Good Friday

G. Friday

April 3, 2015

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

“Christ, Our Great High Priest”

The entire concept of a priest may have lost some of its significance for us since we no longer observe the sacrificial system of the Old Testament.  But when the New Testament tells us that Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest this is wonderful news for us.  Let’s see how Christ fulfills this important office for us.

Jesus Christ is a priest called by God. 

In the Old Testament, God called priests. (5:4) 

No one could usurp the office. 

Priests were called of God, as was Aaron (Ex. 28)

God as the great High Priest designated Christ. Christ did not glorify Himself. (5:5) The Father declared Him His eternal Son. (5:5) The Father declared Him a priest. (5:6)

As priest, Christ offers Himself and obtained eternal redemption (5:9) 

Priests offered up sacrifices for sins. (5:1) 

They offered for their own sins. (5:3) 

This made them compassionate toward the sins of others. (5:2)

They offered sacrifices for the sins of others. Christ offered the sacrifice of Himself. 

He was tempted, yet without sin. (4:15). 

He kept God’s law for us. He learned obedience by the things that He suffered. (5:8; Philippians 2:8) 

All who in faith obey receive the benefit. (5:8)

Christ is still functioning as our priest (5:8) 

Priests like Aaron died and had to be replaced. Christ still lives. (Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:9-11) 

He passed into heaven. (4:4) 

As our intercessor, He can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. (4:15)

Let us hold fast our profession. (4:14) Let us come boldly to the throne of grace. (4:15)

Good Friday is a day to give thanks to God for designating Christ to be our High Priest and to Christ for having obtained eternal salvation for us.  Let us come boldly to the throne of grace and hold fast to our profession.

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Words –323

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Reading Level -5.3

The certainty of God’s Promise

4.3.2015 Good Friday                                     Hebrews 6:1-20 The certainty of God’s Promise

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The crucifixion

God’s promise and oath to Abraham is certain. As heirs of Abraham, those who trust in Christ Jesus share in the blessing of life promised to Abraham. They experience unending stability and security through the Son’s gracious access to the Father. If we doubt God’s Word, we act as if God is a liar and miss the blessings that flow from a trusting relationship with Him. As we trust God’s promises, we see that God tells the truth, and we share in the blessings of eternal life.[2]

Today is the most somber of all Christian days. It is Good Friday.  How do we know that the suffering and death of Christ is sufficient to give us clemency? How do we know that Christ’s passion is enough? The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that God guarantees His promise with an oath. He does this to make it absolutely clear to His heirs, those who are to receive what He has promised, that He will never change His mind. This hope that we have in Christ acts like an anchor for our souls. It is strong and immovable. It reaches all the way into the Inner Room behind the curtain where Jesus, our forerunner has already gone to serve us.

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen[3]

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[1] Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use

[2] Lutheran Study Bible, © 2009 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[3] Collect for Good Friday, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm

M Thursday

M. Thursday

April 2, 2015

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

“Holy Communion is a Participation with Christ”

In any poll ever taken of the greatest men in history, Jesus has always come at or near the top. Jesus is universally admired as a self-sacrificing human being and a gifted teacher. For us Christians, Jesus is far more, however. He is the Son of God and our beautiful Savior. As such, He is surely worthy of all the admiration we have for Him.

But we do not just admire Jesus from a distance of almost 20 centuries. We actually approach Him so that we come very near to Him.  And He to us. That’s what Paul is saying in our text.  He reminds us that Holy Communion Is a Participation in Christ.

It is an exclusive participation

The real Christ unites Himself with us in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.  We take into ourselves His very body and blood.  We participate intimately in God Himself. We participation in Christ excludes participation in idolatry.

By worshiping the gods of money, prestige, and sex we divorce ourselves from Christ (1 Corinthians 6:25-20) God will have no other gods before Him (Zech. 1:14)

Transition: The exclusive participation in Christ in Holy Communion reminds us that we are to be done with participation in anything that usurps Christ’s place within.

It is a satisfying participation.

Christ satisfied us with His forgiveness. We need forgiveness for our unfaithfulness, an unfaithfulness that can never satisfy (Ezekiel 16:28). We receive full and free forgiveness, for Christ gave His body and blood to secure that forgiveness. His forgiveness takes away our guilt and calms our conscience (Psalm 65:4; 107:9).

Christ satisfies us with abundant life. (John 10:10)  We need Christ’s life because we live in bodies that will die. We receive the life of Jesus, over whose body death no longer has dominion (Romans 6:9)

Transition: The satisfying participation in Christ in Holy Communion results in the life of Jesus being manifested in our mortal bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:10-11).

It is a unifying participation.

Since we partake of one bread we receive the one and the same Christ, we also are one body. Our oneness manifests itself in our united affirmation of the real presence of Christ in Holy Communion. Our oneness manifests itself in our unanimous confession of all that Christ has taught. (Matthew 28:20) Our oneness manifests itself in our sharing tasks, joys, and sorrows (1 Corinthians 12:14-26).

As we participate in the one Christ, we have a oneness that enables us to stand against Satan. We will not be such easy prey for Satan when we remain in fellowship with one another. We can better escape Satan as we strengthen our fellowship by partaking of Holy Communion (Acts 2:42)

The unifying participation in Christ in Holy Communion enables us to be a body of Christians who together confess Christ, support each other, and stand firm against temptation.  As members of families and as citizens of a country we all participate in many kinds of activities. But none of these compares with our participation with Christ in Holy Communion.

