Rest for Your Souls

Jeremiah 6:16

Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (English Standard Version)

Matthew 11:28–30

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 

These two passages are the only times this phrase, “find rest for your souls,” occurs. Once in the Hebrew Scriptures, which we call the Old Testament, and once in the Christian Scriptures, which we call the New Testament. In both covenants, God points out that you are looking for something that seems unobtainable: rest for your souls.

In Jeremiah 6, the prophet Jeremiah is calling the people back to a right relationship with God. Stop, stand still, look back at the ancient paths, the historical faithfulness of God, the good promises of God and recognize God is at work. But stopping and looking at the right path is not enough; you must walk it to find rest for your soul. 

When I was in 7th grade, I had the opportunity to go on a West Virginia back packing trip with the Chapel in Akron’s junior high ministry. It’s been so long that I don’t remember how many of us went, but it was large enough that we had to break into two groups and go in opposite directions. Our team leader, Dan, told us he chose the hard way for our group, and all of us boys cheered! 

We had not idea what we were getting into, just that we were hiking into the woods and were going to rough it for a few days. Dan led us into the woods up a mountain trail. The trail was narrow, it was steep, and the cheers began to fade. We were moving through some difficult trails. We made it to camp the first night completely exhausted, but had to set up our tents, make a fire, eat MREs and go to bed. 

The next morning, we packed up our camp and began hiking, what we hoped would be easier. It was not. On this day we hiked up one mountain, down into the valley and up a second mountain. I was beginning to get frustrated that Dan made this trip so difficult. We were three days away from the bus, out in the middle of the wilderness, exhausted, sleeping in tents, and thinking that we had a few more days of this. I began to regret this trip, but Dan had a plan and he promised we would enjoy this. So far, I was not.

The next morning, the path leveled out and became very pleasant. We came upon the other group, they were all laughing, joking, and looked refreshed, and my group looked tired and worn out. We exchanged a few stories and then went our separate ways. They went down the path we came from, and we headed down the path they came from. 

Dan’s plan began to unfold for us in the next few miles. We conquered the mountains at the beginning of the trip, and now we were hiking the flat ground along the river. We set up camp early, went for a swim, found refreshment in the mountain streams. The next days were a breeze, light, and full of fun. By the time we got back to the bus, our group was refreshed, energetic, and full of smiles. The other group was stinky, tired, and grumpy.

Jeremiah’s exhortation is a call to the harder path, the narrow path, the ancient path, but it leads to a place of rest and refreshment. The unfortunate truth is we are like the Israelites who hear the call and say, “no I want to go the easy way.” The problem with the easy way is that it ends hard, it gets more difficult, and the stakes are much higher than a Jr High backpacking trip.

Because we are all sinners who desire the easy way out, we are all destined for judgment. We didn’t listen to Jeremiah’s call to return to God and experience his rest in our souls. But God, who is rich and mercy and grace, sent his own Son to enter into our space, in our flesh, and lived a perfect life. During his ministry, Jesus once again brought up the need to find rest for our souls. This time he didn’t call to the ancient paths, but he calls us unto himself. He recognizes that we are weary and heavy laden, he sees that we are desperate and needy, and he has compassion on us. 

Come to Jesus and he will give rest to your soul. Rest is an amazing gift. True rest is hard to find and rest that reaches all the way to our soul is impossible to find apart from the grace of Jesus. 

Several years ago, I took a group of teens on our first trip to Haiti. On that trip we visited hell, or at least the closest thing to hell on earth that I have experienced, for it was dark and wicked. It was an orphanage run by wicked men who neglected children so they could make money. They made promises of education, teaching English, and care in order to get children, but it was scam. Our leader took groups there so he could try to keep the men accountable and to make sure these children would receive a hot meal while we were present. 

My niece, Marissa, was with us. Almost immediately upon our arrival, a little girl fan to Marissa, climbed up in her lap and fell asleep hugging her. This girl was unbathed, wearing the only clothes she had, which haven’t been washed in a long time. Marissa didn’t hesitate. She didn’t bulk at picking up this child because she was stinky and dirty. She embraced her. 

