God
Such Great Love
by Linda Rex
December 22, 2024, 4th Sunday in Advent | Love—On this fourth Sunday in Advent when we celebrate the theme of God’s love, we reach the end of the season. We have been anticipating the coming-and-presence of Jesus Christ, which involves looking forward to his coming in his incarnation, his coming and presence now by his Spirit, and his future coming in glory when he ushers in the new heaven and earth when our Triune God will be present with us forever.
Our reading in Micah is a messianic prophecy written by one of the minor prophets during the reign of King Hezekiah. Micah, along with his contemporary, Isaiah the prophet, ministered to the people of ancient Judah, reminding them to be faithful to their covenant with God, and warning them of the coming consequences due to their injustice, immorality, and idolatry.
What Micah’s nation did not seem to realize was that God’s passionate love for his people would not allow him to let them wander away into sin and idolatry without him doing something about it. God told his people that he would allow them to go their own way for a time, to experience the consequences of their sin and idolatry, however horrible those consequences might end up being. But God also gave a promise that he would send the ultimate solution.
In Micah 5:2–5a, the Lord speaks about the role the small town of Bethlehem would play in the future of the nation. This town, which wasn’t even mentioned as one of the cities of Judah, the tribe from whom the kings came, would be the place from which the Messiah would come. Remarkably, this one Micah predicted would be a ruler in Israel, who would shepherd his people, would have his origins from the far distant past, as from eternity, with no beginning. Because of him, his people would return from where they had been taken or wandered as a result of their turning from God.
What is interesting is the way this passage was interpreted by the Jews at the time of Jesus’ birth. When the wise men from the east came looking for the newborn king so they could worship him and give him gifts, King Herod asked the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah was going to be born. According to Matthew, the chief priests and scribes told Herod that he would be born in Bethlehem, quoting Micah in this way: “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a ruler who will shepherd My people Israel” (Matt. 2:6 NASB).
Herod’s response to this news was to send the wise men to Bethlehem to search out the child, telling them to return to him with the news of where the child was located, ostensibly so he could worship the newborn king too. Later in chapter two of Matthew, we see the wise men were warned by God to not go back to Jerusalem after visiting the child, but to leave by another way. And they did. And when King Herod found out, he sent soldiers to Bethlehem to kill every young infant up to two years old. Because Joseph was warned in a dream to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt before this happened and they left before the soldiers came, the newborn king Jesus was kept safe by God from King Herod’s plans to execute him.
King Herod, who had been installed in his position by the Romans, took this prophetic word from Micah very seriously. He wasn’t about to allow any other person to take away his position of authority in the Jewish nation. What he did not realize was the kind of king Jesus was and would be. Jesus is our Shepherd and reigns in God’s name. As the newborn child laying in a manger, he may not have looked like much, but he had come from time past, from eternity, and would be great, reigning over all the earth, as God in human flesh.
We will soon celebrate Christmas, when we remember how the Son of God entered our human sphere, taking on our human existence, to live, die, and rise again in our place, on our behalf. This infant that would be born in a small town in Bethlehem in Judea, the newborn king Jesus, is our peace. This is the One who reigns on high, while submitting himself to life in a human body, even that of a tiny infant whose life was threatened by an ambitious, heartless ruler. What a beautiful expression of God’s love!
Father, Son, Spirit, thank you for the faith, hope, and love we have been given. Thank you for being our hope, our peace, our joy, and our love. We look forward in anticipation to what you will do next, through Jesus our Lord and by your Spirit. Amen.
“ ‘But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.’ Therefore He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace.” Micah 5:2–5a NASB
“Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,‘Sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in whole burnt offerings and’ sacrifices ‘for sin you have taken to pleasure then I said, “Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do Your will, O God.” ’ After saying above, ‘Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and’ sacrifices ‘for sin You have not desired, nor have you taken pleasure’ in them’ (which are offered according to the Law),then He said, ‘Behold, I have to come to do Your will.’ He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:5–10 NASB
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He Sings for Joy
By Linda Rex
December 15, 2024, 3rd Sunday in Advent | Joy—Who is the most joyful person you know? You know who I mean—that person who seems to always have something pleasant and joyful to say, even when it feels like your world is coming apart. During this Advent season, we may not appreciate such a bubbling fountain of joy. We may be carrying around the weight of past losses and sufferings, and not enjoy the positivity such a person may pour over us when we are around them.
But, as followers of Christ, we are given the admonition in Philippians 4:4 to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (NASB). This can be difficult at times. Our theme for this Sunday is joy, and Advent is a time when we anticipate the coming of our Messiah with joy in our hearts. But our experience in this world may not be one where we feel happy and glad about our circumstances and situations. Like the people in the ancient nation of Judah, we may be living in perilous times, where suffering and struggle are the everyday norm. We may be going through the consequences of some poor decisions we may have made in the past. Or we may be living out of our brokenness, which causes us to continually bear up under some very heavy burdens we were never meant to carry. How do we rejoice no matter what we are going through?
