1 Peter 1

In reading the stories of the disciples in the New Testament Peter seems to have been a natural leader.  He apparently had an outstanding personality and had the respect of his peers.  In the early church, his influence was vast and acknowledged by all. 

His first book was a letter to the Christians scattered all over the northern part of Asia Minor.  He has much to say about suffering, knowing of the unfair treatment Christians had already received from non-believers.  This book is a letter of encouragement.

When you are in the midst of a difficult time or facing problems, isn’t it wonderful to have someone you trust to give you a word of encouragement?  That’s exactly what Peter is doing in this first letter. 

Here’s a brief outline of 1 Peter: (1) Introduction and reminder of God’s Salvation – 1:1-12, (2) Encouraging holy living – 1:13-2:10, (3) Christians duty in times of suffering – 2:11-4:19, (4) Christian humility and service – 5:1-11; (5) Conclusion – 5:12-14.

When difficult times come these two verses should give encouragement.  They set the tone for the entire letter.  Verse 3 – “Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on.” 

 

Then in verse 13 – “Be alert and think straight.  Put all your hope in how kind God will be to you when Jesus Christ appears.”

 May our prayer be “Lord, we look to You to give us the encouragement we need as we face the difficulties or the opportunities of each day.”

JAMES 4

How dare he?!

“Friendship with the world is hatred toward God!”   (James 4:4)   Who does this guy think he is!?!

Is he telling me it’s NOT OK to love my team more than my church?   Is he telling me it’s NOT OK to spend more on my entertainment than I do on missions?   Is he telling me … telling me…that loving God should supercede all other loves…

This is hard stuff…submit to God sounds so…submissive.   Am I willing to do that?  We have such a negative view of “submission”…and where did that negative view come from….certainly not from scripture!   In scripture, submitting to God ALWAYS results in blessing and protection.   So who told us that submission is bad…ah, yes….it is the “world”… the same world that would seduce us away from our 1st Love…and we just blithely go thinking we’re not so bad as some…

Lord, have mercy.

 

James 1

Applying Action to Our Faith

The entire book of James is a series of examples that show faith in action in wise and practical ways.  Throughout the course of this small book sensible advice is given on how to deal with riches, poverty, temptation, good conduct, prejudice, use of the tongue, wisdom, quarreling, pride, humility, judging others, boasting, patience and prayer.  To James faith meant action!

A quick outline: (1) Chapter 1 includes general greetings, a life of faith and wisdom, hearing and obeying God’s message. (2) Chapter 2 deals with not showing favor to the rich and powerful, as well as faith and works. (3) Chapter 3 gives advice on wisdom and words.  Chapter 4 includes warnings against friendship with the world.  The last chapter (chapter 5) deals with patience, kindness, and prayer.

James begins the book with advice on how to deal with trials and temptation.  Verse 2 – “Count it all joy, my brethren when you meet various trials for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

James is an easy to read book and every verse offers sound, practical advice on how to live as a Christian.  Probably the most quoted verse is verse 22 – “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”  Put your faith into action!

As you read these 5 chapters focus on the many opportunities you will have each week to put your Christian faith to work as you pass on to others the blessings God has given you.

HEBREWS 12

The Discipline of God…not an easy topic.   Yet it is through “discipline” that we grow, become “disciples”.

I would like to focus on verses 14-17…perhaps we sometimes concentrate so much on those glorious verses 1-3 that we forget the very pertinent application in verses 14-17.

The New International says it this way:   “See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.   Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit his blessing, he was rejected.”

So…let’s take an honest look at the world around us…a world that is so saturated with sexuality, in entertainment, internet, fashion…that we are often not even surprised or offended…

So…how is God going to react to that when we call to him for blessing, yet we have possibly sold our inheritance because we have loved the “things of this world” more than our birthright as Christians.

 

 

Hebrews 11

Faith is an essential element of Christianity, but it seems like it is often a vague concept in my mind and in the minds of other Christians. What exactly are we talking about when we talk about having faith in Christ or in God?

Well, Hebrews 11 gives us some insight into the whole concept of faith.

First, in verse 1, the writer of Hebrews says this about faith:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (ESV)

So, faith is the assurance of the things we hope for. What do we hope for in the Christian faith?

- Resurrection from the dead

- Spending eternity in the presence of God

-Forgiveness of sins

A component of faith is an assurance that these things are true or will come to pass.

Also, in verse 6, we read this about faith:

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)

Now, verse 6 highlights an aspect of faith that we don’t often consider. Faith includes believing that God will reward those who seek him. Many times we focus on the self-sacrificing aspect of Christianity and act as if seeking God for some type of reward makes our faith self-serving and cheapens our commitment to him. But, the writer of Hebrews says that seeking God for the reward that we will receive from him is essential to our faith. All of the saints described in chapter 11 were seeking after God for the purpose of receiving the reward he had promised them.

Now, what happens if we have an assurance of receiving the things we hope for and that God will reward us for seeking him?

Well, it should produce lives of radical obedience to the Lord that leads us to seek after him at all costs. It surely had this effect on the believers we read about in this chapter. But, we have to note that they did not receive the reward they were seeking in this life. Instead, they received persecution, insult, and often violent death at the hands of their enemies. But, their hope in the reality of God’s blessing and reward empowered them to suffer in this life because of their belief in a better life that was to come with God.

Oh, that we would have this same type of faith today. I pray that God would give me and other believers that I know an assurance of the reward we will receive from him in eternity and that we would be convinced that the reward we will receive from him is better than any fleeting pleasure we can experience in this life. If that happens, then we will be ready to live for more than big houses, football, 401(k)s, safety, security and the American Dream. Lord, give us faith so that we don’t waste our lives on rewards that can’t compare with the reward you give.

Hebrews 9

Chapter nine of Hebrews is summed up in four verses, 11-15.

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.  For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprikling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.“

Christ has come as our sacrifice to usher in the New Covenant and has come as the high priest to mediate the New Covenant.

He is are all in all.

We no longer strive for perfection, He is our perfection.  We no longer offer sacrifices, He is our final sacrifice.  We no longer find ourselves in shame, only grace.

Chapter 9 of Hebrews is a beautiful text that we cannot simply read over.  Instead, we must allow it to marinate within us, to remind us, to change us of all who Christ is and all that He has accomplished in his sacrificial death.

Today, allow yourself to be grasped by the text rather than grasping the text yourself.  This is not an easy, it works against our busy schedules.  Allowing the text to grab a hold of us causes us to slow down, it causes us to examined by the text rather than us performing the  examining procedure on it.  This task is one that is unnatural to our way of life and busy routines.  At first, it may seem uncomfortable or difficult to allow the text to work on us but it is one that is well worth it once we receive its benefits.

Hebrews 8

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.  This is a poetic verse brides often use as a guide when they’re preparing for their big day.

In Hebrews 8, we can also find something old, new, borrowed … and instead of blue, let’s say true.  

Something old:  The author of Hebrews talks about the old covenant.  This contract was between God and the people of Israel.  God taught the people His ways (Ex. 18-Leviticus) and they agreed to follow.  God told them that if they followed the law, they would be blessed, but if they didn’t, they would be cursed. 

In Leviticus, God outlines rules for worship and sacrifice.  When the people sinned, they were purified by sacrificing an animal.  Symbolically, the animal paid the price for the sins of the people.  The people deserved to die, but the animal was given as a substitute.  In this old covenant, each sin required a new sacrifice!

This covenant had flaws, as the author of Hebrews mentions.  And, the author says that a better covenant with better promises is coming.  Jeremiah, the prophet, tells the people of a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Something new: The author of Hebrews reminds us of the new covenant promised by Jeremiah.  This covenant is different from the last.  The ways of God are no longer written on stone tablets (as the 10 commandments).  They are written on the hearts of God’s people.  The people will not need priests to mediate between them and God.  Jesus, God incarnate, will be their mediator!  He will send His Spirit to guide them!  This new covenant is enacted by Jesus when he paid for our sins on the cross.  He tore down the veil that separated us from God! 