They sat like that for hours. Later, I told my niece that her presence provides that beautiful little girl safety, to the point that she fell sound asleep. Honestly, I want to cry once again just thinking about how precious that moment was. Thankfully, Children’s Services found out about that place and shut it down, but it left an indelible mark on our lives. 

In that picture, the little girl represents all of our souls. Desperate. Unclean. Malnourished. Sleep deprived. Abandoned. Abused. In need of rest. Marissa is a picture of Christ. He sees our filth, our need, our desperation and he says, “Come, climb up on my lap, let me embrace you so you feel secure, loved, and kept. In my embrace you will find rest that goes to your very soul.”

That is the Gospel. That is God’s love. And he keeps us for all of eternity. Our team had to leave, and it was heart wrenching to pull away. But Jesus will never leave us or forsake us.

Jesus is the source of our rest, but we have to walk in his rest. Just like Jeremiah called to Israel to walk the ancient paths, Jesus calls us to follow him. We have to walk in the way that leads to rest.

Just a few practical ways that we can walk in the rest that Jesus provides. 

Divert Daily, Withdraw Weekly, Abandon Annually

Divert Daily – 

Psalm 1:1–2

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 

King David knew he had to set aside time every day to experience the rest from God. Divert means to look away, to redirect, to draw to a different course. Recognizing that we get caught up in daily tasks and struggles of this world, we need to pause and remember God in our daily life. Doing a daily quiet time, devotional, and prayer time is a powerful way to invite the rest that Jesus gives. 

Smartphones, TVs, Social Media, music, movies, etc. are often distractions from connecting with Jesus. They fill our minds with things that cause anxiety, frustrations, and sinful desires. Daily you need to make a plan to control these devices or remove them completely. 

Since we are talking about rest, think about sleep. You need a good night of sleep, but often your devices are distracting you from sleep. You need to shut off the devices, slow down your schedule, and get some sleep. Trust that Jesus’ embrace will be enough and rest. 

Withdraw Weekly

Exodus 20:8–10

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work… 

Sabbath rest is built into the creative order. You need a day of rest. In order to experience the rest Jesus has provided, you need to learn how to set aside one day to trust him with your activities. That means stop from work. As a student, you need at least one day a week where you don’t have to study or do schoolwork. As a worker, you need at least one day a week where you do not have to do your job. This takes planning ahead and preparation. A sabbath rest is doing things that allows you to stop thinking about your primary occupation and trust that God will cover it for you. 

Abandon Annually

Psalm 23:1–3

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Most of you take a vacation every year. You stop school and work to leave for some form of recreation. This rejuvenates you to come back to the daily grind. Consider this spiritually. What is at least one thing you can do annually that will recharge you spiritually? Each year, I attend a conference or two to be encouraged spiritually. I get away where I am a learner and a student again. 

Occasionally I will take time to just disappear to be alone with God and make it a spiritual retreat. Mission trips are good ways to do this. Consider doing something different once a year to retreat and find rest for your soul in Christ. 

In all these things, it starts off like the first few days of my backpacking trip, a struggle. However, when you stick with it, it will lead you by the cool waters and you will find the refreshment that Jesus promises you. 

God IS King

Psalm 24:7–10 

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!

What do you know about kingship? As Americans, we know relatively little about kingship. We play “king of the hill” or try to become “king” in foursquare, but that only brings the connotation of strength and winning. We know that our country was start as a rebellion against the king of England, who was a tyrant and taxed us without representation. But that was over 200 years ago.

We don’t really understand kingship, other than some romanticized version of the European kings in recent history and stories. When the Bible talks about kings, it is referring to the Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) understanding of kings. 

The ANE king was the ultimate rule in their realm where the people and the land belong to the king. It was expected that the oldest son of the king would become the next king. They were to defend their kingdom and were leaders of the army. 

They also set the religious tone for the kingdom. In the ANE the king would select a god or gods for the kingdom to worship. The ANE king would be the mediator and representative of that god to the people. In some ANE cultures, the king was considered divine, such as Pharaoh in Egypt. ANE kings that were depicted in carvings or reliefs, were shown as larger than every other person in the picture, this was to demonstrate his divinity. 

An ANE king would rule over a city-state, a country, or even an empire. When the kings would go out to battle, it was considered a battle between the gods of those cities/empires. This is why Goliath called out to the Israelites and blasphemed God, he was saying that the god of the Philistines was greater than the God of the Israelites. He obviously learned his lesson.

ANE people thought gods had regions and you could travel to another land to get away from a god. This is why Jonah hopped on that boat, he thought he could get away from the local realm of YHWH. He learned his lesson, that YHWH is King of the Universe.

ANE kings ruled with fear and power. If you offended an ANE king, he could have you killed on a whim. Consider the story of Esther and how she feared for her life to go before the king without being invited. ANE kings had complete ownership and commanded authority that often times corrupted their understanding of themselves and others. 

With these thoughts swirling, consider what the ANE people would have thought about when they heard that God is King, the King of kings.

Read Psalm 99.

What might an ANE person think about after reading this?

God is described as King, one to be feared, that is consistent with an ANE understanding. “The King in his might loves…” destroying other cities? Taking many wives? Expanding his empire? Punishing the criminals? None of those.

Rather, the King in his might loves justice. He uses his power in purity for the good of his people. The way he wields his power doesn’t bring his people to cower before him but they sing his praises. 

He is also described as a forgiving king, which again sets him apart from the cruel ANE kings. In Psalm 99 we encounter a description of God as King who is worthy of worship. Who is to be feared, revered, respected, and loved because he is just, merciful, and forgiving. 

When we think of the God of the Bible, we need to remember that He is our King. Like the ANE kings, God’s decrees are ultimate, and we belong to Him. Unlike the ANE kings, God is full of mercy, compassion, and good. He wants us to come to Him and find our refuge and help (Ps 47:2; Ps 9:9-10; Prov 18:10).

God is good, kind, merciful, compassionate, and forgiving. He demonstrated how much love He has for His creation by sending his only Son to die for us (Rom 5:8). ANE kingship is passed from father to son. God was willing to put his heir on the cross for our behalf. Jesus bore our sins on the cross and conquered death in the resurrection. He invites us to follow Him by trusting in Him. Those who trust Christ are adopted into the family of God and joint heirs with Jesus. That’s huge…something to be explored at another time. 

Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is our King, and we are His people. We need to remember that he uses his might for our good and He executes justice. He is a King worthy of our worship. 

God IS...

Key Verse: Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (KJV)

    I used to tease a friend of mine that his girlfriend did not exist because I had never met her. He said she would be hanging out at the house, but when I would get home, he said I just missed her. Our paths never crossed, so I began to think he was making her up. It happened so frequently that we had a running joke.  

    However, I actually knew she existed long before I ever met her. Why? The way he talked about her, described her, and say her name left an impression that she was real. Also, the way he began to change his behaviors, his diet, and his appearance testified to the reality of this “mystery” girl.

    It didn’t take much for me to believe she was real. I finally met her, and they are now married. It’s a cute story, however it teaches us something true about our relationship with God.

God IS…REAL

    It begins with faith, trust, belief. Faith that God does exist. God is real. I shared the ESV and the KJV verse today, because I grew up on the KJV and memorized Hebrews 11:6 in the KJV. I love the way it says “must believe that he is.” 

    In order to come to God, you must first believe that God IS, that he exists. We may not be able to see him with our eyes (John 20:29), but we can see the evidence of God all around us in nature, in others, and in his Word. Psalm 8 and 19 point us to the beauty of creation. Psalm 139 reveals the hand of God in how God made us and has a plan for us. Its basic and foundational, but acknowledging the existence of God is the starting point. 

God IS…a REWARDER

    The author of Hebrews boils faith down to two elements, God exists and God gives rewards to those who seek him. God is real and he is gracious. God is knowable and relatable. God delights to give good gifts to those who love him (James 1:17). 

    God’s ultimate reward is the forgiveness of sins through his Son, Jesus Christ. God gave Jesus in the ultimate display of love and kindness, inviting sinners into a right relationship with him. 

God IS…REVEALED

    God has disclosed himself on the pages of Scripture and throughout creation. Romans 1 tells us that nature declares the existence of God. John 20:30-31 tells us what was written was so that we might believe in the revealed Son of God.

    Several years ago, I wrote a lesson on the names of God. Each name of God in the Bible reveals a layer of who he is. Some of the names of God have been transliterated from Hebrew into English, such as Elohim, or Jehovah Jireh. And others have been translated into English, such as God Almighty, or the God who sees. Either way we state them, when we pause and recognize the names of God and what they reveal about God, we will be drawn closer to him because they are his revelation to us. 

    I was struck by the name El-Roi, or the God who sees, when reading about Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 16. In her distress, Hagar cries out to God and he sees her and rescues her. Hagar is not Sarah, she was not the woman of promise. Her participation in Sarah’s plan led to frustration, hurt, and isolation. Sin does that. Yet God sees her in her affliction and compassionately cares for her. El-Roi reminds us that he hasn’t forgotten about us, he is aware, and he will rescue us. 

God IS…TRANSFORMING

    Those who know God, who are in a right relationship with Jesus, will be changed. Knowing God is different than just knowing about God. The difference is between information and transformation. Information alone makes you smart and you can pass the test. Transformation changes you and makes you wise. 

    Knowing God in a personal relationship is the difference between a caterpillar and a butterfly. Like my friend dating the “mystery” girl, the evidence of a changed life, changed behavior, and changed appetite demonstrated the reality of someone in his life. Likewise, a changed life is testimony to the reality of that God IS to the world around us. Knowing God exist should lead you to be aware of his presence in your daily life and cause you to joyfully obey him in whatever you do!

Jesus Understands

Hebrews 4:14–16

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

What causes you to be anxious, depressed, or feel lonely? It was not too long ago when most children and teens would not resonate with these descriptors. Unfortunately, in our post-pandemic, social media infused society, anxiety, depression, and loneliness is on the rise in our children, teens, and adults.

Sitting in a doctor’s office waiting for a test result is a lonely experience that can be rife with anxious thoughts, however the doctor’s demeanor, tone, and answer can alleviate those feelings in a matter of moments with a hopeful response. What are we supposed to do when we have these feelings throughout the course of a normal day? When there is no reason to have them, no impending report, just a nagging, almost sickening sensation deep in our chest, where are we to turn?

Consider this Holy Week, the events that transpired in the life of Christ the week leading up to his crucifixion. What emotions, feelings, and thoughts were swirling around in his head? How did Jesus cope with anxiety, depression, and loneliness? 

So, you might be hung up on my explicit statement that Jesus had anxious, depressed, and lonely thoughts. Some might even be offended by that implication. Jesus was human, was he not? Anxiety, depression, anger, loneliness, fear, happiness, joy, love, etc. are emotional responses that all humans experience in some way or another. 

    “But isn’t it a sin to be anxious or depressed?” It is unfortunate that some have used the Bible or the pulpit to make harsh statements that have characterized certain emotional responses as sin, to the point that it has caused a sense of guilt and shame that has pushed people deeper into their affliction. Anxiety, depression, and loneliness can in fact become a sinful state of mind or be the result of holding on to sin in your life, but that is for a separate lesson. Understanding our emotional state, the severity of it, and the process we go through can help us determine how to handle them. 

If you are having a hard time understanding your emotions, I encourage you to invite someone into your process. You may need to talk to a Christian Counselor or therapist to help understand what is going on. There is no shame in seeking help. When our thought processes go unchecked, they can develop into something bigger than we can handle ourselves, and we need Christian brothers and sisters to help carry our burdens (Galatians 6:2).

    Jesus is human, and he lived his earthly life as any man would. Jesus was misunderstood, mocked, rejected, betrayed, and disappointed. Jesus experienced loneliness, grief, poverty, and tempted yet he did not sin. Jesus stated to his disciples, “my soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (Matt. 26:38). Jesus anxiously cried out three times to the Father, “if it is possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matt. 26:39, 42, 44). In all these things, Jesus did not give in to sin and allow human emotions to overcome him. He remained faithful to his calling, and he obeyed the Father, “your will be done” (Matt. 26:42).  

    The human body will process traumatic experiences by releasing different hormones to help cope with the stress. When these hormones are released, they cause the body and mind to sense different feelings and emotions. Sometimes it will be exhaustion, an acute sense of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and so on. Jesus is human, and his body produced adrenaline, which mean he experienced the adrenaline crash (consider the story of Elijah on Mt Carmel 1 Kings 18ff). 

    This is why the author of Hebrews says we have a great high priest in Jesus Christ who can sympathize with our struggles. He endured through the most difficult of trials to become the perfect sacrifice for you and me. Because he understands the human condition, he understands when you bring your fears, anxiety, depression, and loneliness to him. He wants you to come boldly to his throne of judgement to receive his wrath? No…his throne of grace so that you can receive mercy in your time of need. 

As we approach Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I want you to know that Jesus understands you. He knows the human struggles. He knows your pain, your loneliness, your grief, your depression, and he loves you. He went through it and has come out victorious, so that you too can be victorious. 

Some practical things you can do when you have these emotions is to start by recognizing your physical body and meeting your physical needs. When is the last time you had a good night’s sleep? Do you need to set some time aside to take an uninterrupted nap? How is your diet? Have you been eating healthy or unhealthy foods? When is the last time you exercised? It’s not like you need to do a HIIT method, just go for a walk regularly, a hike, bike ride, or play a sport. These will help bring your body back into rhythm.

Remember what Jesus went through by reflecting on these verses. Talk to Jesus about them and how you are processing them. It is super helpful to recognize that you are not alone in these feelings, how much more to know that the Son of God understands them too. Memorizing the Word of God is a powerful tool to help your mind process difficult emotions. 

Jesus would often go off to pray. Developing a prayer routine will help you invite God into your process. Remember he knows you better than you know yourself. Consider praying Psalm 139:23-24. While you look it up, meditate on the whole psalm. Consider Psalm 103 or pray a lament like Psalm 13. 

Invite others into your process. Jesus invited the disciples to go and pray with him, and even gave them a charge to pray with him. You do not have to battle these feelings alone. Invite godly friends, mentors, pastors, or trained counselors to help you. The earlier you begin the conversation the better. The longer you hold on to the feelings internally the harder it will be to begin the conversation, but once you do you will be blessed. Again, if you have had persistent anxiety or depression, you may want to talk to your pastor or seek a Christian counselor soon. 

Celebrate the good things God has done in your life. Remember his faithfulness to his Word. 

Whether you are facing a test, a health issue, a relational issue, or just struggling on a normal Wednesday, Jesus understands. He can sympathize with your feelings and he loves you. Picture it like sitting in Doctor’s office waiting for the test result, full of anxiety, fear, depression, and loneliness. Jesus walks in with a smile on his face, a soft but strong tone to his voice, and an arm around your shoulder saying, “everything is going to be ok.” All it takes is a little encouragement for our feelings to dissipate. Jesus is a big God, and he can handle the big stuff. Trust him.  

Royal Priests - 1 Peter 2:1-12

Read 1 Peter 2:1-12

Have you ever received an award, gift, or a position you didn’t feel like you deserved? How did you feel when you got it? 

In High School I was a multi-sport athlete. I played soccer, basketball, volleyball, and baseball at some point. My sporting career didn’t work out the way I had hoped it would. Knee surgery ended soccer and basketball early for me. Volleyball was one that I was excelling at, but the coach quit and the team was canceled, so I went to play baseball. My senior year I made varsity, but I didn’t play much that season. I like to say that I played “left out” because my coach left me out of every game. 

I won’t go into all the details, but I was disappointed and thought I should have received more play time. When it came to the sports banquet, I didn’t want to go because it wasn’t much of season for me. However, Coach called my name and awarded me a Varsity Letter for the season. I was surprised because I didn’t get the play time or accomplishments to earn a letter, but coach said it was because of my hard work, diligence, perseverance, and commitment to the team. 

It is nice getting recognized and rewarded when you deserve it. It is humbling to receive an award you don’t deserve. 

Last week we learned that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and the perfect priest, through whom we have received forgiveness of sins, reconciled to the Father, and called to be a royal priesthood unto God. 

Our sins separated us from God, but the sacrifice of Christ has provided a way for us to be reunited with God through faith in what Jesus has done for us. When we receive the free gift that Jesus provides, we are awarded with a high calling to be a royal priest unto God.  

1 Peter 2:9–10

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (ESV)

In order to get an understanding of the significance of what Peter is saying, it would be good to read the book of Hosea. I will give a brief summary, but you really should read it. 

God called his prophet Hosea to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him as an object lesson of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. Hosea’s struggles with Gomer as she conceives a child that is not Hosea’s kid, and God tells him to name his child, Lo-ruhama, “No Mercy.” Gomer later has another son, whom God tells Hosea to name him Lo-ammi, “Not my people”.

In these names we get the heart wrenching reality of the pain of Gomer’s sin and the effect it had on his family. This is a story so difficult that nobody would have blamed Hosea from walking away from it. Yet, it is a story of God’s mercy on display and Hosea remained faithful, buying back his wife. 

Hosea 2:20–23

“I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD. And in that day I will answer, declares the LORD, I will answer the heavens...And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’” 

God promises to change the name, change the narrative, to change everything. No Mercy, will receive mercy. Not My People will become his people. Being conceived in sin and living in unfaithfulness is not big enough to stop the redemptive hand of God from buying back his people, and that is what he did in Jesus Christ.

This is what Peter is referring to in verse 10. God has called us out of darkness, out of the brokenness of the wilderness of wayward unfaithfulness without an identity. He calls us to be his people, to receive his mercy, and then to receive a new position of a royal priesthood.  

Watch Video:

If we model this off of an understanding of what we saw in the OT priesthood, we are called to be priests in three ways: Singing, Sacrificing, and Interceding. 

Singing is a way of expressing worship through poems and songs. Music is powerful and helps us to bridge heaven and earth. What we sing and listen to is an opportunity for us to express our priesthood to those around us. 

I think we can also include our language as an expression of this aspect of being a priest. The words we use, the stories we tell, the tweets we send, the images we post, and so on, are all important aspects of our expression of worship. What do you think is appropriate for a holy priest to say? You are a holy priest in Christ, so should you be saying, singing, or tweeting the words you use?

We are to use our words to build others up and point them to Jesus. Your words have power, make sure you are using them as a royal priest should.

Sacrificing is not about slaughtering animals today, rather it is about surrender, obedience, and caring for others. 

Romans 12:1–2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. What is easier, to die for someone or to live for someone? Last week we talked about how hard it would be to die for someone, and very few people would actually be willing to give their life for someone. However difficult it may be to resolve to die in a moment for someone, getting up each day and being faithful in serving someone is tremendously difficult. 

You don’t agree? When did you choose to follow Christ? When was the last time you sinned? So at what point did you step off the altar and decide you could do whatever you wanted, even if God doesn’t agree? Why? Because it is extremely difficult to live faithfully every second of every day. 

But that is the call God has on us as royal priests. Read Romans 12:9-21 and Hebrews 13:1-6 as descriptions of what it means to live a sacrificial life. 

Hebrews 13:15–16

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

And thirdly, we are intercessors for others. This means we are willing to offer up blessings and prayers for others. We advocate for their needs and care for them. We imitate Jesus in this world. When people imitate Jesus the royal priest, they become a new humanity, living in a way that reunites Heaven and Earth (from the video).

When we realize that we were far off from God and underserving of his grace and mercy, yet he called us home through the finished work of Jesus Christ, we will be overwhelmed by his love for us. Keeping that in mind, when we realize that God has called us to be his royal priests and the high calling that is for us, we should be filled with humility and honor. We won’t be able to help but declare the excellencies of him who has called us his children.

Perfect Priest - Perfect Sacrifice

One of the many reasons we are intrigued by stories of Super Heroes is their willingness to serve, protect, and help people in need. We all know what it is like to be afraid or feel helpless, and the thought of Super Hero coming to the rescue is appealing. Thus, DC and Marvel have made millions of our fascination with these characters. 

However, some characters become even more precious to us when they do something extraordinary, even for a superhero. When a superhero is willing to die for others, giving up great strength and invulnerability, to become vulnerable and die, is very compelling. Even though most superheroes are altruistic, those who do die don’t die for enemies, or common people, they die for someone they love. 

For those who are willing to die for someone else, their willingness is either earned through respect, i.e. secret service, military, police, etc., or through love. Most people would not be willing to give up their life for someone else, because self-preservation is so instinctual. 

Romans 5:7–8

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus is different. Jesus is better. Jesus was willing to die for sinners, those who were rebelling against him. Jesus is the true Superhero, he is the Perfect Priest and the Perfect Sacrifice.

Read Hebrews 9:1-12

The High Priest was chosen to represent the people before God once a year on the Day of Atonement. He would take blood from a sin offering, representing the guilt and sin of the nation, and take it into the Holy of Holies to present it to God on the Ark of the Covenant. This was a serious and fearful task, as entering into the Most Holy Place inappropriately would result in death. 

The priestly duties had to be repeated daily, and the High Priest went into the Most Holy Place annually. Their work was a good work that brought worship to God and reconciled the people back to God. But, it was temporary in nature and had to be repeated regularly. The Law and the Sacrifices were incomplete. 

The people needed more than just this temporary system, they need a hero, a Superhero to rescue them. Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, came to be that superhero. In Hebrews 9, we read that he appeared as the High Priest and entered into the eternal tent…what does this mean?

The Tabernacle and Temple were a shadow of the eternal reality. They were emblematic of entering into the presence of God. They were the temporal places on the earth that God chose to allow the people to come into his presence. Jesus, being God, entered into the very presence of God as the High Priest.

The High Priest had to enter into the Holy of Holies with blood or he would die. Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world and entered into God’s presence with his own blood. This secured a once and for all sacrifice, that does not need to be repeated. 

Blood pictured life and the shedding of blood represents the cost of sin. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22). Jesus shed his blood to secure eternal redemption for those who believe.  

And when he did, something tremendous happened. We read that the offerings would need to be repeated “as long as the first section is still standing” (Heb. 9:8). Well, Jesus’ sacrifice did away with the barrier.

Matthew 27:51 - And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

The curtain separating the first room from the Holy of Holies was removed by God and access to God, through Jesus Christ, was now made available to all who believe.

As the Perfect Priest and Perfect Sacrifice, Jesus becomes our Superhero, our Redeemer, our Savior. Later in Hebrews 9, Jesus is described as our Mediator, standing in the gap and fighting for us. 

You may not be a superhero, and you may not think you would die for someone else. But there is one who loved you enough to die for you, and his death provided the ultimate provision of eternal life and the forgiveness of sins. Trusting in Jesus changes everything. And those who believe him are called to be like him, to be priests in this world. We will talk more about that next week.

More Precious Than Gold - 1 Peter 1

The Ides of March are upon us bearing the joyous celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. A mixture of Irish lore and traditions, combined with commercialism and hedonism, our modern memorial is a far cry from the true meaning of St. Patrick’s life. 

Patrick wasn’t a Brit who wanted to go party with the Irish pagans at their Spring festivals. He was captured and enslaved by the Irish, and eventually escaped back to England. As he became a priest, he felt a deep concern for those enslaved in sin back in Ireland. He went back to the land that enslaved him with the freeing message of Jesus Christ.

Patrick knew the Gospel was more precious than gold, and that the souls of men and women were more important than comfort in his homeland. The reason Patrick is remembered is because of his faithfulness to the Gospel, but folklore and other traditions have removed the holiday from its true meaning. 

I must confess that I haven’t done a deep dive into St. Patrick’s story recently, and I am sure there is a lot of information on what motivated him and what he wrote about. But perhaps it was reflecting on 1 Peter 1 that captured his heart for spreading the Gospel. 

Read 1 Peter 1

Salvation is more precious than gold. Trials will come to test our faith, as gold is purified, so too will God purify our faith. Peter reminds us that we were ransomed by the blood of Christ, which is worth more than gold. 

Gold is a valuable metal, and it holds its value when currencies struggle. It has become a sign of great wealth and importance in our culture. And yet, Revelation describes it as the paving stones of heaven, “streets of gold.”  Perhaps that is a reminder that the temporal things we value in this life are of little value in the next. 

This is the point here in 1 Peter, that the Gospel, our faith in Christ, is more precious than gold. Because of Jesus’ work on the cross and the merciful kindness of the Father, we can be in a right relationship with God. This should cause us to strive to live obedient lives as a reflection of the One who saved us. Seeing the eternal significance of the Gospel will cause us to be willing to risk everything for the sake of Christ.

St. Patrick saw it, and he left his comfort to see his enemies become his brothers and sisters. There is much we can learn from his faithfulness. I will leave you with his prayer as an encouragement: 

"Christ be within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ inquired, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me."