The good news in the midst of this quandary is found in our Old Testament verse for this Sunday, Zephaniah 3:14–20. Here in this prophetic passage, we find the truth that the one who rejoices first and most, and who is the source of our joy, is God himself. Even though the people of ancient Judah were experiencing the consequences of breaking their covenant with God, their Lord promised that one day they would once again experience the joy of his salvation. His word to them through the prophet Zephaniah told them to shout or sing for joy. They were to rejoice because the Lord, the King of Israel, was in their midst.
In this short passage, this concept is mentioned twice. Its repetition signals to us that this is an important concept. The Lord is in our midst. Not only that, he is in our midst as “a victorious warrior” who is exulting over us with joy, shouting in his joy over us. Can you imagine Jesus in that way—as shouting in great joy over you?
Jesus is delighted that he has come and conquered over all our enemies. The Lord has “taken away His judgments” against us, as “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21 NASB). In Hebrews 12:3, we read how “Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (NASB). That sounds to me like a joyful warrior who has triumphantly accomplished a great deed of deliverance, and is shouting with joy over those he has rescued and saved.
As we continue in this season of Advent, looking forward to the coming of our Savior, both in his incarnation which we will celebrate at Christmas, and his triumphant return in glory to usher in the new heaven and earth, we have every reason to be glad and celebrate. Our joy is not something that we try to put on by ourselves, but rather is a grace of the Spirit which wells up within us and spills out of us as we contemplate the great deliverance of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are a joy to the Father, and his Son takes great joy in you, the one God has delivered and will deliver. And the Spirit pours God’s own joy into our hearts so that we can truly rejoice, no matter what may be going on around us. It is the joy of the Lord which is ours in Christ by the Spirit.
And this joy is a joy, which by God’s Spirit, we can share with others. We often don’t realize how our own demeanor influences those around us. As we take time to contemplate the great deliverance of Jesus Christ, our divine Warrior, we can experience God’s very own joy. As we open ourselves up to God’s Spirit through the spiritual disciplines of contemplation, prayer, meditation, worship, and fellowship, we can experience for ourselves and also share with others his abundant joy as he is present with us and in us by his heavenly Spirit. “Rejoice and exult with all your heart” this Advent season!
Thank you, dear Trinity, for your great joy. Thank you, Jesus, for your triumphant shouts of joy as you celebrate all that you have done for us for our salvation and deliverance. Dear Spirit, please fill our hearts and minds with joy, and let your joy pour out from us into the lives of those around us, for Jesus’ sake and for the glory of our Father. Amen.
“Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more. In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: ‘Do not be afraid, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp. The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love [or, renew you in his love], He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts—they came from you, O Zion; the reproach of exile is a burden on them. Behold, I am going to deal at that time with all your oppressors, I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will turn their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, even at the time when I gather you together; indeed, I will give you renown and praise among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,’ Says the LORD.” Zephaniah 3:14–20 NASB
“ ‘Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.’ Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation. And in that day you will say, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name.
Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted.’ Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things; let this be known throughout the earth. Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 12:2–6 NASB
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4–7 NASB
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The God Who Will
By Linda Rex
December 1, 2024, 1st Sunday in Advent | Hope—As we move into Year C in the Revised Common Lectionary, we are once again in the season of Advent. This year, as we go through Advent, I thought I would consider the Old Testament passages in the RCL and how they apply to the themes of the season.
I remember a season in my life when I felt like there was no hope. I felt like my significant relationships had failed me, my life was full of very difficult challenges, and it seemed like I had no options left. I could have turned to many things or people to try to solve this dilemma, but they would all have left me worst off than when I began. I knew that my only solution was to turn to God.
The problem was that the only God I knew was the God of my youth—a very condemning, critical being who was quick to punish when you messed up and only blessed you if you were being good and doing what was right. As I walked through this season of darkness, and sought the Lord as I only knew how, God led me down a new path, opening himself to me in a new way. I had to learn that the source of my hope in life was in him alone.
God revealed himself to me as the God of hope, who had given himself to me—to all of us—in Jesus Christ, and who pours that gift of hope into us by the power of his Holy Spirit. I had to come to know God in a new way, as the Triune God of love, who ever lives in self-giving, self-sacrificial love, and offers himself to us in the gift of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
On this first Sunday of Advent, we consider the theme of Hope. A verse on hope which I recently memorized is Romans 15:13. It goes like this: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (NIV). What the apostle Paul shares with us is an overwhelmingly beautiful vision of who God is—our God of hope. As we trust in him, he fills us to overflowing with his Holy Spirit, who pours into us God’s very own hope, given to us in Jesus Christ.
This God of hope is also a faithful God. In our Old Testament reading for this Sunday, Jeremiah 33:14–16, the prophet interrupts his prophetic warning to his people, the covenant people of God, to give them a vision of hope—telling them what God was going to do in spite of what they deserved. They had broken their covenant of love relationship with God, and were suffering acutely because of it. Their land was being overrun by invaders, their capital was being destroyed and their temple torn down. This was the consequence of their rebellion and disobedience. But there would come a time when God would restore them, giving them a leader who would be both a righteous king and a holy priest. God would make a new covenant with them and enable them to obey and live in right relationship with him. God would keep his promise to have a ruler from the tribe of Judah who would reign forever—his promise to King David; and he would keep his promise to have a priest who would intercede for the people forever—his promise to Aaron, who was from the tribe of Levi.
But God’s faithfulness to his promises looked a lot different than what was expected by his covenant people. God fulfilled both promises in the same person—a person who was both from the ruling tribe of Judah and a priest forever after the manner of Melchizedek. This person was born in a manger—the child of a teenage unwed mother from a small, insignificant town in Galilee, who was impregnated by the power of the Holy Spirit. This tiny baby, who grew up as a craftsman’s adopted son, was both fully God and fully man. Because of who he was as the Son of God, he lived a truly righteous life here on earth, in right relationship with his heavenly Father in the Spirit. Because of who he was as the Son of Man, he experienced a truly human life and he interceded on behalf of all who have ever lived, living our life, dying our death, and rising again, ascending to his Father’s throne, to intercede forever on our behalf. This person is Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of God’s will which had been set since before time began—to have adopted children with whom to share his divine life and love.
God set his will to do all of this long before anything was even created—and he finished what he began when the time came for his promise to be fulfilled in Jesus. We have a God who will—and who did—and who does. And this gives us great hope. We can trust our God to finish what he has begun in us and in our world, for he is our God of hope. Jesus will one day return in glory and establish his new heaven and earth, where God will dwell with man forever. We look forward to that day with great hope, as we live today in hope given to us through Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
Father, thank you for giving us great hope through your Son Jesus and in your gift of your Holy Spirit. Grant us the grace to trust in you, to depend on you in every moment. Please fill us with hope, especially when our world seems so bleak. In your name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
“ ‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the Lord is our righteousness.’ ” Jeremiah 33:14–16 NASB
“For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you;and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13 NASB
“Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, for they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your lovingkindness remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.” Psalm 25: (1–5) 6–10 NASB
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Not of This World
By Linda Rex
November 24, 2024, Christ the King | After Pentecost—On this Sunday we reach the culmination of the events of the Christian calendar. We celebrate the sovereign reign of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here, on this day, we recognize that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and reigns now and forever as king of kings and lord of lords. But what does that mean for those of us who live here on earth? How does the spiritual reality of the reign of Jesus Christ as Lord over all impact our everyday lives?
In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, we see Jesus being interrogated by Pilate, who is asking him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus explains that his kingdom is not of this world, because if it was, his servants would be fighting on his behalf. He is a king, he tells Pilate, born for this very reason, to testify to the truth (John 18:33–37). Even though Pilate has no interest in the truth it seems, he later attempted to free Jesus, believing he was innocent of the charges against him. But ultimately his loyalty to his own political agenda and to Rome won out, and Jesus was crucified.
What the ancient Jews at that time did not realize was that they were participating in the execution, the crucifixion, of the One who would be “the firstborn from the dead.” Jesus, as God in human flesh, would be crucified, buried, and then rise again as he predicted, to ascend into the presence of his heavenly Father, to reign forever as Lord of all.
In our New Testament passage, Revelation 1:4b–8, the apostle John offers a doxology to our triune God and our resurrected and ascended Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our heavenly Father is described as the great “I Am”—the One who is and who was, and the One who is coming. The “seven Spirits who are before His throne” is an expression of the fullness of the Holy Spirit; the number seven has a lot of significance to the apostle John, used often throughout the book of Revelation to express completeness, fullness, and God’s faithfulness to his covenant agreement with his people. Jesus is described as “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”
Notice that John not only focuses on who God is. He then moves to who we are as God’s people. In celebrating our Lord Jesus Christ as the One who reigns in glory, John says that Jesus loves us and has released us from our sins by his blood. Throughout this book, John reminds God’s people that the source of our redemption, salvation, and deliverance is in the blood of Jesus Christ, in his self-offering on our behalf. What Jesus has done has made us to be “a kingdom, priests to his God and Father.” Notice that Jesus did not make us individual priests, but rather, a kingdom of priests—those participating with him in his high priestly intercession with his Father in the Spirit through our prayers and praise. In other words, as the Body of Christ, we are “in Christ” as he intervenes and intercedes on behalf of all humanity in the presence of his Father in the Spirit.
This means that we are already participating in Jesus’ kingdom reign even now. We live in the already-not-yet of God’s kingdom. Our prayers and praise are a participation in Jesus’ own life with his Father in the Spirit. All of life then becomes a way by which we share in Jesus’ ministry and mission in this world through witness and service, prayer and praise, as we follow the lead of the Spirit. Jesus is at work in this world, bringing about the purposes and plans of our triune God, for he is both the beginning and the end, the origin and the completion of all God has in mind for his creation. And we, as we respond to his lead, are full participants in his mission and ministry in this world.
Even though we live in a broken, evil-ridden world, and at times evil seems to be in control, the truth is that our Lord reigns supreme, and is at work making all things new. He will finish what he has begun. In Jesus, we have a true participation in all the triune God is doing to bring about redemption, transformation, and wholeness to this world.
We trust in Jesus’ broken body and shed blood—the markers of our union and communion with God in Christ—and we follow the lead of his Spirit. We turn away from ourselves, our world, and our sin, and turn towards Christ, trusting in him and all he has done, is doing, and will do, to save. We anticipate with joy Jesus’ return in glory because we recognize who he is and who we are in him, and we have hope. May all the world join with us in the celebration of his soon return in glory!
Praise to you, the God who is, who was, and who is to come, and to you, divine Spirit, and to you, Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns over all. Thank you for including us in all that you are doing in this world, in your life with your Father in the Spirit. May we be true reflections of your glory and love in this world as we look forward to your coming again. Amen.
“Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ‘Behold, He is coming with the clouds’, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’ ” Revelation 1:4b–8 NASB
See alsoDaniel 7:9–10, 13–14; Psalm 93; 2 Samuel 23:1–7.
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A New and Living Way
By Linda Rex
November 17, 2024, Proper 28 | After Pentecost—This year as we have walked through the Revised Common Lectionary passages, I have been mostly focusing on the New Testament passage, while drawing upon the other passages where they have been appropriate. Today, though, in the light of tomorrow being the 2024 election day here in America, I will begin with the Gospel passage, Mark 13:1–8. I will bring in the New Testament passage from Hebrews later in this blog.
In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus was leaving the temple when one of his disciples began pointing out the architectural merits and wonders of the building. Jesus was not impressed. He immediately remarked that a time was coming when every stone would be leveled, a statement of hyperbole prophetically pointing to what would happen in 70 AD when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by the Romans.
Since the disciples, as usual, did not seem to get the point, they began asking about what the sign would be when all that was predicted would come to pass. Jesus turned their attention instead to what their motives were. They were looking for someone to save them from their Roman oppressors. They were looking for a messiah who would rescue them and make them an independent nation using violent means. But Jesus told them not to seek rescue and salvation from human saviors, for they will always end up misleading the people who follow them, using evil means to defeat evil. And Jesus told the disciples that wars, famines, international disputes were all part of the birth pangs leading up to the establishment of God’s new heaven and earth. They were not to be distressed by any of these things, but to understand that they were all part of the process of God’s redemption of his creation.
Jesus’ message is just as appropriate today as it was back then. Even to this day, there have been leaders who claimed that they would bring about a new world, a new government, and the salvation of their people. Some of these even led a military revolt, or the establishment of a new government. Many looked real good at the beginning, because they knew what things to tell people in order to get a following. But when they eventually began to run things their way, it soon became apparent that they were no savior or messiah—they were merely another faulty human who was leading everyone astray.
In the light of this reality, we are reminded of our New Testament passage, Hebrews 10:11–14, 19–25. In this the author contrasts the daily efforts of the Old Testament Aaronic priest, who, in spite of his diligent efforts, was never able to take away the sins of the people. In contrast, Jesus offered himself, once for all. By this self-offering, Jesus “perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”
There is only one Person who is able to take away our sins and perfect us before God. There is only one Person who delivers us and frees us from the tyrannies of this world. There is only one Person who enables us, “by a new and living way,” through his flesh, to enter into God’s presence. Because of who Jesus Christ is and what he has done, we draw near to God in faith, cleansed and purified, and made whole.
We are reminded that though human kingdoms rise and fall, human leaders rise and fall, and the world seems to be falling into chaotic disarray at times, Jesus Christ does not change. He does not fail us. He is present now by his Spirit, and is interceding for us with his Father on our behalf. There is nothing that cannot be brought to Jesus, and through him to his Father in the Spirit. Whatever is happening in this world, no matter how the election turns out, we have hope that God is still at work bringing to pass his ends and purposes. He will, in time, defeat all his enemies, and they are as good as defeated even now, for he is taking all that is meant for evil and turning it to accomplish his perfect, good will in this world.