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Words –539

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Reading Level -9

Jesus a Great High Priest

4.2.2015 Maundy Thursday                          Hebrews 5:1-14 Jesus a Great High Priest

[1]

The Last Supper

Hebrews claims that Christ is superior to the Jewish high priest. He is superior because of His origin (v.5) and His destiny as the heavenly priest in the heavenly sanctuary (v.6) Moreover, Christ was appointed high priest by God. He can act in behalf of sinners because he, too, was human (Vv. 2,3) Yet this high priest was vulnerable because He was human (Vv.7-10) Some scholars consider verse 7 to be Hebrews’ account of Gethsemane. He learned obedience through His suffering. As a result God appointed Him high priest of the order of Melchizedek. It is important to note that Christ’s work as high priest begins in heaven.  His suffering and death were preparatory for it.[2]

God appointed Jesus as High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Even though Jesus was God’s Son He learned to be obedient from the things He suffered. When He became the perfect Son He became the creator of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him. Today the focus of Holy Week becomes heightened with the remembrance of Christ’s institution of His Supper, the events surrounding Good Friday, followed by Jesus rest in the tomb and His glorious resurrection. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that Jesus our Great High Priest suffered for your sins, and the sins of the entire world. He learned obedience through suffering. It is His suffering and death that not only brings you close to God. It is the  proper payment, the sacrifice for your sin.

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen[3]

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[1] Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use

[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B, John Brokhoff pg. 291, © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH

[3] Collect for Maundy Thursday, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm

A Sabbath-rest for the people of God

4.1.2015 Wednesday of Holy Week        Hebrews 4:1-16 A Sabbath-rest for the people of God

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The Word of God remains forever and always accomplishes the work that it is sent to do. The person striving will be helped by the Word. God’s Word gives life.  It is sharper than any two-edged sword. Even the sharpest sword can cut only through flesh and bone; God’s Word cuts through any spiritual barriers, that stand between human beings and God. Division of soul and spirit. God’s Word cuts to the innermost part of a human being, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. God’s Word exposes the true state of a person’s heart before God. The comparison to a sword emphasizes God’s work in our lives through the Law, in keeping with the exhortation in 3:13

Martin Luther explains, “Christ’s Word breaks through and wounds. It takes away every ground of trust and ascribes redemption solely to the blood of Christ, it pricks and wounds the soul. This is a health-bestowing wound, for these weapons kill in order to make alive…It is, however, a fall that is happy and full co consolation, demonstrating the power and success of the Word.” (American Edition, 12:225)[2]

Be diligent to enter into that rest. The rest is there. But God doesn’t force it upon you. The rest is entered by faith. Faith is not passive, it takes diligence to trust, rely and cling to Jesus and His work for you.

Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen[3]

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[1] Image by Ed Rioja © Higher Things

[2] Lutheran Study Bible, © 2009 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis

[3] Collect for Wednesday of Holy Week, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm

Jesus greater than Moses

3.31.2015 Tuesday of Holy Week              Hebrews 3:1-19 Jesus greater than Moses

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In the first four chapters, the author of Hebrews is concerned with the superiority of Jesus over angels, Moses, and Joshua. Today’s reading deals with Jesus’ superiority over Moses. We are to consider Jesus as high priest who is greater than the Levitical priests set up by Moses. Christ has done away with the Levitical priesthood and thus is superior to Moses. Jesus is high priest of a new covenant and is thus superior to Moses who initiated the old covenant on Mt. Sinai. These passages develop the idea of Jesus’ superiority by comparing Jesus as the builder of the house rather than as Moses as one who lives in the house. Moses served faithfully as a servant in God’s house while Christ was over God’s house as a son.[2]

Moses was faithful as a servant in God’s house. Jesus was faithful as a Son, thus being superior to Moses. Whose house are you? Whose family are you? To whom do you belong? Do you belong to Moses or to Christ? You belong to the family over which Christ is in place. Why shouldn’t the hope of living with Christ fill you with joy? This is our bold, firm, confident hope. A hope that will not disappoint. Moses was a member of the household of God. Jesus is the creator of that house. He is worthy of a greater glory.

The ancient Rabbis considered Moses to be the greatest man ever. Greater than the angels. The writer of the Hebrews does nothing to criticize Moses. He only looks to properly exalt Jesus.  Moses was faithful. In all His house as a servant. But Jesus, as a Son, is over His own house. Moses was a faithful servant. But he was never called a Son in the way Jesus is called as son.

O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen[3]

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[1] Image by Ed Rioja © Higher Things

[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B, John Brokhoff, pg.282, CSS Publishing, Lima, OH

[3] Collect for Tuesday of Holy Week, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm

Jesus made like His brothers

3.30.2015 Monday of Holy Week              Hebrews 2:1-18 Jesus made like His brothers

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The author of the Hebrews is facing the situation of the church’s waning faith, probably because of the delay of Christ’s return. To stimulate their faith, he writes the epistle of Hebrews. Today’s reading deals with the event of Christ’s incarnation leading to His suffering and death for the salvation of humanity. His incarnation, His breaking into time and space, gave Him  a solidarity with humankind in order to save it. At present we do not see Christ’s lordship over everything, but we do see Him. (Vs.9) His atoning death created a oneness of Christ and His followers whom he calls, “brethren” (Vs.  11) As Christ’s followers, we are created and re-created by redemption.[2]

By the grace of God, Jesus became a man who became perfect through suffering and died for all. This is how He acts for you. He becomes your substitute. He takes to Himself your sin, you misery, your guilt. He suffers for you. He dies in your place. Thus, the forgiveness He offers is truly for you. He is the perfect substitute. He will stand in your place. Jesus He is your surrogate, your proxy, your replacement, your Savior and friend. 

Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other that the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen[3]

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[1] Image by Ed Rioja © Higher Things

[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B, John Brokhoff, pg. 277, CSS Publishing, Lima, OH

[3] Collect for Monday of Holy Week, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm