Welcome to this week’s episode, a special rerun from our Speaking of Life archive. We hope you find its timeless message as meaningful today as it was when it was first shared.
Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUwXih3cHa8
Program Transcript
Speaking Of Life 3050 | Like Kin
Jeff Broadnax
When I was 18 years old, I met someone who would change my life for the better. Here’s the catch: we couldn’t have been more different as people. John was a white man from Great Britain; I was a black kid from Cincinnati, Ohio. He was old enough to be my father, and I played more basketball in one weekend than he had his entire life. I called July 4th Independence Day; he called it Rebellion Day. But we both loved the Proverbs and we both called Jesus, Lord.
John would regularly stand up on my behalf to tear down manmade barriers that tried to keep me from being who God destined me to be. Over the next 30 years, we would transcend cultural norms and become family despite our racial, ethnic, and generational differences.
In America, the pandemic and political or racial tensions of recent months have made it easy to feel disconnected or fragmented from others. It’s been hard to stay connected with people close to us and even harder to connect with those who might be different. But discovering how God can help people move from fragmented to family is an important practice that we should look at more closely.
One biblical example of an outsider becoming family can be found in the book of Ruth. The story begins with the Israelite family of Elimelech and Naomi who left Judah and moved to Moab with their two sons to escape a famine. They lived there a long time; their sons grew up and decided to marry two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth.
The relationship between Israel and Moab was complicated and broken. Relational betrayals had left spiritual scars and historical animosity between them. These differences could have very easily created a fracture in the relationship between Naomi and her daughters-in-law.
The story takes a sad turn when the father Elimelech and the two sons become sick and die, leaving three widows and no children behind. Naomi urges the two daughters-in-law to go back to their families and remarry, and Orpah does. But Ruth insists on staying with Naomi, even leaving Moab and her family to go back to Judah with Naomi. Ruth works hard to find food for the two of them until Naomi realizes there is a distant relative named Boaz who could marry Ruth as part of Israel’s legal system to care for widows. Boaz marries Ruth, and she bears a son named Obed. Let’s read how Naomi’s friends celebrated Obed’s birth:
Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.”
Ruth 4:14-15 (NRSV)
This son was the grandfather of King David and part of the lineage of Christ.
The foreign woman Ruth was an outsider, not part of Israel’s culture or religion, but God chose to include her in Jesus’ ancestry. In a society where sons were prized, the Israelite women praised the outsider Ruth, saying that she was better “than seven sons” (v. 15). Ruth’s love for Naomi was widely recognized and appreciated, and Ruth became like kin to Naomi, regardless of their religious and cultural differences.
This example of love and kinship between two women from different cultures can instruct us today. Because God saw fit to include an outsider in Jesus’ heritage, we understand that love transcends differences.
Family isn’t just restricted to blood relatives. Because of Christ’s Divine love, we are united into one human family.
Filled with the Spirit, may you have the heart of the Father to love one another, including the outsider, and embrace our diverse representation of the imago Dei (the image of God).
I’m Jeff Broadnax, Speaking of Life.
Program Transcript
Speaking Of Life 3050 | Like Kin
Jeff Broadnax
When I was 18 years old, I met someone who would change my life for the better. Here’s the catch: we couldn’t have been more different as people. John was a white man from Great Britain; I was a black kid from Cincinnati, Ohio. He was old enough to be my father, and I played more basketball in one weekend than he had his entire life. I called July 4th Independence Day; he called it Rebellion Day. But we both loved the Proverbs and we both called Jesus, Lord.
John would regularly stand up on my behalf to tear down manmade barriers that tried to keep me from being who God destined me to be. Over the next 30 years, we would transcend cultural norms and become family despite our racial, ethnic, and generational differences.
In America, the pandemic and political or racial tensions of recent months have made it easy to feel disconnected or fragmented from others. It’s been hard to stay connected with people close to us and even harder to connect with those who might be different. But discovering how God can help people move from fragmented to family is an important practice that we should look at more closely.