As we make our way to the voting booth, and as we work our way through this transition of government, there is one thing we can be sure of: When we go to God with humble hearts and ask him to rescue and save us, and to work all things for our good, he will hear us and respond. May we have the humility and grace to pray to God about all that is going on, and trust in the faithful love and grace of Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Heavenly Father, as we face significant changes in our world and our nation, we turn to you and ask you to take all things into your loving hands and to work them out for our good. Thank you, Jesus, that we can come to you in faith, and know you are interceding on our behalf. We are in need of your rescue and salvation in every moment. May your Spirit move in us, in our lives, and in our circumstances, to accomplish your perfect will, in Jesus name. Amen.
“Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, ‘sat down at the right hand of God,’ waiting from that time onward ‘until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.’ For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. … Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:11–14 (15–18) 19–25 NASB
“As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.’ As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and 1James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?’ And Jesus began to say to them, ‘See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, “I am He!” and will mislead many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” Mark 13:1–8 NASB
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God’s Generosity
By Linda Rex
November 10, 2024, Proper 27 | After Pentecost—One of the stories from the gospels that warms my heart when it comes to generosity, is where Jesus points out a poor widow who was dropping her last coins into the temple treasury. In comparison to the rich people who were putting large sums into the treasury, Jesus said that this woman “put in all she owned, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:38–44 NASB).
When we look more closely at what Jesus was saying in this passage, we realize that he was trying to help those gathered around him to see who he really was. Here, in their midst, stood the One who was at that moment, investing all of heaven’s resources in his human existence, for the sake of the kingdom of God and for all of us, the spiritually poor. Standing there, Jesus was the Son of God in human flesh, fully at the mercy of human beings, who would soon betray him and condemn him and crucify him. This widow woman, who laid down her life by giving her last cent to the treasury, was a living parable to the Suffering Servant Messiah, who was in the process of giving everything up by laying down his life on behalf of all.
The New Testament passage for this Sunday, Hebrews 9:24–28, reminds us that Jesus Christ did not enter a humanly constructed holy place, but into heaven itself, to appear before God on our behalf. Jesus did not offer any animal sacrifices on our behalf, but offered his own blood to be shed for our sakes. Because of who he is and was as the Son of God in human flesh, who lived, died, and rose again, Jesus’ one-time self-offering was sufficient for all time. Unlike our human efforts to make ourselves right with God, which need to constantly be repeated, Jesus offered himself just once, and it was sufficient because of who he is and was. In this offering of himself for us, in our place, Jesus put away sin once and for all. How wonderful is that!
But how does this impact our everyday life and the difficulties we face day by day? We are much like the poor widow or the rich people in the temple, going about our business, trying to do the right thing when we get a chance. First, I’d like to note the reality that even though this poor widow was ignored by the powers-that-be, she was noticed by the One who really matters—Jesus. God was not unaware of her circumstance, nor did he reject her feeble efforts to serve and to do the right thing before him.
Humble service and giving may not be noticed or given much attention by the world around us. Often, people’s attention is captured by the generosity of those who are able to make a big splash by pouring large sums into their favorite charity. Giving away large amounts of money isn’t a bad thing. When rich people use their money for the benefit of those who don’t have as much, they are actually following God’s instructions (1 Tim 6:18). But they are to do it in a way that reflects the character and nature of God as demonstrated to us in Jesus Christ, who—“though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). In other words, the attitude of humility in generous giving, and an effort to lift up those who are poverty-stricken and unable to help themselves, is what best reflects our Lord Jesus Christ.
In this passage in Hebrews, the author uses the word “now” two times. The first “now” has to do with where Jesus is presently—in the presence of his Father in the Spirit, standing in our place and acting on our behalf. Jesus is hidden from our human view at present, but is actively at work, intervening and interceding constantly for us. He is aware of our circumstances, our challenges, and our need, and is constantly seeking our best in each situation. As we come to him in faith, we begin to recognize and experience the reality of our participation in his life with his Father in the Spirit.
The other “now” has to do with the already-not-yet of God’s kingdom, inaugurated at the culmination of the ages when the Son of God entered our sphere in the person of Jesus Christ, and offered himself in our place on our behalf. We live in the midst of this “now” of Jesus’ high priestly ministry on our behalf, and look forward to the day when he will return in glory to establish the new heaven and earth. We can anticipate this day with eagerness and joy because Jesus took care of all our sin, removing it once and for all when he laid down his life for us. This means that the judgment which follows death is meant for our restoration and renewal, not for our destruction. What Jesus is bringing when he returns is our salvation. This gives us great hope. And it is in this Spirit of hope that we quietly, yet generously give to others in humble gratitude for all God has given to us in his Son Jesus.
