find it interesting when I visit a Jewish Synagogue and the Rabbi takes the scroll required for the service out of the cabinet and then parades it around the room, inviting the worshippers to touch the scroll with their worship shawls or prayer books. The scrolls are often huge and rolled out on a table as the reader for the service begins to speak out the scripture in front of the congregation, often in a sing-song manner. Our Bibles are smaller; as a result, the whole of scripture, from the beginning of the Hebrew Tanakh to the Revelation of the Christian Testament, can be held in our hands.

The original scripture was broken down into books, but not into chapters and verses. They were scrolls; in some cases, several books could be combined into a single document, as is true for the minor prophets; all twelve books were placed on one scroll. Another example is the Ezra-Nehemiah complex, which combines two books into one scroll.

As a result, biblical writers sometimes don't specify where a passage is found. One commentator accused Ezekiel of not knowing what was in the Tanakh when he commented on the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. While I disagree with his conclusion, I have to admit that it is possible.

And so, the author of Hebrews writes, "For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: 'On the seventh day God rested from all his works'" (Hebrews 4:4). Somewhere. For us, it is a quick internet search that reveals that "somewhere" was Genesis 2:2. But the author of Hebrews didn't have a way of quickly looking it up, or even the division of chapters and verses that we have today.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 5

For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. – Hebrews 3:4

Today's Scripture Reading (June 23, 2024): Hebrews 3

For a time, my grandparents built houses. Maybe it was just a different day, or it is possible that Grandpa and Grandma did things differently, but what often seems today to be a task with many people working to get the job done, most of the work on the various house sites was done by my grandparents. I remember visiting them when I was a pre-teen and watching them work. My grandfather was a big man, and remembering back to that time, it is incredible to me that I got to watch my grandfather hauling heavy materials across the construction site or up a ladder all by himself. For my grandparents, building a house was indeed a ma-and-pop operation. Most days, they seemed to work alone, accomplishing the task set before them.

The author of Hebrews states what seems to be an obvious reality: every house was built by somebody. I would guess that most houses today are built by teams led by an expert in the field. I am unsure how many ma-and-pop builders are still building their homes. And maybe that is good, although I think the modern way removes the pride of getting the job done and realizing that your sweat and tears made the home a reality.

Every house was built by somebody, but we don't often think of the builder of the home until something goes wrong. A friend of mine bought a brand-new house many years ago. His new home had a rental suite over the garage, and a problem arose when the toilet plugged up and had to be pumped out about every three months. No one could figure out what was wrong until they realized the rental suite toilet had never been connected to the sewage system. And to make matters even worse, the spot where the pipes stopped, connecting to nothing, was directly under the house. The basement floor would have to be ripped up, and the various pipes were connected to fix the toilet problem in the rental suite. It was at that moment that everyone who heard the story started to wonder about who built the house.

Every house was built by somebody, but God built everything. God built this world in which we live. He is the one who put it all together, who connected the seas with the clouds in the ever-working cycle of weather. He placed the sun in the sky to warm the land and the moon to control the tides. God built all of this.

And returning to my grandparents for a moment, God was the one who enabled my grandfather to have the strength to do the physically demanding job and gave my grandmother the talents to draw the blueprints that guided the whole process.

We all make mistakes, but even when that happens, God gives us the wisdom to find the solution because he ultimately built everything on which we rely.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil. – Hebrews 2:14

Today's Scripture Reading (June 22, 2024): Hebrews 2

I have a problem with the Christmas Carol "Away in a Manger." I know, how dare I take on a seasonal favorite, which is probably why I am struggling with this Christmas song in June rather than December. My problem is with the second verse and the phrase, "No crying he makes." (To be accountable, I rewrote and arranged the song and still left the offending expression in the song.) But I believe that the phrase opens the carol up to charges of Docetism.

Docetism was a heresy that came up in the second century after Christ. The argument that Docetism makes is that the incarnation, this thing that we celebrate every Christmas where God steps out of heaven and comes down to become like us, never really happened. Christmas is a sham. Of course, when the Christian Church discussed Docetism in the second to fourth century, Christmas wasn't celebrated, but that is a different story.

The basic tenet of Docetism is that the incarnation didn't happen; it only appeared to happen. Jesus was never born as a baby; he just seemed to be born as a baby. And, of course, being God himself, Jesus did not suffer and die on the cross; he just appeared to suffer and die on the cross. According to those who held this belief, Jesus is fully God, who only seemed to take on the image of a man.

In the fourth century, the early Church called the Council of Nicaea (325 C.E.) to discuss Docetism, and after they had considered the theology, they rejected it. Jesus Christ was very God and very man. The Word did indeed become flesh, he did not just appear to become similar to flesh.

