Monday – February 28th – Hebrews 9:16-17 -----
9:16) For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17) For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.
The Daily Walk Bible inspirational thought for today:
NO ONE IS SO OLD AS THE ONE WHO HAS OUTLIVED ENTHUSIASM.*
Welcome to Monday and to the last day of this short month of February. Looking back over the last twenty-eight days what would you say was your greatest accomplishment representing the Kingdom of Heaven? Who did you encounter that might have helped you discover more about being a follower of Jesus? Who in this month have you helped grow in their faith and commitment to Jesus? But discipleship is not always about looking back – our best work for God is still ahead of us. You probably noticed that the graphic for the blog and for the new lent sermon series is “Back To Egypt”. Our human nature is to have a exaggerated opinion of the good old days, but if we are truly honest our minds create a memory that doesn’t always reflect the reality of factual history. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments there are lots of stories where folks wanted to go back to what seemed familiar and comfortable instead of trusting God to lead them through uncertain and challenging times. What “good old days” memories might you need to leave behind so you can focus on the amazing things God is already working on for our future?
In our pick verses today the author of Hebrews moves even deeper into why it was necessity for Jesus’ sacrifice and how that death freed us from our sinful past. The next few days, and next seven verses, will provide two significant reasons why Jesus’ death was necessary to establish God’s new covenant. In ancient times the word testament (a legal will) can also be translated as the Greek word covenant. Even today the words testament and covenant are interchangeable when speaking of the two divisions (Old & New) of the Bible. Jesus, the testator, or the author of “the will” in this description, died so that we could receive our inheritance of salvation. Without Jesus’ death we could not stand in the place of full inheritance. One of the long-standing critiques of Christianity is why did Jesus, God in the flesh, have to die. If God is all powerful, why didn’t He just speak, and sin would be forgiven, or relationship with God would be restored, and life would be great. The answer is simple, because our forgiveness and our eternity in Heaven is based on being an inheritor of God’s promises, then a death must occur to put “the will” into effect. As a believer we are considered joint heirs with Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessings
Pastor Jim
Tuesday – March 1st – Hebrews 9:18
*Tyndale. The Daily Walk Bible NLT (Daily Walk: Full Size) (Kindle Location 11348). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
9:16) For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17) For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.
The Daily Walk Bible inspirational thought for today:
NO ONE IS SO OLD AS THE ONE WHO HAS OUTLIVED ENTHUSIASM.*
Welcome to Monday and to the last day of this short month of February. Looking back over the last twenty-eight days what would you say was your greatest accomplishment representing the Kingdom of Heaven? Who did you encounter that might have helped you discover more about being a follower of Jesus? Who in this month have you helped grow in their faith and commitment to Jesus? But discipleship is not always about looking back – our best work for God is still ahead of us. You probably noticed that the graphic for the blog and for the new lent sermon series is “Back To Egypt”. Our human nature is to have a exaggerated opinion of the good old days, but if we are truly honest our minds create a memory that doesn’t always reflect the reality of factual history. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments there are lots of stories where folks wanted to go back to what seemed familiar and comfortable instead of trusting God to lead them through uncertain and challenging times. What “good old days” memories might you need to leave behind so you can focus on the amazing things God is already working on for our future?
In our pick verses today the author of Hebrews moves even deeper into why it was necessity for Jesus’ sacrifice and how that death freed us from our sinful past. The next few days, and next seven verses, will provide two significant reasons why Jesus’ death was necessary to establish God’s new covenant. In ancient times the word testament (a legal will) can also be translated as the Greek word covenant. Even today the words testament and covenant are interchangeable when speaking of the two divisions (Old & New) of the Bible. Jesus, the testator, or the author of “the will” in this description, died so that we could receive our inheritance of salvation. Without Jesus’ death we could not stand in the place of full inheritance. One of the long-standing critiques of Christianity is why did Jesus, God in the flesh, have to die. If God is all powerful, why didn’t He just speak, and sin would be forgiven, or relationship with God would be restored, and life would be great. The answer is simple, because our forgiveness and our eternity in Heaven is based on being an inheritor of God’s promises, then a death must occur to put “the will” into effect. As a believer we are considered joint heirs with Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessings
Pastor Jim
Tuesday – March 1st – Hebrews 9:18
*Tyndale. The Daily Walk Bible NLT (Daily Walk: Full Size) (Kindle Location 11348). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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