One biblical example of an outsider becoming family can be found in the book of Ruth. The story begins with the Israelite family of Elimelech and Naomi who left Judah and moved to Moab with their two sons to escape a famine. They lived there a long time; their sons grew up and decided to marry two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth.
The relationship between Israel and Moab was complicated and broken. Relational betrayals had left spiritual scars and historical animosity between them. These differences could have very easily created a fracture in the relationship between Naomi and her daughters-in-law.
The story takes a sad turn when the father Elimelech and the two sons become sick and die, leaving three widows and no children behind. Naomi urges the two daughters-in-law to go back to their families and remarry, and Orpah does. But Ruth insists on staying with Naomi, even leaving Moab and her family to go back to Judah with Naomi. Ruth works hard to find food for the two of them until Naomi realizes there is a distant relative named Boaz who could marry Ruth as part of Israel’s legal system to care for widows. Boaz marries Ruth, and she bears a son named Obed. Let’s read how Naomi’s friends celebrated Obed’s birth:
Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.”
Ruth 4:14-15 (NRSV)
This son was the grandfather of King David and part of the lineage of Christ.
The foreign woman Ruth was an outsider, not part of Israel’s culture or religion, but God chose to include her in Jesus’ ancestry. In a society where sons were prized, the Israelite women praised the outsider Ruth, saying that she was better “than seven sons” (v. 15). Ruth’s love for Naomi was widely recognized and appreciated, and Ruth became like kin to Naomi, regardless of their religious and cultural differences.
This example of love and kinship between two women from different cultures can instruct us today. Because God saw fit to include an outsider in Jesus’ heritage, we understand that love transcends differences.
Family isn’t just restricted to blood relatives. Because of Christ’s Divine love, we are united into one human family.
Filled with the Spirit, may you have the heart of the Father to love one another, including the outsider, and embrace our diverse representation of the imago Dei (the image of God).
I’m Jeff Broadnax, Speaking of Life.
Psalm 127:1-5 · Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 · Hebrews 9:24-28 · Mark 12:38-44
This week’s theme is one sacrifice, one Savior for all. In our call to worship psalm, humankind’s efforts are accounted as vain apart from the Lord. Our section in Ruth recounts Naomi’s instructions to Ruth, the marriage of Boaz and Ruth, and the birth of their first son, Obed, all displaying the Lord’s provision and redemption. Our continued reading from Hebrews compares the repetitive offerings and sacrifices made by Israel’s priest with the sufficient offering and sacrifice of the Lord given once for all to secure our salvation. The Gospel reading from Mark records Jesus’ own comparison between the scribes and a poor widow to warn of those who exalt themselves at the expense of others.
Once For All
Hebrews 9:24-28 NRSVUE
Earlier in Hebrews, the author was making some comparisons between Christ and the Levitical priesthood where Jesus comes out “much more” superior in many ways. Today, it may appear we are having a re-run of that theme because today’s text will revisit many of the same comparisons. Only this time, it will advance them even further, in case we need another dose. We shouldn’t be too surprised at this repetition as the entire letter of Hebrews attempts to paint a string of contrasts between our great high priest Jesus with the sacrificial system of atonement and all that went with it. All of these provisions in Israel’s history were also to serve to point to the redeeming work that ultimately is accomplished in Jesus Christ. Today’s text will serve to sum up these previous contrasts by using the image of Christ’s heavenly, final, and effective intercession for sinners and the good news of forgiveness. So, let’s dive in and see how much more we can gain in seeing Jesus as our true, once for all, high priest.
We will look at four realities that are given to us in Jesus as our high priest as evident in the passage. We see the first one in the first verse:
- Christ is in heaven interceding for us.