In Matthew 26:28, when speaking about the Lord’s Supper, Jesus says, “This is the blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  We no longer have to sacrifice goats to be clean.  Jesus came to be the ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME sacrifice for our sins (but, I’m getting ahead of myself … this is Chapter 10).

Something borrowed: The old covenant system of worship and sacrifice is a borrowed concept.  Moses was given a pattern of what God’s temple looks like in Heaven.  But, Hebrews reminds us that the system of worship in the old covenant is a copy or shadow of God’s perfect rule in Heaven(8:6).  

Like any copy made,  it isn’t the same as the original!  Jesus showed us what the rule in Heaven is like by living it out before us.  As the “real deal” original God, he perfectly shows us what God is like!

and finally Something true:  The Bible is one big story, not random stories that don’t connect.  Moses and the people of Israel have lots to teach us and it is good for us to know about the old covenant, so that we can praise God for the new one.  

Take the challenge to becoming Biblically literate!  Read and study the whole Bible.  When you understand more about the Old Testament, passages like Hebrews 8 will make a lot more sense!

A great resource for reading the Bible as one big story is God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts.

Hebrews 7

What an exciting chapter for Believers!

Abraham, the father of the faithful, meets this enigmatic personage identified as MELCHIZEDEK.   What does Abraham do?   He worships this greatness.   He acknowledges this magnificence.  And what is the natural outgrowth of this worship…the tithe!   (V2) Abraham “apportioned to him (Melchizedek) a tenth part of every thing!”    Then, as if to verify that this is indeed the absolute correct action for Abraham to take, we get a summary list of who this Melchizedek is…”King of Salem, that is King of Peace”, super-natural in existence (not having need of parentage), eternal (no beginning or end), resembling the very Son of God (just in case the reader missed the other clues),  the forever-priest.   (The priest’s function is to provide a bridge between sinful man and Holy God.. again, just in case the reader missed it!)

Then the writer of Hebrews reminds the reader that, even before the Law is given to Moses, Abraham observed the Law.   We sometimes think of the “tithe” as optional or “Old Testament”, and therefore it is easy for us to think that it is not necessarily applicable to modern day Christians.   However, a careful reading of scripture proves inexcusably that “tithing” is a part of worship that is of paramount importance to “Melchizedek”…so important that it even precedes the Law.   It seems that it is the absolute and logical evidence of the sincerity of the act of worship.

Can we really dismiss this obedience?

The rest of the chapter identifies the ministry of Jesus/Melchizedek in clear and concise description.   The supremacy of Christ is unavoidable.   This is remarkably “not politically correct”…..thanks be to God!

 

 

 

 

Hebrews 6

It is so easy to lose hope in the world in which we live. We experience sickness, see loved ones pass away, hear of the atrocities of war being committed around the world, and the list could go on and on. The writer of Hebrews was writing to a group of believers who were suffering persecution for their faith and needed hope as well. Here is what he writes in chapter 6, verses 19-20:

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (ESV)

The writer of Hebrews repeatedly speaks of Jesus Christ as our High Priest who has entered into the very presence of God and intercedes on our behalf. The place behind the curtain in the Temple, the place where God dwelt, used to be a place where no human could enter except for the high priest once a year. But, in this passage, we read that Christ is continually in the presence of God praying for us and that this should be an anchor for our soul, and something that gives us hope. Whatever you are facing today, find hope in the fact that Christ is in the presence of God praying for you today. He is your Advocate, your Savior and your great High Priest. This is indeed a reason for us to have hope regardless of what circumstances we are facing.

Hebrews 5

Today, we are reminded again that Jesus is perfect and to all those who believe  in Him, the promise of eternal life.  Jesus is different from any other high priest that was called by man because He is God’s Son.  As Christians, it is our responsibility to pay close attention to the Bible and grow in our relationship with our Heavenly Father.    As believers we should strive to get past the “milk” or infant stage to become mature, Godly people – the person that God intended us to be.