Heavenly Father, thank you for your generosity towards us in giving us your Son and your Spirit. Thank you, Jesus, for giving your all for our sake, that we may be included in your life with your Father in the Spirit now and forever. Grant us the grace to be humbly generous with others as you have been with us. Amen.
“For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews 9:24–28 NASB
“In His teaching He was saying: ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.’ He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.’ ” Mark 12:38–44 NASB
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The Perfect Atonement
By Linda Rex
November 3, 2024, Proper 26—This year on October 11, 2024, many observed a special day called Yom Kippur. On this important day of the year, the holiest on the Jewish calendar, many fast and pray, cease from all labor, and gather together for a special service. In Leviticus 16, we learn there were specific sacrifices that the ancient nation of Israel observed on this day, which is often known as the Day of Atonement.
Two goats would be offered, and each would have a specific role to play—one would be offered to God in sacrifice for the sins of the people. Blood from the goat offered to God would be taken by the high priest into the most holy place (never entered except by the high priest on this day, once a year), and the high priest would sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in the tent of meeting, purifying them. And then there would be a bull offered as well, for the high priest’s cleansing, and its blood would be offered with that of the goat, and the great altar would be cleansed. Then the other goat would have the sins of the people laid on it, and as Azazel’s goat, it would be sent out into the desert to carry away the sins of the people. There were many more offerings than just this (Lev. 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11), but what I’ve shared so far enables us to begin to see the significance of our New Testament passage for this Sunday, Hebrews 9:11-14.
In all those years of animals being offered in sacrifice, the Levite high priest offered up the means of grace given them by God for the annual renewal of the covenant for the ancient Jewish people. The sins of the people were cleansed, the covenant renewed, but only an external cleansing or purification occurred. Nothing was done for the inward work of transformation which was actually needed.
Now, though, because Jesus is the perfect offering, the person who had no sin, who lived a genuine human existence as the Son of God in human flesh, we have a greater, more perfect sacrifice. He willingly walked the road to the cross, allowed himself to be crucified, because he knew he was fulfilling every one of these sacred events in the life of his people. He would be both the goat who was offered and the goat who took away our sins once and for all. He would be the bull who would cleanse us of our own personal sins. He would be both the great High Priest and the perfect Atonement, for us.
The author of Hebrews explains how the Son of God came in human flesh and took on the role of our high priest through his own sacrificial self-offering. In this particular passage, the author explains that Jesus Christ entered into “the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands…not of this creation.” The tabernacle being described is actually heaven itself, for the Son of God, having taken on human flesh, lived a genuine human existence, was crucified and died, and was resurrected. Like the high priest who “ascended” into the holy of holies to offer the sacred sacrifice once a year, Jesus ascended into glory, still bearing our humanity, and offered himself in our place on our behalf. Today he continues to act as our divine Mediator and High Priest. Jesus has become our place of perfect rest in relationship with God, for he offers our prayers up to the Father in the Spirit, and offers us the high priest blessing of peace in return. Because he is without blemish, perfect in every aspect, he fulfills the sacred aspects of this day in his own person. As Thomas F. Torrance says, “Christ Jesus IS the atonement” (TFT, Atonement, 94).
Unlike the human high priest who had to offer a bull for his own personal cleansing, Jesus did not need any special offering for himself. As God in human flesh, Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God, as John the Baptizer described him, who was offered for the sins of all. Jesus was filled with the Spirit from conception, received the anointing of the Spirit for ministry, and lived and walked by the Spirit throughout his life and ministry. He lived in perfect unity with his Father in the Spirit each day, and was ever faithful in the Word of God and prayer.
Not only is Jesus the One who intercedes for us, but he is also the One who is sacrificed for us. What is cleansed is not just the outer person, but the inward person. For Jesus, in his perfect life and death and resurrection, writes God’s law on our inward parts, and then sends us the Spirit after his ascension so we can begin to live as new persons, in right relationship with his Father in the Spirit as we trust in him and walk in the Spirit. As the author of Hebrews says, “how much more” will Christ’s blood cleanse our inner mind and heart, enabling us to serve God as he always intended? This was always God’s plan, and in Jesus Christ, he accomplished it! And this sounds to me like some very, very good news!
Dear Trinity, thank you for the marvelous work you have done to bring us into relationship with yourself through Jesus in the Spirit. Thank you, dear Jesus, for your perfect self-offering, and for standing as our High Priest, interceding for us and mediating for us in the Spirit at all times. Thank you, heavenly Spirit, for growing us up into the maturity that is Christ. We are simply grateful for all you have done and are doing. Amen.