For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. (Hebrews 9:24 NRSVUE)
To get behind the author’s meaning, we need some understanding of what the original audience of Hebrews would have already assumed. They already had a good understanding of ancient Israel’s ritual practices for atonement that took place during the Exodus well before the building of any temple in Jerusalem. Specifically, the place of worship at that time was a tent constructed with an inner sanctuary called the holy of holies. This is where the high priest would enter once a year to offer sacrifices. He would have to offer sacrifices first for himself and then for the sins of the people. What is interesting is how the author refers to this sanctuary and its sacrificial system in this verse as “a mere copy of the true one.” This system was to point to a future and deeper reality. It was not the real thing, but a sign of that which was to come.
The “true one” or real thing is noted as not being “made by human hands,” rather, Christ “entered into heaven itself.” There is far more going on here than ever took place in the earthly tabernacle or temple of Israel’s sacrificial system. We are assured that this is not a copy of something else that we are still waiting for. We have arrived at the original holy of holies. This is the heavenly tabernacle where Jesus serves as our high priest in the actual presence of God. This means he is making intercession for you and me in the throne room as we speak. In a way, we could say that God’s presence was dwelling in the former holy place of the tabernacle and temple, but not in the same way Jesus is being described here. God was present, but more as an extension of his heavenly presence. But Jesus is the new tabernacle who is in the very presence of God in heaven, and all “on our behalf.” That’s the reality as hard is it might be to believe. We have a perfect high priest who is interceding for us in heaven to the Father.
Next, we will go further in showing some points of contrast between Jesus as high priest and the ancient sacrificial system of Israel. As we look at these contrasts, we will also encounter our next two realities given to us in Jesus as high priest.
- Christ’s priestly work is “once for all.”
Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the holy place year after year with blood that is not his own, for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:25-26 NRSVUE)
Jesus’ work as high priest is unique, unrepeatable, and completely effective. The phrase “once for all” is the author’s way of expressing the absolute finality of Christ’s work. God has spoken his word in Jesus Christ his Son, and there is nothing more that needs to be said. A modern author may say, “When God sent Jesus, he dropped the mic.”
Perhaps we need to address the sensibilities we may have towards the idea of Jesus’ bloody sacrifice. We may feel that we are too sophisticated culturally for such outdated and barbaric rituals. Yet do we not still sacrifice each other? How often are people used as scapegoats for one’s own wrong and guilt? This can happen in families, communities, nations, and even churches. If we can convince ourselves that it’s that “other” person or group of persons that is to blame for all my shortcomings, then we can ease our conscience and feel justified. Many historical atrocities have been committed over this very dynamic of sacrifice. As we see the “once for all” pronouncement of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can all breathe a sigh of relief that this insane cycle of sacrificing one another for the sake of our own consciences has come to an end.
We can come to the foot of the cross together to receive the forgiveness and justification that Jesus provides in his own self-given sacrifice. There is no need to point the finger at someone else when Jesus has already taken it all upon himself for our sakes. In addition, in light of Jesus’ fully effective work of forgiveness and reconciliation, we can boldly confess our sins to Jesus our intercessor. We do not have to hide in fear that once our sins are discovered, we will be tossed aside. Jesus died for our sins, not to toss us aside, but to save us by “tossing our sins aside,” by which we mean, completely and utterly removing and destroying them and giving us the righteousness that alone belongs to Christ. He has set us free to live in his freedom to love and worship the Father.
- The arrival of Jesus and his self-offering usher in “the end of the age.”
And that brings us the third reality that Jesus has now ushered in “the end of the age.” This phrase means that Jesus’ coming in the Incarnation and dying for our sin signals that all of salvation history has reached its end in him. Jesus has done everything necessary for our salvation, and we can live in it as we anticipate its consummation in Jesus’ return. And that leads us to the final reality expressed in the last two verses remaining.
- Christ is returning.
And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28 NRSVUE)
At the end of our passage today, we see a shift in the author’s presentation. Up till now, the author has been comparing and contrasting Jesus and his work with that of Israel’s priesthood and sacrificial system. Now he finds a similarity to draw from using what all humans experience and what Jesus experienced on the cross — death. Drawing from this similarity, the author makes the argument that just as all people die “once” and then pass to another stage, like “judgement” in our case, so Jesus also experienced death “once” and will now pass into the next stage of his work.