The writer of Hebrews phrases it this way.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

                                                                                                Hebrews 2:14-18

"No crying he makes" would seem to agree with Docetism; Jesus was not human, and the Word did not really become flesh; he only appeared to be like us. Part of the problem with incarnation is that it is messy. The barn where the Jesus was born was messy. The animals probably did not respect the baby in the manger; they were likely more than a little annoyed that these humans had invaded their space. It smelled, and I am positive that a baby cried amid all that mess. Because that is what human babies do; it is how fully human babies communicate. The Qur'an contains a story where Jesus speaks to his mother from the manger. But that, too, would not be something a fully human baby would do.

The Nicene Creed responded to Docetism with a creed. It is still a statement of our belief.

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen. 

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end. 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 3

 

 

For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father?" Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son?" – Hebrews 1:5

Today's Scripture Reading (June 21, 2024): Hebrews 1

Several years ago, I knew a lady who had a bit of an "angel fetish." That might be strong, but I was warned never to diss an angel early on in my time at the church. She had images of angels, from figurines to paintings to books on the subject, all around her decorating her home. I am not sure how far her fetish went, but she was definitely a fan of the winged creatures. She believed that angels were all around us and protected us daily. Which is okay, to a point.

The problem that bothers me is that we are not saved by angels, not even the ones who protect us. That is a Jesus thing. And angels can never take the place of Jesus. I believe in angels, but I also firmly believe that the place where my prayers belong is with Jesus. I don't know that this lady prayed to the Archangel Gabriel, but she would have been wrong if she did.

I have the same problem with Mary. I had a great discussion with someone who regularly prayed to Mary. Now, don't misunderstand me; I think Mary was a wonderful person, but it is her son who died for me, and it is her son to whom we are to pray. As part of our discussion, this person said, "I am a mother, and I know the kind of influence that a mother can have on her son. So, I pray to Mary, hoping that she will put in a good word [influence] to her son." I understand the concept, but I am not sure it works that way. It is Jesus who acts as the mediator between us and the Father. It is through Jesus that we have access to God. Praying to Mary, hoping she will influence Jesus, who mediates between us and the Father, seems to be making this process much harder.

And so, the author of Hebrews reminds his readers that God never addressed an angel, saying, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father?" The quote is from Psalm 2. The Psalmist writes,

            I will proclaim the Lord's decree:

He said to me, "You are my son;
    today I have become your Father.
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations your inheritance,
    the ends of the earth your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
    you will dash them to pieces like pottery" (Psalm 2:7-9).

The author of Hebrews continues, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son?" This time, the quote is from a promise God gave to David.

"'The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he will be my son (2 Samuel 7:11-14).

It is a promise that goes beyond David and Solomon to the Messiah that the author of Hebrews wants to talk about to his [or her] readers. God the Father never spoke of an angel as a son; that is a privilege reserved for Jesus and even for us, God's adopted sons and daughters living out our faith in this world that God so loves.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 2

 

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. – 2 Peter 3:13

Today's Scripture Reading (June 20, 2024): 2 Peter 3

Luke tells the story of the calling of the first disciples. Jesus was teaching, and the crowd gathered around him. Not far from him was a man named Simon, who fished for a living. Simon was cleaning his nets when Jesus asked him if he could preach to the crowd standing in Simon's boat. Simon set down the job of cleaning the nets so that he could do as Jesus had asked.

After Jesus had finished preaching, he looked at Simon and told the expert fisherman to go out onto the lake and put his nets down into the water. And Simon looked at him; I guarantee this was his thought process. "What a stupid pastor. Man, is it a good thing that he is a great teacher because, as a fisherman, this guy would starve. It isn't even the right time of day to go fishing."

But what he said was, "Master, we have been fishing all night and haven't caught anything, but because these are your instructions, we will go." Translation: we will humor you.

And they went out onto the lake and caught a lot of fish. And Simon's attitude changed. Here stood one who he didn't understand. And Simon Peter's words were, "Go away from me, for I am a sinful man." I am not sure who you are, Jesus, but I know that I am not worthy to stand in your presence.

Jesus responded: 'Don't be afraid, but come and follow me, and I will make you rich.' No? I was sure I heard that on TV. Maybe it was, 'Come and follow me, and I will give you a better job.' 'Come and follow me, and I will allow you to speak in tongues?' 'Come and follow me, and I will ensure you are never single again?'

No. Jesus said, "Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Do you want to know the mark of Christ on someone's life? They love Jesus and love people so much that they are willing to get really uncomfortable so that their friends have an opportunity to know Christ. They are eager to live their lives for Christ in the middle of the neighborhood and invite others to follow him.

