Hebrews 8:1-13
Hope you're joining along in the challenge to read through the book of Hebrews with us.
The author is making an appeal to his audience by saying, "You know this really great thing in the story of our faith? Jesus is better."
You know angels? Spiritual beings of the Lord Most High? Jesus is better.
You know Moses? Spiritual juggernaut and faithful servant in God's house? Jesus is better.
You know the high priests who have led the faith and worship in the tabernacle for centuries? Jesus is better.
You know Melchizedek, this priest of all priests that even Abraham paid homage to? Jesus is better.
And now chapter 8. You know the law that has been your gold standard for how to live and how to be in covenant with your God? You know the instruction manual for how to love God and live in obedience? Jesus ushers in a new way. A new covenant. And Jesus is better.
That's the message stirring in my heart this morning. I sat on Chaia's bed when we arrived at the hospital and just thought about what her future holds. I love her and want her to be healed. I want to get out of this hospital so that we can begin the transition to our new calling to plant a church in Columbus. I want to watch Chaia in school plays and take her on daddy-daughter dates to cool places so that she will secretly like me more than mom (kidding). I want to walk her down the aisle to marry some guy who had survived my shotgun interview (not kidding). I want to be a grandpa who's heart swells as each grandchild lives and thrives. What could be better than that?
And the message that I hope you get by now...is that the message of the Gospel is that JESUS IS BETTER.
Better than my hopes, dreams, ambitions and idols. Better than my daughter, my wife, my very own life. Better than success and joy and happiness. Jesus is better.
The point of the New Covenant that the writer of Hebrews is talking about is Hebrews 8:11...And they shall not teach one another or say to each other, "Know the Lord" for they shall all know me.
In church yesterday, we heard a message on John 17 and the verse that grabbed my attention was verse 3. "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."
Eternal life = We get HIM.
And there is absolutely nothing better than that.
1 comment:
And yet each breath and thought that we take pulls us in the opposite direction. To our own wants and desires, not our desire for Him and Him alone. We have to preach it to ourselves every second. Only in eternity will we ever really get Him.
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