I John 1:1-10

Sin. My Study Bible pointed out that the word “sin” and its variations occurs 27 times in this epistle. Today we have it five times in these few verses (7b-10). As we read on we will see that John uses “sin” as both a noun and a verb – as a noun 18 times (both singular and plural) and as a verb 9 times.

It’s interesting to consider the singular and the plural of sin as a noun. Here is an excerpt from today’s reading: …the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins… (vv. 7b-9a) I get the sense that “sin” in the singular is more corporate –a comprehensiveness, an entirety within ourselves (If we say we have no sin), but also in a more global sense (cleanses us from all sin). Sin in the plural refers more to individual acts, as we see in the last two occurrences of the word in the verses quoted above. And as I ponder further it seems like “sin” in the singular is (a) what Jesus’ death on the cross was all about, cleansing the entire world of all sin for all time and (b) for each of us, the cleansing that happened at our initial “conversion”, whenever that was. By contrast, “sin” in the plural is what we deal with, where we are on a daily basis. Any thoughts on all that…?

See also: December 16 (2020) / I John 1:1-10

Hebrews 13:1-25

The author of Hebrews mentions our Christian leaders three times in today’s reading: Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. … Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls … Greet all your leaders and all the saints. (vv. 7, 17a, 24a) Remember them, obey them, greet them. In writing about “leaders” the author surely had himself in mind as one of those Christian leaders. So I wonder if the author (possibly Paul) was thinking of his own mistreatment at the hands of those for whom he had charge in the past or those whose conversions had been as a result of his ministry. It would be hard for a preacher to say “obey your leaders” without his/her listeners thinking that s/he was speaking of his/her own situation among them.

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have… (v. 16a) No doubt most readers of this passage will think of donations of money or food or clothing or the like, especially given the conditions of that early Christian community in Jerusalem. Recall Paul’s own “collection for the saints” that he organized in Macedonia, Achaia, and Asia. But my thoughts in this verse went to our time and our talents. The writer begins this verse by encouraging his audience to “do good”, clearly a reference to their daily activities. So I read on that those in the body, the Church, need to be “plugged in”, to be active in their church body. And yes, it’s good for any Church to have more people involved in their many activities and ministries, but it’s also good for any individual to be more plugged in. Please note that I am not speaking to any of us on this RTNT list; we are plugged in. But there are others among us who could benefit the body and themselves with greater involvement. So if any of you have anyone in mind who could be more plugged in, think hard on how you could encourage that person to be more involved. I daresay, every ministry at St. Andrew’s could use more help!

See also:

• December 13 (2020) / Hebrews 13:1-8
• December 14 (2020) / Hebrews 13:9-17
• December 15 (2020) / Hebrews 13:18-25

Hebrews 12:1-29

Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (vv. 3-4) These would be great verses to remember when we are tempted by those couple of temptations in which we often fail. We think of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. But His time at Gethsemane was an even greater temptation. He knew that He was choosing between life and death. As He told Peter after Peter had taken his sword against the high priest’s servant, “Do you not realize that I could call on My Father, and at once He would provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53) Jesus chose death. We need to think of Jesus’ suffering and death when those temptations come on. I do believe our resistance would be magnified!

See also:

• December 9 (2020) / Hebrews 12:1-11
• December 10 (2020) / Hebrews 12:12-17
• December 11 (2020) / Hebrews 12:18-24
• December 12 (2020) / Hebrews 12:25-29

Hebrews 11:23-40

In verses 33 through 38 our author leaves nameless those many Israelites who gained victories (10 notations), trusting in the power of God and the faith of the leaders whom they served. He also lists trials that they endured (8 notations) and adds two verses (vv. 37b-38) of people who chose to isolate themselves from society – some fleeing for their lives and others choosing an hermitic lifestyle as their means of being obedient to the Lord. He is covering some 1500 years of Jewish history as he recalls what they endured from the various nations who conquered them. All of these notations – the victories, the persecutions, the isolations – are the result of faith on the part of these Israelites.

I mention below that the author probably knew of similar victories and persecutions in the early Christian church, but did not bother to mention those. And today we also serve in faith a God who is active in the world. We watch and pray for (and occasionally participate in) the growth of the Church. We also pray regularly for the “persecuted Church”, largely in lesser developed countries of the world, but we also see attacks on the Church and its institutions in our advanced societies. We see the same faith-based realities in those 1,500 years before Jesus, in the first couple of centuries after His death and resurrection, and in our world some 2,000 years later. But we all know how it will ultimately end – with Jesus powerful over all! Come, Lord Jesus!!

