Dearest e-votees,
Perhaps you've seen the studies about how fewer and fewer people are going to church. That people may claim the "spiritual" tag but are averse to the "religious" one. Straying from the support, encouragement and protection of the great cloud of witnesses can severely hamper our walk of faith.
Divide and conquer is a time-tested strategy for winning a battle. The devil knows how to fight. Good thing victory is not up to us. We do well to continue to gather and encourage and wait until the battle is over once and for all.
Peace,
Karl
------------
11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” 13 and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,”
17 he also adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:11-25, NRSV
We as Christians have put our faith in the life, work, ministry, death, resurrection and faithfulness of Jesus. Because of the promises and the faithfulness of Jesus our lives, works, ministries, deaths and resurrections are made surer and deeper. Because our salvations are not ultimately dependent on us we can enter into the grace and freedom of hope without wavering. It's not about us and our good works. It is about everybody and Jesus good works. We get to live in response to the freedom granted to us in Christ. We get to be gathered into the great cloud of witnesses.
So how do we grow in faith and trust in a world that can be so fracturing and while resisting an adversary that can be so effective at picking us off the herd? We meet together. We meet with our friends and with those hypocrites we believe are lurking among us. We meet when it is easy and life-giving and when it is hard and requires determined commitment on our parts. We don't just go when we perceive something is there for us (being spiritual consumers if you will) but when our only reason for being there might be to be a blessing and a comfort and an encourager to another even the hypocrites(a religious devotee if you will). It's not about us and gratifying our spiritual fancies. It is about us being part of the family of God--warts and all--and them being there for us too.
The Day is coming. Our futures are safe and secure in the work and love of Jesus. While we wait let's allow the Holy Spirit to encourage and assure us and to send us out to bring other sheep that have wandered back into the flock. It's what Jesus would have us do.
God, thank you for making room for us in the community of faith. However we and others come--curiosity, obligation, necessity, seeking, grudgingly, desperation--let all be well received and encouraged all to the glory of God. Amen.
Perhaps you've seen the studies about how fewer and fewer people are going to church. That people may claim the "spiritual" tag but are averse to the "religious" one. Straying from the support, encouragement and protection of the great cloud of witnesses can severely hamper our walk of faith.
Divide and conquer is a time-tested strategy for winning a battle. The devil knows how to fight. Good thing victory is not up to us. We do well to continue to gather and encourage and wait until the battle is over once and for all.
Peace,
Karl
------------
11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” 13 and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,”
17 he also adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
We as Christians have put our faith in the life, work, ministry, death, resurrection and faithfulness of Jesus. Because of the promises and the faithfulness of Jesus our lives, works, ministries, deaths and resurrections are made surer and deeper. Because our salvations are not ultimately dependent on us we can enter into the grace and freedom of hope without wavering. It's not about us and our good works. It is about everybody and Jesus good works. We get to live in response to the freedom granted to us in Christ. We get to be gathered into the great cloud of witnesses.
So how do we grow in faith and trust in a world that can be so fracturing and while resisting an adversary that can be so effective at picking us off the herd? We meet together. We meet with our friends and with those hypocrites we believe are lurking among us. We meet when it is easy and life-giving and when it is hard and requires determined commitment on our parts. We don't just go when we perceive something is there for us (being spiritual consumers if you will) but when our only reason for being there might be to be a blessing and a comfort and an encourager to another even the hypocrites(a religious devotee if you will). It's not about us and gratifying our spiritual fancies. It is about us being part of the family of God--warts and all--and them being there for us too.
The Day is coming. Our futures are safe and secure in the work and love of Jesus. While we wait let's allow the Holy Spirit to encourage and assure us and to send us out to bring other sheep that have wandered back into the flock. It's what Jesus would have us do.
God, thank you for making room for us in the community of faith. However we and others come--curiosity, obligation, necessity, seeking, grudgingly, desperation--let all be well received and encouraged all to the glory of God. Amen.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment