Jesus is Better

Unsplash: Emma Shappley

Last week, we looked at the exhortation to throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that entangles us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us (see Hebrews 12:1).  Put in this way, it seems that throwing off our excess baggage, as it were, is for our benefit: to achieve the purpose God has for us, for our good and for His ultimate glory. In the larger context of Hebrews, we can do this because Jesus (as the author of Hebrews so eloquently lays out for us) is better.

This week, we will consider a few other reasons why we are called to throw off all that hinders us and the sin that can entangle that also appear in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews.

There is a sizable section of the chapter devoted to the concept that God disciplines us because He is our father and we are His children, and that His reproof is actually an outpouring of His love, done only as  a result of our relationship as sons to Him. 

"And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.' [requoted from Prov 3: 11-12] It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?"   Hebrews 12:5-7

So, when we feel the conviction of sin, we ought to interpret that as the grace bestowed upon us by a tender, loving Father, laboring to draw us closer to Himself.  It is not a bad thing, ultimately, but a very good thing! It establishes us as His children, giving us comfort and security that we are indeed a part of His fold.

Lastly, the twelfth chapter of Hebrews ends with the concept that God is to be feared. In fact, a huge reason why we ought to gettison anything in our lives that does not serve our spiritual walk or bring glory to Him is that God is a powerful, frightening, wrathful God, and what He says GOES.  I am afraid that we do not meditate upon God's wrath enough as modern Christ-followers.  Yes, God is our gracious Father, disciplining us out of His fatherly love. But He is also a wrathful, terrifying God with whom no one dared encounter in the time of the Exodus. (If you recall, the Israelite people elected Moses to be their spokesperson and mediator out of fear of talking directly with God or coming into His presence.)

"For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, 'If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.' Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, 'I tremble with fear.'”    Hebrews 12:18-21

I am challenged by how this chapter includes the exhortation found in verse 25: 

"See that you do not refuse him who is speaking." 

Will you...will I...ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit to throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles?  Or will we listen, obey, and choose not to quench the Spirit's work in our hearts and lives?

I am thankful for the power we have through our union with Christ to say NO to sin, since sin is quite literally dead to us (see Romans 6), and for the ability in Christ to throw off and to run hard!  May we do this in our lives, and may a watching world be in wonder at the amazing God in all of our midst.

 

Throwing Off the Burdens

Source: Unsplash, Pavitra Baxi

Recently I've been reflecting upon the exhortation given at the beginning of Hebrews chapter 12 to us as believers:

 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..."  Hebrews 12:1

We are encouraged to throw off everything that hinders us in life.  And yet, the author of Hebrews makes a fascinating distinction.  Did you catch it?

Lay aside every weight AND sin.  Meaning...not every weight we carry is sin.

And yet those things that hinder our growth or our witness do not serve us and ought to be laid aside.

Sure, weights can include sin, but they are not limited to sin.

Paul says it this way, in his letter to the church in Corinth:

" 'All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up."   1 Corinthians 10:23

So, this has me thinking...

What in my life is hindering my joy, peace, holiness, or my witness to the gospel?

What things are draining me, distracting me, impeding the work that God is doing in and through me?

What things seem to have a magnetic pull for my time and attention? 

Ought I lay these things aside?

I find it particularly telling that the writer of Hebrews gives us this exhortation when the theme of Hebrews as a book is that Jesus is better: Jesus is better than the prophets, the angels, Moses. He is the better sacrifice, the better priest, and He ushers in a better covenant. You get the idea.

Why ought we lay aside the weights that hinder and the sin that so easily entangles?

One reason is that Jesus is better.

More to come as I reflect upon these things and examine my own lifestyle, indwelling sin, and daily habits.

Will you join me, dear friend?

Will you stop to consider the things--sinful things and non-sinful things--that might be hindering your joy, peace, witness or sapping your energy, stealing your time, being a burden for you that you simply don't need to continue to carry?

I pray that the Spirit would reveal to us those things we ought to jettison, knowing that He will provide the power and strength to carry it out, to the glory and praise of God.

Christ in Me

Source: Unsplash, Sarah Millar

 I've been reflecting quite a bit about the reality that I am united to Christ.

One way I picture this is as a set of Matryoshka dolls, also known as Russian nesting dolls.

Here's how I see it: I am the small doll, and once I placed my faith in Jesus and was born again, I was opened up and the Holy Spirit was placed inside of me (see 1 Corin 6:19, Rom 8:9). At the same time, I became united to Christ, so it's as though the second doll (Jesus) opened up and I was placed inside. Paul uses the phrase "hidden in him" in Colossians 3:3 to describe this phenomenon. And then we three were placed inside the largest doll, God the Father. So, in effect, I am in Christ, the Holy Spirit is inside me, but we are both in the Father, and we are all one. I don't become a deity or share in the godhead in a divine way, but I am a co-heir with Christ and all of Christ's righteousness has been inputed to me, so that when God sees me, He sees Christ.

Yes, even with a man object lesson, it can make your head hurt!

But this is the profound mystery, the glorious inheritance and daily identity that we live and move in, every moment of every day as believers.

Jesus says it like this, as recorded in the Gospel of John: 

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”   John 14:18-21 (emphasis mine)

And as Christ goes on to explain, this position that we have works itself out in obedience.  Because I am in Christ, and God lives in me, I can think, act, and serve differently. 

Consequently, I am also protected from the enemy in this Matryoshka dolls configuration.  

Nothing can get to me that has not gone through the Father first. See Lam 3:37-38

Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. See Romans 8:38-39

What a promise!  What a position!  May we bask in the beauty and security we share as believers in Christ today.  I pray it would impact your day, dear friend, and may this beautiful truth work itself out in the way you work, serve, think, and act today.