Good morning everyone,
Today's reading is a challenging one, so we'll unpack it a bit; it might be easiest to read this paragraph by paragraph along with my notes. The opening paragraph talks about blazing fire and a voice the people couldn't bear to hear. This refers to Exodus 19, when the Law was revealed to Moses and the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai. God appeared to the people then like a lightning storm on top of the mountain. The whole mountain was declared holy so none of the people or animals could touch it, and the voice from heaven was powerful and terrifying. This is a reminder of how far above us God is.
The author of Hebrews doesn't bring us back to Mt. Sinai, but instead reminds us that in Jesus we come to the heavenly Jerusalem where we come to God instead of facing the separation our sin has meant in the past. In the Holy City we see the righteous people who went before us made perfect by Christ. Here we find a new covenant, not the Law of Moses, but the love of Jesus and the fellowship with God in his blood. That blood speaks a better word than Abel's because Abel's blood cried out Cain's guilt to God, but Christ's blood makes us innocent in God's eyes.
Even though the new covenant means we can come close to God, this covenant is still a call and a demand. The power of God speaking is still disturbing and we know one day the heavens and the earth will be made new by that word. Our calling is to listen for God's word, to worship faithfully and to live in love with God and with our neighbors. The command to love comes from God directly, so let us hear with grateful ears and follow our calling joyfully.
God bless,
Sam
Hebrews 12:18-29
18You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20(For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” 21Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) 2
2But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29for indeed our God is a consuming fire.
Showing posts with label Christ's righteousness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ's righteousness. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
another escape
Good morning all,
Yesterday's reading reminded us of the persecution the church faced when Stephen was killed, a persecution led by the Jewish religious leaders. Today's reading shows us another persecution with the death of another leader of the church. This persecution was led by King Herod instead. Herod was a Jewish king, but he ruled by Rome's authority. The involvement of the government in battling the church is a new and troubling development for the Christian movement, but as church history shows, even Rome's power can't stop God's work in the church. The ancient church leader Tertullian even said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."
Our second reading is from today's Sunday lectionary, and it fits really well with what we've been reading in Acts. Paul is addressing people both inside and outside the church who put their confidence in following the Law of Moses. Paul talks about his own history and his flawless Jewish credentials including his persecution of the church. He then goes on to make the case that what matters in the end isn't our heritage or our upbringing or even our religious observance. What matters is the righteousness of Jesus Christ which takes us in and makes us righteous. Because of Christ's grace our merits and faults don't matter; we are free and called to move forward in love and service. We are called to strain towards Christ's calling to be like him and to be part of his body in the world. May Christ continue and finish the work he has already begun in each of us.
God bless,
Sam
Acts 12:1-17
About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
5While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him. 6The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
9Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. 11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
12As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. 13When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 14On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. 15They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” 16Meanwhile Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. 17He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the believers.” Then he left and went to another place.
*Sunday Philippians 3:4b-14
4bIf anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Yesterday's reading reminded us of the persecution the church faced when Stephen was killed, a persecution led by the Jewish religious leaders. Today's reading shows us another persecution with the death of another leader of the church. This persecution was led by King Herod instead. Herod was a Jewish king, but he ruled by Rome's authority. The involvement of the government in battling the church is a new and troubling development for the Christian movement, but as church history shows, even Rome's power can't stop God's work in the church. The ancient church leader Tertullian even said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."
Our second reading is from today's Sunday lectionary, and it fits really well with what we've been reading in Acts. Paul is addressing people both inside and outside the church who put their confidence in following the Law of Moses. Paul talks about his own history and his flawless Jewish credentials including his persecution of the church. He then goes on to make the case that what matters in the end isn't our heritage or our upbringing or even our religious observance. What matters is the righteousness of Jesus Christ which takes us in and makes us righteous. Because of Christ's grace our merits and faults don't matter; we are free and called to move forward in love and service. We are called to strain towards Christ's calling to be like him and to be part of his body in the world. May Christ continue and finish the work he has already begun in each of us.
God bless,
Sam
Acts 12:1-17
About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) 4When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
5While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him. 6The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
9Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. 11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
12As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. 13When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 14On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. 15They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” 16Meanwhile Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. 17He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the believers.” Then he left and went to another place.
*Sunday Philippians 3:4b-14
4bIf anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