This final stage will not be about judgment as he has already dealt with sin with his first coming. His second coming rather will be about salvation for “those who are eagerly waiting for him.” This section then concludes on a note of hope. Even though we would already say we are “saved,” we know that there is more to come. In this present evil age, we have not yet fully been brought into all that God intends for his good creation. As we look around our world and observe and experience all the pain and brokenness that has ensued from our rejection of God’s grace, in Christ, we can believe the goodness of God and his good provision for our salvation in his Son, and we can “eagerly” wait for him. We know we have moved from that which is passing away into the reality forged for us in Jesus Christ. This reality stands in such contrast to what we often are tempted to cling to. However, we are growing to see that Jesus is so much more than any of these mere imitations. In Jesus, we have the real deal once and for all.
Call to action: Talk to God about any fears, doubt, shame, or guilt you are still dealing with, and ask him to help you leave it at the cross. Ask him to help you understand and live in the reality of who Christ is and what he has done for you. And ask God to provide opportunity for you to share the good news about Jesus’ “once for all” sacrifice with someone who is living in their own fear, shame, doubt, or guilt. His sacrifice enables them to rise in worship to our one true high priest.
Jon DePue—Year B Proper 27
Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/GReverb/GR054-JohnDePue-Propers27-W2.mp3
November 10, 2024 — Proper 27 in Ordinary Time
Hebrews 9:24-28
CLICK HERE to listen to the whole podcast.
If you get a chance to rate and review the show, that helps a lot. And invite your fellow preachers and Bible lovers to join us!
Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcast.
Program Transcript
November 10, 2024 — Proper 27 in Ordinary Time
Anthony: All right, let’s transition to our next pericope of the month. It’s Hebrews 9:24-28. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 27 in Ordinary Time, which is November 10. Jon, would you read it for us, please?
Jon: Yes. All right.
For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the holy place year after year with blood that is not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Anthony: So, it seems to me, this passage shines the light on the reality that on our behalf, the anointed One, intercessor, this high priest that you just spoke about is in the presence of God, the Father. And when we think about that, his ascension and his presence with the Father, we may think he’s away from us.
What impact does that have on my life today, on Wednesday? Is there an impact that it should have in our daily following of Christ?
Jon: Yeah. This kind of gets back to the participatory stuff I’ve been talking about which I love to talk about, as you can probably tell.
Anthony: And we love to hear about it.
Jon: Yeah. It should take a lot of pressure off us to get things completely right all the time because we know that there is a high priest who intercedes for us. He’s doing something on our behalf that we can’t do ourselves. It pulls us out of this way of thinking about behaving that we’ve been handed contextually (especially as Western modern people) that we need to do everything and get it right all the time.
We should be able to — this should allow us to relax into the fact that Christ has done all of this wonderful, amazing work for us, and we get to participate in that here and now by responding to it and living our lives in a way that conforms to him and his priestly status as little priests ourselves, right?
So, I would hope, because there are so many anxious Christians, I think, running around thinking that we have to get things right all the time. Am I having enough faith? Am I doing enough good, right? This plagues so many people, I think.
Anthony: Especially as you think back to the conversation we were having on your book to the first three chapters of Romans, that can be anxiety producing. Oh, yikes!
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” How many times have we had that quoted to us? And it’s true, but we need to know the rest of the story, right? Is that what you’re speaking of?
Jon: Totally. That’s totally right. And I hope that this gives — and liberation is something that I’m really keen on as well, not just participation, but being liberated to make mistakes. We’re going to screw things up sometimes and that’s okay. God isn’t going to retract himself from us. God isn’t going to abandon us.
Anthony: You know my backstory, huh? We all have the backstory of that, of messing it up.
Jon: Yeah, but you’re right. Reading certain passages in a certain way, especially something in Romans 1 to 3, is going to push us toward anxiety. The text kind of encourages that on its face, right?
