Our High Priest

Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You." 6 As He also says in another place: "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek"; 7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek," 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The great sign God cares for us is His provision. We think of how He feeds us, or how He provides us with water, or of warmth, or of family or occupation. The list of the things God provides us by His goodness is vast and probably endless, (if we were to seek to name them all from a human perspective.) Who, for example, knows where their next heartbeat is coming from? Or how about life itself?

Of all the things God has provided us, however, the greatest is His provision of a High Priest.

In order to fully understand the nature of the importance of the position of High Priest, you have to go back to the Torah, to discover what God had in mind for how He would relate to His people. God related to the Israelites through the office of the High Priest. It was the High Priest who would go into the Holy of Holies once per year to make atonement for the people. It was the High Priest who would hear from God and speak to the people about God’s desire for them.

In short, the position of High Priest existed to allow people to know and understand the love God had for His people, and that He desired to be in loving relationship with His people – rather than being followed by those under coercion in some sort of religious fanaticism.

The position of High Priest indicates to us how it is Holiness can relate to lowliness. The High Priest stands between God and man. Of course, our High Priest is Jesus Christ.

-  Pastor Bill

Immanuel

Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

A question: If you were God, and your plan was to enter the world, how would you accomplish that?

When you think of the crush of celebrity - and everything that takes place when the public is aware of the presence of a huge celebrity - would it be like that? Could it be like that? Would that work? Would it not be the greatest event in the history of the world? Would it not draw the greatest crowd in the history of the world? Wouldn’t it be great to draw a huge crowd – so all could know at once that God had entered into His creation?

God chose an alternate path of entry. Fascinating. It had always been planned this way, and now it was accomplished. At Bethlehem, a wide spot in the road. In a stable, apart from the maddening crowds. The very antithesis of what may have been expected.

It must have been very troubling for Mary to know that she was giving birth to the Son of God in such a mean estate. Can you imagine? We want the very best circumstances and environments for the birth of our children.

But God’s plan was to come into the world to a world unawares. Rather than appearing in grandiosity, God would depend on men to get the word out about His birth. He still does.

-  Pastor Bill

Heeeeeeere’s John!

Luke 1:57 Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. 59 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. 60 His mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John." 61 But they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." 62 So they made signs to his father--what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." So they all marveled. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. 65 Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.

It is amazing what a year can hold. It was just a year ago that Zacharias and Elizabeth were serving out their elderly years, faithfully accomplishing God’s plan for their lives. Perhaps nothing much more to look forward to than the proverbial, “death and taxes.” In a word, their lives could probably be characterized as ‘uneventful.’

After all, what can a senior citizen expect from life that may bring about any sort of change - let alone a radical one?

It was in the midst of faithful humble service that the Lord arrested Zacharias’ life, and it is important to note all that happened in this ‘no-longer-normal-at-all’ life that he and Elizabeth lived together before the Lord.

His prayer (for a son) had been heard, (by God) and it was the angel Gabriel who told him so.

But his question about how he could know this had been silenced and his ears deafened since he last heard anything at all. (And the last thing he heard was that his wife would bear him a son!) I suppose if you were immediately deaf and dumb at the mere pronouncement of an angel you may also sense and trust God’s power to design conception even in those far too old to conceive.

And then, indeed, there WAS a conception. Elizabeth was pregnant. I’m pretty sure that in the midst of his imposed silence Zacharias was now living a life of awe in addition to the life of reverence he had previously lived.

Nine months is a long time to spend in silence, but isn’t it wonderful we don’t have to be able to audibly speak, or physically hear in order to speak to or listen to God?

And now, a son is born. What a difference THIS year had made. What would his name be? Would it be to the glory of his father – a little Zacharias junior? Or would it be to the glory of his father’s Father? Yes! His name would be JOHN!

-  Pastor Bill

Let It Be?

Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." 34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible." 38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

In the words of rock-poet Paul McCartney, “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me…”

I am so glad that isn’t true.

We have a greater than Mary who DOES come to us in times of trouble, and His name is Jesus.

Think though, of the investment God has made in Mary…His only begotten Son, the One Who is to come, born of woman, born of a virgin, born of this teenaged woman, Mary.

To truly consider all that has been entrusted to Mary is pretty incredible, and it speaks of the wonder of God’s trust in man, even though man has a history of completely disregarding and breaking that trust.

But there could be no other way. For The Son of God to be The Son of Man, He must be born of woman.

Her name was Mary. We can thank God for her, but not worship her. What of her parents who raised her and prepared her for this role? What of her grandparents and all of the community that prepared her for this?

Mary, the one who would hold the Savior of the World as her very own child – all the while knowing He was the child who belonged to the ages…

Let it be…Jesus!

-  Pastor Bill