John Ortberg tells a story about his childhood. He says his sister had a ragdoll, and she loved it very much. In fact, she took it everywhere she went. The doll's name was Pandy, and on one occasion, while the family was on vacation, Pandy got left behind. Now, John is from the United States, but the family was on holiday in a place called Canada. John says, "Mom, Dad, and the family drove back to Canada for this ugly little ragdoll."

But as happens with things of our childhood, eventually, his sister grew out of the doll. By this time, it was more rag than doll. Mom gingerly took the doll, lovingly wrapped it in paper, and stored it in the attic.

John says his sister gave up Pandy for Andy (who was uglier than Pandy) and Andy for the one she would marry. She moved to California and there she had a child, a little girl.

Mom remembered this tattered little Rag Doll in the attic, went up to get it, and then sent it to her daughter. And her daughter received it and sent it to a Doll Hospital, because they have those in California, and they made Pandy better than new.

That is what God wants to do with us: make us better than new and prepare us for a new heaven and earth. God loves you so much that he wants to be a transforming presence in your life. He wants to make you new, just as he did for Simon Peter and Pandy. And set you up for the task of telling people that they can be new, too.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. – 2 Peter 2:1

Today's Scripture Reading (June 19, 2024): 2 Peter 2

A few years ago, several prominent Christian leaders drew up what they called "A Confession." Their concern was that the central message of the Christian Church was being destroyed. What they drew up was essentially a political statement. Bishop Michael Curry, fresh from preaching a sermon at a Royal wedding in England, was one of the framers of the statement. And while the confession was political, Curry insists it was not directed at one political party or President. Part of the reclamation is that the name of Christ was offensive in the first century because calling Jesus "Lord" meant that Caesar wasn't.

And so, they drafted a statement outlining Christ's central idea in six points.

I.       WE BELIEVE each human being is made in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). That image and likeness confer a divinely decreed dignity, worth, and God-given equality to all of us as children of the one God who is the Creator of all things. Racial bigotry is a brutal denial of the image of God (the imago dei) in some of the children of God.

II.     WE BELIEVE we are one body. In Christ, there is to be no oppression based on race, gender, identity, or class (Galatians 3:28). The body of Christ, where those great human divisions are to be overcome, is meant to be an example for the rest of society.

III.   WE BELIEVE how we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the stranger, the sick, and the prisoner is how we treat Christ himself (Matthew 25: 31-46).

IV.     WE BELIEVE that truth is morally central to our personal and public lives. Truth-telling is central to the prophetic biblical tradition, whose vocation includes speaking the Word of God into their societies and speaking the truth to power. A commitment to speaking truth, the ninth commandment of the Decalogue, "You shall not bear false witness" (Exodus 20:16), is foundational to shared trust in society.

V.    WE BELIEVE that Christ's way of leadership is servanthood, not domination. Jesus said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles (the world) lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant" (Matthew 20:25-26). We believe our elected officials are called to public service, not public tyranny, so we must protect the limits, checks, and balances of democracy and encourage humility and civility on the part of elected officials.

VI.   WE BELIEVE Jesus when he tells us to go into all nations making disciples (Matthew 28:18). Our churches and our nations are part of an international community whose interests always surpass national boundaries.

We believe that we are to go into all nations. In the national furor that surrounded the days after the 9/11 attacks, a moment when we were all fiercely nationalist, pastors were asked to come to public events and pray for our country. In the United States, these events often included an oath of allegiance. Michael Slaughter, a Methodist Pastor, was asked to pray at one of these events. Still, when the moment came, he refused to join in the oath of allegiance because his concern was international to the Body of Christ, which refuses to acknowledge borders.

Peter's point in this passage is about false teachers who have co-opted the Christian message. And there is a growing feeling that a false narrative has corrupted the Western Church. It is a narrative that plays to maybe the most sinful aspects of our fallen nature, our national pride.

What bothers me is that some of these false teachings have hit the core of our beliefs. It isn't our theology about homosexuality or abortion, two hot-button issues, that is the problem. It is how we love each other, even amid disagreement. It is the issue of servanthood in the church, or how we treat those who Jesus called "the least of these." It is about the idea that in Christ, we are one. The six declarations of the confession outline what is central in our belief, and it is here where the false teachers are attacking the church, and they have become central in our denominations.

Peter warns us about their destructive heresies, but we have allowed them into our midst, believing that they teach orthodox beliefs. We need to hear Peter's voice again and the voice of some other contemporary voices as they try to show us what should be central in our teaching, rather than hearing more peripheral voices and their message of hate and disunity.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3