Read: Hebrews 7
In Genesis chapter 14 we read of Abraham’s rescue of his nephew Lot from the heathen kings who defeated Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham armed the 318 souls in his household and pursued after Lot, ultimately recovering not only Lot, but all the spoil that had been taken from the kings. Upon his return, he was meant by “Melchizedek king of Salem (Peace)”. Melchizedek, the King of Peace and a “priest of the most High God”, brought bread and wine to the victors. He then blessed Abraham in the name of the Most High God, and Abraham gave Melchizidek tithes of all they recovered. Melchizedek appears on the scene suddenly, and disappears suddenly, never to be show up again. The entire story of Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek takes three verses, Genesis 14:8-11.
The only other record of Melchizedek in the Old Testament was recorded 600 years later in the messianic Psalm, Psalm 110. Here, the Messiah is described as a “priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,” forever linking the two. Then, over 1000 years later, the author of Hebrews spends almost an entire chapter explaining the cryptic prophecy of Psalm 110.
Essentially, the salient points are these. There existed a priesthood prior to the Levitical which was greater. We know it was greater because Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. We also recognize this priesthood existed apart from the tribe of Levi. And this priesthood is eternal. By virtue of his mysterious appearance and disappearance in Genesis 14, Melchizedek is described in Hebrews 7:3 as “without father, without mother, withouth descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.”
Like Melchizedek, the priesthood of Jesus Christ is greater than the Levitical order, separate from it and eternal rather than temporal. This makes Him a “priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Additionally, rather than bringing sacrifices day after day, He offered one sacrifice of Himself. As a result of His sacrificial work and eternal nature, Jesus, according to Hebrews 7:25, “is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lieveth to make intercession for them.”
Jesus, our eternal High Priest.
Just a servant,
Bro. Tom
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Glory in the Lord
March 2
Read: 2 Corinthians 10
In a world of more and more extremes, the use of superlatives has become so common as to render them virtually meaningless. One of my favorite contemporary examples is an explosion of Chinese restaurants called, “Number 1 Chinese Restaurant” or “Best Buffet”. The owners have obviously picked up on the tendency of diners to gravitate to award winning establishments. In order to attract paying customers, they just went ahead and awarded themselves the title of “best” or “number one” from the outset.
Believers can easily fall victim to the same mind set. Paul describes this in 2 Corinthians 10:12. He writes, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” It seems there were a number of believers who spent much of their time comparing individual walks with God. This judgement relies on a number of purely superficial indicators, such as how often I go to church, whether I say “amen” in the service, how I dress, whether I read my Bible, and other similar. This is not to say that any of these are not important for the believer. Every Christian should attend services regularly, pay attention to the preaching of the Word, dress in a way that would please the Father, study the Word, and pray. But its possible to do all these things and have a heart as wicked as the devil himself. I can’t judge what’s on the inside of you, and that’s where the most important work is done.
These folks were looking at these externals in others, comparing them to the same externals in themselves, and deciding how “spiritual” they were. They were measuring themselves by themselves. Paul says simply that in doing so they are not wise. He talks briefly of his own ministry in verses 13-16, then sums up the whole discussion in verses 17-18. “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”
Beloved, let’s be careful not to evaluate our own spirituality in terms of others. Each and every Christian is a particular and specific work of the Holy Spirit whose goal is to make each like Christ. We all come to the process with a unique set of weaknesses and strengths, talents and handicaps. When we compare ourselves with others we can almost always find an area in which the other has a weakness, thereby accentuating our strength. The ultimate result is spiritual pride.
The standard to which we attain is not our neighbor, but Christ. He alone is a model worth emulating. He alone is perfection in every aspect of his being. If you must have a goal, make it Jesus.
Also, we should always remember the limitations that exist in our ability to judge. Just as God told Samuel, “Man looks on the outside, but God looks on the heart”. Verse 18 tells us clearly that what we say (or think) or ourselves is not nearly as important as what God thinks of us. The key to living a successful Christian life is not “Am I better than John?” but “Am I pleasing to God?”
Just a servant,
Bro. Tom
Read: 2 Corinthians 10
In a world of more and more extremes, the use of superlatives has become so common as to render them virtually meaningless. One of my favorite contemporary examples is an explosion of Chinese restaurants called, “Number 1 Chinese Restaurant” or “Best Buffet”. The owners have obviously picked up on the tendency of diners to gravitate to award winning establishments. In order to attract paying customers, they just went ahead and awarded themselves the title of “best” or “number one” from the outset.
Believers can easily fall victim to the same mind set. Paul describes this in 2 Corinthians 10:12. He writes, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” It seems there were a number of believers who spent much of their time comparing individual walks with God. This judgement relies on a number of purely superficial indicators, such as how often I go to church, whether I say “amen” in the service, how I dress, whether I read my Bible, and other similar. This is not to say that any of these are not important for the believer. Every Christian should attend services regularly, pay attention to the preaching of the Word, dress in a way that would please the Father, study the Word, and pray. But its possible to do all these things and have a heart as wicked as the devil himself. I can’t judge what’s on the inside of you, and that’s where the most important work is done.
These folks were looking at these externals in others, comparing them to the same externals in themselves, and deciding how “spiritual” they were. They were measuring themselves by themselves. Paul says simply that in doing so they are not wise. He talks briefly of his own ministry in verses 13-16, then sums up the whole discussion in verses 17-18. “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”
Beloved, let’s be careful not to evaluate our own spirituality in terms of others. Each and every Christian is a particular and specific work of the Holy Spirit whose goal is to make each like Christ. We all come to the process with a unique set of weaknesses and strengths, talents and handicaps. When we compare ourselves with others we can almost always find an area in which the other has a weakness, thereby accentuating our strength. The ultimate result is spiritual pride.
The standard to which we attain is not our neighbor, but Christ. He alone is a model worth emulating. He alone is perfection in every aspect of his being. If you must have a goal, make it Jesus.
Also, we should always remember the limitations that exist in our ability to judge. Just as God told Samuel, “Man looks on the outside, but God looks on the heart”. Verse 18 tells us clearly that what we say (or think) or ourselves is not nearly as important as what God thinks of us. The key to living a successful Christian life is not “Am I better than John?” but “Am I pleasing to God?”
Just a servant,
Bro. Tom
Created Anew
February 26
Read: 1 Corinthians 5
If one considers the history of man’s relationship with his Creator, it’s easy to recognize a handful of events that are absolutely crucial both to the race as a whole and to every individual. The book of Genesis records a number of these beginning with creation and proceeding through God’s adoption of Abram. But even among this amazing sequence, there is one event that stands above them all in terms of significance. That event is the one we know as “the fall”.
Because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, the universe as God created it was drastically and dramatically altered. All of creation was cast under the curse of sin. Sickness and death entered in, and mankind began a conflict, internal as well as external, that continues to this day. Man’s link to his Creator was broken, and mankind entered into a life of rebellion and disobedience. His spirit was fatally wounded and he fell, surrendering himself to the control of the world, the flesh and the devil. Man, and mankind, died.
For thousands of years, sin and death ruled over God’s creation and creatures. There were promises of redemption to come, but no solution, not even a partial, for many years. Then, on a hill outside Jerusalem, the second pivotal event in history occurred. On a Roman cross, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, shed His blood for the sins of mankind. That sacrifice, its efficacy confirmed by His resurrection, driven by the love and grace of Creator God, bought us another chance.
Thus came to mankind the very best of news. Jesus, having died on the cross, shed His blood as payment for our sins, raised from the dead and received by faith, can make us whole again. That which was broken in the garden can be recreated by the Father thanks to the work of His Son Jesus.
1 Corinthians 5:17 tells us if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. He is freed from the penalty and bondage of sin. He is finally able to live a life in unison with His Creator. Old things are passed away. All is become new. What was hopelessly dead and beyond the capability of man to repair, God has made wonderfully fresh and alive. Truly, through faith in Christ, man is born again.
Brothers and sisters, that’s the good news. Today, let’s be thankful for our redemption. But let’s not stop there. Someone we will encounter also needs to hear of Christ and His work on the cross. Let’s go and tell them.
Just a servant,
Bro. Tom
Read: 1 Corinthians 5
If one considers the history of man’s relationship with his Creator, it’s easy to recognize a handful of events that are absolutely crucial both to the race as a whole and to every individual. The book of Genesis records a number of these beginning with creation and proceeding through God’s adoption of Abram. But even among this amazing sequence, there is one event that stands above them all in terms of significance. That event is the one we know as “the fall”.
Because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, the universe as God created it was drastically and dramatically altered. All of creation was cast under the curse of sin. Sickness and death entered in, and mankind began a conflict, internal as well as external, that continues to this day. Man’s link to his Creator was broken, and mankind entered into a life of rebellion and disobedience. His spirit was fatally wounded and he fell, surrendering himself to the control of the world, the flesh and the devil. Man, and mankind, died.
For thousands of years, sin and death ruled over God’s creation and creatures. There were promises of redemption to come, but no solution, not even a partial, for many years. Then, on a hill outside Jerusalem, the second pivotal event in history occurred. On a Roman cross, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, shed His blood for the sins of mankind. That sacrifice, its efficacy confirmed by His resurrection, driven by the love and grace of Creator God, bought us another chance.
Thus came to mankind the very best of news. Jesus, having died on the cross, shed His blood as payment for our sins, raised from the dead and received by faith, can make us whole again. That which was broken in the garden can be recreated by the Father thanks to the work of His Son Jesus.
1 Corinthians 5:17 tells us if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. He is freed from the penalty and bondage of sin. He is finally able to live a life in unison with His Creator. Old things are passed away. All is become new. What was hopelessly dead and beyond the capability of man to repair, God has made wonderfully fresh and alive. Truly, through faith in Christ, man is born again.
Brothers and sisters, that’s the good news. Today, let’s be thankful for our redemption. But let’s not stop there. Someone we will encounter also needs to hear of Christ and His work on the cross. Let’s go and tell them.
Just a servant,
Bro. Tom
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