Jesus Christ, Apostle, and High Priest (Heb. 3:1)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01-08-03

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Jesus Christ, Apostle, & High Priest

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Hebrews 3:1 

 

            1.  Message of the verse:  “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,”  (NKJV)  “And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are bound for heaven, think about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s Messenger and High Priest.” (NLT)

            This short verse starts out a section which shows that Jesus Christ is superior to Moses, which is the next main point the author wants to make to these Jewish believers who were considering going back into Judaism.  He calls his readers “holy brethren,” which is only use here and possibly in 1Thes. 5:27, which means he was writing to true believers, set apart to serve God.  He next says that they are partakers of the heavenly calling, and all true believers have been called by God to be apart of His family.  He now says something that I must say that I have never seen before when I read this passage, and that is he calls Jesus Christ “the Apostle.”  The word means messenger and Jesus Christ was a messenger of God while He was upon the earth.  John 3:17 says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  The verse is saying that God did send His Son into the world.  The writer goes on to say that Jesus Christ is High Priest and in that roll He represents men to God, not like the roll of apostle.  One other note that I think is important and that is about Christ superiority of Jesus Christ over Moses.  Moses came to deliver the people of Israel out of bondage from Egypt, and Jesus Christ came to deliver all men, (who accepted His forgiveness,) out of the bondage of spiritual Egypt.  The last part of this verse speaks of “our confession, Christ Jesus.”  Jesus Christ is the center of our confession of faith; He is the One we must but our faith in to be saved.

 

            2.  Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I must say that I have never thought of Jesus Christ as an Apostle, but now that I understand why He is called that in this verse I not only understand it better, but I am thankful for this office that He fulfilled while on planet earth.  If He would not have been a Messenger sent from God to tell men about God then I would still be in my sin.

 

The Word of God was very refreshing to me today.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To continue to trust the Lord to lead me each day, and to have faith that He will work things out so that Jimmy can lead the lesson on Friday, even though he is sick today.

 

Memory verse for the week:  Colossians 4:5

 

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.