“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He centered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:11–14 NASB
“But now Christ has made his public appearance as High Priest of a perfect tabernacle. The good things that were predicted have arrived. This new tabernacle does not derive from its shadow type, the previous man-made one. It is the reality. As High Priest, his permission to enter the Holy Place was not secured by the blood of beasts. By his own blood he obtained access on behalf of the human race. Only one act was needed for him to enter the most sacred place of grace and there to institute a ransom of perpetual consequence. The blood of beasts and the ashes of the burnt sacrifice of a heifer could only achieve a very temporal and surface cleansing by being sprinkled on the guilty. How much more effective was the blood of Christ, when he presented his own flawless life through the eternal Spirit before God, in order to purge your conscience from its frustration under the cul-de-sac rituals of the law. There is no comparison between a guilt- and duty-driven, dead religious system, and the vibrancy of living your life free from a sin-consciousness! This is what the new testament priesthood is all about!” Hebrews 9:11–14 Mirror Bible
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4–9 NASB
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Offered Once For All
By Linda Rex
October 27, 2024, Proper 25—As we have been touching down here and there in the book of Hebrews, we have been learning about Jesus Christ serving as our high priest now that that he has risen from the grave and ascended into heaven. We’ve looked at Jesus and his intercessory role in our lives, and how he ever offers our worship and praise to our Father, and offers the Father’s gifts, his Word, and his love and grace to us in the Spirit.
Perhaps you’ve heard that old phrase, “There’s nothing so certain as death and taxes.” In our New Testament passage for this Sunday, Hebrews 7:23–28, this book’s author notes that in the original tabernacle which we read about in the book of Exodus and Leviticus, the high priest was appointed according to the law. This high priest would eventually die, and another would be appointed in his place. This meant that as time went by, the role of high priest was continually being filled by different people. Death limited the ministry of those who offered this service of high priesthood to God and the people of ancient Israel.
Jesus Christ, on the other hand, while in his human flesh did die, but then he, being the Son of God, rose from the grave. Because he remains both God and human, Jesus lives forever and will never die. Jesus has been appointed our high priest according to the Father’s promise, which will never be broken. We can take comfort that nothing, not even death, can separate us from Jesus and his love for us (Rom. 8:38–39). There is continuity in Jesus’ ministry to us in the Spirit, and we can rest assured that he will always be there for us, offering us grace in our time of need, as we draw near to him.
As our high priest, Jesus offered up the perfect sacrifice—himself. He does not need to continually offer up new animal sacrifices like the ancient high priests were required to. No, he simply offered himself, in our place on our behalf, just once, and offers himself continually on our behalf, in every moment, on into eternity. Jesus has no sin in himself that needs to be dealt with through sacrifice as the ancient high priests constantly had to concern themselves with. Rather, Jesus is without sin, holy in character, and flawless and undefiled. So what he offers—himself—is the perfect sacrifice. Not only did his self-offering only have to be done once, it also was an offering that includes all people, and all that God has made in and through Jesus, and it lasts forever.
Because of who Jesus is as the Creator and Redeemer of all things, his sacrifice has tremendous power to redeem, restore, and renew. We celebrate the wonderful gift of new life that Jesus gives us, and we rest in his faithful intercession in our place on our behalf before his Father in the Spirit. Jesus is constantly at work making all things new—this is his word to us through the apostle John (Rev. 21:5; 2 Cor. 5:17). And we look forward to when Jesus will return in glory and renew all things as he ushers in the new heaven and earth. What a glorious hope we have in Jesus!
Now, if you thought that is good news, just consider how wonderful it is that we do not have to try and work things out with a distant, uninvolved, uncaring God. This Jesus Christ who we trust in is the Son of our heavenly Father, with whom he lives in close relationship in the heavenly Spirit. There is an eternal relationship of love and grace that Jesus brought humanity right up into. And within that relationship of love and grace, we get to share by the Spirit in Jesus’ own sonship, in face-to-face oneness with his Father. We are not left trying to figure out some way to make ourselves right with God, or trying to make ourselves good enough or acceptable enough to be worthy of God’s love, attention, or grace. Instead, we are simply able to rest in and revel in the joy of participating in Jesus’ own oneness with his Father in the Spirit, as we trust in Jesus’ finished work. This motivates us to live a life of gratitude and obedient service to the Lord who both created us and redeems us. Praise God!
Dear Jesus, thank you for the amazing gift you have given, in giving yourself so generously and freely in our place on our behalf. Thank you for ever interceding for us and for bringing us home to our Father to be with him forever in the Spirit. We praise you for your glorious work! Amen.
“The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.” Hebrews 7:23–28 NASB
“The fact that there were so many priests shows how frequently they died and had to be replaced. But there will be no successor to the Priesthood of Jesus because he remains forever. Through him mankind’s approach to God is forever secured; he continues to communicate the full accomplishment of their salvation. As our High Priest he towers far above every other priestly system in conspicuous prominence and in holy character. His guileless, flawless life on earth was never compromised by sin, and he himself was exalted above the heavens where he occupies the highest rank of authority in the eternal realm. Unlike the previous high priests whose system of daily sacrifices was a constant reminder of their own failures, he had no need to sacrifice on his own behalf. The sacrifice he offered was himself for all; a sacrifice never to be repeated. Under the law, men were appointed as high priests regardless of their weaknesses. The word of the oath, which succeeded the law, appointed the son in perpetual perfection.” Hebrews 7:23–28 Mirror Bible
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He Tasted Death For Everyone
by Linda Rex
October 6, 2024, Proper 22 | After Pentecost—I believe we often do not realize the value and worth God places on us as human beings. We go through life, living our everyday existence without realizing the dignity we have as those made in his image. And, at the same time, we can be pretty arrogant—we believe we can call the shots and insist on our own way.
One of the hardest lessons for us to learn as human beings is that we are creatures who are utterly dependent upon a power beyond ourselves for our very existence and our everyday needs. As we look at the New Testament passage for this Sunday, Hebrews 1:1–4, 2:5–12, we are reminded of who we are. We see this in the context of who God is, and who his Son Jesus Christ is, and are brought again to that place of humility and dignity God has given us as his beloved children.
The author of Hebrews tells us quite a bit about who Jesus Christ is:
- He is the Son of our heavenly Father, the Creator of all things
- He is the appointed heir of all things
- He is the Son, the Creator, through whom the Father made all things
- He is the radiance of God’s glory
- He is the exact representation of God’s being or nature
- He upholds all things by the word of his power
- He made purification of sins
- His Father has appointed him over the works of his hands
- His Father has put all things in subjection under his feet
- He was made lower than the angels for a time, but now is crowned with glory and honor
- He tasted death for everyone
- He is the One for whom are all things and through whom are all things
- He is the author of our salvation, perfected through suffering
- He sanctifies us, having the same Father as we do
- He calls us his brothers and sisters
In the light of the reality of who Jesus is as the Son of our heavenly Father, we find that many of these things are true about us as human beings, since we have been taken up in Christ and given new life in him—a new life that we are able to participate in as we come to faith in Christ. We as human beings are given incredible dignity and worth. Jesus, the God-man, includes us in his own life with his Father in the Spirit.
We are caught up in the inner fellowship of Father, Son, and Spirit—a place where, in Christ, a human being is a full participant in the divine life and love. As the God-man, Jesus Christ is the one who perfected our humanity in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, and offers us the gift of the Spirit, working to sanctify us as we respond to him in faith. Even though he is God the Son, Jesus Christ calls us his brothers and sisters, because he has taken on our human flesh, to taste death for everyone.
In the light of who Jesus is as God in human flesh, who reigns supreme as Lord of all, we are reminded that we as human beings are not the ones who decide how this cosmos is to run or how we are to live our lives. As the One through whom all things were made by the Father in the Spirit, Jesus has something important to say about how we live and how this cosmos is run.
In the gospel reading for this Sunday, Mark 10:2–16, Jesus was asked by the religious leaders of his day if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus responded by asking what Moses taught them to do. They said that Moses “permitted” divorce in certain circumstances. In this circumstance, Jesus’ ultimate answer to their question was not grounded in what Moses taught. Nor was it grounded in the current cultural situation, nor in a particular circumstance, or relationship. What Jesus took them back to was his heavenly Father’s original intent.
And then he reminded them that their decisions regarding the kingdom of God and family relationships needed to be from the perspective of a little child. A child is dependent upon his or her parents, and trusts in their care and direction and provision. In the same way, Jesus reminds of who we are—children of our heavenly Father, who trust in his care, direction, and provision, through his Son Jesus Christ in the Spirit. In Christ, we have been given great dignity and worth as human beings, but we are still only little children—and it is good for us to remember this as we go through our everyday lives in this world, making decisions and living in relationships.
Thank you, Father, for reminding us of who we are, and who Jesus, your Son, is, as our Savior and Redeemer, our Brother and our Friend. Grant us the grace to live as trusting, obedient, grateful children, resting in your tender care. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. … For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. But one has testified somewhere, saying, ‘What is man, that you remember him? Or the son of man, that you are concerned about him? You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and have appointed him over the works of your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,saying, ‘I will proclaim Your name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise’.” Hebrews 1:1–4, 2:5–12 NASB
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