We’ve sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We’ve made mistakes. We’re under the judgment of God. God’s wrath is on us, right? Of course, we’re going to feel guilty and horrible about that.
But what I think this account of Jesus’ high priestly status does for us is to say, you’re okay. You’re okay. You’re going to mess up. There is going to be accountability when we screw things up, right? But that’s a very different thing than thinking that, for example if you’re a child, your parent is going to abandon you. If you disobey them, your parent is just going to kick you out of the house forever.
With this account of the priestly status of Jesus as the one doing the stuff on our behalf is to say you’re in this close, intimate relationship with this person that’s been established from before all ages for you. That should give us the freedom, the liberty, right? The safety to be people who can mess up sometimes and go back to God with repentance and know for sure that God is not going to give up on you.
Anthony: Yeah. Ah, that’s well said. And it reminds me when I go to my Father and confess my sins, I’m not seeking a new forgiveness, but reconnecting to the forgiveness I’ve always had in Christ. It’s a returning and a remembering into the life, the divine life of the Trinity.
That’s so powerful because — you again mentioned the Torrances. JB would always talk about. We can’t throw people back on themselves. And that’s what a contractual style of relationship with God does because, oh what have you done for me lately and how have you messed things up today. And just knowing that we will not be abandoned.
I really appreciated what you said. Your parents don’t throw you out and they’re not better parents than God, the Father.
Jon: Yeah. Which I think sometimes that’s how some of our theology works is that actually our families are turned out to be better than God. And we don’t want to do that. We don’t want to commit to that kind of theology. But yes, I think that (as Paul would say) God’s loving kindness is what leads us to repentance.
Anthony: Yes.
Jon: It’s not anything else.
Anthony: Amen. Hallelujah.
The text informs us that when Christ appears a second time, he won’t be dealing with sin. That’s good news, right? What’s going on?
Jon: Yeah, I think what the author of Hebrews is getting at here is that in Jesus’s second coming, it’s not going to be to deal with sin anymore because Christ’s sacrifice is something that’s universally sufficient once for all. I think that’s the key point that the author’s trying to drive home there.
So, what’s being emphasized with the second coming is that because what Christ has done is sufficient once for all, when he arrives again, it’s just going to be to bring this sort of heavenly sancta, this heavenly sanctuary type thing, to us who are still alive, namely those who are eagerly awaiting his return.
So, there’s nothing more that sort of needs to be added on to what Christ has already done. So, I think that’s the distinction here. The reason why Christ isn’t coming back to deal with sin anymore for the author of Hebrews is because that’s already been dealt with. We don’t need to worry about that.
That’s dealt with. What needs to be done for the author is Christ bringing this. “heavenly cleanse sancta” to people awaiting.
Anthony: Yeah, that seems to be an ongoing theme in Hebrews, the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ. There’s nothing to add on. There’s nothing you can bring to God’s table to make it better.
It’s good and it’s done. And let’s respond and liberate and as we join him in what he’s doing, in the activity.
Jon: That’s exactly right. I think that once we’ve removed kind of your contractual theology (which I like that way of talking about this negative kind of gospel), once we’re freed from that way of viewing things, these texts become much more clear and they become much more powerful for us, right?
Because now what it says is that Christ has done something for you once and for all. You don’t have to contract into this in order for God to love you in Christ, right? That’s already established. Once we removed all the damaging sort of trappings of a contractual, conditional gospel, we’re able to be confronted with this wonderful inclusive, liberative gospel that’s been there all along, but we’ve just kind of missed it a lot of the time.
Anthony: And therefore, we end up, we don’t have to respond. We want to, it’s just like when you love somebody, you want to lean into that relationship.
Jon: Yeah, that’s right.
Anthony: But trusting that — like even repentance (which you mentioned earlier), if it were dependent on my repentance, Jon, it’s puny, it’s anemic. But Jesus’ repentance on my behalf and for me as the man, the forerunner, the vicarious man, he’s done it, and his efforts are enough. And so therefore I do want to repent. I want to say, Hey, ah I want to change my mind on that.
