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Hebrews 7-8 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Hebrews 7:1-8:13.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people” (Hebrews 8:8-10).

I think I’ve misunderstood the Hebrew writer’s use of this prophecy from Jeremiah 31:31-33. God says He is going to give a new covenant because they didn’t keep the old one. At one level, that doesn’t make any sense to me. Is He saying, “Well, you flubbed that one, let Me see if I can give you something you can keep.” Is the New Covenant a dumbing down? Is it just an easier law to keep? I don’t think so.

Rather, I think this hearkens back to Hebrews 7:11, 18-19. “Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise…” And also, “For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect)…”

The issue is not, “Well, you people were disobedient to My first Law so let Me try an easier one.” The point was that the Law didn’t work in making us perfect. In fact, law doesn’t make anyone perfect. It can’t. Does that mean the Law failed? I don’t think so. God didn’t establish law to justify us, but to show us we aren’t perfect. The Law did its job well. It shut everyone up under sin. It did what it was intended to do. So, God’s new covenant is not simply just another law that He thinks we might be able to keep this time (though there is certainly law as part of this covenant). The new covenant is different. It is not just different in that some of the laws are different. It is different in that the way we draw near to God is different. Instead of drawing near to God via our attempts at keeping a law, we draw near to God through the One who did keep God’s law. We draw near to God through our faith in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:19, 25).

Here is the great part. As we draw near to God through Jesus Christ, God will work in our lives, writing His law in our hearts and minds. God will be working in us to accomplish His will. Isn’t that what Paul had said in Philippians 2:12-13? As long as we are trying to keep God’s law by our own strength, we will fail to attain perfection. When we give up on that and instead strive to draw near to God through Jesus Christ, then God will work righteousness in us. Again, that is what Paul said in Romans 9:30-10:4.

Today, I need to quit trying to prove how well I can keep God’s law (attempts to establish my own righteousness). Instead, I need to draw near to God through Jesus Christ, having faith in Him and what He has said (submitting to God’s righteousness).

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Matthew 17-18 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 17:1-18:35.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:1-4).

That’s the same question I keep asking today. “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Oo, Oo, is it me? Is it me?” How do I get to be the greatest in the kingdom? Do I need to write the best blog? Preach the best sermon? Give the most money? Sacrifice the most fun? Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.

Wait! What?

Be humble? Like a child? What’s the point of that. I don’t want to be humble. I want to be great. I want everyone to know how great I am. I want everyone to see that I’m the smartest, I’m the holiest, I’m the brightest, I’m the best, I’m the greatest.

The amazing thing is the greatest among us will have no knowledge of being the greatest. In fact, the greatest among us won’t even care about being the greatest. The greatest among us simply aren’t concerned about being the greatest among us.

I guess today I need to quit being so focused on being the greatest among us.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Matthew 11-12 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 11:1-12:50.

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds” (Matthew 11:18-19).

Look at how different John and Jesus were.  John’s service to God was marked by asceticism. He was a minimalist. He wore a camel’s-hair garment and a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild honey. He spent the majority of his time in the wilderness. Jesus on the other hand was what we might call more normal. His service was marked by freedom. He ate normal food and drank normal drink. While he spent some time in the wilderness, most of his time was spent in town. He went to parties and banquets. He accepted invitations into folks’ homes. He was not guilty of the excesses of which He was accused. But at the same time, he didn’t view the potential accusations as reasons to back off of His normal freedoms.

One was more ascetic; one was more free. Which one was more spiritual? Neither. There was room in God’s plan for both. They didn’t have to compete, which is what often happens today.

I’ll give two practical examples of how I’ve seen this competition in play.

First, clothes in the assembly. In time past, our society was more formal in dress at every occasion. About the only place that has lingered for some is with the church’s assemblies. Some of us still view the assembly as a place to dress up in order to show respect to God. That isn’t a biblical command, but in the context of our culture, it makes sense. Others, having recognized it is not a command of God are becoming more lax. They even can come up with some good biblical reasons like not attracting attention to themselves based on wealth (cf. I Timothy 2:9-10). Sadly, both look down on the other as less spiritual. One is more ascetic; one is more free. Which is more spiritual? Neither. There is room for both.

Another example is music. Some Christians hold it as a badge of honor that they only ever listen to spiritual music and the Bible on cd. They brag about the cds they have in their car and how they use their drive time to just listen to sermons. They would never listen to any secular music. Others brag about their freedom in Christ to enjoy wholesome, but secular things. One is more ascetic; one is more free. Which is more spiritual? Neither. There is room for both.

Jesus and John were both part of God’s plan. They didn’t have to compete. They didn’t have to compare. They didn’t have to one-up each other. Why would we? There is room for both kinds of servants.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Matthew 7-8 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 7:1-8:34.

“And the demons begged him, saying ‘If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.’ And he said to them, ‘Go.’ So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region” (Matthew 8:31-34).

My buddy Clay Gentry pointed this out to me once, I think based on a lesson from John Maxwell.

How on earth could these people ask Jesus to leave their country? He had just demonstrated amazing power. He had saved the lives of these two demon-possessed men. He had cleansed them. What could be better? Think of all the good Jesus could do in their community. If He could cast out these demons, He could help so many people.

But in helping them, He had destroyed their pigs. I’m not sure I fully know all the nuances of this story. But I do know for sure that these folks had totally misplaced priorities. Instead of seeing the great work that Jesus had done for these two men. All the neighbors could think about was the pigs.

Sure, we want Jesus to destroy our demons, but do we want Him to do it on our terms? Do we want Him to save our pigs in the process? Are we willing to let Jesus stay with us even if it means destroying our pigs too?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click the following link to add your input: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Matthew 5-6 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Matthew 5:1-6:34.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the  pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3-10).

Blessed are the poor in spirit; not blessed are the self-reliant.

Blessed are those who mourn; not blessed are the comfortable.

Blessed are the meek; not blessed are those who demand their rights.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; not blessed are those who hunger and thirst for fame, money, power, privilege, or even mercy and grace.

Blessed are those who are merciful; not blessed are those who demand justice.

Blessed are those who are pure in heart; not blessed are those who want enough Jesus to get to heaven but not enough to really be different from the world.

Blessed are the peacemakers; not blessed are the grudge holders.

Blessed are those who are persecuted; not blessed are those who are only loved or simply ignored.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Add your input by clicking the following link: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

1 Thessalonians 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:18.

“For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

Paul tells me to encourage you with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Do I really need to add any of my own words to the encouragement?

What a great day. I’m looking forward to it. Aren’t you?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

What struck you in today’s reading? Add your input by clicking the following link: Post a comment.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.