Pastor's Column 6/26/21

PASTOR’S COLUMN

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8 NLT

“And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…”

Hebrews 12:1b;2a, NLT

4th Sunday – “Constant And Changing!”

The Book of Hebrews is one of the most remarkable books in the New Testament. It gives the reader a sense of the old covenant, its meaning for the past, and its obsolescence for present and future times. Many of the old regulations were necessary to preserve cohesion in a community of disparate tribes and clans. Since Christ’s resurrection, a new community has emerged where walls of separation are falling down. The rituals and grandeur of the Jerusalem Temple, built by Herod the Great, have become decentralized, and God is now near to the hearts of all believers. Make no mistake, the temple was necessary to embrace the spirit of Yahweh, giving Him reverence and exclusive worship above any tribal or cultic deity. In the Book of Hebrews, Jesus Christ is pronounced and celebrated as Savior and Lord. His divine nature does not change. He is the “same yesterday, today, and forever.” The Christians whom the Book addresses were surrounded by misinformation: misleading opinions, false theories, and a flurry of new challenges. In response, they were told to look to Jesus whose teachings are constant and sure. There are some things, which are so inherently correct, that they could never be refuted. After the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus, one group (the docetics) maintained Jesus never died, it only appeared that He did. In saying this, they were rejecting Jesus as both human and divine. Christ’s resurrection can be doubted, but after over 2000 years it cannot be disproven. Christ is our constant. But more than this, He brings about change in our lives. The Hebrew writer described life as a race that is being run. Like an effective runner we must keep our focus on Jesus, as he leads us on! Christ helps us to remain constant and also to change!