Jon: That’s right. And it’s such a different logic than this idea that we need to be threatened with something in order to behave well. If there’s not some sort of impending doom that we’re facing, then we can’t want to be involved with God.
No, we want to be involved with God because he is the bringer of life and brings us into this reality that’s all around us. And when we respond to that it’s because we really want to. This is what we’ve been created for, as people, is to be responding to Christ and involved in, as you had said, adopted into this loving family.
Anthony: Yeah. Wow. Gospel’s good, friends! It turns out it
Jon: It turns out it is good news. Yes.
Anthony: Yes, It is good news. Yes. Full stop. Full stop.
Program Transcript
November 10, 2024 — Proper 27 in Ordinary Time
Anthony: All right, let’s transition to our next pericope of the month. It’s Hebrews 9:24-28. It is a Revised Common Lectionary passage for Proper 27 in Ordinary Time, which is November 10. Jon, would you read it for us, please?
Jon: Yes. All right.
For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the holy place year after year with blood that is not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Anthony: So, it seems to me, this passage shines the light on the reality that on our behalf, the anointed One, intercessor, this high priest that you just spoke about is in the presence of God, the Father. And when we think about that, his ascension and his presence with the Father, we may think he’s away from us.
What impact does that have on my life today, on Wednesday? Is there an impact that it should have in our daily following of Christ?
Jon: Yeah. This kind of gets back to the participatory stuff I’ve been talking about which I love to talk about, as you can probably tell.
Anthony: And we love to hear about it.
Jon: Yeah. It should take a lot of pressure off us to get things completely right all the time because we know that there is a high priest who intercedes for us. He’s doing something on our behalf that we can’t do ourselves. It pulls us out of this way of thinking about behaving that we’ve been handed contextually (especially as Western modern people) that we need to do everything and get it right all the time.
We should be able to — this should allow us to relax into the fact that Christ has done all of this wonderful, amazing work for us, and we get to participate in that here and now by responding to it and living our lives in a way that conforms to him and his priestly status as little priests ourselves, right?
So, I would hope, because there are so many anxious Christians, I think, running around thinking that we have to get things right all the time. Am I having enough faith? Am I doing enough good, right? This plagues so many people, I think.
Anthony: Especially as you think back to the conversation we were having on your book to the first three chapters of Romans, that can be anxiety producing. Oh, yikes!
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” How many times have we had that quoted to us? And it’s true, but we need to know the rest of the story, right? Is that what you’re speaking of?
Jon: Totally. That’s totally right. And I hope that this gives — and liberation is something that I’m really keen on as well, not just participation, but being liberated to make mistakes. We’re going to screw things up sometimes and that’s okay. God isn’t going to retract himself from us. God isn’t going to abandon us.
Anthony: You know my backstory, huh? We all have the backstory of that, of messing it up.
Jon: Yeah, but you’re right. Reading certain passages in a certain way, especially something in Romans 1 to 3, is going to push us toward anxiety. The text kind of encourages that on its face, right?
We’ve sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We’ve made mistakes. We’re under the judgment of God. God’s wrath is on us, right? Of course, we’re going to feel guilty and horrible about that.
But what I think this account of Jesus’ high priestly status does for us is to say, you’re okay. You’re okay. You’re going to mess up. There is going to be accountability when we screw things up, right? But that’s a very different thing than thinking that, for example if you’re a child, your parent is going to abandon you. If you disobey them, your parent is just going to kick you out of the house forever.
With this account of the priestly status of Jesus as the one doing the stuff on our behalf is to say you’re in this close, intimate relationship with this person that’s been established from before all ages for you. That should give us the freedom, the liberty, right? The safety to be people who can mess up sometimes and go back to God with repentance and know for sure that God is not going to give up on you.
Anthony: Yeah. Ah, that’s well said. And it reminds me when I go to my Father and confess my sins, I’m not seeking a new forgiveness, but reconnecting to the forgiveness I’ve always had in Christ. It’s a returning and a remembering into the life, the divine life of the Trinity.
