November 24, 2010

1 Chronicles 19-20
Most scholars consider the Chronicles to be the priestly version of Israel’s history. It is compiled from a priest's view point. Hence, we have all the genealogies and especially details related to the temple. I find it interesting that as the priestly account, the record does not address David’s adultery and murder. In today’s passage we find that David stayed home from battle, 20:1. 2 Samuel tells us that this is the time that David succumbed to adultery and murder. Chronicles does not even mention it. Why? A priest offers up sacrifice to cover the sin of the people for whom he is representative to God. From a priestly perspective, the sin of adultery and murder, which David committed, is covered by the blood of the sacrifice. Since those sins do not relate to the temple, the priestly account of David does not even mention it because it is covered by the blood of the sacrifice.
Jesus is our sacrifice. His blood not only covers our sin, but it washes it completely away. Once we have repented of our sin, Jesus never again mentions it. If I am suffering from guilt over past sin, I need only true repentance and confession. When that happens, it is under the blood. I am forgiven. It is gone. Jesus never throws it in my face again as a condemnation. If that is happening, it is not from Him. He is my High Priest. He cleansed me with His own blood. I am free. I walk in that marvelous light. It is nothing that I have done, but it is all of Him. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

1 Peter 1

The glory of what we have seen of the Lord is great. The glory that is to be revealed at His coming is greater still! What is the glory that has been revealed? His abundant mercy has not checked but satisfied the mercy of God. A body He prepared for us! His body He prepared for us. He sacrificed His body for us. He died to remove our sin. He rose to defeat that sin and death! He gives us hope, a living hope! Our hope can't be killed. He defeated death. We can be killed. But we shall live again because of Him! What power there is living in us because He is living in us! Simply because we believe!

In the movie Polar Express the boy receives a bell from the sleigh of Santa Claus when he learns to believe. His parents could not hear the bell because they did not believe. One by one his friends ceased to hear the bell because they ceased to believe. We enjoy the movie because it distracts us from reality and goads us to believe that there is good in this world that is full of bad events. It is a dead hope because deep inside we know it is make believe. We force ourselves to believe in spite of the facts. It is indeed a dead hope.

Not so with Jesus ! He is the only true hope. We do not base our hope on make believe, which we force into reality by the power of our faith. That would indeed be a dismal hope. Our hope is in His resurrection. The resurrection is securely attested to by history. It was produced by the power of God for our salvation. Our faith does not produce it; it merely secures what is already there for our own.

Faith is important. With out it we cannot receive His provision. But the provision is there whether or not we believe. Our faith merely enables us to realize it. That is why focusing on His glory is so important. His glory increases our faith. Remember His glory is a living hope! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John