See also:

• December 7 (2020) / Hebrews 11:23-29
• December 8 (2020) / Hebrews 11:30-40

Hebrews 11:1-22

Today’s first verse: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (v. 1) Faith is an assurance and a conviction – an assurance (a promise) from someone else (God) and a conviction within ourselves that the promise will come true. Essentially we believe that the One who made the promise is worthy of our trust. Faith is also “hoped for, …[but]… not seen”. Reality is absent in our sphere of faith. There may be evidences of different things that strengthen that faith, but the faith itself is “blind”. I believe that the sun will rise tomorrow, but that’s not faith. That is the reality of my observing every prior day of my life that the sun had come up and that the sun very likely will come up again tomorrow.

Jesus’ death was a reality event, but our belief in His resurrection is based on faith. There were bystanders at the cross, people who witnessed that historical event. But there was no one at the tomb when Jesus rose from the dead. We have evidence of His resurrection – historical records in the Gospels, peoples’ lives changed, etc. – but our belief in His bodily resurrection is a faith item for us. And our (corporate) faith in that one event is and has been enough to change the world. Embrace that thought when you wonder about your own “faith”.

See also:

• December 5 (2020) / Hebrews 11:1-12
• December 6 (2020) / Hebrews 11:13-22

Hebrews 10:19-39

After reading today’s verses Carol said “This is a great chapter.” Then I got ready to post and saw my first line from last year’s post, “Some really great material today…”. Echo!

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us … through His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith… (vv. 19-22b) I realize that the author is writing to 1^st century Jewish Christians and connecting Jesus’ sacrificial death to the temple and the veil and the “Holy of Holies”, but I also need to bring those verses to us today. We also are entering “holy places” – everywhere in the world around us that God the Holy Spirit inhabits! And in everywhere we go and in everything that we do, it is through Jesus’ flesh and blood that we are who we are. The world needs to see Jesus in us, in all that we do, our …true heart… [, our] …full assurance of faith.

Some day we will enter that holy place to where Jesus ascended and where He sits at His Father’s right hand. Ponder that for a bit. We will be able to enter boldly with our …true heart… [our] …full assurance of faith. I can picture Jesus smiling as He steps forward to hug us!

See also:

• December 2 (2020) / Hebrews 10:19-25
• December 3 (2020) / Hebrews 10:26-31
• December 4 (2020) / Hebrews 10:32-39

Hebrews 10:1-18

The author of Hebrews writes these two sentences just four verses apart: …we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all… (v. 10) and For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (v. 14) There are three commonalities in these two verses: (1) we have been sanctified and those who are being sanctified; (2) once for all and for all time; and (3) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ and by a single offering. We have been sanctified (set apart) for all time through Jesus’ death. With those commonalities, there is one item that stands alone in verse 14: He has perfected… Why is verse 14 different from verse 10 with the addition of that simple sentence? How are we perfected? (I don’t feel “perfect” just yet.) Does “for all time” suggest a later time, presumably after Jesus returns? I don’t have an answer, only the question(s). Wondering…

See also:

• November 30 (2020) / Hebrews 10:1-10
• December 1 (2020) / Hebrews 10:11-18

Hebrews 9:1-18

…He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. (v. 12) This sentence is essentially the summary of what the author has been saying for the past few chapters, ever since he began speaking of Jesus as the High Priest of the New Covenant: Once, with His own blood, eternal redemption…!! It’s amazing to me when I consider both the parallels and the contrasts between the old sacrificial system and Jesus’ death, how the author connects that old system (some 1,500 years old back then) with the new. What joy it must have been for the Hebrew people back then when they finally saw Jesus as their promised Messiah after having waited so long. And now these same people, their descendants are still waiting, another 2,000 years since their Messiah appeared. I’m not them; I have a hard time relating to the constant disappointment they must feel. I feel sad for them.

See also:

• November 26 (2020) / Hebrews 9:1-10
• November 27 (2020) / Hebrews 9:11-14
• November 28 (2020) / Hebrews 9:15-22
• November 29 (2020) / Hebrews 9:23-28

Hebrews 8:1-13

One of our shortest readings of the year today. “Gifts and sacrifices…” (v. 3) I spoke yesterday of the importance (for us) of Jesus’ ascension into Heaven. Now thinking again of the “gifts and sacrifices” mentioned in today’s reading, I now see Jesus’ death as His continuing intercession for us as His gift.

I was considering some comparisons between the “old ways” and the “New Way”:

Moses & the High Priests	Jesus
Tabernacle/tent	Heaven
Old Covenant	New Covenant
Animal sacrifices	Jesus’ human death
Gifts and Sacrifices	Crucifixion and Ascension
Annual atonement	Once, for all time
Succession of High Priests	Jesus, forever
Tribe of Levi	Tribe of Judah

I’m sure there are more comparisons we could make, but these stand out. We are so blessed to be living “this side of the Cross”.

See also:

• November 24 (2020) / Hebrews 8:1-6
• November 25 (2020) / Hebrews 8:7-13