That’s so powerful because — you again mentioned the Torrances. JB would always talk about. We can’t throw people back on themselves. And that’s what a contractual style of relationship with God does because, oh what have you done for me lately and how have you messed things up today. And just knowing that we will not be abandoned.
I really appreciated what you said. Your parents don’t throw you out and they’re not better parents than God, the Father.
Jon: Yeah. Which I think sometimes that’s how some of our theology works is that actually our families are turned out to be better than God. And we don’t want to do that. We don’t want to commit to that kind of theology. But yes, I think that (as Paul would say) God’s loving kindness is what leads us to repentance.
Anthony: Yes.
Jon: It’s not anything else.
Anthony: Amen. Hallelujah.
The text informs us that when Christ appears a second time, he won’t be dealing with sin. That’s good news, right? What’s going on?
Jon: Yeah, I think what the author of Hebrews is getting at here is that in Jesus’s second coming, it’s not going to be to deal with sin anymore because Christ’s sacrifice is something that’s universally sufficient once for all. I think that’s the key point that the author’s trying to drive home there.
So, what’s being emphasized with the second coming is that because what Christ has done is sufficient once for all, when he arrives again, it’s just going to be to bring this sort of heavenly sancta, this heavenly sanctuary type thing, to us who are still alive, namely those who are eagerly awaiting his return.
So, there’s nothing more that sort of needs to be added on to what Christ has already done. So, I think that’s the distinction here. The reason why Christ isn’t coming back to deal with sin anymore for the author of Hebrews is because that’s already been dealt with. We don’t need to worry about that.
That’s dealt with. What needs to be done for the author is Christ bringing this. “heavenly cleanse sancta” to people awaiting.
Anthony: Yeah, that seems to be an ongoing theme in Hebrews, the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ. There’s nothing to add on. There’s nothing you can bring to God’s table to make it better.
It’s good and it’s done. And let’s respond and liberate and as we join him in what he’s doing, in the activity.
Jon: That’s exactly right. I think that once we’ve removed kind of your contractual theology (which I like that way of talking about this negative kind of gospel), once we’re freed from that way of viewing things, these texts become much more clear and they become much more powerful for us, right?
Because now what it says is that Christ has done something for you once and for all. You don’t have to contract into this in order for God to love you in Christ, right? That’s already established. Once we removed all the damaging sort of trappings of a contractual, conditional gospel, we’re able to be confronted with this wonderful inclusive, liberative gospel that’s been there all along, but we’ve just kind of missed it a lot of the time.
Anthony: And therefore, we end up, we don’t have to respond. We want to, it’s just like when you love somebody, you want to lean into that relationship.
Jon: Yeah, that’s right.
Anthony: But trusting that — like even repentance (which you mentioned earlier), if it were dependent on my repentance, Jon, it’s puny, it’s anemic. But Jesus’ repentance on my behalf and for me as the man, the forerunner, the vicarious man, he’s done it, and his efforts are enough. And so therefore I do want to repent. I want to say, Hey, ah I want to change my mind on that.
Jon: That’s right. And it’s such a different logic than this idea that we need to be threatened with something in order to behave well. If there’s not some sort of impending doom that we’re facing, then we can’t want to be involved with God.
No, we want to be involved with God because he is the bringer of life and brings us into this reality that’s all around us. And when we respond to that it’s because we really want to. This is what we’ve been created for, as people, is to be responding to Christ and involved in, as you had said, adopted into this loving family.
Anthony: Yeah. Wow. Gospel’s good, friends! It turns out it
Jon: It turns out it is good news. Yes.
Anthony: Yes, It is good news. Yes. Full stop. Full stop.
Small Group Discussion Questions
- What difference does it make for us to see the reality that Jesus is in heaven interceding for us?
- What difference does it make for us to see the reality that Christ’s priestly work is a “once for all” work?
- What difference does it make for us to know that we are living in the “end of the age?”
- What difference does it make for us to know Jesus is returning?
