|
|
|
While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers
and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could deliver him out
of death. And God heard his prayers because of his reverence for God. So even
though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In
this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source
of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a
High Priest in the line of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:7-10 NLV). The
Gospel is easy to outline, though often difficult to explain.
When I first began in the pastorate I used the following outline to
concisely present the essentials of the message of God’s grace. It has changed
little as the years have passed, although I have adapted it to fit the
circumstance on occasion. It has five points: 1.
This is God's world. 2.
We have lost eternity. 3.
God in Christ has sorted out our problem. 4.
In Christ we may possess life eternal. 5.
We must receive God's gift of life through faith. The
center of the gospel is the resurrection of Jesus and the consequent blessings
that flow from this. The substance of God's blessing is his free gift of grace
in Christ. “Because he lives we may live also." I sum this truth up with
five sub points: §
A new
friendship with God. §
A new
life-style. §
A new
freedom. §
A new
community to be part of. §
The hope of
a New World. The second
sub point in this gospel presentation affirms freedom. This is pure John Stott,
in fact, he sees this as the central statement of the gospel, freedom from
guilt, self and fears. I can't think of any better way of saying it, so I use
it. This world cries out for freedom. In Christ we are offered the gift of
freedom. Freedom from the dominance of self, of the psyche. Freedom from guilt
and condemnation, forgiven. Freedom from the fear of judgment, loss, death. Of
course, it is not just unbelievers who cry out for freedom. I believe Christians
find themselves enslaved, as do unbelievers, yet the slavery is different. We
are enslaved to our piety, to Sunday religion. Our reading this morning reminds us that Jesus functions as a High Priest. That is, he stands between God and ourselves and gains for us a right of approach to the throne of God. The point our writer wants to drive home to us is that Jesus has experienced all the limitations of humanity. He understands our weakness and identifies with it, for he was "tempted in every way as we are". He cannot be horrified by our sin. He has felt everything that we feel. The only difference between him and us is that he is "without sin." Therefore, we need have no hesitation to come before God's throne and cry for mercy. We don't have to ask twice for forgiveness. Jesus is a perfect High Priest. He is sinless and therefore, his sacrifice upon the cross did not have to be applied to his own sin, but could be fully applied to ours. In him is forgiveness, and in forgiveness there is freedom. Christ is the "source of eternal salvation" therefore we are eternally free. What a thought to being this first full week of Lent! Trust in THE High Priest and celebrate your freedom today! |
|
